Personal Question

"How long were you waiting?" Jian asked as they walked together. "Not long, is your mother picking you up?" He asked pressing the elevator button for them. "Yes actually and she will be here in an hour or so, do you have a computer I can borrow to show you the site?" She asked as she put her phone inside her purse.

He nodded, "It's in my bag at uncle's office we can wait there till your mother arrives." He suggested and Jian smiled as the two got on. Jian nodded asking, "Are you guys blood-related?" She said out of the blue. John started laughing as she frowned explaining, "I don't mean any offense it's just you two look nothing alike."

John stopped to catch a breath as Jian smiled alongside him waiting for his response of, "No we are not." He pretended to wipe a teardrop from his eyes and explained, "Remember the man from before, during your first day of work." Jian nodded and he continued.

"That man is my father, my uncle and father are like childhood best friends so they are like brothers. They would have been if my father had married his sister but she ran away before they announced anything."

"Oh that's a bit weird but nonetheless, I live with a single mother so who am I to complain," Jian said giggling. John smiled at her pausing to ask an intrusive question. Jian noticed so she said, "Go ahead and ask your question."

"Jian do you- ah, I don't know how to phrase it." He said as the elevator stopped, Jian got off saying, "You want to ask about my father." John said yes and she smiled adding, "It's no worries, John, my father was an amazing man, and from the little memories I have of him, I am glad that he left me with such a strong mother."

"Sorry, that's too personal to ask." He said looking down and Jian glanced in his direction as she said, "It was a personal question but that means you get to tell me about your mother and father." Her tone was teasing to lighten up their mood and he nodded following her lead as they walked towards an office. John knocked on the door before gesturing for Jian to follow him inside when he held the doors open.

"John, I am going out for a meeting, behave yourself." The two heard as they proceeded towards the sofa. "Yes, uncle," John replied as he grabbed a bag from the space near a single sofa on the side. "Here," He said with a smile passing the computer over to Jian. "So you wanna hear about my mother while you pull up the website?" He asked his voice a little unsteady.

Jian smiled and moved to the edge of the large couch next to the single one where John sat. She lowered the computer to an angle at which the screen wasn't visible saying, "If it's something that you feel uncomfortable sharing you do not have to share, you know I was just playing."

He smiled looking up at her from his knees and said, "It's just I haven't really talked to anyone openly about it and I want to share, but you understand I find it hard to put it into words."

She smiled as she remembered what happened a few days ago with the nightmare she had. She said, "I know, just take your time." She focused all her attention on the young adolescent who reminded her of herself.