∆∆6: An old friend

Lost in thoughts, Andi wandered the streets of los Angeles with a small bag on his back and no destination ahead. His life had really gone down the drain right in front of his eyes.

He hated the fact that he was coming to hate his father for disappearing amidst such tribulations. "Why didn't he just stay?" He wondered. "We could have faced this as a family!" He groaned angrily.

His father's company was claimed to have been guilty of embezzlement of funds and fraud and many other unbelievable crimes that caused them to fall bankrupt in the blink of an eye. He was starting to think maybe his father was truly guilty.

Hours had passed since he got kicked out from his wife's house but he had nowhere to go. He definitely couldn't go back to the hospital with his belongings especially since his wife had posted it on social media.

The comments made his stomach churn and anger rise in his blood.

"You must feel relieved to have such a burden off your neck, congratulations!"

"I celebrate with you girl! I definitely couldn't have been as nice as you to still let him live with me. Immediately he went broke, I would have kicked his ass out!"

"What a blood sucking prick! Congratulations on your freedom! Those jerks deserved what they got."

That last comment drove him mad that he almost smashed his phone against the concrete floor.

Why did people keep saying his family deserved such bad luck when they did nothing wrong? Or were they guilty?

His phone suddenly began ringing and he was more than reluctant to answer the call when he saw that it was doctor Stan who was calling.

He already knew what it was the man would say but he couldn't ignore the call either. "H--hello sir?"

"My hospital is losing too much money because of you and your sick mother! Do you want me to become bankrupt like your unfortunate family?!" The man demanded sternly in an angry tone.

Andi felt a sharp pain in his chest. Stan's words had hit him where it hurt. "I didn't wish to be like this either Mr Manchester, don't you know that? Would anyone ever wish for a fate as cruel as this?!" Tears welled up in his eyes and his voice shook as he spoke.

"Are you talking back at me? How dare you have the nerves when you're just a useless homeless rat!" The man spat out.

Tears poured from his eyes where he stood with his phone glued to his ears, his heart pounded like crazy in his chest like it was about to jump out.

Stan didn't retire with his insults either. "You don't have a single penny! Did you think I didn't know that when I took your mother in? I was only being nice but there is a limit to my kindness!

"I will not become useless like you! I know your wife has dumped you and you are with no way of paying the bills. Come and take your mother out of my hospital! I don't care if she dies anymore!"

Before Andi could chime in a word, Stan hung up the phone and almost immediately, a heavy rain began to pour down. It had been giving signs earlier but just like the dark clouds in the sky, his head had been clouded by several dark clouds of thoughts.

He crumbled to his knees as tears poured out from his eyes. All the feelings he had been holding in broke out and poured down his face like the heavy rain that fell.

His clothes got soaked but none of that mattered to him. Why did life have to be so unfair to him? Didn't they say life was filled with ups and downs? Why was he stuck in the downs?

Why did he have to have such a terrible fate? His forefathers had been enjoying wealth, why did his family have to go bankrupt in his own lifetime?

Lots of people walked past him, hurrying out of the heavy rain, some of them shared umbrellas and they all shared strange glances at him, wondering why a grown man would break down in the middle of the road.

But Andi didn't care, if he could spend the rest of his life in the rain there crying out his pain, he would. It was all too much for him to bear on his own.

Several minutes went by there before Andi realized where he was. He brought himself to his feet and dragged his body under the shade of a small retail shop but his eyes caught a piece of paper glued to the glass.

"We're hiring!" He read out the words written on it excitedly and desperately. He already rushed into the shop when he remembered he was soaking wet.

"Welcome to Lilly's retail shop!" A plum woman who looked about his age greeted him with a bright smile. "Oh my God, you're soaked! Perhaps you want to buy an umbrella?" There was a hint of worry in her tone.

Andi shook his head. "No uh... I uh... I want to apply for the job, I hope you can employ me. I can do a lot of chores, I really can!" He determinedly confessed.

If he got a job and paid part of his mother's bill every month end then maybe Stan would not send her out of the hospital anymore.

The lady only looked him up and down for a split second before answering. "You're hired! Lucky for you, I have some of my brother's clothes in the back that you can change to while yours dries out."

His eyes widened. "Oh thank you! Thank you! I promise you that you won't regret employing me!" She must have been desperate to take just anyone.

As he took a step forward, the door behind him swung open at the might of the breeze and a push from someone together.

He turned around to greet the customer when his eyes fell on a young beautiful woman with remarkable blue eyes that he could recognize anywhere.

"Mr Emerson..." The woman called his name, shocked.