Eunice took another tour, memorizing the place she has visited for the first time. Sure, her life has been full of lies since she came back from the island, and it is no longer new to her. But that day is different, for she lied to meet a long-lost friend.
She stayed inside her car for a few more minutes and read the address written on the letter once again, making sure that she is not lost. Her forehead creased as she thinks who is this long-lost friend can be, that she did not notice the man who approached her vehicle.
“Yes?” She peeked outside.
“I am sorry, Ma’am. But you parked your car illegally.”
“Oh, I am sorry. I am new here, and I actually don’t know if I have found the right address.” She showed to the man.
For seconds, he is just looking at her, then to the writings, despite not asking permission from her for him to do so.
“You might be the person that old man is waiting for.”
“Yes, Mister Williams,” the man replied and helped her took out the basket of fruits she bought. “Are these for him too?”
“Yes. Thank you for the help, and sorry for troubling you.” She followed him.
The place is surrounded by fields, a few trees that are six meters apart, and neighboring houses that seem to be belonged to the farmers around the area.

“He will always say that one day, a friend will come to check on him.” The man chuckled. “And we will just shrug it off, thinking that he is just joking. Mister Williams has already been here for long, he has gone for a long time, and came back after a few years. We have never seen him having someone to look after him, and whenever we asked, he would say nothing about it. So, we had guessed that he might have been left behind, or he really has no relatives at all.”
They stopped in front of a gate that is obviously newly painted. She roamed her eyes around, but she saw no one inside the house.
“Mister Williams!” the man yelled. “I have to shout, or else he will not hear us,” he apologized as he saw her surprised.
“I see. Does he have a poor sense of hearing?”
He laughed. “Pardon. His senses are all sharp. It is just that he often stays at the back of his house—as in back, probably a hundred meters away from his backyard.”
The front door squeaked slowly, and a pair of eyes peeked at them. The man is so cautious that she did not even see his face.
“He most likely just got home from his field. That will surely take him minutes to clean himself.”
“That is fine. I can wait him—”
“Who is that?” the voice from the inside cut her off.
“Ah—” The man turned to her, and wiped off the dirt on his hand. “I forgot, sorry, Jamie here. You are?”
“Eu—” she paused and composed herself. “Eu Zimmerman.”
Eunice smiled as she remembered that her father used to have the same texture of hand as the man’s. She can even smell the scent of a fresh cut grass on him, that instead of making her feel uncomfortable, she has found it remarkable.
“Jamie! Who is that?!” the old man repeated.
“It is a certain Eu Zimmerman. Do you know Miss Zimmerman?”
“Oh, that is my husband’s last name. I am no longer a Miss,” she corrected, shouted after the man introduced her.
A few seconds passed, and there is still no response from the old man. She creased her forehead. Meeting him cost her a day of being absent to her work, an hour of sermon like lecture from her Head, and a couple of lies. Only to be not welcomed after doing and bearing those are obviously not justifiable, she thought.
But just when she’s about to hang on the gate the presents she bought, the door squeaked again from the spaces between the bars, she saw a pair of washed boots get out of the house.
Slowly, she raised her head. The man is wearing a sweater, with a towel on his nape, and a hat that is covering his face aside from the mask he is wearing.
“I don’t know you, Ma’am—”
“But this is your address, right?” she cut him off and took out the piece of folded paper.
“No—” The man then held the letter and looked at her. “Oh, it is you!” He took off his hat and swiftly opened the gate.
“You can move that fast?!” Jamie inquired in amazement.
“Just for today. Now, go!” Mister Williams shooed the young lad.
Wondering, the young man run away, though looking back in every few steps. Eunice gulped and faced the man in front her.
“Everyone is so worried about you. We all thought you were already dead!” She hugged the man, as tight as she could.
“I am so sorry, I was afraid to get out of my place. I was advised to hide, to stay away from wherever near the organization, darling. But believe me, I did it all with a heavy heart. I just had to choose the greater number to save. I—I wasn’t even there when the last of my loved ones died!” He wrapped her in his arms longingly.
The man’s sobs made her feel how much amount of pain he has to bear in able to keep going. She grieved with people around her, comforting her whenever she is getting closer to losing a grip on her sanity, and yet, she still has almost lost a hold on reality. How much more the man who has no one to share his pain with?
“Shh. My family was there and took her home. They did not let her go, having no one to lay her down in rest.” She rubbed his back. “Sonia longed for you all throughout her life. And she left your Donald to us. He is a nice dog, Doctor Dean. Did you train him?” she tried to sound cheerful and gentle at the same time.
The doctor chuckled and turned around to wipe his eyes. “I didn’t. The organization did. Come inside.” He led.
Her eyes are pleased as she gets inside his home. It was a quiet one, but it doesn’t feel lone. She then noticed the frame displayed on the corner, that if a person is not an observer, it will not be seen by just a glance.
“That is my wife, Sonia. And the boy is our son, Harold. It was just unfortunate that we did not see each other before they have gone.” Dean put a cup of coffee on the table. “Please, have some. I don’t have much of stocks here. You know, perks of being alone and away from—the city.”
“This is already enough for me, thank you so much.” She picked up the mug. “So, what took you so long to get in touch with me, or to anyone of us? What happened? How are you doing here? Are you sure it is safe for you to stay here? You can come with me, Doctor. I can hire you a few guards.”
He gulped as he refrained himself from breaking down again. It took years before he could finally hear someone again worrying about his safety.
“I was ordered to. Whoever this H.Y., he advised me to stay in shadows if I want to live. That my team will need me one day.” He looked at his palms that used to be fair and smooth. Now had turned dark and wrinkled.
“Nothing much happened. It was just found out that I can no longer assist you in the space mission due to some health issues. Lux dismissed me and sent me to an isolated place. Said I have to. But H.Y. sent me someone and let me flee. And so, I came here and start a life under my alias. So far, I am doing good and haven’t encountered anything unusual since.”
Eunice remained silent for a while. Dean is certainly the most understanding one in her team. Thus, he will understand everything. But something is stopping her from telling him about the trues, and she cannot tell what it is.
“How about you? How’s life and everyone?” He coughed hard, that he has to turn to the other side.
“I am doing good as you are, I think—”
“You think?” he asked in surprise. “Life is full of uncertainty, Eve. Make those you have control over certain.”
She gulped in wonderment. That is the very thing she missed about the old man, his words of wisdom.
“Noted!” She smiled in all stretch. “Anyway, I am now married, and have a daughter. No longer a Captain, though I remained connected to those I have befriended in the organization. Speaking of which, you can go out now without worrying about your safety. The organization is no longer existing, and Lux is already gone. Everyone on the Island Dreen are now free—like us.”