A pregnant taxi driver, enduring the late stages of pregnancy, generously offered a wounded homeless man a ride to the hospital during a stormy night. The following day, she discovered a line of SUVs parked outside her residence. Men in suits approached her with news that would forever change her life.
For two years, Cleo had navigated the streets, encountering a spectrum of passengers from late-night revelers to hurried families and weary businessmen. Through countless stories and emotional exchanges, she had honed a sharp intuition about people before they even stepped into her cab.
On this particular November night, as her taxi sliced through the dense fog, Cleo felt the toll of her eight-month pregnancy weighing her down. Her back throbbed, and the baby within seemed keen on performing somersaults against her ribs. Despite the discomfort, the need to make ends meet kept her on her shift.
«Just a bit longer, sweetheart,» she murmured, caressing her belly, envisioning returning home to Chester, her orange tabby who likely commandeered her pillow in her absence.
Home had been a bittersweet notion since the day she’d excitedly prepared to share the news of her pregnancy with her husband, Mark. She had laid out a candle-lit dinner, his favorite lasagna, and a gift-wrapped pair of baby shoes. But the joyous reveal had spiraled into despair when Mark disclosed his affair and the pregnancy of his mistress, Jessica, his supposed platonic colleague. In a whirlwind of betrayal, Mark left, draining their savings and leaving Cleo to fend for herself and their unborn child.
«Your father might have left us behind,» she whispered to her unborn child, a vow of perseverance strengthening her resolve.
That same resolve was tested later that night, mere weeks from her due date. At 11:43 p.m., as the rain drizzled down, she noticed a figure limping along the highway’s edge. The man appeared spectral, emerging from the urban shadows, his clothes ragged and soaked, clutching his arm and dragging his leg. Despite the late hour and her exhaustion, something about his plight struck a chord within her.
Cleo watched him through the rainy windshield, her hand instinctively resting on her belly. Though she should have been at home, something in the man’s desperate, faltering steps compelled her to stop her cab and help, overriding her desire to return to the warmth and comfort of her home and Chester’s soothing purrs.
In her two years of moonlighting as a taxi driver, Cleo had become adept at recognizing danger, and this situation set off all her alarms.
Peering through the mist, she could see he was young, likely in his mid-twenties, wearing what once seemed like high-end clothing. He gripped his right arm tightly, and even under the dim streetlights, the dark crimson soaking through his sleeve was unmistakable. His face was a canvas of bruises and swelling.
Suddenly, a car surged up behind them, its presence sending a jolt of fear through the young man, who attempted to flee but faltered.
«Think this through, Cleo,» she muttered to herself, fully aware of her advanced pregnancy. But her resolve was firm, and she was already pulling over.
She cracked her window open slightly and called out, «Are you alright? Need help?»
The man spun around, panic evident in his widened eyes, as blood dripped from a cut above his eyebrow. «I just need a safe place.»
As the sound of the approaching car intensified, Cleo didn’t hesitate. «Hop in!» She unlocked the doors. «Let’s get you to the hospital.»
He barely managed to clamber into the backseat when she accelerated away, the pursuers’ headlights glaring in her rearview mirror.
«They’re still on us,» he gasped, ducking down.
Cleo’s heart raced. «Hold tight.»
She darted through a sequence of sharp turns, navigating the familiar backstreets, but the other vehicle matched every move.
«Who are they?» she asked, glancing at the worried figure clutching the door.
«Just go faster… they’re catching up,» he urged.
Suddenly, another pair of headlights blocked their path ahead—they were trapped.
«Trust me?» Cleo asked, already spinning the wheel.
«What are you doing?» he stammered.
With a deft maneuver, she drove through an old parking lot, narrowly squeezing beneath a half-lowered barrier that the pursuing vehicles couldn’t get past.
«Two years of evading inebriated customers taught me a few tricks,» she said, ensuring the coast was clear in her mirror. The escape had been close.
Her baby kicked sharply, drawing a pained grimace from Cleo.
«You’re pregnant,» the man realized, his voice laced with regret. «I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you into this.»
«Sometimes, the biggest risk is inaction,» Cleo replied, meeting his gaze in the rearview mirror. «I’m Cleo.»
He sighed with relief. «Thank you, Cleo. Most would’ve just driven past.»
«Maybe, but they haven’t seen how quickly life can turn on a dime like I have.»
After what seemed like forever, they reached the hospital. Before he exited, the man gently held her arm. «Why did you stop for me?» He scrutinized her face with his functioning eye.
Cleo paused, reflecting. «Lately, taxi drivers, especially those who are pregnant and working nights, don’t get much kindness.»
She recalled a recent morning scene: a woman stepping indifferently over a homeless man in distress, too engrossed in her phone conversation to care. «This morning, I promised myself I wouldn’t become that person… someone so overwhelmed by fear they lose their humanity.»
He gave a slow nod. «You really didn’t have to help. What you did tonight… it’s more significant than you know.»
Cleo met his gaze, offering a faint, comforting smile before returning to her taxi. As she drove away, she murmured to herself, «What did he mean by that?»
The rest of her evening passed in a daze. She returned home, had a quiet dinner, and tended to her cat. Yet, her mind couldn’t stop replaying the night’s events, tumbling into restless sleep.
The next morning, the roar of engines startled her awake. Chester, her cat, leapt from the bed, his fur bristled in alarm. «What’s happening, Chester?» Cleo struggled out of bed and froze at her window.
A procession of sleek black SUVs lined her simple street. Men in sharp suits and earpieces efficiently set a perimeter around her home.
«My God, who are these people? Did I help a criminal last night?» Cleo gasped.
A knock at the door halted her spiraling thoughts. Through the peephole, she saw three men; one in a polished suit, another with an earpiece, and the third strikingly familiar.
«No way,» she breathed, recognizing the man from last night.
His tattered attire was replaced by a suit so fine it likely cost a fortune.
With shaky hands, she opened the door. «Ma’am,» the first man greeted with a slight bow. «I’m James, head of security for the Atkinson family. This is Mr. Atkinson and his son, Archie, whom you assisted last night.»
The reality hit her. The Atkinsons, a billionaire family renowned for their tech empire. Their son had been in the headlines, kidnapped three days prior with a staggering ransom.
«They had me for three days,» Archie recounted from her modest couch, while Chester curiously sniffed his shoes. «I managed to escape during a transfer last night. If it weren’t for your timely help—»
«The kidnappers following you,» his father interjected, «were apprehended shortly after you reached the hospital. Your brave actions not only saved my son but also dismantled a perilous kidnapping operation.»
Mr. Atkinson then presented an envelope; the amount inside made Cleo’s knees buckle. «Sir, this is overwhelming. I can’t accept—»
«It’s a mere token compared to your courage,» he replied with a warm smile. «Consider it a contribution to your future!» he added, nodding towards her belly. «No child should wonder about their next meal.»
Tears streamed down Cleo’s face as Chester purred in Archie’s lap.
«There’s more,» Archie leaned in, «we’d like you to lead our foundation’s new community safety initiative. The world needs more courageous individuals like you, Cleo.»
«If you need anything, ever, please call us,» Mr. Atkinson added, offering his card, his tone laden with genuine appreciation. «We are eternally grateful.»
Overwhelmed with emotion, Cleo managed a tearful «Thank you!» as they departed.
Watching them leave, she felt a burden lift. For the first time since her husband’s departure, hope flickered within her. She looked at her belly, tears mixing with smiles. «Hear that, little one? Mommy’s late-night shifts just turned into something incredible. And all because we dared to care.»
