Let Me Help

Chapter Two

Alexsander got Katerina up the next morning and they went to the store. He was surprised at how much stuff it took to get Katerina�s hair ready in the morning. She picked up a comb, a regular brush and a round brush, shampoo and conditioner. He thought they were done but she kept moving around the hair supplies section. She threw hair spray and styling gel into the cart. She also picked up a hair dryer, three different sizes of curling irons, a crimper, rollers and holding gel.

After she tossed the toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash and floss into the cart he thought they were done so he said, �Ready to check out?�

She looked at him strangely and said, �Of course not!�

Before he could ask where she was going she was already walking down the aisle. She disappeared into the cosmetics section. By the time he had gotten down there she came and dumped a tube of mascara, some eye-liner, a container of neutral-colored eyeshadow, lip gloss, nail polish remover and three different bottles of nail polish in the cart.

�Ready.� She said and zipped ahead of him.

He looked at the lanes that were open and noticed that she had walked past a cashier that looked really bored, while every other cashier had lines. He also noticed that the cashier she had passed was a man. He decided that he should start seeing how she�d react to things and turned the cart into the lane.

�Katia! Let�s check out here!� he called out and started putting stuff on the counter. When she didn�t come he said, �There�s no line.�

Slowly she came over and stood as far away from the cashier as she could. The man smiled and said hi, but she made no reply.

�Katia! Aren�t you going to say hi?� Alex asked her.

�No.�

�What about common courtesy?� he asked her.

�Men don�t deserve common courtesy.� Katia said testily staring at him.

Alex was appalled. How could she say that right in front of this man? �Katia!�

Katia rolled her eyes, shook her head and took off, running out of the store.

�Hold on.� He told the bewildered cashier. Then he took off running after her.

When he got outside he saw her sitting on the hood of his car. He jogged over.

�Katia!� he yelled when he was almost there. He saw her open her eyes and quickly wipe them. �What�s wrong? Why did you yell at that man back there?�

�I didn�t yell at that man.� She said spitting out the word man. She looked at him said, �I yelled at you.�

�Why?� Alex asked.

�What do you care?� she asked.

Alex sighed. The middle of a parking lot was not the place to get into this.

�Come back in.� he said.

�No.�

�Come in.� he said sternly.

�I�m not going back in!� she yelled. �I�ll stay here!�

Alex shoved his hand in his pockedt and brought out his keys. He unlocked the passenger door and said, �Get in.�

Katerina slid off the hood and got in. After she sat in, Alexander pulled something out of his coat pockets. Her eyes grew wide as she saw what it was.

�What are you doing?� she exclaimed, fear making her voice tremble.

�I can�t trust you.� He said as he put one end on her one of her wrists. �Put your wrist by the handle.�

She put her hand by the handle that was screwed into the car, knowing she didn�t have a choice. He clasped the other end shut around it.

�I�m sorry Katia. But you tried to run away while you were coming here. This is your second day here, I can�t trust you,� he said looking at her sadly. �I don�t want to do this but I have to.�

He looked down at her arm that was now handcuffed to the car door. �Close the door yourself, I don�t want to hurt you.� He stayed by the car until she closed the door and quickly jogged back in.

~*~*~*~*~

Alex and Katia walked into the diner for lunch. They hadn�t talked since Alex had gone into the store, paid and apologized to the cashier.

�Hey Eddie!� Alex called out to the man behind the counter.

Eddie looked up and smiled. �Alex!� he turned around and yelled, �Maria! Alex is here!�

A woman came running forward. �Alex!� she held out her arms and Alex leaned over the counter and wrapped an arm around her small shoulders. That�s when Maria and Eddie noticed the girl he was holding by the elbow.

�Another one?� Maria asked?

�Yes.� Alex said as he gently pulled the wary Katia forward. �Eddie, Maria, this is Katerina. Katia, this is Eddie and Maria. They own the diner.�

Maria and Eddie both smiled and said hello. Katia said hi too, and Alex was grateful that neither of them noticed that Katia�s greeting was mainly to Maria.

�So, what�ll it be?� Eddie asked.

�I�ll have a cheeseburger and fries.� Alex asked. �What will you have Katia?�

�French fries.�

�What else?�

�That�s all.�

�Are you sure?�

�Yeah.�

�Okay, go pick a seat.� Alex said.

�You�re actually going let me go find a seat alone?�

�Remember, I�m not the only one here. Maria and Eddie are here too.� He warned.

Katia walked to a table by the window and sat down.

�Eating disorder?� Maria asked.

�I�m not sure yet.� Alex said. �The only definate thing that I know is that she hates men and thinks their all planning to hurt her.�

�Six dollars and forty-eight cents including two drinks.� Eddie sad and Alex handed him the money. �She must not be too happy with staying with you then.�

�Let me go prepare the food.� Maria told Eddie and walked back.

�Go sit with Katia. I�ll bring your drinks to you.� Eddie said.

Alex sat down by Katia and they sat in silence until Eddie brought their drinks. Alex took both glasses and handed Katia one.

�So, Katia, where in this beautiful state of Maine are you from?� Eddie asked.

�None of your business.� Katia said and looked out the window. Eddie smiled at Alex and whispered, �Good luck,� as he walked back to the counter.

~*~*~*~*~

Alex and Katia were sitting in the living room watching TV but not really watching it. Alex took the remote and shut it off deciding that this was as good a time as any to talk to her.
�Katia, you were very rude to the cashier and to Eddie today.� He started to say.

�There�s no such thing as being rude to men.� Katia said stopping whatever Alex was going to say next.

He sighed, �Why do you have such a bad attitude about men?�

�I don�t have a bad attitude about men!� she exclaimed.

�Yes you do! You bash them every chance you get!�

�I don�t bash them! I tell the truth about them!� she yelled.

�Not all men are bad Katia!� he yelled.

�Yes they are!� she yelled, and he started to see some tears welling up in her eyes.

�Why do you believe that?� he asked trying to keep his voice gentle. He could see in her eyes that she was in pain.

�Because, all the men I�ve known are.� She said, her voice growing softer.

�Have I been?� he asked. �I�m sorry if yelling at you today made you upset and if handcuffing��

�I can�t believe it!� she yelled. �You really think some dumb thing like yelling at me and handcuffing me to a car is the type of things I�m talking about?�

Alex let her calm down a little before saying. �I don�t know what you�re talking about. I�m trying to understand so that I can help you.�

�Help me? You don�t want to help me!� she accused him.

�Why do you keep saying that? Have I done something that makes you think I want to do something else.�

�You don�t have to do something. You are the bad things. You�re a man.� She said.

�What do all these men you know do?�

�Don�t play innocent with me! I know!� Katia yelled.

�Please Katia.� He said and then whispered. �Let me help you!�

Katia shook her head sadly. �How can I let you help me when you don�t want too? When it�s all a game you�re playing to get me trust you. I know men; I know what you do. Please, just stop playing games and get it over with so that I can go.�

She got up and quickly ran upstairs. Awhile later he heard the door to her room softly close.

Alex sighed and shook his head. Something awful had happened to her. Something that was still hurting her today. What, he didn�t know. But he wanted to find out. And he would find out. And he�d find a way to take care of it.

He stood up and walked into the kitchen to pour a glass of water. He leaned against the counter and sipped it while he was thinking.

Katia really wasn�t trying to be rude to the cashier and to Eddie. She really believed that men would try to hurt her, she was protecting herself. Who and what had done these things to her? And what were the things they did to her?