The old grumpy Mister Duff

Chapter 2

Jazzhea's POV

FIVE YEARS LATER

I enter the kitchen, crossing it's threshold with one broad step while Karen, my mother is preparing the breakfast. I sat down happily on the chair infront of my younger sister Melody and offered "Do you need some help?". Mom immediately shooked his head in response as she put down the three plate of savoury buckwheat pancake on the table. "What about Dad and Rocky?" I asked mom but Melody replied instead "Dad went to work early and Rocky is drenched in alcohol".

"Well that explains why" I gave Melody a quizzical look while she's putting more maple syrup on the pancake. "Melody too much is bad" Mom warned as she sat down on the chair beside us while Melody stopped and uttered "Now can we pray". I nodded then lead the prayer.

Dear, GOD

We thank you for all that you give: the Lives we live, the food we eat and for our love ones. God, help us all to live our days with thankful hearts and loving ways.

In the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit

AMEN.

After we ate, I heard Mom then came into Rocky's room and talked to him, "Rocky too much is bad" Mom sat on the bed beside Rocky who is laying down. "I just had fun last night Mom nothing really happen and I don't do drugs" He explained and it's seems like his now sober up. "I believed in you but I'm still worried. Your friends they don't look like good people" Mom honestly uttered. "I won't get involved in them. Trust me. I'm doing fine in school even if I have low scores sometimes and I had a part time job Mom so you don't need to worry!" He said out loud as he stood up and put some shirt on from his cabinet.

"Then I'll trust you for the last time and think that your friends are bad but not monsters. I have an advice for you too, it's choose your friends wisely" Mom irritatingly comfront Rocky and immediately left his room.

Today is weekend and Me and Melody are memorizing some of the verse as we watch our favorite show on the television, sitting and relaxing on the coach together. "Those who listen to my message and believe in god who sent me have eternal life" I spoke the verse to Melody whom answered "John 5:24" while eating some popcorn. "Are you taking this seriously?" I asked her and her reply is "Yeah, I memorize some of the chapter now". "It's not all about memorizing or not just reading a bible Melody" I uttered as she stop eating and said "I know. It's about salvation, wisdom, inspiration, development and many more that's why I believed in it, I believed in that".

"Jazzhea you have a errand to do" Mom suddenly ordered so I came towards her and she added "This is a basket of goods for Mister Duff. His our new neighbor". "Goods? Why not cook something for him like you always do if we have a new neighbor?" I asked out of curiosity. "He told me his very picky when it comes to food that's why cans and sweets are good for him...well you have to deliver it now" Mom uttered as she went beside Melody to relax. "What a weird old man can't wait to meet him" I muttered, leaving the house. I saw him yesterday when his arranging and organization his stuff on his house, his pretty grumpy when you look at him.

I knocked on the door to his home but then a woman just suddenly came out of it and locked the door infront of me. "Uhmm..Miss who are you?" She looked like not related to Mister Duff who is a widower. "Oh! I'm his house keeper but I leave at once when I finished cleaning. How may I help you dear?" She said with a big smile on her face. "Where is Mister Duff? I was to give him this" I offered the basket to her, signing that can she give the basket to Mister Duff. "Oh! No dear....I cannot. I have a date to go but if you really want to give that to Mister Duff. I know where you can find him....his at the near lake probably fishing" She's so energetic for going om adate when Christmas is almost coming but nevermind.

"Fishing on this cold weather when the water is frozen. Mister Duff is really weird" I muttered under my breathe while the house keeper heard it and said "Most old people do that to forget there loneliness but then goodbye!" She left. I then grabbed my bike inside the garage without Mom noticing and bike onto the rode happily. At last fresh air! Mom wouldn't let me leave the house if there's no reasonable excuse for her but now I can go to whatever I want and atleast I didn't lie to her.

I'm gonna deliver this goods to Mister Duff without a problem so I have nothing to worry about. I kept peddling while my eyes are ahead, passing different houses and some beautifully grown tress. About an hour later, I reached the river and saw Mister Duff sitting on a chair, beside him is pail of fish and his bike, so he came here with a bike too, it's really tiring now that I realized it but atleast I bring my inhaler here in my pocket. I took it first before coming towards Mister Duff.

"Mister Duff, My neighbor!" I said to him who doesn't look happy about it. "Why a young girl is here?" He asked still holding onto his fishing rod and his impressive because he catch five fishes out of that ice hole. "I just deliver you this" I uttered as I put down the basket on his bike. "You must be Karen's daughter. I already told her that she doesn't have to give that to me....who is stranger" He drawled. "You're not a stranger anymore to the neighborhood or in town Mister Duff because the gossipers already know your back ground" I blurted out of nowhere while my hands are in the pocket of my coat because of the breeze of the air.

"People really like involving their selves in someone's affair. You must know my back ground too, what happened to my left eye and right arm?" He gazes at me with his grumpy face.

"You're blind in your left eye because of getting old? And your right arm is gone because of an accident" I answered in a question. "That's what I told them...aren't you gonna go home now?" He asked.

I just realized then Mom is going to be mad at me so I asked him back "Is there any short cut here Mister Duff?". "Yeah, there! you will reach a road, once you turn left then just follow the path itself. I came here using that short cut and theres lots of hill beside the road so expect snow dropping" He told me the direction with a warning. "Okay. I'll be careful...thank you so much Mister Duff and be careful too when you get home" I said as I walked, holding onto my bike and waving my left hand to him.

After that I arrived at the road and rode my bike peacefully but then the silence was broken after a minute when a car suddenly horn behind me, I was shocked because of that my bike almost lose it's balance but due to my strength I hold it from falling and continue biking. I heard them laughing with joy which is irritating and noe they are driving beside me "Little Jazz! Hi there!" They are saying on their open windows.

It's sucks...That I have to meet my brother's FRIENDS on the road during daylight. They didn't even go home and maybe they are still drunk from the party, Their clothes too are vulgar in this kind of season. Their car then suddenly came closer to me, it seems like they are trying to hit me on purpose while I can't escape them. It's full of tension while I'm focusing to get away from their pushing or hitting atempt. They dash their car onto my bike as I loss balance when they jokingly want a collision that's why I fell on the ground, hitting my elbow on a rock.

TO BE CONTINUED.