During lunch, Liam met Charlotte for the first time after she sent Russell away. Charlotte didn’t talk with Liam but kept telling the maids this and that, including treating the floor carefully from here on.“You could have punished him some other way,” Liam voiced his mind in a calm and collected way. “Why did you have to send him from the house?”“Why?” Charlotte visibly frowned. “I spent more than 50,000 dollars to repair the damage he’s done to the floor.”“So? Do you think you can keep the marbles shining pristinely forever?” Liam asked. “They get dirty every time you walk on them, won’t they?”“That’s different.”“No, it isn’t. Tell me this… Are they worth more than your son-in-law?”“Yes, they are!” Charlotte blurted, slightly enlarging her eyes.“Are they worth more than me?”“... what?” Charlotte didn’t like where Liam was going.“Answer my question,” Liam tapped his foot on the floor repeatedly. “Are these tiles worth more than me?”“O-Of course, not.”“Then, I’m telling you
Russell, on his way back home, was passing by an old graveyard. He noticed Nora enter the graveyard with a big box in her hand.“Whoa, what’s she doing here?” He was quite puzzled. Why would someone like Nora enter an old graveyard that wasn’t functioning anymore? Naturally, he put the bicycle aside and observed her from a distance.Nora went to a particular grave. She sat on her knees and lit up a small birthday cake with the number 60 on it. It was the grave of Lester Lynn.There were chocolate chips on the cake as they were Lester’s favorite.She was looking at the album in her hand that had the pictures of Lester from when he was young.“Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday to you…” Nora’s voice cracked as she sang. Still, gasping and sniffling she continued, “Happy birthday dear Lester… Happy birthday to you. I love you so much, sweetheart.” She sobbed, with her head touching the grave. “I love you, my precious boy. I miss you, my son…” She kept on crying like a baby.Russell,
Russell, from his meeting with Nora, learned many things. One of the things that stuck with him was the reason she gave when she asked her why she generally didn’t wear footwear even in the hot sun. She told him how the connection between feet and earth was necessary to naturally heal the body, and this was one of the main reasons why she was healthy even at 80 years of age. She even advised him to walk barefooted in the garden every morning and evening as walking in the grass would lower the inflammation levels of the body.In short, her message was for him to live down to earth, literally.It sounded too simple for Russell to believe, but then she told him that this was all taught to her when she was young and when even 100-year-old people didn’t have any tooth cavities. However, things changed after plastic found its way into the clothing and footwear industry.Since he was living at the farm house anyway, Russell decided to follow her advice and walk in the garden at dawn and dusk
“I will pay you back all that I owe, so give me one week, sir,” an elderly man was begging at Tyler’s feet. He was seventy years old, and his hair was all white and messy.Tyler the Collection King was eating roasted chicken legs, with half-a-dozen men in his back. His wife was also massaging his shoulders and putting chicken pieces in his mouth.“If I give you one week, then some other idiot will take you as an example and ask for a one month extension next time,” Tyler slapped the old man’s face with his foot.“Honey, elder abuse isn’t a good thing,” Tyler’s wife tried to control him.“Sorry babe, but I hate these losers,” Tyler blurted, “who take money with a big smile on their faces and then cry a river when they are asked to pay it with interest.”“Yes, but Elder Tom is an upright man,” Tyler’s wife reasoned. “If he can’t pay within one week, he’ll definitely let us take his tuition home.”“Oh…” Tyler’s gaze shifted to Tom. “Will you, Tom? You don’t make much from your math tuiti
Viola was chatting random things to Elora until the maid Rekha left. Afterward, she started asking some personal questions.“Mom, you haven’t told me how you met Dad,” Viola asked. “Please tell me.”Elora pursed her lips. Viola generally called her Aunt, but when she wanted a favor, she would call her Mom. “I’m not your Mom, though.”“Yes, but my Mom isn’t Brother Russell’s mom either, but he still calls her Mom, doesn’t he?”“You sure have a glib tongue,” Elora sighed. “Alright. I’ll tell you, but don’t spread it to others.”“I promise I won’t tell anyone, even Brother Russell.”“Good. It was actually a little special, our first meeting,” Elora thought back to the time when she first came to this country. “A couple of local men started talking to me and were trying to take me to their place. They were very polite, and I believed them, but then Arnold came and told those men to leave. I didn’t understand what was going on until he told me that they were actually planning on doing bad
After Tyler kicked him, Tom fell on the floor and bruised the base of his palm. Still, he was glad that his wrist wasn’t broken because he couldn’t afford the treatment costs let alone pay for his wife’s treatment.“Mr. Tyler!” Russell raised his voice, surprising Tyler. “He’s old enough to be your dad. How can you slap and kick someone like him?”“He cost me 100 dollars,” Tyler retorted. “What I did is too little, Brother.”“Tsk,” Russell shook his head and then helped Tom get up. He also picked up the album and walked together with Tom.“Brother, where are you going?” Tyler couldn’t help but ask.“By hurting this old man whom I have given a chance, you indirectly mocked me,” Russell replied. “How can I stay in a place where I get mocked?”Tyler’s heart skipped a beat. He scuttled over and grabbed Russell’s bicep. “Please stop. I made a mistake. I acted without thinking. I will never repeat something like this. I’m sorry.”“You should apologize to him,” Russell uttered.Tyler’s expre
“All professional sports are rigged?” Russell didn’t believe it. “Don’t you think you’re exaggerating things?”“Actually, I only touched the tip of the iceberg,” Tom confidently replied. “Sports and other entertainment exist to keep the masses occupied and divided. The government doesn't want the people to focus on it, after all. That’s why they keep pressing our shoulders down, burdening us with our jobs and ever-increasing prices of products and services.”Russell and Tyler still looked the same.“It’s not just sports. Most elections are rigged as well,” Tom added. “There’s too much at stake for those in power to lose control, which is why they give the illusion of freedom to the people so they won’t bare their claws at the elites and the government and work like obedient citizens. They make the public believe that the professional games are genuine when they’re not. They are the reason why the rich become richer and the poor become poorer. It’s unfortunate, but the world has long t
“What type of girls do you like?”Tyler knew straight away that this was a question that didn’t come out of Nancy’s mind. It was probably Julien who sent her up and told her to ask Russell a few questions. Now, Tyler looked at Russell with wide eyes, wondering how he’d respond. In the worst case, he might find Nancy’s words offensive. Tyler would then have more to lose, having already invested so much on the Bennett family.“I…” Russell looked up at Nancy who was smiling softly. “I’m married, and my wife is the only woman I love.”His response strengthened her smile, and she left.Tyler breathed a sigh of relief. (Whew… I’m glad nothing happened.)Tom, on the other hand, looked at Russell in a bit of a different light. He wasn’t expecting such an answer from this young man. (He’s loyal to his wife. I hope she is also like him.)The soccer match continued. Both sides had almost equal amounts of possession of the ball and made attempts to goal. However, no side managed to score a goal.