The Esperanza Restaurant
"I'm back, mom!" said Sarah while entering the restaurant.
"How are our guests?" Sarah's mom asked her daughter.
"They'll be fine, mom! They're very pleased with their new lodging. There won't be any problems" Sarah said to her mom.
"Good! I hope you didn't divulge anything to them" Sarah's mom asked her daughter worriedly.
"Don't worry, mom! I haven't said anything to them. Even though they saved my life from that man, I lied to them. I feel so horrible for lying like that", Sarah said sadly.
"Don't feel bad! It was for a greater cause. You had no choice but to act that way" said Sarah's mom.
"I know mom, but it still feels terrible to lie" Sarah replied sadly.
"Don't forget why you're doing this and for who you're doing it!" Sarah's mom said to her daughter.
"I could never forget it even if I tried. You may rest assured, mom. I won't do anything that'll put him in any kind of danger" Sarah said to her mom confidently.
"It's time to close! Help me close the restaurant!" Sarah's mom said.
"Yes!" Sarah replied.
Mrs. Evangelina Residence
"We've finally reached home," said Mrs. Evangelina while entering the house followed by Sarah.
"Welcome home!" said Lucas by greeting them to their house with a smile.
"Thank you! It's kind of good to be home" Mrs. Evangelina said sadly.
Why is there a tone of sadness in her voice and her words? Jennifer was right when she said that Sarah hasn't told us the whole truth. What could they possibly be hiding from us? Also, when we asked her who the man that was threatening her was, she avoided the question by not answering it. And now, Mrs. Evangelina said those words. What could be going on with this family and how can we help them if they don't want our help?
"Where's your girlfriend?" Mrs. Evangelina asked Lucas questionably.
"She's not my girlfriend!" Lucas responded reluctantly.
"She's not? I thought you two were an item" Mrs. Evangelina said by faking a smile.
She's avoiding my gaze so I won't ask any questions. She's trying to act natural, but her smile as bright as it could be won't fool me.
"No, that isn't the case. We're only friends and nothing more" I replied confidently.
"Is that so? It's too bad as you two make a great couple, but if you say you two don't share this kind of relationship, then I'll believe you. Where is she anyway?" asked Mrs. Evangelina.
"She's taking a nap. She was very tired" Lucas replied.
"Okay! You guys might have had it rough. Where did you come from?" Mrs. Evangelina asked questionably.
Why is she asking me so many questions? This is like an interrogation. Is she doubting us?
"We met on the way here and decided to travel together to make it a pleasant journey. Do you have any more questions you would like answers from?" Lucas asked Mrs. Evangelina questionably.
"No! That'll be all! Thanks!" Mrs. Evangelina said.
"Sarah, may I have a word with you?" Lucas asked Sarah questionably.
"Sarah, come help me out in the kitchen?" Mrs. Evangelina called out to her.
"Sorry, Lucas! My mom needs my help in the kitchen. We'll talk later" Sarah said apologizing to Lucas and exiting the living room.
Until when? Until when will you avoid the source of the problem? Until when will you play the deaf ear? Until when will you behave like everything is okay? Until when? Until when? Lucas muttered to himself.
Spare room 1
In the spare room, 1 was sleeping, Jennifer. After three hours, she finally awoke from her sleep.
"I slept like a log! I had a good sleep. What happened while I was asleep? By this time, Mrs. Evangelina and Sarah must already be back from the restaurant" I said while going to the washroom and washing my face. I head out to the living room soon after that.
Living Room
When I came to the living room, I noticed Lucas all by himself.
"Lucas, why are you sitting here all by yourself? Where is everyone?" I asked Lucas questionably.
…
"Lucas? Lucas?" I called out to him.
…
"Lucas? Lucas?" I called out to him again.
…
There still was no reaction. Earlier, it was me who was in a daze and now it's his turn to be in a daze. Something major might have happened while I was asleep. Anyhow, I have to find a way to wake him up from his slumber, but how exactly do I do that? I have an idea that will certainly work, I muttered to myself.
"Lucas? Lucas? Earth to Lucas?" I yelled out in his ear.
"What are you doing? My ear is going to break" was all Lucas could say noticing the situation he was in.
"It worked! What have you been dazing about?" I asked Lucas questionably.
"Jennifer? Jennifer? Is that you?" Lucas asked me in awe.
"Of course it's me! Were you expecting anyone else?" I asked Lucas.
"No! I only wanted to make sure I had the right person" Lucas responded.
"Now that you've regained your right state of mind, tell me what you have been dazing about?" I asked Lucas questionably.
"Take a seat first!" Lucas said.
I sat down on the sofa near him.
"I've sat down! Now, answer me!" I said.
"You were right Jennifer! You were right!" Lucas said sadly.
"I was right? I was right about what exactly?" I asked Lucas.
"You were right about everything! Everything!" Lucas answered.
"What do you mean by everything? Can you be more clear? I asked him
"Mrs. Evangelina and Sarah are hiding something from us," said Lucas confidently.
"Finally, you believe me. I'm happy, but why have you finally decided to believe my words? Something might have happened while I was asleep, right? Do you mind sharing it with me?" I asked Lucas questionably.
"While you were asleep, a lot of things happened," said Lucas while narrating the whole story to me.
Flashback
"Where's your girlfriend?" Mrs. Evangelina asked Lucas questionably.
"She's not my girlfriend!" Lucas responded reluctantly.
"She's not? I thought you two were an item" Mrs. Evangelina said by faking a smile.
"No, that isn't the case. We're only friends and nothing more" Lucas replied confidently.
"Is that so? It's too bad as you two make a great couple, but you said you don't have that kind of relationship, so I'll believe you. Where is she anyway?" asked Mrs. Evangelina.
"She's taking a nap. She was very tired" Lucas replied.
"Okay! You guys might have had it rough. Where did you come from?" Mrs. Evangelina asked questionably.
"We met on the way here and decided to travel together to make it a pleasant journey. Do you have any more questions you would like answers from?" Lucas asked Mrs. Evangelina questionably.
"No! That'll be all! Thanks!" Mrs. Evangelina said.
"Sarah, may I have a word with you?" Lucas asked Sarah questionably.
"Sarah, come help me out in the kitchen?" Mrs. Evangelina called out to her.
"Sorry, Lucas! My mom needs my help in the kitchen. We'll talk later" Sarah said while apologizing to Lucas and exiting the living room.
End of flashback
Back to the present
"Every question she asked me was only a diversion so I wouldn't ask her any questions and she calling Sarah out of the blue was only so I couldn't question her," Lucas said to me sadly.
"Life has its good and bad times. Sometimes things which we never predicted happen without our knowledge. We can't control the time that passes by and we can't stop it either" I said to Lucas.
"Must we simply accept our fate without doing anything to change it?" Lucas asked me questionably.
"Of course not! We're the only masters of our destiny and no one has the power to change our destiny but us alone. There are secrets which we are better off not knowing" I replied to Lucas.
"What if that secret is weighing too much on us? What do we do in that particular case?" Lucas asked questionably.
"In that particular case, if it's weighing too much on us and we can't take it anymore, we simply unweight it. That way it won't weigh as much anymore" I replied.
"I want to unweight that burden from their shoulders. Now, it's me who asks you; Will you help me in accomplishing that noble cause?" Lucas asked me while staring at me intensely.
I also want to find out what's bothering them, but what if by doing so, we complicate things. Anyhow, I must do what my heart dictates me to do and that is-------------
"I'm with you. I'm with you all the way" I said by grabbing Luca's hand firmly.
"Thank you! Thank you so much! To think I was doubting you, I'm very sorry!" said Lucas.
"You were doubting me?" I asked Lucas questionably.
"Yes! I thought you weren't Jennifer, but now I understand that everyone has secrets they prefer keeping to themselves, but that doesn't mean they're bad. Even I hold some secrets of my own" Lucas said.
"Secrets keep the mystery going, wouldn't you agree?" I asked Lucas questionably.
"Yes!" he answered.