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MUSTARD II – Ch. 15 | KT OLLA

A COUPLE of days passed and this new day, Morrow woke up to nothing still. He woke up and found nothing worth a chase.

The gentleman tidied up, made his meal himself and took his breakfast. Then he sat in his veranda and watch the world roll.

The old veteran missed his lost family, his wife and their two kids. Yet he wouldn’t ask them back.

Now it was the mother who kept her kids in those days, if she happened to leave their father. For the men wouldn’t struggle to raise them – it was the woman’s burden.

So the family head sat alone without family. Without the people who answered his name.

But he didn’t sit for too long before something else caught his eyes.

He sighted a few young women passing. Then he realised they were the same clique of friends who passed days earlier.

The group was smaller this time, so he hurried to see if the girl was there – the one with the keen eyes.

Then he spotted her stopping their group to tell them something. And the next moment, they wandered close.

The elder spoke. ‘Oh are you not—?’

‘Yes, we are sir! We’re passing and thought to thank you for the other day!’

It was Oki fronting things.

‘So thank you, sir! You were so good to us. Thanks so much!’

‘No, that is nothing,’ answered Morrow. ‘Then did y’ all get back safely?’

‘Yes—!’ beamed someone else, attempting to lead.

But then Oki cut her before she could, and took back her centre stage.

‘We all got home safely, sir! Thank you for everything!’

Oki’s friends turned to look at her. Then they caught her drift in a single glance.

She was acting out of herself, so they got her. Then they stepped back and watched.

The girl went on talking and talking. She waved goodbye and didn’t leave.

‘We like to be on our way, sir! We use this way these days!’

‘Oh...!’

‘So, we’ll be going! Please say our thanks to mama and everybody home!’

Morrow didn’t react.

‘Oki is my name and these are my good friends – some of us aren’t here today!’

The middle-aged man only dropped an ‘Oh, I see!’ But he hadn’t seen her.

Oki’s peers were the only ones who saw through the fan girl. So while she rapped words like she’d met her prince, they told themselves they were backing out.

That they wouldn’t follow like they did this day.

Truly, it was this young admirer who got her friends to roam the paths they passed the last time.

Some of them weren’t ready to wander with no end in mind. So they hadn’t followed her.

Therefore when they passed and saw Morrow, and Oki had talked them into saying hi...

In fact, just when they went with her to the man’s door, the girl’s fancies went public. Her wild dreams leaked.

So, one of the friends pulled her back and announced their leave.

‘We’ll be on our way, sir. Thanks for earlier!’

‘That is good,’ answered the man. Then he added as an elder, ‘Go safely!’

Yes, this was the time when seasons change and this survivor was changing, too.

He started to feel that humanity still oozed with love and life, and grace.

But he’d just met his woman, and he didn’t know.

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