Moment with God (Book 2 of With God Trilogy)

XV

Ouch! I bumped my head to a door who was opened by a man in a corporate attire. Wait is he the-

He looks familiar!

"Mr. Leonard!" It was dad. "Just an hour ago you were in my office." He offered his hand for a handshake. The man refused. "Sorry, I-I have to go." The man looks sweaty and nervous. I wonder why.

Dad sat in the table near the window and brought out his laptop. "At last, I am now alone! I have to finish this in two hours!"

I was watching him work for an hour now and he was busy doing graphs and Excel. One minute later, a man with another corporate attire entered the coffee shop.

"Would it be possible for you to share the table?" It was Mr. Kelly. There were no vacant tables but he found dad alone in a table. Dad agreed. "Well, sure."

Mr. Kelly, while reading piles of papers and drinking his cappuccino, noticed dad working. All of a sudden, he spoke. "Hi. I noticed that you are having a hard time interpreting the graphs."

Dad looked at Mr. Kelly as if he was a weird stranger curious about his work. "Not really. I'm just practicing my report for later." Dad looks a bit insulted.

"I'm sorry about that. I am just looking for someone just like you to help me in a new project." Mr. Kelly apologized and rested his back on the chair.

Dad looked at his front long sleeves pocket. He saw a nameplate that read "Dr. Oliver Kelly, DVM". He looks at Mr. Kelly's face and the piles of papers in front of him.

"I see that you are a doctor." He suddenly spoke.

"Vet. I am a veterinarian." Mr. Kelly said as he did not turn away his eyes from reading.

"Well, sir. I am interested to hear the project you have just said earlier. Do you mind telling me what it is?"

Mr. Kelly stopped reading and asked him if he is really interested. Dad nodded.

"I have been looking for someone to help me plan and design an events place for a big event. To be specific, I wanted the place-

Mr. Kelly stopped for a second and realized he doesn't know dad yet. "Sorry sir, may I know your name?"

"Melbourne."

"Thank you, Mr. Melbourne. I wanted a place to cater a hundred people. I tried to look for places near here but I cannot find the time to do all those." 

Dad looks more interested. Well, I believe it was his job and he was good at that.

"It's good that we have met sir. I am Joseph Melbourne, a senior marketing officer in SunniesArts Corporation. If you are interested in working with us, here is my contact." He gave Mr. Kelly a calling card. 

Mr. Kelly laughed. "Thank you sir. I believe we are both busy but if ever you have free time, you can also call me." He brought out a business card from his front pocket.

"Thank you, sir." Dad faked a smile while receiving the card. Dad is competitive and he really doesn't like it when someone humiliates him even for seconds. "Well sir, I hope to see you soon...in my office.." He whispered the last words.

"I mean in the company, sir. See you." Dad stood up as they shook their hands and dad was preparing his things to go.

"Thank you for your time and the table." Mr. Kelly smiled.

Dad faked a laugh that looks genuine for others but as his daughter, I can notice his laughter.

I stayed with Mr. Kelly as he was checking design proposals from different companies. Mr. Kelly looks like he is not satisfied with these papers and he grabs the opportunity to find another company that would submit another design proposal to him. I remember when Mr. Kelly brought me to his clinic, I can see that he wants all things in order. He wants it perfect. He wants everything good and smooth. His work ethic is admirable however sometimes when he wants to look good to others, he looks arrogant. I respect both of them but knowing dad, he is not backing off to any situation when his pride is involved.

Wait.

What am I saying?

Am I taking sides?

"Janice."

Yes? Lord?

"Look very closely."

What? Where?

His voice faded and I was told to look very closely. I don't know what that mean but I see that God wants me to notice something. What can it be?

A swirl of wind came rushing to me and formed a circle around me. I am prepared to be taken out of this scene like what it always do, but in a second, all my experiences here flashed like one trailer in a movie. I can see snapshots of Ooi and Dad's younger years. I felt dizzy as I sat on a park bench, contemplating on everything. When I finally came to be okay, I realized one thing.

Could it be? Could he be?

Could Mr. Kelly be Ooi? I mean Ooi can be a nickname for Oliver, right?

Oliver to Oli to Oi to Ooi?

And the same time, he went back to his parents' home, Mum and Pops. I never thought of this. I thought it was purely coincidence. Is it possible? I think so.

Wait. Another one. The picture. The picture Mr. Kelly crumpled in his hand while he cried. The family picture? 

Mr. Kelly could be Ooi but I don't see the reason why he has to leave his parents for a life well lived. He could have shared it with his parents. He could have lived well with his parents until the day his parents die.

Unless...

Unless there is something that happened before that.

Something in secret that Mum and Pops need to keep until Ooi is big enough to understand. Wait! My head! Ooi's words came rushing to my head over and over.

"If you and mum really cared, then you should have said it to me earlier. When I was just a kid. When I was not attached to you yet. If you and mum really cared, then you should have said it to me earlier. When I was just a kid. When I was not attached to you yet. If you and mum really cared, then you should have said it to me earlier. When I was just a kid. When I was not attached to you yet..."

There is a secret Mum and Pops were hiding from their son. Something they should have told him earlier? When he was not attached to them yet?

I walked back and forth with a hand on my chin. Attached hmmm? When you are attached to someone? Relationship? Family?

Something like that.

When he was not attached to them yet?? Hmmm. Not attached to them??

I gasped deeply. "Could it be possible?!"