Chapter 222 - 25: He Was Puzzled

Jimmy had a special gift. He could sleep well even if the sky had collapsed, as long as it was not falling on him. He slept well and ate well.

He had been chubby when he was a child. Piggy was his nickname.

It was the second night in 26 years that Jimmy could not sleep.

The first time was when his idol, the policeman who helped his family, died in a traffic accident. He could not accept it.

He felt like he was being kept in an airtight tank and could not break out even if he broke his head. It was the time he started to feel impotent.

But he was a few years younger then. After running in the football field for a dozen l.a.p.s, Jimmy was exhausted and relaxed.

This time he wasn't sure why he could not sleep. After talking with Kate, he kept quiet for a long time. He seemed to hear the breathing sounds of a man. They were grown up, and it was hard to guess what they were doing. He was puzzled.

Did Kate have a boyfriend?

Was it the big boy she protected in the bar? Or somebody else? It wasn't until now that he realized how little he really knew her.

He doubted his own reaction. It was like the fits of a drug addict or suffocated.

What relationship could he and Kate be regarded as? It was merely friendship.

He helped her and appreciated her ethics. He liked to chat with her because she was a good listener. What else was there?

Jimmy didn't want to explore more into this. He got up to play online games. Since he was transferred to the criminal section, he rarely had enough time to sleep.

He hadn't touched online games for a long time. He missed them. So he spent the night with soda, cigarettes, and online games until early morning when he yawned and slept until noon.

On his way to the police station, Jimmy got a call from Linda.

She apologized sincerely. "I am sorry for last time. I brought you some trouble. It won't happen again."

He was surprised. Linda was spoiled and had a hot temper. She rarely spoke so seriously. He expected some big news. And soon it came.

"I am getting married."

Jimmy was startled. It was too fast, but he still said earnestly, "Congratulations."

"Just a few days ago, I couldn't imagine who could be the groom except you…"

"…"

"I just want to tell you, I never said I didn't support your dream. I just…" She paused a while and continued, "I was afraid of losing you. Your policeman uncle…When I went to his funeral with you, I saw his wife's despair. I was scared that one day I would be like her. I am sorry. I am a coward."

After he hung up the phone, Jimmy rubbed his face.

He recalled the age of innocence, the relations between friendship and love.

And he recalled what his uncle told him: that if he chose this road, he should realize what he would have to sacrifice. You might not have the honor you dream of, but you would have countless moments of depression and sorrow.

When he almost arrived at the office, Linda called again. "Well, I forgot to tell you one thing. Someone called your cell phone when I was at your grandma's house. I answered it. It was a girl. I had not given up on you then, so I told her you were in the shower."

Jimmy recalled. He was in the shower after a few hours of driving. But that reply by another woman might sound…" Did she leave her name?"

"No, she just said she was a friend of yours."

Jimmy had a lot of friends, but he thought of only one person by instinct. He dialed the number, but it was busy.

Kate got a call from Allan saying that Max hadn't been right lately. He was too quiet, not speaking, always looking blankly out of the window. He was doing well in the contest that had just ended.

The originally sure-win scholarship had been lost. Kate was worried. When Tristan came back in the evening, she said she wanted to go to see her brother, and he agreed readily.

***

The next day Kate saw Max. He was gaunt and melancholy. His changes made her feel pain inside.

Sitting on a bench on the campus, looking at Ed standing by the car in the distance and seeing Kate, who was wearing new clothes, Max asked carefully, "Kate, now you and that man live together?"

Kate nodded.

"Sorry," Max said sorrowfully.

"Don't say that. Everything will be over soon." She used these words that she wasn't even sure of herself to comfort her brother. The term three years emerged in her mind.

"Is he good to you?"

She nodded.

"Does he have a family?"

She was startled. She never thought of that. Maybe. She remembered seeing the ring on his finger, but he hadn't worn it recently. She was not sure when he stopped wearing it.

Max sighed, "I searched online. No valuable information is found about him. He is mysterious."

The clamor on the football field was in contrast with the silence of the brother and sister.

After some time, Max took Kate to their canteen and bought one of Kate's favorite foods: pumpkin chowder. Sitting at the table next to them were some boisterous students. They were gossiping and laughing, which made Kate and Max's table seem extremely quiet by comparison.

After a while, Kate found the girls at that table stole a look at Max frequently. She said with surprise, "They are checking you out."

Max blushed and said, "Stupid girls. Maniacs." From his tone, this was not unusual to him.

Kate laughed, and the depression on her face was assuaged. They talked casually while eating. Talking about her life now, Kate accidentally mentioned that she was staying idle without going to work.

Max said, "He will not let you go to work?"

"No."

"It is too much!"

Kate smiled, "Now I have time to read some books. I didn't have time before."

"Then does he agree you should go to college?"

Kate didn't reply. She didn't dare to mention it to him. "I can learn by myself."

Max felt sorry for her seeing her downplay it. He suggested, "I can take you to the library. You can find any books you want."

Kate had both expectations and worries. "Will it be OK?"

Max suppressed his sorrow and said, "Of course it is OK. I will get a library card for you."

At dusk, two men were sitting at the table in the front yard playing chess. The sunlight fell on the red geraniums and the swing on the porch.

Jessie brought the fruit salad and asked, "Tie game?"

Tristan said, "Donald took pity on me."

Donald Harderson laughed. "It is delightful!" He took a sip of the tea and said

"Tristan's skill is admirable. He is a good rival of mine."

Tristan said with respect, "I just learned a little from my father. My skill cannot compare with you."

"Oh. How is your father?" Donald was interested.

"My father passed away many years ago," Tristan said seriously.

Donald sighed. "It is a pity. I would like to play with him if I could."

"I heard that you were in the army before. My father was in the army before. He learned to play chess from his bunkmates."

Donald nodded. "It was good in the army. We had training in the daytime. In the evening, when we had time, we played chess and even gambled on it. Who lost had to do laundry for the winner."

The two people who were listening laughed, but the person who spoke sank into meditation and had some loneliness in his eyes.

Fifteen minutes later, Tristan stood up and said goodbye to them.

Jessie walked with him to the gate. She said with pride, "I told you you would hit it off with my dad."

Tristan didn't reply. He took out his cigarette and lighter and lighted it. He took a deep smoke of it.

Jessie was surprised, "I thought you didn't smoke."

"Occasionally." He said shortly. And he took a couple of smokes and then said, "You know, I am using you."

Jessie's face changed.

A month ago, she received a very big gift, a seaside villa. Newly built, limited edition, difficult to acquire even with high earnings. The person who sent the gift was Tristan.

She did not feel glad. She knew what it meant. But she didn't go to him for an argument. She just mailed the entitlement doc.u.ment back to him. The gesture showed that she refused it.

And then her father came, and she called Tristan to come over to meet her father.