第2章

Some minutes later, a young lady came in from the house with a slate, and on it were two cups of coffee.

She pulled a little word table finely carved and designed with flowers and she placed the slate on it.

She handed one cup to me and the other to the old man.

"Thank you", I said looking at her with her long dark brown hair going down to her waist and her dimpled cheek giving her a very outstanding elegance.

I couldn't help but noticed the scar on her face but I didn't think asking was a good idea because it might just be reminding her of something that she wants to forget.

" This is my youngest daughter Mikayla, she is such a sweetheart and she has been the one taking extra care of me since her mother(my wife) died.

"Hi Mika, hope I can call you that?", I inquired.

She nodded with a smile on her face as to tell me that she had accepted. Then I went on to ask about her level of education to give her some of my texts that I don't use anymore.

The answer from the old man got me in tears, as he narrated to me that she was dumb and has been like that since birth.

He added that surgery was to be made to cut off the tube that is blocking her vocal but there was no way for the money to be raised so she has been that way.

" My eldest son does side jobs and has promised to raise the amount for the surgery", the old man went on.

I was filled with so much sadness as to what young Mikayla was going through that tears dropped than my eyes unknowingly.

"You don't have to cry my dear one, life is a battlefield and we have to fight". He spoke gently rubbing my left shoulder.

How could a family be facing so much yet, they are still together and live in harmony while I live in a by and comfortable house alone with no one to support me nor talk to me regularly.

I looked at the old man, and imagine how blessed his family is to have him by them.

I looked at how beautiful and innocent she looks as she picked the flowers from the garden after dropping the slate.

" The flowers are sold out and that is one way of making little income for my family mad I", he muttered.

Melanie seemed relieved passing some time with them and she felt like she had known them for decades because of their simplicity.

" And you, what brings you to our neighborhood little one?". He inquired.

She looked at him with so much sadness in her eye and burst into tears.

"Calm down my daughter and explain to me what you are going through I am a father and I have kids all over so I will understand you". He spoke softly.

She couldn't get to understand why a stranger was so nice to her and was willing to listen to her problems.

" I am all alone in this world with no one who cares about me". She found the courage to utter some words with a faint voice shrugging through the sound of her crying tone.

Mr. Johnson smiled at her and replied,

"you are not alone I am here for you and my house is always open to you".

On hearing this she embraced the old man tightly and her tears came pouring like the gates of heaven had been opened.

" Thank you so much for being so nice to me even though you don't know me". She cried out.

The moment was so incensed that she didn't hear her phone ring the first time.

It rang a second and a third time and Mr. Johnson asked her to check her phone and to see who was calling it could be important.

She took out her phone from her right pocket and looked at it for a moment and put the phone down on the little table that was in front of them.

"Why don't you pick your calls little one?", Mr. Johnson asked worriedly.

" I don't want to talk to anyone", she replied.

She was so hurt that she didn't want to think about going back home to meet them.

"They don't love me all they care about is the money, power, and fame they get. I am just like an additional object in their lives and their house". She gave a huge sigh of desperation after saying all that.

The old man could see the anger and hatred she has for the member of her family and he wanted to help but didn't know how so he proposed something,

" Why don't you come here whenever you are sad and pick any flower of your choice that will make you remember how beautiful life is. It works every time", He advised.

She smiled at him and answered, "are you saying I can come here whenever I am sad and I will have the right to take any flower that I want?".

"Yes, you can and I give you my word that even though I am not around, no one will stop you from taking any flower that will make you happy", he certified.

"Thank you so much for your kind gesture I appreciate it". She said happily.

That was the first time she had smiled all day and she felt lighter after talking to someone who is not her family and ego doesn't know who she is yet didn't take advantage of her.

" Food will soon be ready", Mikayla said from behind with a calm voice.

"Join us for dinner and I want you to meet my son he should be on his way now so that together we can have dinner", he persuaded.

She answered cheerily and her mood from the morning had changed and she was now feeling better.