What if?

Chapter 66: Mumma

Michael

“Michael, what are you doing? We are going inside.” I heard Janice voice call me out. “Oh! Sorry.” I replied back to Janice.

“s**t! I was busy spacing out again. I didn’t even hear the driver saying that we were already in front of the foundation. I looked out the window first. “This is bigger than the images in google.” I said to myself.

Jake’s family might be really rich and also they are really powerful too and really kind. It is not easy to make others trust you and create such a big foundation. His parents could be really trustworthy that other people are donating much money for the foundation. I wonder how much they spend on this foundation annually.

I got out of the car and looked upward to see the end of the building. “How many floors does this building have?” I wanted to ask this but I was too shy to ask. I can just count this if I want to know though. It is better than asking. They might think that I am into this business.

“Whaaa!!! This is a huge building.” I heard Janice say while looking above the floors of the foundation. “Yes.” Linda replied to her proudly.

We all then walked together.

“There must be a lot of children here that the foundation is helping.” Janice said while looking around.

I noticed that Janice has been talking a lot. It seems like she is so into it. “Well, this is really amazing to think of. A foundation this big is almost like a company.” I said to myself while looking at Janice’s expression.

“The surrounding area is also really green and nature friendly. The owners might not just be philanthropists but also environmentalists.” Janice said something again.

“That is right. The people here really try our best to be of help to nature.” Linda replied softly to Janice. Linda seemed like she is proud to help in such a foundation and family. Jake’s family is truly amazing.

“s**t! I hate this kind of feeling.” I said as I felt something aching on my chest. I don’t understand why it is acting like this. “Stupid heart.” I said to myself while caressing my chest.

We reached the inside of the foundation and saw many kids running and people laughing everywhere. “What is this?” I said as soon as I saw the kids laughing and playing with each other.

Looking at their situation, you will feel hopeful because these people here seemed pitiful but you can’t say it. They seem happier than I am.

“How is this possible?” I said to myself. “How is this possible?” I heard Nick say. We think in the same way. Only that I did not say it out loud as he did. I looked at him and his eyes looked hopeful and really happy.

Nick knew how it feels like to live in an orphanage. I know that it is somehow like a foundation too. Only the thing is that he was not happy with the place he was before. This is the opposite of this.

“Absolutely opposite.” I said to myself as I continued to look at him. Looking back to the time where I first saw him makes my heart feel heavier than it was. I just could not care to look at him again if he is in that kind of situation.

“Good thing I met you that day.” I said and smiled slightly as I thought about it.

“Why are you smiling?” The driver said next to my ears which shocked me.

“Ah… well, it is because… the… the kid! Yes, the kids! They make me feel happy. Just looking at them makes me feel happy.” I said while mumbling the words at first.

This is the reason why I am really bad at lying. That’s why I am not a good liar, and besides, I don’t want to think.

“I see. But you are a kid too. Why are you just referring to them as kids only? Wait! I think it is just me but it sounds weird.” The driver said while tilting his head.

“Why the hell is he talking a lot with me today? He rarely acts this way to me.” I said to myself as I looked at him.

“Ah! Sorry, I should have said that to the other kids.” I replied to the driver. I said that just to make him feel better and stop wandering by himself. He is giving me the creeps and the interaction between us is really weird.

“Maybe it is just me thinking this way.” I said to myself.

“Everything is possible dear, as long as you put your heart into it and take action. That is what the family owners did. That is why we have this. Do you know what that other building is for grown-ups who have disabilities? This foundation might be focusing on kids but it also helps other ages.” Linda replied back to what Nick said.

“Ohhh…?” I said as soon as I heard what Linda called Nick dear.

What is wrong with these people? These people are giving me creeps. I looked at Nick to see what his reaction was.

“He doesn’t look like he cares about it.” I said to myself. He seems like a person who is really happy to see and hear everything about this foundation.

I think I am going crazy thinking about such things. I should just focus on looking at the good things this foundation has been doing to people.

“Birds.” Nick said while looking at the birds flying. “I wish that I am a bird too.” I said softly.

“You can let go of me now. Thank you dear.” Linda said to Nick who was guiding her a while ago in walking. Nick immediately obeyed what Linda told her to do.

After Nick let Linda go, she walked by herself and talked to a woman with white clothes on. She must be one of the helpers.

After a minute, the woman walked together with Linda along with drinks in their hands.

“Drinks.” Janice said and offered us the drinks. Linda did not even care to ask us and just gave us the drinks. The woman with her did so too.

I saw Nick sipping on the drink. “Mmmm…” Nick said as soon as he sipped the drink.

“Is he thirsty?” I asked myself. He seems thirsty… or maybe he just wanted to make Linda and the other woman feel good because he likes it.

I don’t know specifically since I can’t read minds.

“What the hell?” I said and could not stop giggling. “What is he doing?” I said to myself again. I just saw Nick closing his eyes slowly. “I have to take a photo of this, I could use this to tease him in the future.” I said and immediately took my phone and captured the moment.

“Oh yes!” I said to myself as soon as I took two photos of him with his eyes closed and open after drinking the drink.

“Oh.” I heard Nick say and saw him blinking his eyes three times to make sure of what he was seeing.

I turned to look in the direction where he was looking.

I suddenly felt that my chest was feeling heavy. “He’s here.” I said to myself as I saw Jake.

Nick looks so surprised so I was right a while ago that he did not know about the foundation coming from Jake’s family. I heard that Jake is mentoring him in guitar playing and I know that it is really possible that they might have talked with each other about some things.

“He is so naïve.” I said to myself as I turned my look back at him.

Linda walked towards Jake so we did so too. I don’t know but my feet just walked by themselves. “Jake! Good that you are here. I have someone here for you to meet. I believe that you are at the same age.” Linda said who doesn’t know anything.

She seems happy to see Jake and I can feel how much she wants to make us Jake’s friend. Jake must not have any friends at all.

“What are you doing here?” Jake said as he looked at Nick. “What did you just say?” Linda said in shock.

I understand Linda, I would say the same thing if I didn’t know how Jake acted with his classmates. This is not the first time this has happened so it is just déjà vu in Nick’s and my end.

“Ah… Linda, I think you are just shocked. Michael and Nick are in the same class as Jake so that is why.” Janice said as she can feel the tension already.

I wonder why Linda acted that way to Jake. She seems really close to him and his family. I think Linda is like Janice in my family.

“Why are you here?” Nick asked one more time. “Shh! Can you shut your mouth first?” Linda said as she covered Jake’s mouth. “Ah!” Jake let out so Linda uncovered his mouth.

“So you are classmates? I am really happy to hear that. These people here drove me from the place I was in until here. Nick even helped me walk in the pedestrian lane so I let them tour the foundation.” Linda said to Jake.

“Help? Why were you outside? Mom and dad told you not to go around anywhere. Mumma, you are not young anymore, you are already 85 years old.” Jake said to Linda. Jake seemed mad at what Linda did. One thing, Jake also called her mumma.

“Sorry. I know but I had to do something. Don’t tell your mom and dad okay?” Linda said as she tried to console Jake. “This is the first and last, the next time. I will tell mom and dad.” Jake said to Linda.

Jake sounded so mature while saying those words for a 4th grader student. He did not talk this way before to others either. Although he might have just sounded mad, I know that he cares for Linda a lot.

If this happens in the future to Janice, I would react the same way.

“Yes. This is the last. Thank you. And by the way. You did not tell me you have good classmates.” Linda said to Jake trying to change the topic as soon as possible.

“I don’t have to tell you. All people are good though.” Jake said to Linda.

Jake is right, all people are good, not just fully good. Even bad people have something good in them. There is no such thing as fully evil.

“Oh… you silly boy. So! Are you close with each other?” Linda asked Jake. “None! I don’t have friends. Since when did I have friends?” Jake said to Linda without hesitating. He did not feel shy about it. “How could a man like him live?” I asked myself while looking at him.