New Acquaintance

Taaliyah opened the door. And her heart dropped. it was her father. He looked tensed. "What happened Uppa?" she aksed.

"Grand father is not doing well, how about you stay alone today. I came to get clothes, help me pack some. Do you have dinner? Will you make something? Keep the phone with you itself," he said in a hurry.

Taaliyah felt bad. She helped her father pack some clothes for him, her mother and grand mother. "Your uncle said he will take care of grand pa and grand ma after getting discharged, then this happend, we don't know why," Zahir went on. "Do you have anything to cook here?" he asked again.

"No," she replied.

"I will give you money, go get something from the shop outside our street, okay?" He adviced her. Taaliyah had a lot to study for the coming exam all along. She did not feel peaceful amidst of all the troubles. She felt bad for her grand father and prayed for him. Taaliyah finished packing and gave her father the bag.

He instead gave her some money and walked out of the house.

"Take care, go get something before it's too late," he said and took off. Taaliyah looked at the moment she had in her hand and walked back into the house. She decided to save the money and not eat anything for the night. She waited for Derek's text but he did not reply her at all. She could not believe that he had changed so much. One who always came to compromise with her this ignored her even though she had done nothing but watched him leaving with another girl she despises. "Wait, I will show you," she muttered and sat doing her worksheet. She had no idea what was actually happening with Derek.

*******

*******

"Who is it?" John asked his son.

"Min Ah," he replied.

"So surprised to see you at this hour," Min Ah said to Derek.

"Oh this is the friend you were talking about," John got it instantly. Derek's guitar mate.

"Yes," he said. "Min Ah this is my father," he introduced John to Min Ah and by that time Min Ah's father Jim came out.

"This is my father, you must know him already," she said. "Uncle, this is my father," She introduced Jim to John.

The elders shook hands. "Papa, this is Derek,"

"Oh yes I remember," Jim said and tousled Derek's hair. "Keeo doing well heard you always top the class and is a model student in the school," John was proud of his son. He stood smiling. "Let's have dinner together," he suggested. "Did your mother not come?" he asked. John looked at Derek. 'How does he know?' he wondered for a moment.

"No she did not," Derek replied.

"Come in then, this is a great hotel, I had reserved the table, we should be getting it soon," Jim said. Derek and John followed them and joined them for dinner. "Min Ah told me about the classes, I am surprised to see that kids are so into learning these days, I guess my daughter got it from you, she even started studying these days," Jim said. John laughed out loud.

"Kids are competitive these days, beat him this time Min Ah, you should win," John encouraged him.

"Yes uncle I will," she said. A waiter walked over to their table with a menu. "The treat is on me Derek, I won a competition at church last week, Papa you should pay," she said to her father. Jim and John laughed out loud.

"Ofocurse honey, no problem," Jim felt relieved to see that Min Ah had finally made a friend, even though it's a boy he did not mind it. He watched her with teary eyes. He wondered what life would have been like if his ex wife did not divorce him and leave their only child with him while she remarried. And then he felt glad that she left. He could not imagine Min Ah suffering under her without proper love and care. Her mother, Sina had no interest in living with family but wished to travel all the time with the money she made. He could never understand why she became that way. Different from how she used to when they were in love before marriage. Leaving the infant alone for two months and not returning home made Jim over react which further led to the divorce. She had never come back to visit Min Ah since the divorce. But to Min Ah, he had said that her mother passed away. And he kept no contact with any of the relatives from Sina's side and moved to a new town here in west village from the south village. South village is a root Min Ah is not aware of. Jim dated on and off after the divorce but he never got close with anyone. He hid his sexual relationships from Min Ah to disappoint her since Min Ah loved her dead mother.

"So what do you do?Jim aksed John.

"Software engineer, website developer, front end," John said. "I work in Y city, I came for a few days holidays, am going back soon,"

"I see, it must be very hectic is it not?"

"Very, the work is tiring, but I enjoy it, team leader I am, so guiding the trainees and teaching them is the only difficult thing," John explained. "What about you?"

"Am doing import and export trade," Jim replied.

"That's a great business to invest in these days, with the change in our lifestyle a lot of imported goods are what people love to acquire and use for long,"

"I know right, I have tie up with few companies, I sell their stuff here, it has great moving, cosmetics, tin food and snack, clothes, furniture and electronics. I co concentrate more on Furniture and Clothing," he said and men talked about business and politics.

"I will help you order, let them talk whatever," Min Ah said and ordered a hot pot. "Have you tried hot pot?" she asked him.

"No," he replied.

"Then we will have hotpot, how about ordering a plate of barbecue too?" Derek went with whatever she said and did not speak much. He checked his phone and saw no messages from Taaliyah.

The dinner went well and Jim paid for the night. The men got along really well and exchanged their numbers. They did not talk about Amy at all. Derek was satisfied.

"I will talk to the guitar teacher, you can leave that to me John," Jim took the responsibility. "Make sure he attends the classes, it will be in my house, I guess it will be fine," He said.

"Yes yes fine," John replied. "I will make sure he achieves his dreams," and he patted his son.

"Good," Jim smiled and looked at Min Ah who was glowing and looked happy.

John and Derek got in the car and drove back. On their way, they decided to get some snack for Derek since John is leaving to stock at home. Derek walked into the shop with the money and took some chips, usual nutty chocolates, icecream, and extended his arms to take the cup noodles which was grabbed by someone else.

"Oh sorry," he heard a girl's voice.