Rossy placed the item in his hand, which startled him, as no one usually gives such things to a stranger.
"Mrs. Rossy, I can't accept this," he said, attempting to return the item, but she, like a stubborn child, backed away and hid her hands behind her.
"Listen, Evan, I know we're strangers to you, but your uncle Jason and I see you as our son. Don't worry, it's not ours but our son's belongings that are still safely with us," Rossy explained as she sat down beside him on the chair.
"But Mrs. Rossy, this isn't something you give to someone like me," Evan protested, placing the item on the dining table.
He began to retreat and was almost out the door when Jason, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.
"Wait, Evan. Hear me out, then decide what to do next," Jason said.
"Okay, sir, I'll listen," Evan agreed, pausing in his tracks.
"Listen, this is the last time I'm going to say this," Jason stated, his face a mask of near seriousness.
Evan straightened up, resembling a soldier, as the surrounding silence amplified the gravity of the moment.
"You might think we're treating you this way because you resemble our late son, but that's not it. If we simply wanted a child, adopting one wouldn't be an issue; we have the means to raise one. But do you know why we chose to care for you, aside from those other kids?" Jason asked, and Evan, still standing rigid, shook his head.
"The first reason is indeed that you remind us of our son, and secondly, my friend Wilson told me about your night terrors, which coincidentally are similar to what our son experienced. He would wake up at night, terrified, just like you. However, he outgrew it, whereas I understand you're still struggling with it," Jason explained, pausing to let the information sink in as his wife began to speak.
"And that's why we've decided to adopt you as our child and care for you, rather than leave you in an orphanage," Rossy explained, as Evan grasped the entirety of the situation.
The room fell silent for a moment when something occurred that surprised the couple.
"I'm terribly sorry, Sir. I wrongly suspected that you were planning to repay your debt by taking care of me until I reached adulthood," Evan apologized, bowing deeply with his head touching the ground.
"Evan, what are you doing? Get up; the ground is dirty," Rossy said as she approached him.
"No, I am truly sorry, and I will not rise until you both accept my apology," Evan insisted, as the couple exchanged glances and shared a small laugh.
"Alright, but we have one condition if you want that to happen," Rossy stated as she returned to her seat.
"Yes, Mrs. Rossy, I am ready to agree to anything. I can assist with household chores, clean the lawn, and even run errands," Evan quickly replied, eager to agree to any terms.
"No, what I mean is that you have to call us mother and father. Or, if that's too much for you right now, then aunt and uncle. And if you're not ready for that, you're free to leave," Rossy clarified, leaving Evan startled yet contemplative.
"Okay, I will call you both aunt and uncle, Mrs. Ross... sorry, Aunt Rossy," Evan corrected himself, as a smile brightened Rossy's face.
" Okay then get up and take this from the table." Rossy said and pointed toward the item.
"Okay but may I ask is it okay to take me this phone of your son." Evan said as he was still hesitating to take it.
"No, he would be quite pleased to know you are using it in his stead, I hope," Rossy said, glancing at her husband who also nodded.
"Then I will take this phone and cherish it with care," Evan declared as he picked it up, surprised to find it quite new, unlike the old keypad model he had expected, but a touchscreen with a seemingly new body.
"Sir, isn't this rather new for your son's old phone?" Evan inquired, noting the phone's recent appearance.
"Oh yes, we replaced his phone annually because when he was alive, he would always get a new phone on his birthday. We scolded him every time, but he never listened, and now that he's gone, we do this to honor his memory," Rossy explained, helping Evan understand why the phone seemed new.
"And take this charger with you; otherwise, you'll have to come back for it, so let's handle it right now," Rossy suggested, handing him the phone's charger.
"Thank you, Mr. Ros... oh, my apologies, Aunt Rossy. I'll be back after some exploring. Goodbye, Uncle Jason," he said as he departed from the apartment.
"Well, he is quite clumsy with these things," Rossy remarked, laughing softly.
"He's just a kid like any other, yet he has the mind of an adult. What else can we expect? A little clumsiness in a child is fine; if he made no mistakes, how would he learn as he grows?" Jason mused as he began reading the newspaper, while Rossy returned to her drama series.
Meanwhile, Evan stepped out of the apartment and started to leave.
He attempted to turn on his phone using the button, but it wouldn't activate, leading him to suspect a dead battery.
He hurried up the stairs, entered his apartment, and plugged in his phone. To his relief, the battery was indeed dead. He anticipated a long wait for a full charge, but to his surprise, the phone charged rapidly, reaching eighty percent in nearly an hour.
Satisfied, Evan left his apartment to explore the neighborhood. As he did, the gate of the adjacent apartment swung open, and the boy who had scolded him on the stairs earlier emerged, followed by a young woman in her twenties waving goodbye.
"Okay, babe, I'll come back tomorrow, and we can go to the amusement park together," the boy said, embracing her.
"No, let's go on Saturday because it's a holiday, and I can rest on Sunday," the girl replied, her stubbornness winning him over despite his initial reluctance.
As they conversed, Evan, who had been a short distance away, quietly made his way toward the stairs.
He was almost there when the girl's gaze landed on him.
"Hey, who are you, and what are you doing here?" she called out, having never seen him come or go before.
Her boyfriend also turned to look at the newcomer, recognizing the kid he had encountered earlier that morning.
"Hey kid, stop right there. Last time the old man saved you, but now you won't be able to escape," the man said as he started walking towards Evan, who was standing still.
Evan, rooted to his spot, was scared and pondering his next move when an idea struck him.
Before the man could get close, Evan sprinted down the stairs and ran off.
"Wait, you think you can run away from me? You're mistaken; I will find you," the man declared as he returned to the girl.
"What happened, babe? Why are you angry at that kid?" the girl inquired, attempting to soothe him.
"That kid is your neighbor, and I think he's living here alone. If he weren't, I would've known by now. When I told him to leave, your landlord, the old man, shooed me away like a dog," the man explained as he stepped back from her.
"Oh, that's why. Don't worry, I'll make sure he gets kicked out of this place. You know I'm a genius at this kind of trick. Remember what I did to those four guys who lived here before? Now they're living a life of shame," the girl boasted, her mind already devising a plan to evict the newcomer.
"Okay, but don't get into trouble, or I won't be able to save you," he said, embracing her once more.
"Don't worry and leave now. If uncle sees you here, you're really dead," she warned, and the guy nodded, slipping away unseen by others. However, unbeknownst to them, the uncle they feared had witnessed their entire conversation about Evan.