Chapter 57

14 Lantern Bridge Street.

Beverly sat coldly at the dining table, holding a cigarette that was about to burn out.

In the center of the table was a breakfast that was still more than half full, and on the other side were a set of unused cutlery.

She had made enough for two, but now she couldn't bring herself to eat.

"Ha."

Beverly took a deep breath, crushed the cigarette butt onto her plate, and stood up, ready to throw away the food in the central dish. Just as she lifted her hand, the doorbell rang.

Then came the polite knock on the door.

Beverly frowned and quickly grasped the knife on the table.

Her reputation in town wasn't great. After all, she had killed her father when she was young, her husband after marriage, and recently lost her child. Few people were close to her, and apart from working part-time, she had no social life, except for her childhood friend Mike and the rarely seen Jackson with his lecherous nature.

"This time of day can't be Mike; he's still busy tracking the Joker. It can't be Bill Rich and the others either; they said during the phone call yesterday that the agreed time was in the evening. They're in the big city, so they wouldn't be back so quickly and don't know my address."

She suspected it might be Pennywise, the same entity she had first attacked and stabbed in the head.

If it had revived, it would certainly seek revenge.

"Who's outside!"

Beverly asked coldly.

"Beverly, I'm Randy, Carl's classmate."

Beverly relaxed upon hearing this. She had a deep impression of Randy, her son's classmate, who, despite losing his parents, was strong and independent. She had indeed given him the family address and invited him to come over to collect Carl's belongings.

She opened the door with a smile.

"Randy..."

Beverly's voice suddenly took on an unusual tone as she was surprised by Randy's appearance.

The transformation was quite significant.

Although he was already handsome before, now his complexion was different, his looks were elevated, and he had a unique charm, giving off a naturally amiable vibe.

"Randy, you look great."

"Really?"

Randy smiled. "I have my late parents' expectations on me, so naturally, I strive to live each day well. Beverly, you seem still immersed in sorrow."

Beverly was touched by these words and felt an increase in her goodwill toward Randy. She opened the door wider and said, "I haven't been as perceptive as you, a child. You're truly a cheerful and good child. Please come in."

"Yes."

Randy entered the house politely, glanced at the food on the table, and said apologetically, "Did I interrupt your meal?"

"No, of course not."

Beverly quickly waved her hand. "I just made too much. Randy, did you have breakfast? It should still be warm."

Saying this, she hurried to the table, blocking the view with her body, subtly putting down the knife in her hand, and removing the cigarette butt from her plate. She then waved her hand to dissipate the smoke.

Of course, Randy noticed all this.

Beverly not only had a strong will but also was very cautious in her actions, and she could control her emotions.

She had a leadership spirit, able to lead a group of misfits to defeat Pennywise and overcome her own fears.

Compared to Mrs. George, she was more suitable to be an agent.

The only issue was that she had killed her son Carl, a brutal truth she couldn't know.

Fortunately, the Joker had memory-altering abilities, which added another reason to kill him and acquire his powers.

"Come, sit down. I'm trying to figure out what to do with this food. The dishes and cutlery are all fresh. I'll pour you a glass of milk. Don't be shy, just make yourself at home."

Beverly seemed to find a new sense of purpose and warmly pulled out a chair for Randy to sit.

"Thank you for your hospitality."

Randy sat down with a look of reluctant acceptance. As soon as he sat, Beverly handed him a glass of milk and started transferring the food from the plate to his dish.

"You probably don't have breakfast alone at home, do you?"

"I usually prepare some snacks."

Randy displayed a nonchalant attitude.

Beverly, taking on a motherly role, said, "But that's not very healthy. Eating snacks often…"

Before she could finish, she stopped, realizing she might be overstepping. She worried it might be annoying to someone as young as seventeen or eighteen.

Beverly observed carefully and found that Randy still had his usual calm expression, leisurely enjoying the food.

"This is a very delicious breakfast."

Beverly sighed in relief and smiled. "Just ordinary scrambled eggs and bacon."

"No, there's a taste of home that I'm very familiar with."

Randy explained seriously.

This made Beverly's eyes redden, and her emotions surged, leading her to embrace Randy instinctively.

Randy put down his knife and fork and gently patted Beverly's back.

After a while, Beverly managed to compose herself and stood up. "I'll go tidy up."

"Yes."

Once Beverly's figure disappeared around the corner, Randy quickly finished the remaining food, tidied the table, and took all the dishes and cutlery to the kitchen.

He wanted to make a good impression while he had the chance.

In the kitchen, there were already many dirty dishes and pizza boxes piled up.

It seemed Beverly's life had lost its motivation.

Randy eagerly put all the dishes into the sink but didn't turn on the faucet. He waited for Beverly to come out so she would see his efforts first.

Meanwhile, Beverly washed her face in the bathroom and composed herself before quickly coming out.

She was concerned that the shy boy might feel uncomfortable alone in the living room.

But when she reached the living room, Randy was already missing, and the sound of running water came from the kitchen.

When she cautiously approached, she saw Randy seriously washing the dishes and cleaning the countertop.

"Randy?"

"Oh? Sorry, Beverly. I noticed there were still many dishes to clean, so I thought I'd help."

Randy smiled.

"I just wanted to make up for the regret. Before my parents passed away, I never thought of helping them with chores. After they were gone, I became more proficient than they ever were."

This greatly increased Beverly's fondness for him.

"You're really a good child. Let me handle this."

Randy quickly declined, but couldn't resist Beverly's insistence and had to step aside.

"Randy, I've rarely seen someone so understanding about housework. Carl never mentioned you before. Sigh, this child rarely brought friends home. I always thought he was quite introverted."

Carl certainly wouldn't bring friends home.

After all, everyone knew the type of friends he had, and bringing them home would definitely be revealing.

Moreover, with Beverly's graceful figure, how could those restless young men not have bad thoughts?