First stage of their friendship

As Henry opened the door, there Eric was standing with a pharmacy paper bag, as he looked at Henry, he handed the bag to him,

"What's this?" Henry asked while looking in the bag.

Eric didn't say anything and left. Henry smiled and went in. Eric entered the house, went to the kitchen and prepared instant noodles for himself as his mother was sleeping, and started eating them.

Ashley came out of the room and looked at Eric, looked at the time, it was 2 PM, and came to him, "Why didn't you wake me up, let me prepare a dish for you" she said while walking toward the kitchen.

"It's okay, mom, I like eating instant noodles," he said and again started eating the noodle, Ashley smiled.

Door knocks*

Ashley went towards the door while tying her hair, as she opened the door, two old women were standing there, "Hello? Ashley said.

"Hello, we are just here to call on you, and also brought you some fruits," one of the ladies said.

"Ah, there was no need to bring fruits," she said while letting them in, and they were about to change their shoes.

"Ah, no need to change the shoes, I haven't done my housework yet," she said.

As they come in, they looked at the house and one said, "Ashley, are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I was just taking a snap," she said while sitting on the sofa in the hall, One lady stopped and looked at Eric.

"Why Eric is having lunch so late?" she said while placing her hand on Eric's back.

"He didn't eat much in lunch, besides he like eating instant noodles, say hello to aunt Eric!" Ashley replied.

"Hello, aunt Noah," Eric said while looking upward in her direction.

"Hello, so sweet," Noah said while smiling.

"Would you like to have some tea?" Eric said while standing from his seat.

"Any kind of drink will be okay," aunt Noah said while smiling, and Eric went towards the kitchen.

"He's so obedient," aunt Noah said while smiling.

"Ashley, it's about one month since you moved here, why do you always stay at home alone?" aunt Noah asked.

"I think it's too hot outside, so I don't like going outside" she replied while smiling.

"You are too introvert, and so does Eric, I often see him playing alone in the park, Since you spend all your time at home alone, you can only see Frankie, no wonder you would quarrel," the other lady said.

Aunt Noah made her silent by tapping her shoulder, and Ashley's facial expression changed into a serious one.

At that, Eric came with a tray with two cups, "Thank you, Thank you, good boy," both of the ladies said.

"Mom, I'm full, I wanna go outside," Eric said while standing in front of her.

"Go ahead," Ashley said in a cold tone, and he left.

"You are here for something, right? you must have heard I quarreled with Frankie" Ashley said while smiling.

"No, no, no, every family would quarrel, we were eating at Henry's restaurant yesterday, and we came across Frankie, so we chatted a little," aunt Noah said.

"I see, what did he say to you about me?" Ashley asked.

"Of course, he talks all good about you, I completely understand you, you know when I was young, I was a teacher back then, I had two children back then and I have to take care of them, so I quit my job, and concentrate on my children only, as long as I saw my husband, I quarreled with him without any reason," the old lady said.

"So does Frankie, whenever I want his help, he is busy helping others" Ashley replied.

"It's his job, dear," aunt Noah said.

"Whatever his job is, he should have some time for his family too" the other lady again spoke up.

"Frankie is a good person, if he is not with you, means he is earning for you and the house, if you take good care of the kid, then he can focus on the work too" they started understanding her, which was not liked by Ashley.

The next day, Eric was sitting on the stairs while reading the book, when Hazel came to him with a plate of fries and sat beside him while eating the fries, "Ummm, so yummy" she said while taking a bite, brother Eric, have a try, it's really good" but he turned in other direction.

She again started eating "My dad cooks well, it's so yummy, really like it" she again said but Eric kept on ignoring her.

At night, Ashley was drinking beer in a glass, and an empty beer bottle was placed on the table, in front of her.

Eric was sitting near her on the sofa, he looked at the time while waiting for his dad. The door opened, revealing Frankie

"Oh, you're drinking alone?" Frankie said while coming toward her.

"Oh, why only drinking, there's no dish, let me prepare one for you," Frankie said and was about to go to the kitchen when Ashley spoke up,

"Eris, go and play outside?" Eric stood up and was running outside when Frankie hold him "where he would go at this period of the night?" Frankie replied.

"Eric, go outside" Ashley again said, she was not in her conscious. Eric was again about to go, but Frankie hold him again.

"I have been working for a complete day, please don't fight with me," Frankie said while holding him.

"Don't pick a fight with you? you ask that ladies come to me and say those things to me!!!" Ashley said, and Eric ran outside.

"Listen, I didn't say anything to anyone, I swear" he shouted.

"Still pretending, huh?" Ashley shout.

"I am going to change, I have to work overnight," Frankie said and was about to go to his room when Ashley stood up and pushed him back.

"You can't go anywhere," she unconsciously said.

"Look, my colleague's son is sick and I promise him, that I will do work on his side too," he said.

"You are worried about another's kid, but where were you when our child dead?" she shouted while coming closer to him and crying badly.

"We are not supposed to talk about our kid," Frankie said while holding her, as she was getting out of control.

"Look, Ashley, please spare me, I'm begging you, I'm so tired now," he said, Ashley was trying to calm herself, she turned her head towards the wall, and then face him again, giving him a dark gaze.

"Fine, I'll set you free," she said and was about to go outside when Frankie hold her.

"Leave me, I'll go and find my daughter, I'll find her for sure," she said while trying her best to go outside.

"Eric was crying silently while holding the book and sitting on the stairs, "Eric, have you had dinner?" Henry asked while sitting downstairs with Hazel, in front of their apartment.

"We have made chicken Manchurian, Manchurian tastes really good when cooked by my father," Hazel said and ran upward from the stairs to him, and hold his hand,

"Come on" he first hesitated but then went downstairs with her, they were eating their food and the expression Eric was bearing on his face was indicating that he is liking the food.

"Tasty?" Henry asked, Eric, nodded while eating.

After dinner, Hazel took him with her to her room, open the drawer, and took out Eric's family photo that she had glued,

"Brother Eric, I have glued this picture," she said while giving the picture to Eric, he took the photo and looked at it while tracing his hand over her sister.

"Your sister is just like my mother, she has gone too far to be a fairy, after a long time, we will also be there, then we can meet," she said while making a cute face.

"Who told you this?" Eric asked.

"My dad!! he knows everything," she excitedly said.

"He lied," Eric said in a cold tone, "They are dead, death means they have gone, and will never come back" he added.

"Why?" Hazel asked.

"Everyone has to die, and after someone's death, we throw or burned their belongings in order to forget the death, and so does your dad," Eric said while looking at her.

"Come here," Hazel said and silently walked outside of her room while hiding from her dad, who was doing dishes in the kitchen, Eric was following her. She opened her dad's room door, and quietly close the door.

"I will tell you my dad's secrete," Hazel said and went towards a drawer, opened it, took a picture from it, and showed it to him, it was her mom's photo.