“ My dad married a second wife, who became my stepmom and took care of me since childhood. She also had her children, and I was the eldest among them, and they considered me as their elder brother without any difference.”

Mr. Lucas paused and let out a sneeze.

“ Sorry. Do you need extra water?” Fernando caringly asked, but Mr. Lucas declined.

The living room went silent as Mr. Lucas tried to calm himself down before he continued with his saga.

“ I can't tell if my stepmom or my dad informed my younger ones who were three in number; a girl and three boys, if I was born by another woman or not.”

“ And you didn't ask your dad if he did?”

“ No, I didn't bother to ask because I see no reason to ask.” Mr. Lucas answered Fernando's question, and he nodded with satisfaction.

Mr. Lucas crossed his legs as he went ahead to narrate the story to Fernando, who was seriously paying attention to it.

“ They so much respected me to a degree that I never thought they would betray me one day. As life goes on, I lost my dad.”

“ I'm so sorry about that.” Fernando felt pity for Mr. Lucas even when he was old enough to take care of himself.

“ It wasn't up to a week, and my younger siblings and my stepmom roused against me after a woman came and claimed me as her son. No one was by my side to support me.”

As Mr. Lucas narrated, Fernando became emotional and began to shed endless tears.

“ I was forced to sign the papers that my immediate younger brother was the true heir of my father's properties. I did everything they wanted and thereafter, they chased me out of the house.”

On mentioning that statement, Mr. Lucas recalled what happened that day as he was being chased away like an animal by the ones who once claimed to be his family.

“ I followed the woman who claimed to be my mom, but along the way, she said it was all a plan, and she was paid for it, but she refused to disclose the person's name.”

“ You mean she didn't tell you who sent her?”

“ Yeah, she didn't mention the person's name, but I already knew that my stepmom conspired this because she is entitled to stop her children from doing such a thing if she isn't supporting it.” Mr. Lucas responded.

“ Human beings are wicked!” Fernando spat.

After a few minutes of silence, Mr. Lucas proceeded with the narration.

“ When the woman left, I had nowhere to go. I left that city and began to wander around as I sought employment, but I couldn't find any.”

“ Wait! Was your dad a rich man?” Fernando curiously asked, as if he needed the answer for an important thing.

“ Yeah, my dad was a billionaire with many companies across the nation”

“ I knew it. Only in such a family do such things happen because you can hardly hear of such a thing from people of low background.” Fernando shared and Mr. Lucas concorde with him.

“ What later happened to you?” Fernando asked.

“ I end up finding myself here in AYR city. Luckily for me, a certain rich man was passing by and saw me helplessly sitting beside the highway roads and he stopped. He asked me a few questions and I answered and he took pity on me and engaged me in business which I'm currently benefiting today.”

Mr. Lucas paused and stretched his body and relaxed. He could see how emotional Fernando was, but everything has passed, at least he should be the one to pity him now.

However, Mr. Lucas believed Fernando's suffering will only last for a while. With time, everything will be okay.

“ That's how that rich man saved me from that condition. After a few years of business, I built this house and bought that Toyota RAV4.”

“ You mean, you built this house and bought that car in the same year?” Fernando was stunned.

“ Well, no. After building this house, I bought my car the next year.” Mr. Lucas responded.

“ Oh, I see,” Fernando muttered.

“ However, I married my wife the same year I bought the car. But I wasn't lucky enough, and she gave up the ghost after a year of happily married together.”

Mr. Lucas spoke as he fought the urge not to remember how she suffered a serious disease before leaving the earth.

Fernando knew that Mr. Lucas was thinking about his wife, who made him pause with the narration.

“ Accept my condolences for your loss.” Fernando muttered with teary eyes and Mr. Lucas nodded and answered,“ It's a thing of the past, so it's okay. Death is inevitable.”

“ Yeah, that's why we need to live right with our fellow humans.” Fernando concurred.

“ One thing I almost believe is, tomorrow will be better than today. So, never give up on the struggling and never look down on anyone.” Mr. Lucas advised Fernando.

“ Sure. Some think they are bringing you down, not knowing that they are preparing you for a better tomorrow.” Fernando replied with a chuckle.

“ Excuse me please, I need to do something quickly and come back in the next few minutes.” Fernando took an excuse and stood up.

“ No need to hide, brother. I know you're going to the toilet. You like food like an elephant.” Mr. Lucas teased and Fernando laughed out loud before leaving the living room.

‘ Life is unpredictable. Who knows if we have many things in common? What if I didn't agree to help him, what would have happened?’

Mr. Lucas thought to himself and took his phone to check the time.

To his amazement, it was almost midnight, but none of them was feeling sleepy.

Well, they were talking about their lives and how to plan for a better tomorrow. So, it will be hard for any of them to feel sleepy.

Fernando arrived in the living room after spending almost an hour in the toilet.

The way Fernando stays long in the toilet can leave one wondering if Fernando was in a labor room.

“ You are finally back?”

“ Yeah,” Fernando answered as he sat in his usual position.

Fernando expected Mr. Lucas to continue from where he stopped, but it seemed to Fernando that Mr. Lucas wasn't ready to speak, and he was enjoying the story.

Yes, a story. It has happened, and it has become a story, even though it's a painful story, one can be motivated by such stories.

“ What happened next?” Fernando inquired as he fixed his gaze on Mr. Lucas.

Dropping his phone on the couch, Mr. Lucas raised his head to reply to Fernando.

“ Well, they thought I wouldn't survive, but here am I peacefully enjoying my life. But I got some news from someone who was somehow a family friend, who told me that my immediate younger brother's daughter got married just a few days ago.” Mr. Lucas explained.

“ Ohh, I see,” Fernando muttered.

Silence reigned between them as Mr. Lucas had taken his phone and started operating again, but Fernando wasn't satisfied.

“ So, how about getting another wife? Why haven't you gotten any?” Fernando wondered.

“ These twenty-first-century modern ladies can't be trusted. So, I need to settle down to know the perfect one for me.”

“ Oh really?” Fernando mouthed.

“ Yeah. Although, I have seen one whose name is Olivia, and I am trying to see how I will propose to her, but I haven't gotten the chance to do that.” Mr. Lucas announced.

“ Wow!” Fernando gasped with excitement.

Seeing the happiness in Fernando's face, Mr. Lucas was overwhelmed.

“ Besides, it was her place I went to when I told you that I was going somewhere. We both agreed that she was coming to see me in the shop before going to the gym, but the time we fixed came and passed, and I didn't see her. So, I had to go there.” Mr. Lucas said with a sad expression.

“ Were you able to see her?” Fernando asked.

“ No. She disappointed me. She wasn't at home, which means she had gone for her evening workout, and her phone wasn't going through.”

“ It means she loves sport,” Fernando muttered.

“ Yeah, she goes to the gym daily.”

“ That's great.” Fernando chuckled.

“ Can I tell you something?” Fernando sheepishly asked.

“ Why not? We are now like brothers. So, feel free to tell me anything.” Mr. Lucas replied, and Fernando cleared his throat to say what was on his mind.

“ I know girls dislike me a lot, but I can't give up on searching for the one who will accept me the way I am.” Fernando grieved.

“ Sure. Besides, you aren't the first man I have seen with such a body size. In fact, I have seen many who are more than you, and they are happily married.”

Mr. Lucas responded with some words of encouragement, and Fernando smiled after hearing this.

After observing a few minutes of silence, Fernando speaks out. “ A beautiful lady came to the shop when you were out, and I think I have fallen in love with her.” Fernando happily announced.

“ Really?” Mr. Lucas widened his mouth

“ Yes. And I guess she loves sports too because she was in her sportswear.”

“ This is a good opportunity to reduce your weight if she accepts to be your girlfriend.”

“ Yeah. I already have that in mind. At least I would be receiving some training from her.” Fernando was overwhelmed with joy as he pictured the lady in his mind.

“ So, what's her name?” Mr. Lucas inquired.

“ Ahh!” Fernando shrieked,“ she didn't tell me her name. Before I could come out of the counter, she was gone,” he responded.

“ You have missed the target, boy. But if she's lucky, you will see her another day.”

“ Yeah. I pray she will accept me. At least the both of us would have girlfriends who love sports.”

With joy, Fernando spoke.