“I went to Uncle Kevin’s today.”
“Did you get him the medicine?”
“Left it by the counter.”
“I want to do something for him.”
“Me too.”
“I have no idea.”
“Maybe we could help him renovate his shop. Rename it with his son’s name and make it popular.”
“I think he will like that.”
“If he has an apprentice, he will not be so grief-stricken all the time.”
“Will he take one?”
“Maybe.”
“Alright, let’s sleep on it.”
The next day, around 9 am, Rosaline received a call from William.
“Hey, did I wake you?”
“Umm”
“Do you want to go out?”
“Alright. Let me freshen up and eat something first.” ‘Tess is right. Rather than regret not trying, let me face whatever comes up if I do try’. Rosaline thought as she agreed to go with William.
After losing their pursuers, they went to the waterfall and rested there for a while enjoying the view, and the food they had brought with them.
“Tell me something about yourself,” William asked.
“What about me?”
“Anything?”
“How am I supposed to answer that?”
“Well, what do you like?”
“I like lots of things. I like reading novels, I like stories, I like my work, I like eating and sleeping, I like trekking, traveling, I like cleaning. I clean my entire apartment when I’m in a bad mood.”
“How did you manage to get post-grad double degrees at 20 when you sleep so much? And how did I not realize Tessa Johnson was such a sleepyhead? I have collaborated with her over a dozen times in the last 3 years and I even hired her.”
“We are not like that normally. It’s just since we are on our break, we get lazy. After all, we won’t get to laze around or sleep till noon after this break. The way I see it, these few weeks are kind of a time-out from our real life.”
“I don’t think you get to have a time-out from your life. Break, yes. But time-out, really?”
“Aren’t I doing it now?”
“You must really despise me then. I have roped you into working for me.”
“That’s alright. I like my work. And I definitely loved your house.”
“I’m glad.”
“What are you going to name it?”
“I have no idea. I could just name it AR mansion after my company and after Aunt Aria.”
“Why not name it something after your family or maybe after your mom?”
“That did not even cross my mind. My parent’s name also starts with A, so it should be fine.”
“You are not close with your family, are you?”
“That obvious? huh.”
“Kind of.”
“I’m not particularly close with anyone in the family. We are just fundamentally different people and don’t understand one another at all. I don’t fit into their idea of normal.” William shrugs indifferently.
“That’s sad. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Actually, I think there might be something wrong with me because somehow this difference does not bother me at all. I tried to be bothered by it, but did not want to fake it.”
“Feeling can’t be forced or faked.”
“But I’m surprisingly close to Albert’s parents though, especially aunt Aria. In fact, I feel a distinct kinship or brotherhood with Albert. Now that I think about it, I’ve no idea when Albert started addressing me as brother.”
“Maybe you have similar principles and character. That’s the same with me and Tessa. She is the person I’m closest with.”
“Why aren’t you close with your family?”
“Same as you I guess.”
“We are not the same.”
“huh?”
“I am not bothered by our differences and lack of understanding and trust. You, on the other hand, care, and it affects who you are as a person.”