Chapter 65


    The next morning.


    Reba woke up seconds after Benjamin did. She saw him brushing his teeth, so she purposely went


    into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, too. Benjamin walked out of the bathroom to give some space.


    (Why are you going out when I came in for you?) she could only brush her teeth harder. After she exited,


    Benjamin went in.


    She didn’t sit on her bed but kept walking around. Benjamin then went upstairs to the rooftop.


    “Why does he always go up every day? Does he like breathing some fresh air?” She wanted to follow


    him, but the stairs still felt intimidating. She didn’t want to bite off more than she could chew. Luckily, Lisa


    was passing by. She asked Lisa to give her a hand. As Lisa helped Reba climb the stairs, she asked,


    “Why do you want to walk so much when your injury hasn’t fully healed, Aunt?” “If we wait for the wound


    to healpletely, it will take forever,” Reba said. “Besides, 1 don’t like sitting on the bed and doing


    nothing.” “You can watch movies and tv-shows, right?”


    Ild


    “I did watch one tv-show, but that’s it. I don’t feel like watching anymore anytime soon.”


    “Huh, if I were in your ce, I’d watch television for at least sixteen hours everyday.”


    “Haha, you should put more concentration on your studies instead of chatting on your mobile all the time.


    Your boyfriend won’t help you get a careerter on. Only your own hard work will, so don’t waste your


    time.” Lisa was greatly surprised. “Y-You know I have a boyfriend?” “Isn’t it obvious? Why would a


    sixteen-year-old girl spend so much time on her mobile? One of the first reasons that woulde to


    anyone’s mind is that she’s chatting with a guy.”


    Lisa awkwardly smiled, but then looked tense. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell your parents.” “T-Thanks, Aunt.”


    Reba knew her parents were too busy to care what she and Roshan were doing. Roshan at least


    yed sports well, even though he didn’t really get good grades, but Lisa has been getting poor grades


    lately. Her parents still didn’t really care.


    “Don’t thank me,” Reba arrived at the rooftop. “Just don’t misuse the freedom your parents gave.


    Freedom is a double-edged sword. You can achieve great things with it, but if you aren’t careful, it will


    consume you without you even realizing it.” She leaned closer and said, “Do you masturbate?”


    Lisa was stunned. “W-What?” Her little heart kept skipping. “W-Why are you asking me this?”


    “I used to do that when I was your age, but then I realized that it was a nasty habit and then cut it off


    early,” Reba said. “Now I don’t do that anymore. I don’t even drink soft drinks, except once in a while


    during professional meetings. Like me, you should take control of your habits, or they will control you.


    Gain good habits and lose bad habits. Stop wasting too much time on your mobile and do something


    productive like learning a new skill or gaining knowledge by reading books like your grandma does, or


    anything that can help you stand on your own feet. Otherwise, you won’t gain true respect from anyone,


    not even your own parents.”


    Lisa still looked embarrassed and a bit flustered. “I understand, Aunt. I-I gotta go, but how will youe


    down?” “Don’t worry. I’ve got Benjamin,” she said.


    “Oh, okay.” Lisa then scurried downstairs.


    “I hope she doesn’t send my words out her other ear,” Reba told herself and then looked to her left


    where Benjamin was talking with Delle at the terrace. “What’s she doing up here?” As she was nearing,


    Delle walked off and went downstairs through a separate staircase built for workers. “Reba?”


    Benjamin was surprised and d to see her. She looked so gorgeous in the early morning light. “What’s


    Delle doing here?” she asked. “Ah, she was here before I came.” “What were you talking about with


    her?”


    “She was just asking me how to make good pizzas.”


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Reba didn’t say anything. Having seen a lot of crazy, dark stuff in her house since when she was


    young, she didn’t like what she just saw. “Benjamin…” she looked straight into his eyes.” Don’t get close


    to them. Nothing good wille out of it.”


    Benjamin was startled. Now he understood what she was talking about. He raised his hand and was


    about to put it on her shoulder, but then couldn’t do it just yet. “Reba, you are the only one in my


    heart. There was no one else before, and there will be no one else after.”


    She kept staring into his eyes, possibly hoping she would understand his intentions better. Anybody


    could spew empty words, but only few would back their words with actions. What type of man she was


    looking at? One who could lie with ease, one who would hate to lie?


    Benjamin smiled and said, “Isn’t this a wonderful morning? Look at those parrots. Aren’t they cute?” He


    showed the colorful parrot couple sitting on the parapet talking peacefully. “They look happy and content.


    And I wish…” he nced at her, “the same for us.” His words brought up a wee smile on her face,


    but her eyes were still trying to get a measure of his heart.


    “Now, if you excuse me…” he raised his left hand, making her wonder what he was up to. He


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    nted his head. She hesitated for a second and then reached out for his hand. He held her hand gently


    and walked. She walked with him, as he took her to the parrots. She thought they would fly away, but


    they sat there, unafraid. When they got close enough, both of the parrots began speaking in human


    speech, “You are my first andst love, Reba.” Reba’s expressionpletely changed. The


    parrots kept repeating the sentence like they werepeting with each other. She looked at Benjamin,


    with tears already rising up into her eyes. Benjamin began to speak to the parrots in theirnguage,


    telling them to stop, which pleasantly surprised her. The parrots were a little defiant and tried to pull


    some hairs from Benjamin’s beard. He taught them a lesson by shutting their mouths with just fingers.


    They kept pping their wings, begging him to free them. He troubled them a little longer before letting


    them go, and they flew away to the guava tree in the garden… Reba’s heart felt strangely light for


    some reason. Coming to the rooftop even before the sun rays hit the roof meant that Benjamin wasn’t


    here everyday for vitamin D, but having seen him talk to the winged guests, and noticed a tray nearby full


    of birdfeed and a bowl of water, she understood without her husband proving that his words probably


    held nothing but truth in them. Reba slightly pulled his hand to grab his attention: When he turned his


    head, she warmly smiled at him.”Benjamin…” she looked like she wanted to say something. He could


    feel it.


    “Benj-fucking-min!” Elizabeth’s voice reached them from below. She was shouting from the garden.


    “What are you doing up there? My dad is calling for you. He needs to be massaged! After you are done


    with that, iron my clothes!!!


    Benjamin angrily smiled and replied, “I heard you, Aunt. I’ming.” Both Elizabeth and Reba were


    shocked by his response.