You can cry

He turned back to the little boy. "Chris... Stop blaming your parents, it not their fault at all. All parents want to give their children all the happiness in the world, all parents love their children. They do their best to give their child a good life. They love you so much and as they watched you from above they still do their best to protect you." Eric tried to clear the boy's assumptions.

"Why did they leave when they wanted to protect me?"

"Your parents never meant to leave you, they want to be with you, make you smile, always be there for you, be your comforter and your friend but they couldn't because they were victims of circumstances. No parents wants to see their child in pain. They just couldn't do anything to change fate so don't blame your parents, they loves you so and are watching over you, just be a good boy and make your parents proud even if they aren't here with you they can see you and smile whenever you smile, make them happy by being happy. They love you okay?" He said to the little boy and seems his words made a lot of effect on him but all his words affected the woman sitting next to him. She listened to all he said and found some true fact in it. She stood up because she couldn't fight back those tears that were burning up in her throat. She walked away.

Eric looked her way and turned back the little boy. "Don't blame them you hear me and when you get bullied always defend yourself, stand for yourself and I don't mean you should fight okay? Be a brave boy... Your parents got your back" Eric said and wiped the little boy's face before bringing him back on his feet. "Now give me a high five and smile for Mister Eric" he said and lifted his hands for the high five. The boy smiled but not enough to Eric. "You see my teeth.... Not grin harder" he said and tickled him again. The boy laughed and showed his teeth to Eric. When he stopped, the little boy jumped and engrossed the man

"Thank you sir" his tiny voice appreciated. The sir hugged him back. "You are welcome.... Now go play" he told him and with a sweet smile on his face he went running.

Now it was time to find Lucy, he stood up and searched where he knew and eventually found her by the end of the garden, a little away from the playground, she was facing the wooden fence and she hugged herself. From behind Eric knew she was crying. He understands...

He went in front of her and took her shoulders in his hands, she looked up at him with her face filled with her tears and her nose running. She stepped away but he pulled her back and enfolded her in his comforting arms. "Crying doesn't means you are weak, you are just human so you are meant to feel, you can cry" he told her as she sobbed, upon hearing that Lucy let it all out on his shirt. He caressed her back until she finished crying and pulled out. He brought out his handkerchief and handed it to her.

She looked at him before receiving the handkerchief and cleaned her face. "Eric, forget you saw me this way okay?" She said looking down.

"I don't think I can" he replied simply and she narrowed her gaze at him. He only smiled. "You need to wipe my memory if you want me to forget what I saw" he said.

Lucy studied him and then looked away. He really was comforting, crying in his arms made her feel well.

"Why don't you try smiling?" He pinched her cheek and then a frown settled on her face. "See, this Is how to smile" he grinned from ear to ear, it caused her to laugh.

"Oh... Eric" she murmured.

"I'm happy to make you laugh" he said gently, she looked up again and wonder why he's so good to her, only to herself, she liked his presence. "Did you eat?" He asked.

"Don't ask" she replied.

"I already have.... If you haven't let's get something to eat and.... I'm about to take your hand" he informed her before taking any action. He led her to a shop by the road and bought corn dogs for the two of them. They found a table and sat under a very big umbrella.

Lucy ate slowly, Eric did the same. "Lucy...."

She turned to him with a go ahead look. "The guy at the bus...."

"What about him?"

"Nevermind" he said, it's still bothers him to know that she likes having conversations like the one she had with the man in the bus earlier, he couldn't even speak that way.

"Okay.."

"What type of conversation do you like having?"

She looked at him 'cause he sounded absurd, a conversation is a conversation.

"All, all are the same...so I like all or maybe I don't at all" she said and cut through the corn dog.

He stared at her for a while before looking away and ate his own corn dog.

"What do you think might make Daniel so upset?" She asked. He turned to her.

"Was he upset?" He asked in disbelief.

"Yes... He was so upset that he almost spoilt my face with a dangerous object"

"Ohh I apologise on his behalf, he didn't mean to"

"Why do you think he was that upset?" She asked.

"It must be work stress or he had a fight with his father"

"I really cannot relate Eric"

"Is he alright?"

"I think so.... He was fine yesterday"

Eric nodded thoughtfully. "I'll go to him, will you come along?" He asked.

"No" was her simple response.

"He's your boss Lucy..."

"And I hate that he's my boss" she murmured which he didn't hear.

"Well, he's celebrating his birthday soon, did he tell you about that?"

She shook her head and wondered why he didn't, who was she to him anyway? Why would he want to tell her about his birthday? They later finished their corn dogs and Eric took her home before heading to Daniel's house. What caused him to be so upset? He needed to know.

In thirty minutes he got to Daniel's house, he was standing by the pool with a glass of wine in his hand.

Eric went forward and touched his shoulder, he wasn't startled because he knew that he was around.

"Daniel... Are you okay?" He asked standing beside him. Daniel averted his gaze to his friend with no expression on his face. It was obvious that he had been in deep thought.

"I am just work stress" he said, cutting it short before taking a sip of his drink.

"I know it's not just work stress, tell me I'd understand" Eric tried again.

Daniel let out a deep sigh of frustration. "You know how my Dad is... Always making decisions for my life and isn't concerned about my own needs"

Eric nodded thoughtfully.

"He wants me to get married because he promised his friend a long time ago about getting me and his daughter married and when I refused he threatened me" he said, his tone was so low

"You don't want to get married" Eric repeated, he really didn't know what to say.

"No Eric!" He yelled, he turned to his friend with a disapproving look.

"Would you wanna get married because of business?"

Eric shook his head. "I don't wish for that. What are you going to do about that?" He asked, he was worried for his friend, Daniel's father have never allowed him to do whatever he wanted and be who ever he wanted to be.

"I will continue to decline and I don't care about his business. I'm not getting married!" He almost tossed the glass in his hand.

"It's okay... Calm down Daniel" Eric stopped him and collected the glass from him.

"I also don't want you married, seeing you as a father is really.... Not a good idea for now" Eric shook his head before drinking from the glass. Daniel stared at him confused but soon recovered.

"A father?" He scoffed. "I've not even dreamt of getting married talk less of having a child" he almost laughed.

"I have" Eric said and look at his friend, he knew he just said something that sounded ridiculous. He smiled against the glass that was on his lips before gulping down another.

"I know you are a man with many many dreams"

"What do you mean? That you don't have dreams?"

Daniel kept mute. Does he even have a dream? His Dad had made him give up on fulfilling his dreams. He never wanted to be a business man like his Dad, he wanted to be a good artist but his Dad found it absurd and told him to study more about business even when he failed so many times, his father pushed him until he finally gave up on his dreams and follow all that he Dad says. He does all he do to make his dad happy because he loves that old man and wants to impress him.