"Rae Bennett."
She was in the kitchen, "Come in, the door's unlocked."
The door was unlocked, and it opened with a push.
Wyatt Wright only reached the foyer and didn't go any further.
"I've left the stuff at the doorstep."
He was about to head downstairs when Rae Bennett ran out of the kitchen with an apron still tied around her, "Do you want some water? I've made lemonade."
The apron was pink, very girlish.
Wyatt Wright said, "No, thanks."
He stood by the door, one foot already stepping over the threshold, glanced at the box at his feet, then picked up the box again, "Where do I put this?"
"In the kitchen."
Rae Bennett hurried ahead to open the door.
Wyatt Wright set the box full of kitchenware down on the open floor of the kitchen.
As he stood up, he asked, "Why didn't you lock the door?"
"I was waiting for you."
She was adept at speaking sweetly, her words tickling one's ears.
Wyatt Wright didn't look at her but at the refrigerator behind her, "I knock on doors, lock it next time."
The refrigerator was silver-grey, wiped clean and her reflection on it showed slim ankles beneath the hem of her dress.
The stove was left on, and the temperature in the kitchen slowly rose.
Suddenly, there was a bang.
It was the hot oil in the pot splattering. Rae Bennett didn't think much of it and reached out to lift the lid.
Wyatt Wright stepped forward, grabbing her wrist. She paused her motion, her gaze had just shifted to his hand when he let go and even took a step back, the whole exchange lasting only a few seconds.
"What's in the pot?"
There was still warmth on her wrist, and Rae Bennett was slightly dazed, "Braised pork."
Because she was cooking, she had her hair up. She had a full forehead that suited a bun well, and wearing the apron, she indeed had a bit of the vibe of a domestically skilled woman.
Wyatt Wright turned off the stove, waited until the oil stopped splattering, then took the lid off and glanced into the pot.
Her cooking really was...
He didn't comment, just stuffed the hand that had grabbed her wrist into his pocket, "I'm leaving."
He left without further ado.
Rae Bennett also looked into the pot, How come some of it is burnt, and some is still raw?
Yeah, must be the stove's fault.
"Come lock the door."
"Oh."
Rae Bennett hurried after him.
Before Wyatt Wright went down the stairs, he paused for a moment, "Miss Watson from downstairs bought a lot of sweet potatoes, told you to come and get some."
Rae Bennett, holding onto the door, stuck her head out, "Wait for me, I'll change my shoes."
Wyatt Wright didn't wait and went downstairs first.
Two minutes later, Rae Bennett, with a plate of fruit in hand, went to Charlotte Watson's. The hospitable Miss Watson invited her to stay for dinner.
Khalil Wright's braised pork, now that's braised pork.
After dinner, Miss Watson expressed a desire to make a phone call to Rae Bennett's parents, to reassure them, as their daughter was living alone abroad.
Rae had saved her father's phone contact under his name: Gerald Bennett.
She dialed the number, "Hello?"
Gerald Bennett, "Ah."
That sound conveyed a tingling of the scalp.
"Dad."
"Ah?"
This sound indicated discomfort all over.
Rae Bennett gently inquired, "Have you eaten?"
"Ah?!"
It conveyed surprise and a sense of being overwhelmed.
Finally, Gerald Bennett found his bearings and slowly became engaged, "Ah, yes, I've eaten."
"And mom?"
"Your mom?" Gerald Bennett was still not quite accustomed, "Oh, she went square dancing."
"I've just finished eating. I had dinner at Miss Watson's place."
Gerald Bennett, "Ah."
Unsure what else to say.
"Miss Watson wants to have a word with you."
Gerald Bennett, "Ah?"
Better not though, he was just a laborer.
The voice on the other end of the phone had already changed to Miss Watson, "Mr. Bennett."
Gerald Bennett immediately straightened up, "Eh."
Miss Watson introduced herself amicably, "I'm Rae's landlord, my last name is Watson."
"Hello." Gerald Bennett considered his words, "Boss Watson."
Miss Watson, "..."
If he wants to call her boss, then let it be.
Boss Watson, "Here's the thing, I was worried you might be uneasy about Rae renting a place on her own, so I had Rae call you. It's really presumptuous of me."
Gerald Bennett was very reserved, "Not at all presumptuous."
Boss Watson was quite the conversationalist, "Rae is over here with me, so you don't have to worry. Our whole family really likes her."
One of the family members, Wyatt Wright, was helping Khalil Wright clean up the table, and lifted his eyelids upon hearing this.
Rae Bennett, who had been sneaking a peek at him, immediately pretended to look at the chandelier.
"Although everyone in this building is a tenant, many have been renting for ten or twenty years; we all know each other well, and old acquaintances look out for one another. So you can rest assured about Rae's safety living here," Miss Watson had that social butterfly syndrome, "When you have time, you can also come over for a visit. I'll give you a tour."
Thanks to Miss Watson's warm and easygoing conversation, the atmosphere gradually became relaxed and natural.
"I will definitely visit when I have the time."
"I heard from Rae that you run a fruit store."
Gerald Bennett modestly said, "Just a small shop outside our residential area, making ends meet."
Miss Watson expressed deep empathy, "It's the same with our family, my husband sells octopus balls."
Wasn't it collecting rent?
Not important.
Gerald Bennett thought Boss Watson seemed quite nice, "Then I'll come try it sometime."
"Always welcome."
Afterwards, the two chatted about the tricks of running a shop, the process of making octopus balls, and how to keep fruit fresh.
They enjoyed their conversation.
Miss Watson glanced at the clock on the wall, "I won't keep you any longer. I'll give the phone back to Rae, and you two can keep talking."
Miss Watson returned the phone to Rae Bennett, and before hanging up, Rae greeted her and headed to the balcony.
On the balcony, there was a table, two chairs, and a huge rack of plants, all of which were potted plants that Miss Watson had grown. There were many succulents in various shades of red and green, big and small, all thriving. Their plump petals squeezed together, looking absolutely adorable.
On the very bottom of the rack were a few pots of water-grown Devil's Ivy, their leaves extending along the guardrail.
Rae Bennett squatted down and playfully touched the leaves of the Devil's Ivy, "What did you talk to Miss Watson about?"
The conversation suddenly became dry and awkward again.
"Just a casual chat."
"Casual?"
It was a tone as limp as a boneless creature.
Gerald Bennett immediately corrected himself, "No, no, no, I was very careful."
The girl's voice was sweet and soft; what was it like?
Being a fruit vendor, Gerald Bennett thought it was like a soft-seeded pomegranate.
After playing with the Devil's Ivy, she slightly stood up, bending over with her fingertips pressing down on the plump succulents, "I heard her saying that she wanted to invite you over for a visit."
He was so nervous he dared not even breathe, "...I don't have time."
"And to try the octopus balls?"
Still too nervous to breathe, "...I'm allergic to octopus."
There was a vague acknowledgment from the other end.
Gerald Bennett felt like a squid on a hot pan, all eight legs wanting to crawl away, "Then... should I hang up?"
Wyatt Wright came out of the kitchen.
Rae Bennett stood up straight, her hand pressing down on her skirt like the most elegant orchid on the rack.
"Goodnight, you should head to bed early."
Gerald Bennett quickly hung up the phone.
Just then, his wife returned from square dancing.
"Mollie, Mr. Bennett just called."
Lady Mollie Jones wore gold bracelets as wide as her fingers, her hair done in tight curls. She was a plump, cheerful-looking lady with a face that radiated happiness, "What did she call for?"
Gerald Bennett was quite plump himself, and because his hair went white too early, he chose to shave it all off, looking just a gel-sprayed pompadour short of a Qile Leather Factory boss.
"She was worried we would be concerned about her safety," Gerald Bennett stroked his shiny, bald head, "And she said their whole family really likes Mr. Bennett."
Lady Mollie Jones snorted disdainfully, "Lucky them."
*****
It was almost eight o'clock.
Miss Watson and Rae Bennett were watching a drama in the living room, each hugging a bag of popcorn.
Wyatt Wright finished cleaning up the kitchen with Khalil, and went to the dining room to grab his jacket, "I'm heading upstairs."
Rae Bennett set down her popcorn and straightened her skirt, "I should head back too."
Miss Watson waved her hand, displaying an 'I accidentally overheard' expression, "Go ahead, go ahead."
The two left, one after the other.
Miss Watson turned down the volume on the TV and then pricked up her ears.
"Wyatt."
The stairwell was quiet, except for Rae Bennett's echo.
Wyatt slowed his steps at her call, "Hmm."
"Thank you for today."
She ran ahead and positioned herself two steps above him, so that her shadow fell into his arms.
"Stretch out your hand."
He looked at her, body motionless. Standing on the lower stair, he had to tilt his head slightly upward, with the ceiling light and the girl beneath it both reflecting in his pupils.
"I have a thank you gift for you."
He swallowed the "No need" that had almost reached his lips.
"Stretch out your hand."
This time, his arm moved faster than his brain, raising to sketch a shadow on the ground.
Rae Bennett held the gift in her hand, along with hers, placing it into Wyatt's palm, "For you."