𝐂𝐀𝐍'𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐗𝐄𝐃 - ᴄᴏʟᴇ ᴡᴀʟᴛᴇʀ

ii.

THE MADNESS OF MATO SUMMERHILL.

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SLEEPING WAS A LUXURY Nova preferred not to have. Instead, during the night she listened to her father's endless sobbings. She tried to figure for how long they were going to last with him not getting back to work ever since their return from Canada. For how long college savings were going to last.

One morning which still felt as an extension of the previous day she left the house as she was getting to school. But she got straight to the Lark Café that was located in the very same building, hoping to find their every time savor, Mato, there.

"Hayley!" Nova pretended to be glad to meet the oldest Walter brother's fiancée but she wasn't that happy. Conversely, the girl regretted coming here now. "Didn't know you do mornings."

"Sometimes I do," an older woman smiled widely at her. "Usual?"

Halley gave her a tight smile. "I'm good," looking around didn't let her understand if the owner was in the café at the moment. "Is Mr. Summerhill here?"

"'Course he is! The morning Lark is his favourite Lark," they both chuckled. "Should I tell him you're waiting for him?"

"Yes, please," Nova nodded and sat at on of the empty tables.

Mato Summerhill didn't take long to appear in the girl's sight. As soon as he noticed her, his smile got wider. He always treated her as if she was some kind of a family member, not his college mate's daughter. Mato loved Nova dearly and seeing her at his café, when his mood was already great, made his morning even better.

"How can I help you, Ms. Halley?" he pretended to take off his imaginable hat.

"Morning, Uncle Mato," she kept anxiously picking her nails under the table. "I feel really bad asking you that because you've already done so much for pops and me, I can't ask for more..."

"Your father is my good mate, Nova," the man reached out to her shoulder and squeezed it in attempt to comfort. "What's the matter?"

"Are you hiring?" silence. She almost didn't hold back the desire to hit herself on head. The idea was so stupid! How could she even think of asking him that? "Forget it. I...I'm already late. Goodbye."

"Wait," Mr. Summerhill took her by arm, making the girl sit down again. "What's happening, Star?"

She shot a glance at Hayley who was obviously eavesdropping, referring to the privacy of the conversation. Young immediately turned around when she realised she got caught. Mato nodded with understanding.

He had no idea what was going on in the girlish head but he knew, for sure, that it was something he could possibly help her figure out. When she was younger, he was the one who suggested her to call him 'Uncle Mato', not 'Mato' or, even worse, 'Mr. Summerhill'. She was his so-called niece and the man wasn't going to leave her alone with her demons, problems that were eating the girl from the inside.

"'Kay, come to ours with Skylar after school. We can talk there peacefully, right?"

"Right," she echoed. "Thank you so much. For your help."

"I've done nothing, Star."

"You've done a lot, believe me," before leaving the building, she hugged the man tightly. In such a desperate situation she managed to ended up in, he became a lot more father-ish to her than her own parent.