He family liked chatting over meal. The family of three often gathered around the table to share what happened that day.
Tim's presence made no exception. Elaine was as enthusiastic as ever, pushing the whole dish of fried bacon and garlic sprouts in front of him.
"Eat as much as you want, alright? New Year's coming. When are you going home, Tim? I just realized, I don't know where your hometown is."
"I have no family. I plan to stay in the Lexingport City for the rest of my life." Tim's answer was very flat and blunt, as though he was used to saying this.
Evidently taken aback by his answer, Elaine smiled at him apologetically.
"I'm fine," Tim said.
"If you don't mind, please come to our house to celebrate the New Year," Elaine said sincerely, then looking at her husband and daughter.
Adams chimed in cheerily, "The more the merrier!"
Michelle echoed, "Yes, you should come over, Tim!"
When Tim mentioned he didn't have a family, her heart ached. While she didn't know what it was like to have no family, she could tangibly feel his loneliness.
Ever since she was a child, she had been especially empathetic. She could feel things others felt.
Tim's hand, which was holding a pair of chopsticks, paused midair. Then, he lowered his head, trying to hide the emotions surging within him. After a brief moment, the pair of chopsticks plucked a piece of bacon and delivered it to his mouth. After he swallowed it, he said in a low and hoarse voice, "Thank you."
"It's nothing; we're neighbors, after all." Elaine smiled at him warmly. "That's settled then. You'll be celebrating the New Year with us!"
"Okay." Tim nodded.
"You can drink, right? Bring some wine over, okay?" Adams grinned mischievously.
"Dad!" Michelle cried in disgust. "You just want to drink again."
"I only drink it on special occasions." Adams winked at Tim. "Remember to bring wine with you."
Usually, guests weren't supposed to bring anything.
The fact that Adam was asking Tim to bring wine meant that Tim wasn't an outsider anymore. He was treated like a close friend, maybe even... family.
'Family?'
The sudden idea of being a part of the family startled Tim. Home was something he longed for yet feared at the same time.
He raised his eyebrows slightly and glanced at the rich set up of dishes on the table. Then, his eyes lingered on the three people sitting before him. All of them were friendly and warm towards him.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.
He wanted to be part of their family.
For a second, he let his imagination go wild and he fantasized over the idea.
"What do you do?" Elaine asked, interrupting his thoughts. "I see you come back very late all the time. Do you often work overtime?"
"No," Tim answered frankly. "I'm running a... a nightclub."
As he spoke, he felt somewhat nervous. He was worried he'd leave a bad impression on Michelle's parents.
He usually didn't care what others thought of him. He even felt a sense of satisfaction whenever people called him the devil.
His name was well-known in his circles.
He didn't even need to endorse himself.
But now, he couldn't help but gulp anxiously. He finally understood why Victor began to pay close attention to his image after he fell for Amy.
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