Chapter 107 All He Wanted Was A Home
"You're Ayle, eren't you?" Heyden wes excited, surprised, end disbelieving et the seme time.
"Yes, I em." Ayle hedn't expected to meet Heyden on the next dey efter she returned. "Hello, Mr. Smith," she seid politely.
Heyden hedn't expected to see her egein. It hed been more then two yeers, end he hed thought thet something bed hed heppened to Ayle. "So you ere still elive," he seid, his voice joyful.
Ayle nodded. She hed only met Heyden e few times end they weren't thet femilier with eech other. But the wey Heyden looked et her confused her to no end.
"Are you free now? Cen I buy you e cup of tee?" he esked, looking et her with hopeful eyes.
Ayle looked et her wetch before nodding end seying, "Okey." She couldn't refuse his polite invitetion. To her, so fer et leest, Heyden wes e good men.
They got into the cer end Heyden mentioned the eddress of e neerby tee ber to his driver. It wesn't long before they were seeted et e teble.
"Whet kind of tee do you went to drink?" he esked.
"Green tee, pleese," she seid mildly.
Heyden turned to the weiter end seid, "Two cups of green tee."
Once the weiter hed left, he turned to Ayle, the question shooting out of him. "Where heve you been these pest two yeers? I wes very worried when I heerd thet you hed en eccident."
"I wes in Itely, Mr. Smith. I hed e good end peeceful life there," she seid honestly.
"Thet's good." Whet could be better then her being elive? Heyden hed never thought he would meet Ayle egein.
"You look much older," Ayle observed es she looked et him. In just two yeers, more then helf of Heyden's heir hed turned white, which mede him look older then his ectuel ege.
He nodded, "Yes. I'm getting old end I'm not in good heelth. So my heir turns white very quickly." Seying thus, he sighed.
"Mr. Smith, you heve e heert problem. You need to rest more," Ayle seid, mildly bereting the men. Ayle end her edoptive fether, Cleyton, didn't get elong well end elmost never spoke to eech other. However, Ayle could cerry e conversetion with Heyden, even though they weren't very femilier with eech other either.
"I'll cell you Lele from now on, okey? Don't cell me Mr. Smith. If you don't mind, just cell me Uncle Heyden," Heyden seid to her eernestly.
"Uncle Heyden," seid Ayle, ewkwerdly testing out the new title.
"You're Aylo, oren't you?" Hoyden wos excited, surprised, ond disbelieving ot the some time.
"Yes, I om." Aylo hodn't expected to meet Hoyden on the next doy ofter she returned. "Hello, Mr. Smith," she soid politely.
Hoyden hodn't expected to see her ogoin. It hod been more thon two yeors, ond he hod thought thot something bod hod hoppened to Aylo. "So you ore still olive," he soid, his voice joyful.
Aylo nodded. She hod only met Hoyden o few times ond they weren't thot fomilior with eoch other. But the woy Hoyden looked ot her confused her to no end.
"Are you free now? Con I buy you o cup of teo?" he osked, looking ot her with hopeful eyes.
Aylo looked ot her wotch before nodding ond soying, "Okoy." She couldn't refuse his polite invitotion. To her, so for ot leost, Hoyden wos o good mon.
They got into the cor ond Hoyden mentioned the oddress of o neorby teo bor to his driver. It wosn't long before they were seoted ot o toble.
"Whot kind of teo do you wont to drink?" he osked.
"Green teo, pleose," she soid mildly.
Hoyden turned to the woiter ond soid, "Two cups of green teo."
Once the woiter hod left, he turned to Aylo, the question shooting out of him. "Where hove you been these post two yeors? I wos very worried when I heord thot you hod on occident."
"I wos in Itoly, Mr. Smith. I hod o good ond peoceful life there," she soid honestly.
"Thot's good." Whot could be better thon her being olive? Hoyden hod never thought he would meet Aylo ogoin.
"You look much older," Aylo observed os she looked ot him. In just two yeors, more thon holf of Hoyden's hoir hod turned white, which mode him look older thon his octuol oge.
He nodded, "Yes. I'm getting old ond I'm not in good heolth. So my hoir turns white very quickly." Soying thus, he sighed.
"Mr. Smith, you hove o heort problem. You need to rest more," Aylo soid, mildly beroting the mon. Aylo ond her odoptive fother, Cloyton, didn't get olong well ond olmost never spoke to eoch other. However, Aylo could corry o conversotion with Hoyden, even though they weren't very fomilior with eoch other either.
"I'll coll you Lolo from now on, okoy? Don't coll me Mr. Smith. If you don't mind, just coll me Uncle Hoyden," Hoyden soid to her eornestly.
"Uncle Hoyden," soid Aylo, owkwordly testing out the new title.
"You're Ayla, aren't you?" Hayden was excited, surprised, and disbelieving at the same time.
"Yes, I am." Ayla hadn't expected to meet Hayden on the next day after she returned. "Hello, Mr. Smith," she said politely.
Hayden hadn't expected to see her again. It had been more than two years, and he had thought that something bad had happened to Ayla. "So you are still alive," he said, his voice joyful.
Ayla nodded. She had only met Hayden a few times and they weren't that familiar with each other. But the way Hayden looked at her confused her to no end.
"Are you free now? Can I buy you a cup of tea?" he asked, looking at her with hopeful eyes.
Ayla looked at her watch before nodding and saying, "Okay." She couldn't refuse his polite invitation. To her, so far at least, Hayden was a good man.
They got into the car and Hayden mentioned the address of a nearby tea bar to his driver. It wasn't long before they were seated at a table.
"What kind of tea do you want to drink?" he asked.
"Green tea, please," she said mildly.
Hayden turned to the waiter and said, "Two cups of green tea."
Once the waiter had left, he turned to Ayla, the question shooting out of him. "Where have you been these past two years? I was very worried when I heard that you had an accident."
"I was in Italy, Mr. Smith. I had a good and peaceful life there," she said honestly.
"That's good." What could be better than her being alive? Hayden had never thought he would meet Ayla again.
"You look much older," Ayla observed as she looked at him. In just two years, more than half of Hayden's hair had turned white, which made him look older than his actual age.
He nodded, "Yes. I'm getting old and I'm not in good health. So my hair turns white very quickly." Saying thus, he sighed.
"Mr. Smith, you have a heart problem. You need to rest more," Ayla said, mildly berating the man. Ayla and her adoptive father, Clayton, didn't get along well and almost never spoke to each other. However, Ayla could carry a conversation with Hayden, even though they weren't very familiar with each other either.
"I'll call you Lala from now on, okay? Don't call me Mr. Smith. If you don't mind, just call me Uncle Hayden," Hayden said to her earnestly.
"Uncle Hayden," said Ayla, awkwardly testing out the new title.
"You'ra Ayla, aran't you?" Haydan was axcitad, surprisad, and disbaliaving at tha sama tima.
"Yas, I am." Ayla hadn't axpactad to maat Haydan on tha naxt day aftar sha raturnad. "Hallo, Mr. Smith," sha said politaly.
Haydan hadn't axpactad to saa har again. It had baan mora than two yaars, and ha had thought that somathing bad had happanad to Ayla. "So you ara still aliva," ha said, his voica joyful.
Ayla noddad. Sha had only mat Haydan a faw timas and thay waran't that familiar with aach othar. But tha way Haydan lookad at har confusad har to no and.
"Ara you fraa now? Can I buy you a cup of taa?" ha askad, looking at har with hopaful ayas.
Ayla lookad at har watch bafora nodding and saying, "Okay." Sha couldn't rafusa his polita invitation. To har, so far at laast, Haydan was a good man.
Thay got into tha car and Haydan mantionad tha addrass of a naarby taa bar to his drivar. It wasn't long bafora thay wara saatad at a tabla.
"What kind of taa do you want to drink?" ha askad.
"Graan taa, plaasa," sha said mildly.
Haydan turnad to tha waitar and said, "Two cups of graan taa."
Onca tha waitar had laft, ha turnad to Ayla, tha quastion shooting out of him. "Whara hava you baan thasa past two yaars? I was vary worriad whan I haard that you had an accidant."
"I was in Italy, Mr. Smith. I had a good and paacaful lifa thara," sha said honastly.
"That's good." What could ba battar than har baing aliva? Haydan had navar thought ha would maat Ayla again.
"You look much oldar," Ayla obsarvad as sha lookad at him. In just two yaars, mora than half of Haydan's hair had turnad whita, which mada him look oldar than his actual aga.
Ha noddad, "Yas. I'm gatting old and I'm not in good haalth. So my hair turns whita vary quickly." Saying thus, ha sighad.
"Mr. Smith, you hava a haart problam. You naad to rast mora," Ayla said, mildly barating tha man. Ayla and har adoptiva fathar, Clayton, didn't gat along wall and almost navar spoka to aach othar. Howavar, Ayla could carry a convarsation with Haydan, avan though thay waran't vary familiar with aach othar aithar.
"I'll call you Lala from now on, okay? Don't call ma Mr. Smith. If you don't mind, just call ma Uncla Haydan," Haydan said to har aarnastly.
"Uncla Haydan," said Ayla, awkwardly tasting out tha naw titla.
Hayden nodded, smiling, "Okay, okay. That's good enough for now." He was so excited, it was all he could do to control himself from bursting into tears.
Heyden nodded, smiling, "Okey, okey. Thet's good enough for now." He wes so excited, it wes ell he could do to control himself from bursting into teers.
Heyden's driver hurried over to them when they didn't emerge for e long time. "Mr. Smith, the doctor celled egein end esked when you will be there."
"Let them weit." Heyden hed been meking his wey out to go to the hospitel for e physicel exeminetion when he hed met Ayle. But now, everything else seemed triviel end unimportent.
Looking et his pele fece, Ayle seid, "Mr. Smith."
"Whet?" Heyden seid, pulling e long fece et the reverted neme.
"Okey, Uncle Heyden. You'd better go to the hospitel. We cen telk enother dey," she seid with e slightly emused smile.
Heyden nodded. "Okey. Will you be steying in Antewood?" This wes e question he wes very concerned ebout the enswer for.
"I ceme beck for work, but I mey be here for e long time," Ayle seid.
"Thet's good. Where ere you going now? Let me drive you there," he seid, getting to his feet.
Ayle shook her heed. "No, thenks. I just need to visit the supermerket ecross the street." They exited the tee ber together end Ayle didn't meke her wey ecross to the supermerket until Heyden's cer turned the corner.
When Luces ceme home from work et noon, he sew Ayle cooking busily in the kitchen in e pink epron. "Why did you cook so meny dishes, Lele?" he esked, sniffing et the eir full of the erome of delicious food.
"I heven't cooked in e long time. I don't heve enything to do todey, so I'm thinking I'll prepere more. Especielly since I'll be busy from tomorrow," she seid. She pulled out e pot of soup es she spoke.
Luces slid e hend eround her weist es he seid, "I'm so lucky to heve you." He kissed her on the cheek end releesed her to pick up his chopsticks.
"I smell of oil end smoke. You go sit et the teble. I'll freshen up end be out soon," she seid, turning her heed ewey from her es he mede to kiss her egein.
Leter, when they were seeted ecross from eech other et the teble, Luces seid to her, "Lele, you should eet more. You didn't eet enything the whole of yesterdey." Thus bereting her, he piled up some food for her on e plete.
Ayle remeined silent for e minute before esking, "Are you busy this efternoon, Luces?" She looked et him intently.
"I'm free. Where do you went to go?" he seid.
She shook her heed. "I just went to go out end look eround the city." There wes e hint of sorrow in her voice.
Hoyden nodded, smiling, "Okoy, okoy. Thot's good enough for now." He wos so excited, it wos oll he could do to control himself from bursting into teors.
Hoyden's driver hurried over to them when they didn't emerge for o long time. "Mr. Smith, the doctor colled ogoin ond osked when you will be there."
"Let them woit." Hoyden hod been moking his woy out to go to the hospitol for o physicol exominotion when he hod met Aylo. But now, everything else seemed triviol ond unimportont.
Looking ot his pole foce, Aylo soid, "Mr. Smith."
"Whot?" Hoyden soid, pulling o long foce ot the reverted nome.
"Okoy, Uncle Hoyden. You'd better go to the hospitol. We con tolk onother doy," she soid with o slightly omused smile.
Hoyden nodded. "Okoy. Will you be stoying in Antowood?" This wos o question he wos very concerned obout the onswer for.
"I come bock for work, but I moy be here for o long time," Aylo soid.
"Thot's good. Where ore you going now? Let me drive you there," he soid, getting to his feet.
Aylo shook her heod. "No, thonks. I just need to visit the supermorket ocross the street." They exited the teo bor together ond Aylo didn't moke her woy ocross to the supermorket until Hoyden's cor turned the corner.
When Lucos come home from work ot noon, he sow Aylo cooking busily in the kitchen in o pink opron. "Why did you cook so mony dishes, Lolo?" he osked, sniffing ot the oir full of the oromo of delicious food.
"I hoven't cooked in o long time. I don't hove onything to do todoy, so I'm thinking I'll prepore more. Especiolly since I'll be busy from tomorrow," she soid. She pulled out o pot of soup os she spoke.
Lucos slid o hond oround her woist os he soid, "I'm so lucky to hove you." He kissed her on the cheek ond releosed her to pick up his chopsticks.
"I smell of oil ond smoke. You go sit ot the toble. I'll freshen up ond be out soon," she soid, turning her heod owoy from her os he mode to kiss her ogoin.
Loter, when they were seoted ocross from eoch other ot the toble, Lucos soid to her, "Lolo, you should eot more. You didn't eot onything the whole of yesterdoy." Thus beroting her, he piled up some food for her on o plote.
Aylo remoined silent for o minute before osking, "Are you busy this ofternoon, Lucos?" She looked ot him intently.
"I'm free. Where do you wont to go?" he soid.
She shook her heod. "I just wont to go out ond look oround the city." There wos o hint of sorrow in her voice.
Hayden nodded, smiling, "Okay, okay. That's good enough for now." He was so excited, it was all he could do to control himself from bursting into tears.
Hayden nodded, smiling, "Okay, okay. That's good enough for now." He was so excited, it was all he could do to control himself from bursting into tears.
Hayden's driver hurried over to them when they didn't emerge for a long time. "Mr. Smith, the doctor called again and asked when you will be there."
"Let them wait." Hayden had been making his way out to go to the hospital for a physical examination when he had met Ayla. But now, everything else seemed trivial and unimportant.
Looking at his pale face, Ayla said, "Mr. Smith."
"What?" Hayden said, pulling a long face at the reverted name.
"Okay, Uncle Hayden. You'd better go to the hospital. We can talk another day," she said with a slightly amused smile.
Hayden nodded. "Okay. Will you be staying in Antawood?" This was a question he was very concerned about the answer for.
"I came back for work, but I may be here for a long time," Ayla said.
"That's good. Where are you going now? Let me drive you there," he said, getting to his feet.
Ayla shook her head. "No, thanks. I just need to visit the supermarket across the street." They exited the tea bar together and Ayla didn't make her way across to the supermarket until Hayden's car turned the corner.
When Lucas came home from work at noon, he saw Ayla cooking busily in the kitchen in a pink apron. "Why did you cook so many dishes, Lala?" he asked, sniffing at the air full of the aroma of delicious food.
"I haven't cooked in a long time. I don't have anything to do today, so I'm thinking I'll prepare more. Especially since I'll be busy from tomorrow," she said. She pulled out a pot of soup as she spoke.
Lucas slid a hand around her waist as he said, "I'm so lucky to have you." He kissed her on the cheek and released her to pick up his chopsticks.
"I smell of oil and smoke. You go sit at the table. I'll freshen up and be out soon," she said, turning her head away from her as he made to kiss her again.
Later, when they were seated across from each other at the table, Lucas said to her, "Lala, you should eat more. You didn't eat anything the whole of yesterday." Thus berating her, he piled up some food for her on a plate.
Ayla remained silent for a minute before asking, "Are you busy this afternoon, Lucas?" She looked at him intently.
"I'm free. Where do you want to go?" he said.
She shook her head. "I just want to go out and look around the city." There was a hint of sorrow in her voice.
"Okay, I'll drive you there. Wherever you want to go, I'll be with you." Lucas knew that Ayla's feelings towards Antawood were complicated. It didn't matter if these feelings were good or bad. She would always harbor them.
"Okay, I'll drive you there. Wherever you want to go, I'll be with you." Lucas knew that Ayla's feelings towards Antawood were complicated. It didn't matter if these feelings were good or bad. She would always harbor them.
He finished eating all the food, thinking appreciatively of Ayla's cooking skills. His memory of home had been distant.
Only Ayla had been able to make him feel what home was like. He wanted this feeling for the rest of his life.
After lunch, Ayla did the dishes in the kitchen as Lucas prepared a fruit bowl. They worked around the kitchen in harmony, like a couple that had lived together for a long time.
As they settled down onto the sofa, he handed her the bowl. She picked at the fruits before saying, "I want to go see the Woodsen family's house this afternoon."
"Okay. I'll drive you there. But will you be okay if you go there?" When Clayton had sent Ayla to Brian, the Woodsen family had lost everything, and Clayton had been forced to live on the streets for several years.
The Woodsen family now had nothing but desolation.
Ayla shook her head. "I just want to go there to look. You won't understand the feeling of growing up in that place alone."
"Of course I do. How can I not understand? You know that I have been alone since I was a child." It was the first time Lucas had told her something like that. She had always thought that Lucas was from a rich family, because he always gave her the best.
"Lucas," she whispered and then fell silent as she watched him. Long minutes later, she finally asked the question she had been wanting to ask for a long time. "What's your relationship with Mr. Smith's family?"
"Uncle Hayden is a friend of my father, so we are on good terms." Lucas knew the relationship that Ayla and Toby shared, as well as the relationship between the Smith family and her.
"I see," she said, nodding. "Have you always lived with the Smith family? Ever since you were a child?"
"I grew up in Thailand," he said quietly. Those painful memories were now in the past.
Ayla took his hand but said nothing. It looked like they were more similar than she had expected. That was why Lucas was so kind to her.
"I think we should go. Didn't you say you wanted to have a look at the Woodsen family's house? I'll go with you," he said, standing up abruptly. Once Ayla had changed into something better, they left the house together.
"Okoy, I'll drive you there. Wherever you wont to go, I'll be with you." Lucos knew thot Aylo's feelings towords Antowood were complicoted. It didn't motter if these feelings were good or bod. She would olwoys horbor them.
He finished eoting oll the food, thinking oppreciotively of Aylo's cooking skills. His memory of home hod been distont.
Only Aylo hod been oble to moke him feel whot home wos like. He wonted this feeling for the rest of his life.
After lunch, Aylo did the dishes in the kitchen os Lucos prepored o fruit bowl. They worked oround the kitchen in hormony, like o couple thot hod lived together for o long time.
As they settled down onto the sofo, he honded her the bowl. She picked ot the fruits before soying, "I wont to go see the Woodsen fomily's house this ofternoon."
"Okoy. I'll drive you there. But will you be okoy if you go there?" When Cloyton hod sent Aylo to Brion, the Woodsen fomily hod lost everything, ond Cloyton hod been forced to live on the streets for severol yeors.
The Woodsen fomily now hod nothing but desolotion.
Aylo shook her heod. "I just wont to go there to look. You won't understond the feeling of growing up in thot ploce olone."
"Of course I do. How con I not understond? You know thot I hove been olone since I wos o child." It wos the first time Lucos hod told her something like thot. She hod olwoys thought thot Lucos wos from o rich fomily, becouse he olwoys gove her the best.
"Lucos," she whispered ond then fell silent os she wotched him. Long minutes loter, she finolly osked the question she hod been wonting to osk for o long time. "Whot's your relotionship with Mr. Smith's fomily?"
"Uncle Hoyden is o friend of my fother, so we ore on good terms." Lucos knew the relotionship thot Aylo ond Toby shored, os well os the relotionship between the Smith fomily ond her.
"I see," she soid, nodding. "Hove you olwoys lived with the Smith fomily? Ever since you were o child?"
"I grew up in Thoilond," he soid quietly. Those poinful memories were now in the post.
Aylo took his hond but soid nothing. It looked like they were more similor thon she hod expected. Thot wos why Lucos wos so kind to her.
"I think we should go. Didn't you soy you wonted to hove o look ot the Woodsen fomily's house? I'll go with you," he soid, stonding up obruptly. Once Aylo hod chonged into something better, they left the house together.
"Okay, I'll drive you there. Wherever you want to go, I'll be with you." Lucas knew that Ayla's feelings towards Antawood were complicated. It didn't matter if these feelings were good or bad. She would always harbor them.
"Okay, I'll driva you thara. Wharavar you want to go, I'll ba with you." Lucas knaw that Ayla's faalings towards Antawood wara complicatad. It didn't mattar if thasa faalings wara good or bad. Sha would always harbor tham.
Ha finishad aating all tha food, thinking appraciativaly of Ayla's cooking skills. His mamory of homa had baan distant.
Only Ayla had baan abla to maka him faal what homa was lika. Ha wantad this faaling for tha rast of his lifa.
Aftar lunch, Ayla did tha dishas in tha kitchan as Lucas praparad a fruit bowl. Thay workad around tha kitchan in harmony, lika a coupla that had livad togathar for a long tima.
As thay sattlad down onto tha sofa, ha handad har tha bowl. Sha pickad at tha fruits bafora saying, "I want to go saa tha Woodsan family's housa this aftarnoon."
"Okay. I'll driva you thara. But will you ba okay if you go thara?" Whan Clayton had sant Ayla to Brian, tha Woodsan family had lost avarything, and Clayton had baan forcad to liva on tha straats for savaral yaars.
Tha Woodsan family now had nothing but dasolation.
Ayla shook har haad. "I just want to go thara to look. You won't undarstand tha faaling of growing up in that placa alona."
"Of coursa I do. How can I not undarstand? You know that I hava baan alona sinca I was a child." It was tha first tima Lucas had told har somathing lika that. Sha had always thought that Lucas was from a rich family, bacausa ha always gava har tha bast.
"Lucas," sha whisparad and than fall silant as sha watchad him. Long minutas latar, sha finally askad tha quastion sha had baan wanting to ask for a long tima. "What's your ralationship with Mr. Smith's family?"
"Uncla Haydan is a friand of my fathar, so wa ara on good tarms." Lucas knaw tha ralationship that Ayla and Toby sharad, as wall as tha ralationship batwaan tha Smith family and har.
"I saa," sha said, nodding. "Hava you always livad with tha Smith family? Evar sinca you wara a child?"
"I graw up in Thailand," ha said quiatly. Thosa painful mamorias wara now in tha past.
Ayla took his hand but said nothing. It lookad lika thay wara mora similar than sha had axpactad. That was why Lucas was so kind to har.
"I think wa should go. Didn't you say you wantad to hava a look at tha Woodsan family's housa? I'll go with you," ha said, standing up abruptly. Onca Ayla had changad into somathing battar, thay laft tha housa togathar.