“Yeah, here,” I said, handing over the crumpled bills. It was a small gesture, but it felt monumental, as if the universe had shifted slightly on its axis.
The stranger nodded, a silent thanks passing between us as he walked away into the night. I watched him go, feeling a strange mix of emptiness and fulfillment.
I drove home in silence, the radio a background hum to my racing thoughts. What had I done? Would I regret it? The questions tumbled over each other, unanswered and relentless.
Sleep came fitfully, dreams muddled with reality until the morning light broke through. I awoke to a buzzing phone, a name I didn’t recognize flashing on the screen.
“Hello?” I answered, voice thick with sleep.
“Is this… Alex?” the voice on the other end asked.
“Yeah, who’s this?”
