A renewed life

Again free Thomas felt a really renewed person, the years of his life at sea had not really been in vain and despite the fact that the almanac was already taking its toll on him for so many blunders, his new friend Mary was offering to host him in her house. Since, having run out of money for having had to pay part of the costs of the trial, his sense of opportunity indicated that things were going to improve.

He was very sorry that now away from his job for having to pay the sentence under conditions of probation, this would prevent him from returning to his country, he had his wife and daughter who were waiting for him.

Being a sailor his family life was complicated, few times a year he could visit them for a few days and then return to his usual tasks, now tied to this new situation he had no idea how to resolve it in a non-traumatic way.

(end 5 minutes)

The new house

That day when he got out of the prison he walked next to Mary to her house, being a small town they should not have walked much, in front of the house a garden with red roses welcomed them, without being disturbed Mary showed him around the house and led him to the guest room she had previously prepared. Thomas again thanked him and stammered said:

"Mary did not expect so much courtesy from you, I do not know how I can pay you for everything you are doing for me"

She told him:

"Don't worry, I see that you're tired, it's time for you to rest and regain strength, tomorrow will be another day"

Moments of doubt

Mindy when listening to everything that her new sister Angeline was narrating to her, she was shocked since her father had never mentioned to her those moments of misadventure that had happened on that island.

She and her mother only knew of their father sporadically when they received one or another letter, but in them only he indicated that he was being unable to return because he had run out of money and without permanent work.

Given her mother's situation, they had to start working in the houses of wealthy people, cooking and ironing clothes, with which she was able to pay for her studies.

The years passed and her father without returning made, her mother lose all hope, since when Mindy finished high school, sick with a rare disease caused by a fungus, she died.

Now Mindy alone, unable to notify her father of the bad news, began to face her life looking to the future without losing hope of seeing her father again.

Angeline, hearing all that part of Mindy's story took pity on her since she could not believe what a separation could mean for someone. At that time he was fond of her, recognizing some of the gestures that her father sometimes made to her.

Fall

Angeline continued to unravel the hidden part of Mindy's father. Continuing with her story, she kept saying:

Autumn came and when the rains began, Mary's house had some leaks, so Thomas offered to repair them. So he went up to the roof to apply the waterproofing, for it he had a wooden ladder with which he climbed the materials.

Some of the tiles were already broken so they had to be replaced, he had to go to the store on several occasions to buy materials for the repair, there he became friends with the manager, who confidently asked him how it was that he lived with Mary . He still did not realize how tricky the question was and answered naturally.

Already in town there was a rumor that a sailor was living with Mary and she was a widow, this looked bad. Everyone was gossiping, but no one dared say anything to her.

The day of the repair suddenly, Thomas after climbing the roof, false floor, which caused him to fall into the garden from above, therefore he injured his leg. Mary, seeing what had happened to him, told him that they must go to the hospital for the doctor to see him. There they put a plaster and bandages on him, so when he returned to Mary's house he had to rest.

Meanwhile the roof work was stopped until Thomas recovered. He then had to sit several days in Mary's room and there she, as a woman, began to give him affection. The even rude was not willing to enter into a new relationship. He knew that he had left behind wife and daughter and all that seemed to him at that unreal moment.

The recuperation

Thomas' recovery took longer than had been anticipated, he had to hire a bricklayer to finish what had been left pending of the waterproofing. Thomas was now giving him instructions on what to do until the job was done.

The cold began so Thomas cleaned the stove and was in the short garden a few pieces of wood that he had bought in the town store, as now he had to keep going to stock up on products and food he was surprised that people spoke incomprehensible things for him since they used the local dialect that even he did not understand.

At home Mary diligently served the food for both of them and he felt more relaxed since he was now fond of her since he considered her a good woman, but who had not had all the money to win because she was widowed with that little girl .

At that point in the story, Mindy was surprised to hear that, so she said to Angeline:

"I thought you were truly my blood sister"

Laughing, Angeline told her that Thomas had been her father and that she loved him very much, that is why she had done everything possible to go meet him again. She, as always, told him about her, she had assumed in her conscience that they were both sisters.

Mindy, listened to the clarification given by Angeline wanted to hear more of the story.

Winter

The first snowfall gave the garden a whitish appearance, the frost covered the windows and inside the house the heating kept them warm. Angeline, still a child, did not understand well what Thomas's role was in that house, her mother told her that he was her godfather and that she would stay with them for a long time. She in her innocence saw nothing wrong in all that.

On Christmas day her mother that year prepared a special dinner for them, on the Christmas tree some lights brightened up the evening, at the foot were several gifts even in their colored boxes. Surprised, she only wished that the moment to open them arrived.

When her mother died, her father reminded her of what had happened that day, still five years old, she was restless waiting for her gift, when they discovered what it had, there was a box waiting for her with a set of dolls and her little house. Immediately she began to play calling him to help her put it together, the excited sat on the floor until later later said goodbye to him and his mother.

Once his mother was left alone with Thomas the atmosphere relaxed and they then succumbed in each other's arms. Mary in love with him could not believe what was happening.

Mindy, felt that her head was spinning, she could not believe that her father had been unfaithful to her mother, since the letters that he wrote said the opposite, on the other hand they always maintained the hope that he would return.

Unable to hold back her tears, Mindy burst into tears. Angeline when seeing what was happening proposed to them that they leave the conversation for another day since she realized how much the subject affected both of them.

(the story continues)

© 2020, Felix Garcia P. All rights reserved

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As today is the second day of the challenge, I have completed 1324 words.

[screenshot by @felixgarciap]