The two were walking in a park. Stella smiled, Silas noticed that the place is familiar to her and
the people there are also familiar to her.
“Do you often go here?” Silas asked while holding Stella’s hand.
“Yes. This is my favorite place; I often read and play with the kids here. Do you feel uncomfortable because they know me?” she asked back.
“No, it’s just that they had their eyes on you every time we walk past them” he answered.
Stella was delighted when she saw the street food vendor sitting beside his food cart. The vendor also reacted the same.
Stella immediately got a stick and started picking some of the new fried street foods.
“Long time no see, Stella” an old man said while preparing a plastic cup for Stella to use. “Long
time no see, Uncle Li. I’d like to introduce you to Silas” she said and introduced Silas to the vendor. Seems like he is one of them.
“Is he the one you always adored? Are you his girlfriend already?” the vendor asked while chuckling. Silas smiled and presented himself, “Yes, I am his boyfriend”.
Stella added, “But Uncle Li, our parents are clueless
about this. We don’t know how to admit this secret”
“Your Dad will scold you for sure. You will run around here again if that happens, right?” he answered. Stella chuckled, there’s no place like the park.
He added, “It is easy to recognize that you’re a Christian because of your clothing. Did you think twice before starting your relationship?”. The two didn’t say a word; they just continued eating the street food they bought.
“Youngsters nowadays are so quick in loving. Since I started living here, I never experienced knowing two people entering a relationship with incompatible religions. Because of your rush decision, you forgot this” he said and pointed their heads. “You didn’t think and went through your passionate feelings”
Stella answered, “That’s a queer message from you Uncle Li. Is love really hard?”. He answered, “You really can’t understand. Even I, who’s married for years cannot understand what love really means. You will make that love revolve forever. Not only one can make that
happen; You two should work on it. As for you Silas, don’t treat girls like a pair of shoes. You can’t bring her anywhere and take her to different experiences; and if you bring her always to disasters, time will come that those shoes will eventually be defective and it will affect your relationship with it. You can’t easily replace it because it varies according to types and
characteristics; it also depends on how or if it suits you”
The vendor’s words are a slap to Silas’ personality. He already changed but the feeling of guilt is
still there. He nodded, “Noted, Uncle Li” he said.
“Continue eating” the vendor said and continued bonding with the two.
While Stella is busy talking to the street food vendor, Silas sneaked out and approached the kid
selling flowers in the park. He approached it and talked in Chinese, “Ni hao, wo keyi mai xie hua ma?”. The kid replied, “Shi de” and gave him one.
He hid it in his back and went back to the bench they occupied. He saw Stella sitting alone so he grabbed the chance and gave him what he bought. It is a blue rose. Stella smiled and tried to smell the rose. “Do you like it?” Silas asked. Stella smiled and brought out her phone. The two took photos and tried to keep the photograph to themselves only.
A little boy approached Stella, “Sister Stella! I thought you won’t visit here again” he said and hugged her.
Stella pinched his cheeks, “It’s been a long time Hao Ze! I missed you” she replied.
Hao Ze looked at Silas from head to toe, “Is he the reason why you haven’t visited me for a long time? Do you have a new friend?” he asked.
Silas knelt down to make their heights equal, “Ni hao. I’m Silas, Stella’s… friend” he said.
He can’t expose their relationship to everyone. He added, “You can call me your brother too”. Stella adored Silas’ attitude when he’s around Hao Ze. “Are you somehow a kid lover?” she asked. Silas chuckled, “I remember my brother. I think he’s just around Hao Ze’s age and I
already miss him even though he’s my half-brother” he said while controlling the remote for the kid’s toy plane.
Stella looked up and saw Silas’ controls on the toy, “You’re really a pilot” she said. Hao Ze played around while keeping an eye on his toy.
“Toys like this are my favorite. My mom always sends me remote-controlled toys when she was still working in Hong Kong” he said and played along with Hao Ze. Silas’ phone rang out of the blue. Stella grabbed it from his pocket and showed the screen to him.
“That’s my mom” he said and landed down the toy he was controlling. Stella handed over his phone; he went away and answered it, there must be something going on in their house.
Before he can start talking, his mom’s loud voice is heard in the phone’s speaker. “Why can’t you answer right away?! Something’s up here and you’re lying around ignoring my calls?” she said.
Silas replied, “What happened there?” he asked while starting to feel anxious. His mother sighed on the other line, “The bike you bought for Sam before you left. I told you not to by her things like that! She tried to go outside the compound and she injured herself!” his mother kept
yelling and panicking.
“Then what do you want me to do?” he asked calmly to keep his respects intact. “Now you’re asking me that. Go here right away and pay the bills yourself!” she said.
“You want me to go there right now? The rain might fall anytime soon!” he said. He can’t help but to raise his voice also. His mother dropped the call. He had his palm over his forehead, trying to think for a way.
He went back and informed Stella that he needs to go. Before he could leave, Stella grabbed his arm and talked to him. “I’m going with you. Promise I won’t get caught” she said while packing her things.
“Okay. Just don’t get caught and do as I say” Silas replied and hired a cab. Silas opened his wallet; it still has something left including his cards. He sat back and tried to calm himself. Stella already knew about the cause; they were hassled when traffic started, it’s a rush hour now and
they can’t speed up their travel.
The two entered the hospital, Silas’ sister is now confined. He talked to Stella, “Stay here outside and don’t make any noises. Don’t meddle even if you hear something bad with our conversation” he said and hurriedly opened the room’s door. Silas entered with clothes wet
from sweating. He’s catching his breath while approaching his mom. Before the doors closed,
Stella saw Silas’ mom for the first time; he looked so much like him.
Silas tried to touch his mom’s hand but what greeted him was a slap from his mother.
“How could you be so stubborn, Silas? Did you know how worried and hysterical I was driving your sister here? What pains her pains me too! What took you so long?” she said. Silas’ stepdad
stopped his mom.
“Clarina, let your son explain first. I know he has some reasons” he said while holding his wife’s arms.
Kids looked at him but instead of smiling because they reunited with their brother, they felt awful because of their mom’s reaction.
His mother went near him and presented her arm. “Give me your wallet. I’ll pay the bills” she calmly said. Silas slowly grabbed his wallet from his pocket and handed it over to his mom.