Chapter 19

"Here" Danny threw the black gadget at John, "this is for you."

With quick reflexes John swiftly picked the black thingy in his hands looking at grinning Danny who was proud at his faith on John who very proficiently caught the phone aka ball like the wicket keeper catching the ball, the world cup fever catching up to him.

"What is this?" John asked turning the black piece around in his hands assessing it.

Danny chuckled "yeah few more years and people are not going to recognize that this piece was a mobile phone. But I guess it is a mobile phone."

"It is" John agreed laughing at the petty joke., "but why are you giving it to me?" he asked

"So that next time when you are taking leave from work." He was now shuffling channels and rested on the cricket. "I need to be informed so that I can cut your pay"

John raised his brows "Thanks and asked "Cricket?"

"Yep" Danny sat on the sofa folding his legs in a relaxed position "This is world cup. I think football can take a break."

"I like cricket too" John too eased on the sofa seat next to Danny as he worked on started the phone "but haven't followed any team lately."

"I don't think I can get a sim card for the mobile" John stated as he waved the piece in front of Danny "I don't have necessary documents."

I figured that much" Danny said as he removed a small card from the pockets of his jacket and handed it to John "But I want it back before you leave the job."

"Sure thing" John smiled honestly and humbly thanking the lord for blessing him with a caring friend like Danny.

Before John could switch on the phone once the sim card was settled, the phone started ringing John jumped in the air with anticipation

John looked at the black piece with horror in his eyes.

"Pick up" Danny raised his brows and John inched towards the phone as if it were a live grenade.

"Hey Hottie" the voice called and John wondered why he was so scared to pick the phone.

"Sorry ma'am" John answered you have the wrong number.

"No" the girl at the other end denied "I finally have the right number $exie"

John raised his brow at Danny who was giggling goofily.

"Who is she?" John asked, his one hand on the microphone of the phone.

Danny laughed further "guess who?" he wriggled his brows "one of your list of admirers."

John took a moment to realize as the girl went on and on with her dirty talks "I can come over you if you feel like. It will be too much fun."

"Lizzzieeeee" John wolf whistled. He now recognized the voice.

"Who else did you expect?" she giggled, "didn't Dan tell you I'd call." She laughed more "instead I have been trying on this number for atleast half an hour.

John scratched the back of his neck, his ears pricking red with blush.

"So my place or yours?" the girl wasted no time John thought.

"Well I do not have your address" John tried an excuse. Though he liked Lizzy but sleeping or having sex, he wasn't sure with his past blurry, he could do it.

Although the offer was pretty enticing.

'Your place then" Lizzy said her voice elated at the possibility of the wild sex with a hot man

"I don't have a place Lizzy" John stated matter of factly.

"I know. I know take a breath. I'll come at Danny's" Lizzy offered like it was a piece of cake, not sex.

"But Danny has his girlfriend coming over" John was subconsciously stalling.

'No he is going at Novas" Lizzy laughed. Are you chickening out?" she joked "don't worry there ain't any performance pressure"

John chuckled unaware of the possibility.

Was he actually having anxiety at the possibility of sex?

Was all that stupid excuses?

Whatever that was he wasn't ready yet..

For any kind of intimacy... he concluded

"But.." John looked around for any further excuses "Kathie is coming over" he blurted without thinking.

"Kathie" It was his imagination or she had an edge in her voice John could not decipher "she is a virgin you do know that?' Lizzy stated abruptly.

John coughed or scoffed at her comment "what does that have to do with her visiting Dannys?" John asked innocently.

"Oh!" Lizzy was normal again "yeah it has nothing so some other time?" the question gave a hopeful slash wishful stirring to John down below and he quickly agreed "some other time sweetie"

"Sweetie" Lizzy repeated "hmmm.. not too alluring but I'll take it. Till then keep dreaming and night falling about me." She chuckled before disconnecting the phone.

John took a deep breath "so this is Lizzy's phone?' he asked.

Danny shrugged "Do you expect my old man to have a spare piece at home. He always exchanges his old phone with a new one to save money. Wait!" Danny said as if he got a new epiphany "he actually doesn't change his phone until and unless his phone could not perform the basic activity of sending and receiving calls."

John simply passed him a salute and Danny knew he was expressing his gratitude.

John was actually touched with the gesture.

If there were people like Cynthia who'd use you for their benefit then there were people like Danny and Lizzy who'd go lengths for their friends.

"I have to go study now" Danny patted on John's shoulders and John couldn't make out if the fact that Danny wanted to study was important or the sudden touch startled him.

When Danny noticed John eying him with funny eyes he admitted "can't rely on dad's shop for ever. I need to do something on my own hence" he shrugged. "I never thought I'd say that"

John laughed but said "but I am proud of you."

Danny smiled sheepishly but found the situation very mushy "makes me want to puke." He made a gaging face "I thought we were friends. But I guess your age has gotten into you."

"I am not that old" John shouted. But Danny climbed the stairs pointing a finger at him.

John however busied himself with his new possession when Danny made his face appear on the stair "thanks though"

"No Problem" John called and finally he too shouted back "thanks to you too"

Danny simply showed his thumbs up and waved his fat book that he was about to study and walked inside.

John was more than thankful for the phone which Danny had arranged for him.

But for now there was something more important that was nagging him on the back of his head.

Was Cynthia actually a bad person?

He calculated that she'd purposely left the wrong address or the RIGHT one so that he could rescue those people.

But why him?

Did she trust him that much?

He didn't trust himself.

Rather there was point when he thought he would die but he managed

And the people were safe

A smile crept on his face at the realization of the safety of the people.

Tom was of great help.

He never though saving Tom's son would benefit him that much.

And what a benevolent guy Tom is he thought.

He had enough room at his orphanage that he'd named after his mom to fit all the young teens and elders.

He wondered how their life would have been if they were not abducted.

Well he couldn't change that but he will make sure that they have a better future ahead.

Making a mental note of meeting them on every weekend John went to sit on the desktop a normal thing that he'd do whenever he got time.

He typed Cynthia this time.

With thousands of Cynthia popping he bracketed his search keeping an age span of 25 to 30years.

After hundreds of futile searches and around five rounds of PUBG later he wondered why was there such strong fascination for the game.

He felt exhausted.

He was about to press the log out button when he held himself and went for one last look.

What caught his attention were the messages "You'll be Missed Cynthia"

"RIP Cynthia"

"A loving friend Cynthia"

John's hands trembled before he could hit the cursor to the link.

He felt loud hammering in the left of his chest as the image of familiar blond with green eyes popped on the screen.

The image was blurry initially but once it was loaded properly John felt a sharp twinge in his heart.

This wasn't the Cynthia he'd known but something told him, the heaviness he felt in his chest was unfathomable.

He read about the demise and the link informed that it was Cynthia's cremation ceremony day after.

Day after was a Saturday and John made a mental note to attend the ceremony of the stranger who had touched his heart or they were the fine and doting messages of her friends that lured him but he felt moisture in his eyes every time he looked at the image of the pretty girl.

The blonde girl laughed heartily "you are such a woo woo"

"I am not," John said defensively

"So why are you so scared?" she laughed amore.

"I am not scared" he scratched the back of his neck "its just..."

"it's just a girl" she smiled "go give this bunch of flowers and propose to her."

He rolled his eyes "exactly why this bunch of flowers and why propose?" he complained like a kid "I have already befriended her and she trusts me." He pricked one of the petals of the flower from the bouquet "this is all so stupid"

She nodded her head "I wonder if you'll actually propose someone in real life? I doubt if you'll ever get married?"

"Me too" John pouted, "this is all so boring."

She laughed again. She wet her finger with the tip of her pink tongue and John swallowed and then she pressed his hair with her wet fingers trying to settle them into trendy spikes making him look couple of years younger "go now" she instructed.

"Why do girls need all this sorry ass display of affection?" he fussed "can mere admission and expression of feeling be enough? This is so stupid."

"Okay if you ever want to propose mesimply say it ." she laughed as she patted on his back "I will still say yes"

"Really?" he asked expectantly "No colorful flowers, no jewelry, no chic lit dialogues and you will say yes?" he asked.

"To you?" she asked blushing crimson "it will always be a yes." She knew he was bluffing; "Now go get done with this. We need those passwords from her."

"Aye aye captain" John gave a salute like he was heading towards a military war and walked ahead.

The girl laughing behind him and noise of that laughter diminished gradually.

John felt being jerked awake and the familiar headache was back.

Was it some dream or the vision from his past he couldn't decipher.

Probably a dream for her face was the last thing that he saw before dozing off.

But why would he sleep with the computer on. Danny would be so disappointed' he thought.

Pressing a hand to his forehead he switched off the screen not before noting down the address where the ceremony was to be held.

John had little time to read about Cynthia. The shop was filled with potential customers and rest of the time he was busy offering his services. Although it provided commission and extra income to John it was also beneficial for the goodwill of the shop. Soon theirs was a best shop with excellent after sales service.

Dannys father couldn't wait to get back to his shop. Danny had not yet mentioned about John to his father and he believed that finally his son had shown some interest in his legacy.

Danny was waiting for a right moment to tell his father that he intended to study further.

All John could asses from the social website was Cynthia was a sweet, loving and a hardworking person.

Her professional life wasn't clear as she worked for an agency.

The kind of work name of the company and the address of her office was not mentioned.

'''''''''''''''

John wondered if people were staring at him for they knew him or they found him the odd one out.

Out of the pool of people wearing formal black attires he was inappropriately dressed.

He couldn't be blamed because this was the best he could manage as Danny's small frame had only one black tee that he could wear for the funeral.

He had made some purchases but never thought of taking a black one; he never expected to visit any sort of funeral.

It was only while he was learned that Kathie pried and he couldn't lie to her face.

Kathie made him change from his blue check shirt and asked him to borrow one of the blacks from Danny who too had very limited collection of shirts that could be a size two bigger for him and appropriate for John.

Finally managing black tee that looked more like a vest but covered the amicable skin john headed to the funeral.

He was also acknowledged by few people who nodded their head with a ghost of smile appropriate enough on a funeral greeting him. John had no idea if they did it out of obligation or if they actually knew him.

John himself was unsure if he actually belonged here.

But one look at Cynthia's picture and he couldn't not come her to pay her last respect

Why?

He didn't know the answer himself.

He took his own time to manage a lone corner with empty seat for him to occupy and waited patiently for the processions to begin.

A man clad in dark suit took his position besides him which John ignored waiting patiently

"What the hell are you doing here?' the person in dark suit whispered angrily at John