Levi was lying on his single bed in his small room. The furniture of the room was made up of wood. The smell of the furniture indicated that it was quite rusty and old. There was a single bed and a cupboard while at one corner of the room there was a desk with a chair where Levi used to do his work. The paint on the walls of the room were also removed from many places making it appear quite old and rotten.
He was thinking while looking at the ceiling when the knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Levi knew who could be there.
The door was opened. His father Clarke was standing there. It was his habit that he used to knock on the door whether it was opened or closed.
"Dad," he immediately stood from the bed.
"Sit down." He said to Levi while coming towards his bed and sitting down. He was an aged man with a small beard and little curly hair.
"Are you ok, son? " he asked while assessing his face. He was sensing from two days that Levi felt worried.
"A., I'm, yeah. " He faltered as he wasn't ready for this sudden question.
"Something is bothering you?" He insisted on his question as he was able to read his son's face who was looking disturbed.
Levi took a deep sigh and thoughtfully stared at his father's wrinkled face. Should he tell him that he is worried because of the decision he had to make whether to go on Saturday night for hiking or not? He paused for a minute.
"Yeah," he whispered.
"Tell me?" He was like a friend to Levi always asking him about his problems whenever he felt bothered.
"Actually on Saturday night, our studio team is going for hiking and I am confused about whether I should go or not?" He let out his frustration about taking this difficult decision.
Clarke listened to him carefully giving him undivided attention.
"You should do what your heart wants. Let go of every worry. If you are worried about your mother and don't want to go because of her, then you shouldn't." He understood why Levi might be hesitating to go for hiking.
"Yeah, I am worried about mum. I don't want to leave her," he affirmed what his father said, "but also, you know that I am not an outgoing person."
"I know that but remember, when making any decision always go with your gut instinct, and sometimes we should change our same repeated pattern and choose the uncertain and unusual path." He said while putting his wrinkled hand on Levi's hand. He always used to make him understand things better. His father was a businessman and used to take Levi with him when he was young everywhere so that he could understand things and learn how to deal with people and this helped in making Levi resilient and wiser day by day. Sudden failure in Clarke's business made all of them upset but his father cope with that mentally as he was a stronger man. He then started applying for jobs but it was also difficult to get a job as he had no experience in this field. He was hired for one job and it was good but they fired him after he worked there for ten years and it also had a great effect on their family. After this, their financial condition got worsened and that's when Levi began applying for jobs and had a chance to work at Jacob's studio.
Levi nodded at what his father said to him.
"I will go with my heart. " Levi smiled warmly looking at him then suddenly he remembered something. "Mum told me that you were searching for a job." He asked with raised eyebrows gazing at his father's face and searching for the answer.
"Yes. She is right. " he acknowledged.
"But why? You don't need to do that. I am there for both of you. "
"Look, son. I am not searching for a job because we need that but I am searching because I 'want' to do that. " he emphasized on 'want'. " I can't sit at home doing nothing, this will make me sick and more stressed. This is my wish to do something, to get engaged in some work. "Clarke explained his motive and intention behind his search for a job.
"Ok. If that is the reason to do the job then it's alright. " Levi was still not satisfied with his father's answer but he chose to not question him again.
"It's too late. Let's do dinner. We have to set table as your mother might be sleeping." His father patted his back. They both headed to the small kitchen to set the dinner table. His father used to cook food as his mother was sick.
The little conversation with his father made it easier for him to take the decision.
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Ashley had an unmarked letter in her hand. She was in her home and was wearing night suit pajamas and a t-shirt. Her long wavy hair was tied into a messy bun. She took off from the bakery today as she wasn't feeling well.
The letter she received had no stamp and no address. It just arrived in her mailbox. She was now used to these types of things.
Ashley sat at the dining table and tore the envelope. Inside it, there was a piece of paper. It was a white color paper that was folded with a red color ribbon. She took it outside. The paper was soft as she touched it. Ashley recalled that purple box and paper that she got when she was sitting at the restaurant with Emily.
She slowly eased the knot of the ribbon and opened it. It was a beautiful piece of art. A mesmerizing painting that the one who sees it would wish to go there. The spell of this painting mesmerized her for a few moments. It was a beautiful painting of a forest. It was all covered with trees. Ashley saw something unusual in that portrait. There was a tree in between all those trees that had a door on its stem and it had shiny and sparkling markings upon it. It just made her flabbergasted because as she was holding that painting in her hand everything was feeling real. As real as she was seeing all of this in the present moment.
"It's enchanting," Ashley whispered to herself. She thought that she will show that painting to Emily and see what she had to say about that.
She turned the paper to see if there is something on the back. There she saw that something was written so small. She read it. There was a message for her.
"This gift is just only for you to see and touch Ash, don't show this to anyone. You will have to face the consequences if you will show this to someone." It sensed like a threat. Her breath felt tighter. It felt like after reading this she wasn't able to breathe.
'Is anyone there who is reading my thoughts or the one who sends me these things know that I show these things to Emily.' She thought to herself. 'And my nickname Ash. Only mom used to say to me that, how could someone know that? '
She gulped her saliva.
Slowly she put the paper in the envelope and headed to her room to hide this painting in her cupboard. She let go of the idea of showing this to Emily after reading that message because she knew that if something is written about the consequences it would be true. She knew that always.
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