Chapter 5

The following day, Lester went to town and sold all his harvests. It was about fifty sacks of sweet potatoes and corn. He earned a lot of money from it so he went to the grocery store to buy all they need in their home.

Lester was carrying a shopping cart with groceries when he met the old man, Mister Lucas.

"Whoah! You're here Mister Lucas!" Lester smiled warmly as he greeted the old man.

The old man smiled at him and Lester saw the silver sparks in his eyes again. He thought of something but could not remember it. 'Where did I saw it before?'

"Lester, my goodness! So you're here too! Haha. It seems that you're buying plenty of goods," Mister Lucas commented as he saw his groceries.

"You're right Mister Lucas. I earned a lot from the new harvested sweet potatoes and corns so I'm buying all our house needs."

Lester saw the bottles of wine lined up on the shelf on the left side and pointed it to Mister Lucas. He said, "They said that those wines are delicious. Would you like to drink with me, Mister Lucas? It's great timing tonight, tomorrow is a rest day so I don't have any work to think of."

Mister Lucas raised an eyebrow, seems that he disagree with him to drink. However, the old man smiled and answered, "Okay. No problem to me but I have one request, I want chicken with coconut milk and plenty of ginger and chili to partner with the wine."

Lester's eyes widened as well as his nostrils. His jaw dropped to the ground too. He exclaimed, "That's my favorite food, Mister Lucas! Hahaha. I will definitely cook it for you so that you can taste the best chicken of your whole life!"

The old man laughed and answered, "Don't disappoint me, Lester. I'm looking forward to it. It should be delicious!"

With a wide smile, Lester tapped the old man's shoulder and said, "Trust me, Mister!" He winked at the old man after.

Mister Lucas smiled and went to the wine shelf, took three bottles of wine, and put it into Lester's shopping cart.

Lester once again saw the silver gleam in the old man's eyes as he smiles. He could not take away his gaze from him. If you look closely, one can say that Mister Lucas was very handsome in his youthful days.

"Alright! I'll bid my farewell now, Lester. I will bring pork with tamarind too, you'll definitely like it! Let's meet again later."

Mister Lucas waved as he walked away.

Just imagining the food, Lester drooled. That was also one of his favorite. Every time his mother cooked pork with tamarind, he was sure it was very delicious. However, he could also say that something was missing in it that he could not identify. But of course, he never mentioned it to his mother. He doesn't want to embarrass her.

Lester happily continued shopping and slaughtered three native chickens when he got home to cook. For him, the coming guest was special.

While simmering the chicken, it would take some time because the native chicken was harder to cook than the cultured chicken, Lester cheerfully cleaned the whole house. He wanted to enlighten Mister Lucas and show him that they were neat and clean in their home.

"Whoah! Are we having a guest, Son?" Mrs. Wang asked Lester in amazement as she watched him clean.

"Yes, Mother! I invited Mister Lucas to have a drink with me. He said he will bring pork with tamarind, you know how much I like it."

Mrs. Wang could not hide the happiness she felt. At last, her son entertained a friend. She said solemnly, "I'm very thankful that you know now how to make friends, Son."

Lester scratched his head and answered, "I am just a silent type of person, Mother. But it doesn't mean I don't have any friends..."

"Am I wrong? Friend means a person you can rely on, a person you can be within times you needed, a person who can accompany you. You don't have any except when you were young," Mrs. Wang explained.

Lester furrowed and his heart suddenly jumps inside his chest.

"I had a friend when I was young? Why I don't remember anything?"

Could it be that...?

Mrs. Wang blinked and thought deeply

"I remember you really had a friend before..." Mrs. Wang paused and closed her eyes, thinking deeply about who was that friend he has. She continued, "It's weird. I could not remember the person, the images in my mind are blurry too. Why is that?" It's tormented her mind.

Mrs. Wang tried her best to find in her mind those old memories of her son but she could not figure it out, it seemed to disappear. Lester could not help but look at his mother silently.

'Does mother referring to Ezekiel?'

Feeling hopeless, Lester just continued cleaning and grooming their house.

It was six o'clock in the evening when Lester's guest arrived. The old man was wearing a white t-shirt and black pants, partnered with brown sandals on his feet. He was well groom, very neatly even in his old age. Lester could tell that the man was in his sixties, with gray short hair and has a cheerful face. He was carrying a basket with a pot inside.

"Mister Lucas! You're here!" Lester ran towards the old man and took the basket from him. He smiled and said, "Please come inside so you can meet my mother too."

Lester went straight to the kitchen bringing the basket and could no longer see his mother's colorless face when she saw the visitor!

"Don't worry, Madam. I have no intention of taking your child now, it wasn't the right time yet and I am following our agreement. But I am still me, I own Lester no matter what you do. I just don't want him to be with anyone else just like what you wish for him. I cannot allow it!"

Lester harshly turned around and looked at the old man but he was just smiling at his mother. He could not see his mother's face because she's facing her back to him. The old man was just standing quietly near the door.

"Please take a seat, Mister Lucas. Don't be shy!" Lester shouted from the kitchen and pointed his finger to the wooden sofa in the living room.

He turned around to continue his food preparation but he silently thought, 'Whose voice was that? But it sounds like for Mister Lucas. Am I crazy? Why I am hearing voices?'

Lester spooned two servings in two big deep bowls, one was for chicken with coconut milk and plenty of ginger and chili, the other one was for the pork with tamarind Mister Lucas had brought. His stomach growled. The aroma of the foods made him craved. He was so sure it was very delicious. Carefully, Lester brought the tray with the bowls into the small living room and put it on the center table. The wine was already prepared on the clean table together with three goblets. Mister Lucas was already sitting on one of the wooden sofas. His mother seated at the opposite, looking at the visitor quietly.

Lester enlightens the mood and talked first, "Haha, Mother you're so quiet. I want to introduce you to Mister Lucas. He is my friend."

Mister Lucas stood up and approached Lester's mother. He smiled and reached his hand and said, "I am very happy to meet you, Madam. Now I understand where Lester inherited his handsomeness!"

Lester blushed after hearing the blatant praise from the old man but...

Did he saw it correctly? Does his mother tremble while reaching the old man's hand? They shook hands very quickly and Lester could see that his mother looks like avoided it but just couldn't help herself because of him.

Something suspicious aroused in his heart. Lester could not help but think, 'Were they lovers before? Or close acquaintance?'

A sudden pain struck Lester's heart. He stroked his chest to eased the pain. It hurts so much like an iron melting his heart.

"Are you alright, Lester? Is there something wrong with you?" Mister Lucas asked Lester worriedly.

The old man's attention completely was on Lester's and could not hide the worry from those beautiful silver eyes. Lester calmed down eventually after looking at the old man.

"Ahhh! I am fine Mister Lucas." Lester forced a smile and continued, "Thank you for your concern."

Lester picked cutlery and tasted the pork with tamarind Mister Lucas had brought. He tasted it again. And again. And again. He could not help but exclaimed, "This is very delicious, Mister Lucas!"

The taste Lester looking for so long. The missing taste from his mother's cooking.

The old man breathes a sigh of relief after hearing Lester's compliment. He said with a proud smile, "I especially cooked it delicious for you, Lester. Haha."

'I know how you love my cooking very much and I'm very happy to serve you once again.'

That voice again!

Lester did not take away his gaze from the old man and he was very sure he heard the old man's voice in his ears but the fact that Mister Lucas did not speak those words made Lester quiver in surprise.

He bent down and scooped on the pork broth again and fell into a trance. Lester thought, 'Am I really crazy? Or can I really hear voices? What is that, telepathy? Isn't it's only happening in cinemas?'

But Lester pretended as if nothing was weird in the air. He poured a bottle of wine in the goblets and gave one to his mother and one to Mister Lucas, the last one was for him. He took a sip on his glass but he concentrated his mind. He wanted to know if he can really hear voices.

Mrs. Wang's silence was very suspicious and unusual, and Lester could not help but secretly glance at her. Lester was surprised when his mother suddenly exclaimed in her mind, 'Lester is still too young! Why did you come back now, Ezekiel! Don't take away my son, I am begging you.' He almost fell down the sofa in shock.

Being certain to himself of his suspicion, Lester believed that he could really hear them. He gathered his composure back and pretended nothing unusual. He poured wine into his glass and sipped quietly, after, he poured Mister Lucas glass as well.

'Ezekiel...'

The mysterious man in Lester's dream.

Lester looked at the old man when he heard him spoke cheerfully, "Thank you, Lester. I am really grateful, actually, I haven't tasted wine for a long time now. Hahaha."

"Really, Mister Lucas?" Lester kindly replied while looking intensely into the old man's eyes. He saw the silver sparks again. It was hypnotizing and he wanted to touch those beautiful eyes.

'Whatever the reasons, whatever the secrets behind, I will do everything to discover it!' Lester promised himself.

While sipping the wine, Lester once again heard the familiar voice of the old man in his mind saying, "I am very happy that we're together again even in this way. At the right time Lester. At the right time.''

Lester took a deep breath and glanced at the old man and said, "Can you take me to your home, Mister Lucas? Whenever it is will be fine with me. I also want to meet your relatives."

"Not now, Lester." Mister Lucas swallowed hard before he continued, "But I will definitely be very happy if you will let me visit you here often."

Lester's heart rejoiced! Thinking about their meeting regularly, he cheerfully answered, "Any time you want Mister! I'm looking forward to it!"