Lost in New York

"You red." She laughed and pointed at my face. "You not see naked girl?"

"I looked. I'm also well traveled enough to point out that nudity is more commonly accepted in Europe than here in the States."

"You film, too much violent." She made a finger gun and pointed it at me then mimed an explosion. "Need more love."

"I won't argue with you there." I laughed.

"No TV?" She looked around.

"No, too much violence." I replied with a smile. The truth was my old set had died a few months earlier and I never bothered to replace it before leaving on a work trip.

Margo insisted on cleaning up again while I got dressed. She went into the bath and washed up and dressed. Her dress looked wrinkled but manageable. Her shoes were still a bit damp making her a little uncomfortable but she insisted she would manage. My coat was bedraggled and damp, it wasn't expected to rain today but it wasn't exactly the sunny warm weather I had hoped for after the rain had passed. Margo pulled the sweatshirt over her dress and I took a different coat from the closet and we began our trek.

Rather than go crazy I took her to a local consignment shop where we found her a small rolling case that would fit in an overhead bin when the time came and she began to look at the clothes. I knew of the place since many of my students who were new to the city and its extravagant expenses had mentioned finding good deals on clothing there before.

She was confused by the sizing and I pulled up a conversion chart on my phone and handed it to her. She examined it for a moment and nodded and started looking through a rack of jeans and found a pair to try that seemed to fit. She went through racks of tops and shirts and found a few she liked. I watched her looking at each and every tag, likely keeping a mental tab of how much she was spending. She put together a weekends worth of clothing and looked around. She found an area of shoes and started holding shoes up to the sole of her own. I looked up the sizes for shoes and showed them to her to give her a better idea of what to look for and she found a pair of sneakers in her size. She looked up at me for a moment and I just nodded and smiled. We checked out and went down a few blocks where we found another clothing store where she could pick up some under garments. I asked if she needed anything else?

"What?"

I nodded towards a rack of bras.

She returned an impish grin.

"You think I need?" She jutted out her chest which was well covered in my sweatshirt.

I sighed and rolled my eyes which caused her to laugh.

"One I have okay." She said juggling her items to her other hand as she looked at another piece of lingerie, a sexy black lace body suit. She felt the fabric. "You like?" The grin returned.

"I don't think it's my color."

"Me?"

"I think you'd look terrific in something like that."

"You think about?" She pointed at her temple.

I cleared my throat and felt my cheeks warm.

"No need." She let go of the fabric and we went and checked out. We stopped back at the apartment to unload the purchases and headed out again. I felt bad that I didn't have a spare toothbrush in the bath to loan her this morning and we stopped by a pharmacy and got some basics, and we filled a small toiletry bag for her. She picked out a few travel sized items for her kit as well. She went to the makeup counter and she looked but didn't look like she would buy anything at first but picked out a couple items there too. When we were done there I found a cellular store and she stopped as we entered.

"No." She grabbed my arm.

"While you're here I'd feel better if you had one for emergencies. Besides I was going to see about the prepaid ones. If you prefer you can leave it here when you go, I'm not sure it would work in Europe anyway."

We found a decent model for her, not too large and not too expensive either. I had them put on a screen protector and activate it before we left. We ended up at the coffee shop we'd met at yesterday, which she was reluctant to enter after running out.

"If anyone says anything let me handle it."

We sat and I ordered coffee and some lunch. Margo began setting up the phone. I was little or no help to her as she tapped in her information and eventually my numbers. She set it aside when the plates were set down. She fell on lunch like she hadn't eaten breakfast and I went from humored to realizing that I wouldn't hesitate either if I'd just spent four days on the run.

"What happens when you go home. Is this man going to come find you again?" I voiced my concern.

She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head in the negative. "I look out."

We headed back the apartment so she could wash her new clothes and change. She insisted on keeping each and every tag and copying each receipt down and sending it to herself in an email, adamant that she was going to pay me back every cent. She plugged the phone in to charge after we connected it to the WiFi and without batting an eyelash she began disrobing in the living room.

"Uh."

She stopped and looked at me waiting. "I wash clothes." She resumed disrobing until she stood stark naked for a moment. I saw a grin cross her face as she reached for the sweatpants folded on the end of the sofa. She turned to me with the t-shirt still in hand and looked me in the eye as she pulled it on. "You red."

"You certainly aren't shy." I said as I turned to put my new spare toothbrush in the bathroom. I showed her how to operate the washer in the closet.

"We forgot to stop for groceries." I said chastising myself.

"You two egg only." She held up two fingers.

I made a quick rundown and doubled it for the next few days.

"Okay, I'll run to the corner. Don't put the chain on, I'll lock the door on the way out. I shouldn't be more than thirty minutes. Stay out of trouble." Margo's eyes went round with fear before she smiled realizing that I was only teasing her.

As I walked down the block I wondered if I wasn't making a grave mistake trusting her. My laptop was unlocked and open for the taking. She might find the small stash of money I had hidden in the apartment. I shook my head and thought that she would have to have had a lot of foresight to worm her way into my graces the way she did, and if she had done so with larceny as her plan she could have easily picked a much better mark. As I entered the market I thought about what she might like to eat over the next day. I wandered the aisles picking up items, remembering eggs and milk as I got to the last aisle. It was cool enough so I picked up a pint of ice cream.

When I unlocked the door and pushed it open I saw Margo stand up quickly, putting her hands at her sides. I got the distinct feeling I'd just caught a child with their hand in the cookie jar and hoped that my trust in her had not been in vain.

"Cześć." She bit her lip seemingly unsure of herself. I cocked my head.

"Hi." She said and smiled. She came quickly around the end table to take one of the bags from me and bring it into the kitchen.

"You eat much."

"Well I'm eating for two right now." I grinned at her and dug the ice cream container out first and showed it to her. She recognized it instantly and grinned. "A little treat for later." She watched me unpack the rest of the groceries putting them in their place. She was right I had bought a lot for just myself but I wanted to make sure there was enough. I had seen many of my own students put away enough at times to feed two people. I heard her mumble and looked up. She turned shy and her cheeks colored pink.

"What did you say?"

"Tomato?" She said, and I nodded. I realized she'd been saying the names of the foods in English under her breath.

She smiled and nodded pointing at her head. "Tak mean, yes. Tomato, pomidor."

"Pomidor." I said. I loved that she thought of this learning as a two way thing, teaching me words in Polish as she used their English equivalent.

"You know I never thought to ask if you like seafood."

She looked at the paper wrapped package and sniffed at it. "Ryba. Fish?" She nodded and smiled.

"Ziemniak. Potato. I no find in morning."

"I didn't have any. I don't usually bother with them but thought they might go well with the fish."

She said something that sounded distinctly like citron and I pulled a lemon out of the bag which made her laugh. She said something else and looked into the bag and let out a heavy sigh.

"I say cytrynowy, you take from bag. I say money, no in bag." Her smile was infectious.

"No, though I wish we all could have a bag full. It would make life easier." I said with a laugh.

"Can print?" She beckoned me back to the living room and brought up the screen on my laptop. There was a document on the screen I couldn't read.

"What's that?"

She pursed her lips and thought. "Report?" She switched to the browser and brought up the translation app and typed out her answer. "Report for consulate. Maybe they can find the man who brought me here." She had an angry expression on her face.

I nodded and turned on the printer allowing it to warm up a moment. "You may want to proof read it afterwards in case some of the characters don't come out correctly."

"No worry." She smiled. She took the papers once they'd printed and put them in an envelope I'd offered her, to bring with her Monday.

"What do now?"

"I don't know. I usually relax, listen to some music, read, or write. What would you like to do?"

"You need?" She pointed at my laptop after sending the statement to herself via her email. I shook my head. "I email so parent know I safe. Angel help." An expression of shock crossed her face. I was glad she took her situation seriously. She could have easily ended up a statistic.

"I haven't asked because I didn't want to pry but how in heavens name did you end up coming to New York with a man like this?"

"He friend of artist I know, photographer. I speak with him when I home." Her angry expression returned. "I respond to post online. He take picture of me at studio."

My expression must have given away my surprise.

She seemed frustrated for a moment. "For magazine, like black lace earlier today." She nodded.

"Before you land yourself in jail, your photographer friend may not be aware of what's happened. Though I certainly wouldn't confront him alone."

She just shrugged and pulled the computer onto her lap. I took one of my manuscripts and sat back to go over it.

I read for a while and marked up a few notes in the margin as I went. I was reading for a while when I heard a huff and groan. When I looked up Margo's cheeks were puffed out as she typed away with the speed of a student in the computer age, fingers a blur as she let the tension out through them. She looked closely at the screen.

She looked up and saw I was watching her causing her to smile. "You use cam?" She pointed at the screen.

"I have a few times yes."

"I use? Mama upset."

I nodded knowing she was likely to know how to operate it better than I could. She groaned again.

"Problem?"

"Passkey Polski, letter different." She mimed typing and grinned. "I do." She must have figured it out because I heard a voice over the speaker.

"Cześć?"

"Mama!" Margo's face lit up. They both began speaking and Margo waved her hands in a halting motion.

"To jest mój anioł Krzysztof." She said and turned the screen to face me. On the screen was a pretty woman, like her daughter, staring at me eyes wide.

"Say hello, my mother Karolina."

" Cześć Karolina." I said with a nod. Her eyes went wide again as she said something in Polish.

"Nie. Uczę go mówić po polsku." Margo answered as she turned the screen back to her. "On uczy mnie mówić lepiej po angielsku. I tell her you teach English, I teach Polish to you." She smiled over the top of the screen.

They began a conversation which became heated at times. A normal conversation between a worried parent and their child on the verge of adulthood. As a professor I had heard its timbre many times.

"She think you no angel, you want girl." Margo pointed at herself and rolled her eyes.

"Does she speak English?"

Margo shook her head. "She understand little."

"Please tell her that you are perfectly safe. I am not dangerous and I will do my best to see you back home safely."

They resumed their conversation and Margo laughed a sweet trill.

"Mama like angel story. She look in Bible."

"Tell her it's in Hebrews 13:2." I smiled.

"She light candle for you tomorrow." Margo said grinning. They talked a bit longer.

"Mama want to send money for me. She think you not wait for me to send."

"Tell her she doesn't need to send me money, but you may need some for a plane ticket. We should contact the airline and see what can be done, if anything."

They finished up and signed off.

"She worry."

"That's what mothers do best." I said laughing.

We got together the details of her flight to New York and penciled them out, and I called the airline. They were apathetic at first until I got testy, even getting a worried look from Margo at one point. It was eventually determined that he had bought their tickets online and she would be able to check in with the booking code which she didn't have. I was concerned about was her being able to change the date of departure and make sure the purchaser could not change or cancel the ticket any longer. I went through a supervisor and another representative when it became more apparent that it would be easier to just book a new flight. After plenty of aggravation I gave up. Margo looked at me confused and I pointed at my computer asking her to hand it to me.

"Do you know if the consulate is likely to buy you a flight home?"

She shrugged and shook her head. "This my first time in America." She snorted and said something in Polish.

"I'm going to guess that was, "maybe your last?" Don't let this ruin your opinion of travel. It's really fun."

I searched online for a decently priced ticket with a single stop and asked if she was in a hurry. Her eyes went wide when she understood what was happening.

"Stay week?"

"Well the best price would be a week from Tuesday. This week would be expensive, almost double. You don't take much room so Economy should be comfortable enough. I don't see a problem with it if you don't."

Her eyes were wide, jaw slack as she nodded. I bought the ticket in her name. I purchased the insurance too in case we needed to change or cancel it. When I was done she moved the computer and I was a surprised when she straddled my lap and hugged me. I gave her a quick hug and she sat back, tears in her eyes.

"You real angel."

I shrugged. "I'd hate to think you made it to America and had a bad first time abroad. I have a surprise for you tomorrow."

She smiled. "What surprise?"

"If I tell you now it won't be a surprise!" I laughed.

She leaned in and hugged me again.

I nodded my head towards the sofa. "Better get back over there before you make me a liar to your mother."

She climbed off my lap and looked at me a moment. I could see the realization dawning on her as I pointed at the sofa.

I eventually put my notes aside and tidied up the table and started water for tea. We had a quiet afternoon, talking about what we liked to do in our spare time. Margo was an enthusiastic music fan rattling off names of her favorite performers, most of which I didn't recognize. She liked to go dancing when the chance came about. I agreed with her enthusiasm though our tastes differed as I went to the small bookshelf stereo and played her some of my favorite music softly while we talked.

"You need TV." She said smiling.

"I thought all of you young people went to the internet for your entertainment these days."

"Small screen." She said looking at my laptop. "Hard share." She gestured at me and back at herself. I excused myself to prepare dinner for us and Margo went back to her browsing.

* * * * *

I was usually an early riser. It came with the territory of being a professor and having to be in the classroom early. It also helped when I traveled, giving me ample time to get to places I was working. Today the sun finally dawned bright, the clouds having moved out to sea overnight. I looked out the window and everything seemed a little brighter in color, probably thanks to being washed by the week of rain. I heard the bathroom door close. The living room was well lit and I assumed Margo had woken from the bright sun flooding the windows. A moment passed and I heard her emerge, a moment later she walked into the bedroom looking like a sleep-deprived zombie. She climbed onto the bed and snuggled up to me, dragging my arm over her, the blanket the only thing separating us.

I was about to protest but she had gone back to sleep instantly. I closed my eyes and saw the red orange color of the sun shining through the lids as I joined her. I woke quickly when I felt her bite my chest and her hand wrapped around my stiff cock. Her teeth found and grazed the nipple through the thin fabric of my shirt and her hand began to work magic on the erection I was sporting. Shocked I gave her shoulder a shake to get her attention and she stiffened before scrambling across the bed. She reached up and threw her hair back over her head her face glowed in the sunshine. She looked frightened for a moment and relaxed as she realized where she was. Her face began to flush and she turned bright red. She quickly checked to find herself still covered in the t-shirt she'd been sleeping in.

"What?" She began, her mouth hung open.

"Well it would appear that you got up to use the bath, then forgetting where you were went back to bed, in here."

Both of her hands went to her mouth. "I sorry." I could tell by her cheeks she was smiling.

"I'm not. It's the first time I've been able to sleep late in ages."

She looked at the nest she'd made of the blankets and then across my torso, her eyes landing on the enormous lump she'd created. She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Me?"

"You may have had something to do with it, the rest is mother nature telling me to relieve myself." I climbed out of bed and, facing the window, adjusted myself which caused Margo to giggle.

I stared at the bathroom wall as I relieved myself and wondered what in hell I was going to do with her. She was a little minx and this wouldn't be the first time I'd been hit on by a coed. The irony of her not asking for a better, or at the very least passing, grade made it different than most others. The other difference is that she was already in my home, not leaning over my desk flashing her charms in hopes of getting an A for a little action. I turned towards the door of my bedroom to find the covers had been pulled off completely off the bed and Margo sat against the pillow smiling at me with her arms around her raised knees. My t-shirt lay on the floor next to the bed.

I exhaled sharply at the sight. "What in heaven's name are you up to?"

She leaned back and her feet slid forward as she reclined nude, one knee raised slightly the other leg straight, she just rubbed her hand on the sheet next to her.

"Come."

"Listen, this is not..."

"No, you come." She slapped the mattress firmly, brooking no argument. I walked around the bed and sat on the edge and turned to her about to renew my argument when she sidled over to me and pulled my mouth down to hers where she stole the breath out of me. Her hand rested on my leg, her fingers grazed the skin of my inner thigh.

"Margo. I don't think this is a good idea."

"You no have condom?"

"That's beside the point."

"How long?"

"Average I suppose. I haven't had any complaints." I said flustered by her questing fingers and her breasts pressed against my arm.

She laughed. "How long it been, you make love to woman?"