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Chapter 9

Leandre is no longer too young to be perplexed by his mother's actions toward Uncle Lazaro. He could tell they had a special bond. If they are friends, they are always treated as if there is no conflict between them but based on his mother's reactions at the time, there is. They arrived at his mother's house an hour later. Leandre was the first to leave and enter the house. He discovered his mother sitting in front of her flower crops outside the house. She gave him a wide smile, but it quickly faded when she noticed Uncle Lazaro at his back.

"Why are you with that man?" his mother inquired.

"Is that how you approach me in front of your son, Lucille?"

"Whatever, Lazaro, what are you doing here? You are not welcome in my house," his mother stated sternly.

Uncle Lazaro chuckles.

"Come on, Lucille. Your son is responsible for me. He brought me here now because he won't go home," Uncle Lazaro replied.

His mother cocked her brow.

"What sin is that? As far as I know, you're not close to my son," his mother responded.

"He just hit the back of my car, and the backlight was destroyed," Uncle Lazaro explained.

"Really?" his mother smirked. "He can pay that no matter how much, or maybe you can make an excuse to come here to my house."

Leandre did nothing but shake his head. They act like a child arguing over trivial matters.

Uncle Lazaro chuckled.

"This is my first visit to your home, Lucille, but you said like I was here every day," Uncle Lazaro replied.

His mother only agreed to stop fighting with Uncle Lazaro when their gazes met. She abruptly exited and entered the house. They were both following. Uncle Lazaro arranged his new purchases in the living room. I'm not sure where his mother is. He never managed to catch her inside the house.

"I'm not sure why your mother has such a negative attitude toward me," Uncle Lazaro asked innocently.

Leandre chuckles.

"I don't know, Uncle, why mama's nose gets smoky when she sees you," Leandre replied.

They were in the living room in a matter of minutes. There was food and several bottles of beer on the table. Leandre eats first, then drinks. He's not going to get too drunk because his headache hasn't gone away since the last time he and Nicholas drank.

"Are you not going to eat, Uncle?" he asked.

"I'm still full, but I'll eat what your mother cooked later," this cheerful response said.

"He's a good cook."

"I see. That's why you're lucky to have a good mother and father; not everyone is,"  Uncle Lazaro replied, looking at him.

"How about you? Don't you have children or a wife?" Leandre asked.

"I had a serious relationship with a woman before; I thought we were meant for each other, but it wasn't meant to be; she married someone else, but I never gave up hope that one day I would have my own family," Uncle Leandre replied with a twinkle in his eyes.

Leandre simply nodded.

"There are still many sensible women out there," he says, "so you will have a family at the right time."

"Yeah, I know that. How about you? What's your love story?" Uncle Lazaro inquired.

Leandre's head shook. He couldn't decide whether to answer or lie. He avoids digging up something like this as much as possible because it makes him uncomfortable. When people discovered that his wife had cheated on him, he was humiliated. Perhaps they are always asking. Why is this so?

But Leandre didn't want to lie to this old man. He didn't know why.

"I'm not fine. My relation to my wife and my marriage to her was lasting that I would not have wanted to happen," answered Leandre, who drank a bottle of beer.

"Why?" Uncle Leandre asked him.

"I don't know. How to start this conversation with you. But it is embarrassing on my part." answered Leandre, hesitating whether, to tell the truth, or not.

"You can tell me. I won't mine. No matter how bad it is." answered Uncle Lazaro assuring him that it was okay.

"My wife cheated on me. I saw her with a man above our bed." Leandre said bitterly.

No matter what he does and says he was already moving on from what Jade is doing to him, he will never forget that scene. Maybe he can't move on anymore. Uncle Lazaro didn't even react to what he said. He smiled bitterly.

"Sometimes I don't understand women. When men love them then they cheat. When men don't love them then they become sober. Sometimes love is toxic but I know it's not because people are the only ones who make a relationship toxic. You better move on with her. File a divorce than love life to the fullest." Uncle Lazaro's suggestion.

"Yeah. I'll do that."

"You should be. Because it's good to be single. Less stress and no woman will fight you when you come home late." Uncle Lazaro said smiling.

Leandre realized one thing: he misses having these kinds of conversations with his father. So his mood was lifted by the presence of this man.

"Why don't you try dating? Go out and make some friends, especially with women; I think it'll be more fun," Uncle Lazaro suggested.

Leandre did nothing but shake his head. He understands that finding a woman and spending time with her is not the solution to the problem. That is why he avoids getting involved with any woman to avoid exacerbating his problems. It's late at night, but Leandre notices that Uncle Lazaro isn't yet drunk. Simply eat it with chips. He had no intention of getting drunk.

"Do you know this is the most messed-up scene in my entire life? Together with a son in a drink? My biggest regret is that something I can make happen. Having children and being with them on my worst day. But fate didn't allow me the opportunity to experience that. Maybe I would die alone and lonely. But even if that happens, I will experience these things with you," Uncle Lazaro said with a smile that made Leandre think.

Is he the only one who listens intently to everything he says? Or it could mean something else.

"It isn't too late, Uncle," he replied.

"I'm hoping so."

In addition, in times like this. Can I call you if I need to talk to someone? " He requested permission.

"Yes. You certainly can. "Here's my number," Leandre replied.

And he gave Uncle Lazaro his phone so he could copy his number.

"OK, fine. Done. So, for the time being, I must depart. "Thank you," he said as he stood up.

"You're welcome, Uncle," Leandre replied.

And he went with Uncle Lazaro outside the gate.

"Be careful."

"I will."

Leandre entered the house after Uncle Lazaro had left, but before he could open the gate, he noticed his mother behind the curtain in her room, possibly because Uncle Lazaro had been looking at them for a while. This attitude of his mother concerns him. When he entered the house, he noticed his mother eating chips in the living room.

"What's your attitude toward that old man?" he asked.

"Nothing really serious. That's all we talk about." answered his mother.

"Really? Why do I think he doesn't want you to do that to him? And I notice that you don't like him? Is there a reason why? I'm your son, we're the only two here. You don't want to tell me the real reason? "

His mother looked away.

"You know there are things that don't need to be discussed." his mom answered in a serious voice.

"Okay. I'm going to sleep," he said and was about to climb the stairs.

"Wait. Come back here." said his mother.

"Why?"

"It's nothing. I just missed being able to talk to you like this. You only came to this house once. But you're here again now. Is there a problem?" asked his mother.

Leandre sat on the sofa. This soft voice of his mother made him soften all the time. She felt the love in every stroke of his back. One of the best feelings in the world is to feel a mother's hug.

"I'm fine. I just missed living here with you. Is that possible?" he asked and laid down on his mom's lap.

"Of course. I always wanted this to happen. This is what I used to do to you when you were crying because your dad didn't give you money before." answered his mother stroking his hair.

"Thank you."

"I just wanted you not to grow up and to be my baby for the rest of your life, but I can't stop the time when you grow up and have your own family. But you will also come back to me because your marriage life has been unsuccessful. Do you know that you are a very kind son to me? Because even then when you were happy with her you never forgot to visit me but your sister Emerald just left her daughter here but she didn't even think to hug me and come here." his mother said passionately.

"Who said that? Do you know it hurts me when you make me feel like a brother is more favorite than me?" Emerald replied that her husband had just entered the house after her.

"Oh my, my baby girl, Emerald!" her mother exclaims.

And ran to Emerald and hugged her.

"I miss you, mother. I'm just too busy but here I am planning to live for a long time." Emerald answered, crying.

"This is embarrassing. You are crying." Leandre complained.

"Of course. We haven't seen each other for a long time. It's not like you don't have feelings." Emerald said with a snort.

"Come here, Little sister. Hug a brother," said Leandre.

Emerald came to him and hugged him tightly.

"I miss you so much."

"Me too."

Leandre broke away from Emerald's embrace and faced his stepbrother who was smiling at them.

He approached her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"How are you, brother?" he asked.

"I'm fine. We haven't seen each other in a while. How's married life?" it asked.

Leandre just laughed.

"Didn't Emerald tell you it was a little shaky?"

"Nope. We never talked about it." Geo replied.

Then Cheska ran down the stairs and ran to her daddy.

"Be careful, sweety. You might fall." Geo said while hugging his daughter.

"I miss you, daddy."

"I miss you too, princess," answered Geo.

Leandre thought that Cheska had gone to sleep but she hadn't.

"Didn't you see me?" Emerald said as she looked to the side.

Leandre laughed. It can be seen that Cheska is closer to her daddy than to her mommy. Just then, Cheska approached her mommy and hugged her.

"I miss you so much, mommy."

They all sat on the sofa. Leandre felt relieved to see Emerald look so beautiful and he could see that Geo loved it very much. Maybe he is the only one who is unlucky in marriage. But he couldn't accept that his only sister wouldn't have a good married life. Because it seems like she can kill someone if a man cheats on her. But seeing them together right now proves that true love exists.

"How are your studies, sweetheart?" Emerald asked.

"It's okay, mommy. It's fun," answered Cheska.

"Your daughter is going to be a bookworm. She's just inside the room reading. There's no nightlife." said his mother.

Emerald just laughed.

"Leave her alone. Some people are really like that. Someone like that should stay out of trouble." Emerald replied.

"It's not like you used to love the bar house. It's good that you finished school. And you found a man who will love you for real." said his mother.

"You are so mean, mother. I used to be kind. I'm not like other women who are too spoiled by their parents." Emerald replied.

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