Star & Twinkle (Completed)

Chapter 23

Allan turned his computer screen away from him. He took his glasses off, then he put his face on the palm of his hands and rubbed his face up and down as he grew frustrated. His mother had died about a year ago. The fact that he couldn't go to her for all the questions he was currently having in his mind was troubling him. Ramil left his phone number at the bottom of his e-mail. Allan shook his head. He doesn't know what to think or what to believe. Has he been living a lie for seventeen years? He shook his head at the thought. He wanted to be angry. He wanted to lash out. But to who? Who was he supposed to be angry at? Who was telling the truth? Allan shook his head again as if he was trying to shake the thoughts off of him. He stood up and walked around the house. He was contemplating whether or not he should call the guy that e-mailed him. What if it was all a lie? What if this was someone pretending to know him and just wanted to be part of his life because they somehow knew of his inheritance from his mother. Allan thought it was all too much of a coincidence that this so-called father appeared out of nowhere just a year after his mother's death. Was he telling the truth when he said it really did take him that long to find him? Was he telling the truth when he said he chose to give up searching for him and that fate has brought the two of them back in each other's lives? Allan thought about all the things written on the e-mail. He turned the screen back over to him. He read everything over and over until his eyes hurt from not blinking. He was full of emotions now. He took a deep breath. He made a fist with his hand. He wanted answers. He needed answers for the sake of his sanity. He took another deep breath. He paced back and forth inside his living room. He combed his hair with his fingers. He was frustrated. He watched the time. It was two thirty in the morning. He went to the kitchen and made himself some coffee. He kept checking the time as if he was expecting for it to go by quickly, like he wanted for it to be morning already. He took a deep breath, he sat back in his office chair and began typing. He replied:

Meet me at two in the afternoon at church this Thursday. I need some answers, be ready to provide all of them.

Allan read his words over and over again. He sounded mean and demanding, but he couldn't get himself to delete what he had already written so he clicked "send". Allan rested his back on the seat. He looked up at the ceiling then he closed his eyes. A lot has happened to him these past couple of months. He tried to get a hold of his life so he wouldn't spiral down, but everything seemed to take the wrong turn even when he tried his hardest to make everything all right.

On Thursday, Allan waited anxiously at church for the guy that e-mailed him. He checked his watch, it was only one in the afternoon. He sighed impatiently. He wanted the hour to go by quickly so the guy could finally show up, reveal himself, and answer all of the questions that kept him awake for about four nights now. When the hour finally came, Allan straightened himself up. He looked at Jesus at the cross, he nodded to Him as if surrendering everything to Him. He watched the door. Anytime now, the guy can show up. He put one hand on his waist and he checked the time on his other hand. He tapped his shoes. It was only two minutes after two, but it already didn't sit well with him that the guy he was waiting for didn't come in on time. Five minutes later, he tapped his shoes even faster. His heart was beating so fast. He usually was a calm-mannered guy. He was never this impatient. He tried to calm himself, again. Get yourself together, Allan. Quit fidgeting. He told himself. He looked around. He realized that the church seemed always empty on Thursdays. It made him feel a bit lonely to be by himself. He sighed. He looked around again. He looked for something to do to keep his mind busy, so he decided to do some cleaning. Just as he finished wiping and cleaning almost half of the church pews, the church door opened a little. Then it closed again. Allan has completely forgotten just how windy it was that day. He ignored it and resumed cleaning the pews, though he was disappointed that his guest was now officially late. When he finished cleaning the middle pews, he continued with the pews on the left side of the church. While he was cleaning, the church door kept opening a little and closing again because of the wind, so he continued to ignore it. When he was about done, he proceeded with the pews on the right. When he was halfway done with those, the church door opened again. This time it swung wide and revealed the brightness outside even though it was a gloomy day. A figure appeared on the door. Allan stopped what he was doing to see who it was. It was Twinkle.