TRIPPLE SEVEN BAR AND RESTAURANT
Leo moaned, pressing his palms tenderly on his cheeks.
“Father…?” The young boy, with a hale and hearty smile on his face, ran to his father and hugged him. The young girl followed her brother to her father. Matthias hugged his kids.
Maha wanted to run after her kids, Leo blocked her.
Leo smiled. “This is what I called you for. Wanted to show you how much the kids missed their father.”
“Who are you to interfere with my family issues?” Maha said.
“I’m just a kid who knows how it feels for a kid to grow up alone, lacking parental care. Either one or both...”
“It’s none of your business.”
“I was five when my parents separated. I, having nowhere to go had to enter the street. Five years old kid alone in the street. How I survived all these years, is everything I don’t want your kids to go through.”
“I’ll take care of my kids all by myself.”
“I know. But until you find solid and sound answers to the question mother, where is our father? The ghosts of anger, depression, and revenge will always hunt you.”
Maha exhaled deeply, looking at her kids playing around their father.
“They say love is not a feeling if it has ever been a feeling.” Leo chuckled. “Love is a choice.”
“I don’t know what the world did to you. What I know is I won’t let it happen to my kids.”
“Maha means beautiful eyes,” Leo squinted, “but look at your eyes. They are filled with anger, regrets, and revenge. If you don’t do something soon, the beautiful eyes of those kids will end up the same.”
Tears slowly seeped over Maha’s cheeks.
“There’s nothing as exciting as a comeback, seeing someone with dreams, watching them fail, and then getting a second chance.” Leo exhaled. “You’ve everything you need right here. It’s up to you to decide whether you’ll leave with pieces or with the complete package.”
After five minutes, Maha moved slowly to where his husband was. The two hugged each other. Their eyes were welled with tears. Their two kids ran around them merrily.
Leo wiped tears from his face, why am I crying?
The smile which came from their faces suggested the happiness they were missing from each other. Leo tried to recall but he couldn’t remember any moment he had with his family. His heart was very heavy. Their mouths had a lot to talk but they ended up hugging each other, this time more tightly.
Leo gasped. “As much as I don’t like to interfere with the family reunion, I’m out of time. The plan…?”
Matthias dug into his bag and came out with a file. “This is the whole plan. Your safe passage in and safe exit are all in. It’s a complete piece.”
Leo took the file. “Thank you.”
“No, thank YOU. You have saved our lives. We are eternally grateful.”
“Having a place to go is a home. Having someone to love is a family. Having both is a blessing.” Leo exhaled, gazing over the sky. I have none, what a curse?
Matthias patted Leo. “I hope you’ll reunite with your family.”
Leo smiled. “Hope?”
“Is hope a bad thing?”
“No…” Leo peeked over his watch. “Hope is for the hopeless people.”
Matthias smiled. “I saved you as blueprint in my phone. May I know your name?”
“Don’t waste your precious memory. You don’t have to know my name, we’ll never meet again.”
Leo walked away, leaving the happy reunited family celebrating. He went to SJ and Patrice.
“Here is what you wanted.” He threw the file on the table.
Patrice smiled. “How did you do it?”
“In case you didn’t know how a five-years-old kid was able to survive all these years alone in the street. This is the secret.”
Patrice chuckled. “What secret?”
Leo extended his hands. “Negotiating.”
The two busted into a laugh. SJ hugged Leo tightly.
“Well done Leo. But until we get the files and clear our names, there is nothing known as resting and celebrating.”