The next day, in the break between classes, all of us working together on the English Project gathered once more.
"So," Sebastian, seated on the stairs with his arms stretched out over his knees, much like a delinquent student, spoke up first. His chin propped, looking at Emily, he asked, "What did you have to tell us?"
"Right. I’ve actually known Mrs. Benson and her family since my childhood."
Emily began telling us about her connection with Mrs. Benson.
"I played at her ho quite a lot; my parents were both busy working most of the ti and left there after school. Her husband had built this arcade with his friends, and they were very passionate about it. Sothing about how gas had shaped most of his life."
Emily sighed and shook her head, as if to say she couldn’t understand the sentintal attachnt to a place.
"He passed away, right?" asked Lia. "Anna and I saw a picture next to a small altar. Buddhist, I think?"
"Correct. He passed away long ago... and her son has also been away from ho for a long ti."
"Away?" Eric asked.
"That’s right. He had left to study for civil services, but then suddenly told her he had found a job. Eventually, he completely cut contact."
"Mrs. Benson doesn’t seem like a bad parent, and if they are doing sothing as unconventional as an arcade..." Anna mused, and Emily nodded along with her. The son had not left because of Mrs. Benson; that was for sure. But perhaps there was sothing about their family dynamics that none of us could know or see.
"That’s how it is. The reason she is so attached to this arcade is largely because that is all she has left. There is no one and nothing else left for Mrs. Benson."
"And those bastards—" Sebastian grunted. He was quite pissed about the people who had invaded her space and were trying to force her to sell the house. Sebastian seed far more chill to as a person, but it seed he felt for others with quite a passion.
That said,
There was another dinsion to all this.
I wondered if I should speak up about it, but before I could, Emily already seed to have had the sa idea.
"This is actually good," she said.
The others turned to her, while I nodded to myself.
"By all accounts, Mrs. Benson is struggling. The years have caught up to her long ago, and the arcade really doesn’t have many custors."
"What do you an it’s good then?" Sebastian asked.
"Sebastian... how long do you think she would be able to survive like this? It is really necessary for her to move on and live the rest of her life in peace."
"Hey, are you judging people’s happiness like this? If she’s happy with the mory, I think that is a fairly peaceful life."
Eric shook his head. "I am not denying that, but for how long? She’s struggling to make ends et. At this rate, she will pass away before her ti."
Lia crossed her arms. "Guys, when we were in the kitchen... I actually noticed a big box full of dication. Alongside a note that highlighted how many she had to take every day and when."
"She’s already... not in the best condition," Emily said. "And I know for a fact that she is struggling to make ends et. Honestly, half the reason I took everyone there was so that she could feel a little happier about having soone visit the arcade."
Sebastian and Eric both folded their arms.
"I think we should go there in our free ti," Sebastian said. "The arcade is a fun place. And we have yet to finish our gas, right Abel?"
"Yeah," I added.
"What else can we even do..." Sebastian muttered. "If she’s really ill, then yes, perhaps selling the arcade is going to be the best option. It would give her enough money to look after herself at least."
"But she won’t sell it either," Emily said. "It sucks."
"There is sothing we can do," Eric said. "I an, we are just making assumptions about her son’s condition, aren’t we? Since he is not in contact, the reason could be anything—"
"—What do you an?" Emily asked, her eyes a little wider than before. I pursed my lips.
It was almost as if she was waiting for soone to say this. The way she quickly pounced on it.
"I think we should look for him. If she finds her son again, she won’t have to cling to the arcade so strongly."
Lia stepped forward at those words. "You are right. I think we can definitely do sothing if we put our heads together. If... if he wants to reconnect, that would be great for Mrs. Benson."
"And while that is happening," Anna added, "We can keep her so company too. I think this is great."
Everyone nodded and expressed their assent to that line of reasoning. Then Emily turned to .
"What do you think, Abel?"
I smiled.
"It also makes for a fun story, yeah?"
This was good.
While they were looking for the son,
"Sure does."
I could look into the company.
Reviews
All reviews (0)