James proposed a toast for him to being his own judge of things and the continuation to have a good time. On the other side, Joseph was having the best but still, it was not doing the magic. For someone who knew Joseph, he could tell there was something that was disturbing him seriously.
This was not any other but the fact that James had become so close to Japheth. This could not get off his mind at any moment. On return to their apartment, he asked James of whether he had met Japheth again. When James told him the truth about him not willing to part with Japheth for a lame reason, this became the source of their break up.
Joseph was not happy about the fact that James could not let this friendship with Japheth go. James too was not willing to let it go without a reason enough. As it seemed, he had his life messed up so bad he wanted nothing more. Joseph too could not open up to tell him the reason he insisted to convince him to keep off Japheth.
Since none of them was ready to do what the other asked, it came a time for them to part. Joseph decided to move out and look for his own house somewhere else. James could not stop him from leaving. He parked all his clothes and left James alone. James could not help to think about it. What he could not understand was the reason Joseph was so worked up about him sharing with Japheth.
Good for him, he had Japheth to answer this. He knew that Japheth had the answer to why Joseph had to behave the way he did. On his side, he had enough time to think about what Japheth was telling him. Without Joseph to distract his thoughts, he focused on what Japheth was telling him about him having played a part in ruining his own life.
It was not what the James he had become would want to hear but, deep down, there still was the James he was. This James wanted to hear that part and wanted to go by it. As much as he blamed his parents for being bad, he played the greater part in ruining his own life. He forgot the fact that his parents did not act the way they did because they hated him but because they loved him very much. Finally, he started to come back to his senses. This thought occupied the best part of his brain for the night and he could not wait to meet Japheth and tell him about his decision.
The long awaited day came and James decided not to go to work. He called his boss to ask for a two-day leave. Despite James' negative attitude, he was still very good at his work. Everything he put his mind too turned out to be perfect. It was for this reason that his boss could not deny him the leave. After he was granted the leave, he gave Japheth a call for them to meet. Japheth agreed to meet James that morning. James later told him about how he felt. Apparently, he felt very stupid that he let someone get into his head and had him throw away his life to the dogs.
As usual, Japheth gave him the best way out. He told James that his parents were going crazy looking for him. He advised him to meet them and apologize for his mistakes. This was the only logical way to ease the pain he felt in his heart and to clear his thoughts. Far from this, he also had to tell Japheth of what had happened between him and his friend Joseph.
On telling Japheth that Joseph had left, Japheth told James that he expected Joseph to do exactly that. James could not understand why his relationship with Japheth affected Joseph. Japheth too was not willing to shed some light about it. He left James to figure that out on his own. After a while of thoughts, he had the answer.
He remembered a story Japheth had told him about a young man who turned for the worse. Everything made sense after that. There was only one way that Joseph would be so pissed with James and Japheth's relationship. From his age, Japheth was old enough to be Joseph's father. This was the only explanation that made sense. Only then would Joseph be worked up with their relationship.
After this discovery, James had one favor to ask of Japheth. Since Japheth seemed to know James' parents, James requested him to let them know of where he was. Lucky for him, Japheth was already steps ahead of him. He had already given James' parents a call and told them about him. James promised to look for Joseph and try to talk to him as a show of gratitude to Japheth for all he had done for him.
Japheth disagreed with James and told him not to waste his energy on his friend. It was true Joseph was not the listening or the apologetic type. He had lived with Joseph for long enough to prove what Japheth said to be right. Joseph could only listen to himself and all he cared about was beer and women. He was not ready to give that up for anything else.
Having done his part, Japheth requested to leave but asked James to keep in touch. James could not thank him enough for saving his life and getting him back to his senses. He promised to keep in touch and never to forget what Japheth had done for him. Not long after Japheth's departure, James' got a call. It was from a new number.
Upon answering the phone, it was his parents reaching out to him. They used a new number because they were not sure James would answer if he knew it was from them. As it turned out, Japheth did not only tell them of where James was but also gave them his new number. James was finally happy to hear from his parents. They had already made the effort of travelling to this place he had moved to and ready to have a talk.
James too was ready to have to talk and to change as well. He went ahead to meet them. Upon meeting, his parents apologized for not trusting him and for believing all the lies his aunt fed them. He apologized for not proving this aunt wrong by doing the right thing. As a result, James was ready to go back to school. His parents too were ready to pay for his school fees once more.
They also apologized for being harsh on him and promised to be better on him. James understood why they had to be harsh and behave in the manner not to like him. Therefore, he saw no reason for his parents apologizing about it. He understood that every parent would do the same for their children. It was also clear that every parent wants the best for their children and will do anything to see that happen.
He also understood that his parents were so harsh on him simply because they saw the potential in him and could not take chances of it being wasted. They had to do what they had to do. Finally, this great valley between him and his folks was buried and they were back to terms again. James packed his clothes and home he went with his parents.
Since he had already been expelled from his former university, he could only apply for another college. The university could not have him back. The only place he could get to study was in the college. He submitted a requisition letter to the College of choice and was very positive about turning his life around. After this, he waited patiently for the reply while helping his parents at home with the duties he could do.
His faith with the parents and the trust from them came back slowly and gradually. This time, they had all learnt their lesson. None was willing to make the same mistakes again. Once again, yet another saying came to being, Experience is the best teacher of all. Both James and his parents had learnt their lessons through this experience.