SEEING BRAD

Leon and Ryan arrived at the hospital. Ryan was busy talking on the phone as Leon inquired at the receptionist where they would find the boy who was a victim of a stray bullet.

They were directed to a corner surgery room and Ryan removed his hat. Leon looked at him and almost laughed. "Am paying respect you know! "

" What respect, this isn't a morgue! "

They spotted a boy on a life support machine and Leon immediately knew he was the one.

Two more people were besides him; one was holding flowers and the other older woman was carrying a coat in her arms.

As they moved closer the older woman turned and greeted them. Leon stood beside her, but the younger lady did not greet her. Leon realized it was daisy. He wanted to signal to Ryan, but Ryan was looking the other way.

Leon coughed and apologized for the situation

Suddenly Sarah turned, and poking his chest shouted at him, " its your fault you, Rohas. Were it not for your criminal dad, my brother could not be lying here! "

Sarah broke into a cry and her mother held her in her arms. " Don't say that. Its rude! Calm down! "

Sarah broke from her arms and her face went wild

" he...! " She pointed at Leon and started crying again.

Leon approached her and Sarah looked up. Their eyes met. Leon's heart melted. He did not know what he liked in her. He studied her features once more and his face brightened up. He loved her. He was now sure about it. He had never stopped thinking about her. Sure now, he knew that.

Sarah kept quiet. She did not hate him. She now realized. He was much handsome than she first saw him. She liked him already. He was not bad hearted, she concluded.

Leon said he was going to pay for the operation. Sarah's mother wiped tears from her eyes. She was overjoyed. She always knew an angel would come. She was a strong woman. Always cheerful and prayerful but the thought of losing her own son crushed her. She never knew comfort. She could not sleep, hardly ate or even spoke about it. And when she spoke, she had that faraway look in her eyes.

Sarah hugged Leon. Leon was taken aback that he never quite embraced the hug but put his hands far incase she would retaliate. All that while ,Ryan was just looking on.

Leon asked Sarah out for lunch. She looked at her mum and her mum nodded. She was still not convinced until Ryan started to walk away and they followed.

They walked in silence until they were out of the hospital.

Ryan suddenly joked that this type of weather always made him think of coffee and Netflix.

Leon suggested may ghee's coffee shop across the road.

It was a nice place. Sarah sat beside Leon and Ryan sat facing them with Sarah's mom.

Coffee was quite expensive here. Leon ordered a meal too because he was very hungry. Ryan ordered snacks. Sarah was okay with just coffee. "They have a fast Wi-Fi! " She smiled. Ryan was busy conversing with Sarah's mother.

"I can see you two get along fine! "Sarah joked.

She had never seen her mother so happy and cheerful. neither did she knew she could talk that much.

Ryan saw something in Lisa. He admired her personality. The way she talked made him so relaxed and keen. And Lisa felt at ease with Ryan. She wondered how he could keep so fit and have an air of youthfulness around him though she felt they were agemates.

She came to learn they had been brought up in the same neighborhood, but they never knew each other by then. But something hinted he was older when he said, " you remember that old ice-cream man who gave children free ice."

Lisa had not seen him. Her dad always told him stories of the old man. He had moved to another town when she was born.

But Ryan did not speak of his wife. It brought so much sadness in his heart but Lisa sensed and avoided the topic.