Second chances Book 4/6

Chapter 32

Harper held his model on the stairs, leaning lightly on the tilting central part, taking notes, sitting there looking at his craft, taking photographs, a video he comments on. It could work, but he was going to weigh down his project. Sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, he was taking notes for new commands so his robot would know how to turn right or left, degrees for turns. Nobody bothered him when he was lost like that, so as not to make him lose his train of thought, understanding that he was evolving in his own bubble. When he reconnects with reality, Harper finds that the lights are on. His aunt Abigail is sitting across from him, smiling at him.

"You were gone far away, tell me.

— Yeah, I was visualizing... that," he said, pointing to his model, "and all the problems I'm going to have to solve.

— I have always been fascinated by your ability to cut yourself off from the world to go into your imagination, my angel. Are you doing well? We haven't had time to talk to each other since you arrived.

— No, it's true and I miss the time we spent together.

— You're not too... disappointed to have learned about my past?

— Aunt Abby! But how can I be disappointed?! I'm proud of you. As Nietzsche said, you have become stronger. And you found Tilly.

— Yes, Tilly, my light.

— You know, I found pictures of you at school and...

— No, Harper. This girl no longer exists, she was broken.

— She was pretty, Aunt Abby. You still have her beautiful smile, despite the sadness of her life, she smiled.

— Thank you, my angel.

— If one day you want to know more about "after", I can tell you about it. I stopped looking, but until ten years ago I have info, I didn't give it to CR.

— Maybe one day," she said, standing up, holding out her hand to help him up and, once standing, he hugged her so that she wouldn't slip away from him.

"The bad guy is long gone, not without suffering, and know that you haven't been forgotten. I love you aunt Abby. You deserve to know at least this.

— Hold me tight, my angel," she sniffles.

"You are one of the most fantastic women I know, mom told me so much about you, how you were when she met you, how you have changed. You are beautiful, you are strong, you have infinite generosity. I have always loved you for what you mean to me.

— Don't talk nonsense, I'm the one Bethany made, I became a version of her.

— I know Aunt Abby, it's a big sister that I saw in you when I was little, always with me, rocking me at night, reading me stories and the first to treat my sores when I fell.

— What else could I do? You... yes, somehow you're right, you were like a little brother. The myth of Bethany being my sister became a truth in my mind, in my soul. Come on, pick up your toy before Tilly scolds you," she laughs.

"Yeah, I'll take this home and clean up my notes, see you later," he said, kissing her.

Back home, Harper types away on his computer, uploading his photos and video to a new folder. He was writing down his remarks when his phone vibrated. Taking it, he noticed a dozen messages and voicemails, he had locked himself in his bubble so much that he had never been aware of it.

Ella.

All messages were from Ella.

Harper began to fear that something had happened to her again, as the instigator of the first attack had never been found.