The next day, after work, Allyce went straight to Kimdis to see Xabat.
Xabat was busy and when he saw Allyce arrive, he only greeted her hurriedly: “Madam”.
“Where’s Beef?” She had come to see Xabat today, not only to ask how he was doing with Delfina and Alonzo, but also to bring Beef.
Xabat smiled and hastily ordered his men to stand back: “Go and get Beef”.
He then put a pile of information in front of Allyce: “I have checked Delfina’s background, it is simple and straightforward, just as she said.
Allyce remembered how Delfina had a big smile on her face and found it hard to imagine that she had a heart condition serious enough to prevent her from going to school.
“Doesn’t he have an older brother?”
“Yes, he also has this brother I would say, Adán Natividad, he is supposed to be thirty-seven this year, here is a photo”. Xabat pulled out a photo from under the pile of information.
Allyce lowered her eyes to look at it, it was a little yellowish, probably a few years old, and the tall, thin boy’s face was a little blurred, but it wasn’t hard to see that he was very young.
“How many years ago is this photo?”
Xabat frowned slightly, as if he had known all along that Allyce was going to ask this question, and said with some embarrassment: “More than ten years ago.
“Can’t you find a recent photo?” Allyce held up the photo and looked at it carefully.
Xabat shook his head distantly: “No. I also visited the neighbours where Delfina lived and they also said they hadn’t seen Adam in years”.
“How is this possible?”
If even the neighbours in the area had not seen Adam in years, was it because Adam came back and deliberately avoided the neighbours?
Delfina said that Alonzo was her brother’s son and that she had always had him, that Alonzo was only a year and a half old, and that Delfina was sick at heart and rarely went out, so it was logical that Adam had been back in the house for at least a year.
This makes it increasingly certain that Adam was avoiding the neighbours.
Xabat explained: “I was told that Adan was busy working outside the home to earn money for his sister’s treatment, so he didn’t have time to go home, and that the two brothers were very close”.
“I see, I’ll take this information and look at it again first”.
Allyce and Xabat said goodbye before leaving Kimdis with Beef in tow.
Allyce saw Delfina and Alonzo on the side of the road just after the car entered the Bay in the Clouds.
Delfina was standing under a peach tree, plucking fruit with her toes, while Alonzo, wearing a duck hat, sat quietly watching her, with a maid at his side.
Allyce thought about the information Xabat had researched earlier and contemplated it for a few seconds before turning to the driver and saying: “Stop the car.
“You guys go back, I’ll put Beef in for a while and then I’ll come back.” Allyce took Beef out of the car.
As soon as Beef got out of the car, he made a mad dash to Delfina’s side.
Allyce struggled to pull and just let the rope go straight to him.
It was probably because of the smell of peaches.
Delfina turned her head to look at Beef and was surprised: “What a beautiful Border Collie.
Then he turned his head and saw Allyce: “Mrs. Betances!
Allyce had told Delfina earlier that she was married and that her husband’s name was Betances.
“Picking peaches?” Allyce couldn’t help but look at Alonzo.
“Well, the peaches are about to ripen and I’m sure Alonzo is bored of staying at home.” said Delfina, and reached out to touch Alonzo’s head.
Somewhat awkwardly, Alonzo twisted his head to avoid it, and his sticky little milk voice rang out, “No, I’m not bored …”
He was fine staying at home, it didn’t matter if he didn’t go out.
Delfina froze, “Alonzo’s been talking a lot these days …”
Not only that, he seemed to like Allyce a lot.
Allyce just smiled and knelt down to talk to Alonzo.
Whatever she said, Alonzo responded too, and then just stared at Beef, who sniffed here and there underneath the pair of peaches.
Seeing this, Allyce said, “Does he like dogs? His name is Beef.
Alonzo glanced at him and stood up, lifting his chin and shouting at Beef at the top of his lungs, “Beef …”.
Allyce, however, thought it was very nice.
Alonzo liked Beef so much that an enthusiastic Delfina invited Allyce to her house for dinner.
Allyce was eager to ask Delfina more questions about her brother, so she joined her.
…
Delfina lives in a villa the same size as Allyce’s house.
The difference is that Delfina’s house is full of maids and there are guards at the entrance.
When they saw Delfina leading Allyce, their eyes became suspicious.
This made Allyce even more curious about Delfina’s brother.
“You have a lot of people in your family.” Allyce said to Delfina as she walked inside.
“My brother is always worried about me, so he always has a lot of people in the house”. Delfina sounded a little helpless.
“Your brother is very worried about you, where is he, isn’t he at home?” Allyce motioned to look around.
A flash of loss crossed Delfina’s face: “I haven’t seen my brother for years.
Allyce was surprised, had Delfina too not seen Adam in years?
Allyce’s tone took on a tinge of curiosity, “How busy are you? What kind of work do you do?”
“I don’t know, my brother doesn’t want me to worry about such things and he never tells me what he does, but he’s a very nice man, he must not do anything wrong”.
Delfina smiled and seemed to trust Adam.
However, Allyce did not feel the same way.
Delfina was certainly a very simple girl, and although she had had a heart condition since childhood, which also affected her normal life, she was optimistic, and apart from the carefree living environment, Allyce felt it had something to do with Adam’s care for her.
After all, a good life can only satisfy one’s material needs, but the only thing that can water one’s spiritual world is love.
How could a brother who loved his sister very much not show up for years?
Unless he could not appear.
Allyce caught the thoughts in his eyes: “You and your brother are so loving.
Delfina just smiled brightly.
Allyce and Delfina chatted for a few moments and then went out into the courtyard where they saw Alonzo and Beef playing together.
Beef was sitting crouched on the ground and Alonzo was standing in front of him, reaching out to pull Beef’s leg.
Allyce thought it was a lovely image, so she took out her phone and took a picture of it.
In taking the photo, Alonzo turned his head to one side, which allowed Allyce to get a good shot of his face.
Alonzo quickly went back to playing with Beef.
The more Allyce looked at it, the cuter it looked, so she used the photo to post it with a friend.
Soon there were several comments.
The first was Lucila’s.
Miss Ann was a bit cute: Damn, does Chief Betances have a bastard child?
Immediately after was Neto’s response.
Mr. Neto, the most invincible man in the universe: a smaller version of Severo! By the way, upstairs, have you ever ripped off your friends during working hours? You have 50 seconds to come and admit your mistake, or this month’s bonus will be deducted!