Somethings are better left under the rug and what I had in mind is one of them, as much as I wanted to tell her how much success this might bring her, looking from where I came from and how successful Mr Karl Johnson ended up, I could still never forget that I am living in a world where I know nothing about.
Williams came back, ignited the engine and we drove off, he placed his hand inside his pocket and offered the cash he was holding to Caro, “ congratulations Sweet, look at something you got us....”, he handed the cash over to Caro who had that mesmerizing look on her face, seeing the results of her performance.
There wasn't any form of an elephant in the room between them, I began wondering whether it was because I was here or just that Williams here has made a decision already, I think I gotta ask to be sure.
“ What did you decide then with Mr Karl?...”, I questioned, waiting for his answer to come as his eyes were still fixed on the road. “ I told him that I would talk about it with my wife, gave him a lifeline on the time he should expect feedbacks from me, but by looking at it, I don't think he would keep up with the hope, not when he saw how Caro rejected the offer... I believe my wife had her reasons and I should respect that....”.
He just said it all in front of both of us, showing that he has really given up on this. “ I know this might sound weird and out of place, but I think that Mr has what it takes to become a successful man, I can tell potential when I see one....”, I said to them, knowing that if I am not careful with my words, I might get myself into trouble, a trouble where they might see me as a weirdo or freak, just like everyone believes I am, from where I came from.
“ I can say I believe that too, but it's all Caro's decision, I won't interfere....”, Williams said, really looking calm and not bothered that they are letting a huge opportunity slip away from their claws.
“ Is that what you wanted to say but kept quiet?....”, Caro asked, eyes staring into mine, yeah, I think I should have better stayed out of this, “ I really respect your decision Caro, it's what's best for you, I was just giving opinions....”, I said, trying to defend myself. “ I like your opinion, I think I can do this, won't just back away, not when both of you believes in me ”, “ Really!!!?”, both me and Williams asked together out of happiness, but just went back to normal, trying to act like nothing just happened.
“ We're family, that's what we do for each other....”, Caro said. Those words really did something else to my head, family?, I have never heard someone say that to me, I have never belonged to that category before, it's a new word in my life but a rampant category in every other part of the world. I can't hide the joy in my heart, she called me a family, she called us a family, something I never got even back then where I came from.
Waking up in the morning, I was really exhausted, not that I participated in any activity, just that I might've slept in a wrong body posture. I stood up, stretching myself as I walked down from the van. Williams was standing some distance away, his eyes were looking into something in his hand, something that has taken away all his attention, the closer I got, I seem to recognize what it was, a newspaper, he was reading a newspaper with his back resting on a fence.
“ Morning Williams....”, I greeted him, he replied with a nod but eyes never leaving the paper, seems like he already did know that it was me that came down from the van without looking. I just stood there looking around on the still quite empty street, he brought out a cigarette, placed it in his mouth as he lit on a match.
“ I never know you smoke....”, I said to him, quite taken aback seeing him smoke, most smokers I have seen are thugs and criminals, but he wasn't a thug or criminal, he was a responsible man, at least speaking from what I have seen.
“ Yeah.... I do smoke, not quite all the time, but I do smoke a lot, just didn't get to yesterday....”, he said as he coughed a bit, “ I hear that smoking kills, it's written on its pack and on posters....”, I said to him, trying to find out nothing actually, just that I don't like smokers, I see them as dangerous men who knows nothing but violence.
“ Yeah Ember.... Smoking do kill, so avoid it, at least that's what I was also told when I never started, but here I am, smoking all day long.....”, he said in between a smile on his face but eyes still on the paper.
“ I know this doesn't concern me, but it's quite uncomfortable seeing you smoke so early in the morning, I don't think Caro will like it too....”, I said to him, knowing that I might be about getting past my boundary, but I just cared because he's now one of the family members I now have.
He looked away from the Newspaper for the first time and looked at me, before a gentle smile crept into his face, “ You know what, you're right Ember, but sometimes we have got to just look away from what bothers us because it bothers you doesn't mean it bothers another, Caro doesn't actually like me smoking too, but I just do it anyway because I want to....”.