Touching the Heart of Ace novel Chapter 5

I saw the guy from bar almost every day when I went to diner.

At first he tried to smile event though he never made a move to come and greet me but I was not appreciative.

I gave him a nod on a good day. It was awkward.

But it was one of those everything was so slow and nothing was going right. So, I decided to have an early lunch and get some fresh air.

He was there again.

Should I leave?

I was planning to leave, when he took a huge bite of his sandwich and saw me.

He froze, then he swallowed the whole thing without proper chewing, wincing. He drank his cola in one go. He looked at his lunch and back at me.

What? He was leaving?

He was leaving! Without finishing his lunch!

What the hell!

Did he leave because of me?

He gave me a polite smile and left after dropping his unfinished lunch to a nearby trash can!

That man was clearly hungry. Did he really leave because of me?

Guilt was pushing at my chest.

I followed him to the exit on the other side but he was nowhere to be seen.

It was not noon yet and I was fed up.

I called mom from my disposable sim. I missed her a lot.

??Hi, baby.??

??Hi, mama.??

??I miss you so much. Will you make me a bouquet this Sunday, when you come home???

??Mom, about this Sunday... I have my review presentation.??

??Oh! It is okay then hon, make me one when you come here. Are you okay, son???

I forced a laugh. ??Of course, mom, I am okay.??

She sighed. ??So, did you make anything new???

??Yes, actually. A terrain walker.??

??Mmm.. what is it???

??It changes its wheels according to the terrain it is at. So far the wheels could be morphed to six different sets.??

??That sounds so sci-fi. What did you name it???

??TW- NZ- 12.36.??

??What does that mean???

??Nothing really, TW is Terrain Walker. Rest is the number of times I failed. Started with AA, it is NY now.??

??Oooh.?? She sounded so disappointed.

??What is it???

??You used to give your robots cute names. Now you don??t.??

I laughed. ??I am a post graduate student now, mom.??

??Three months. Only three months passed and you changed.??

3 months 17 days and 5 hours 37 minutes.

Time was moving so slow for me.

??It is not because of I changed, mom. Those projects were done along with Liz and it was more of playing. Now it is just me and it is more work than fun.??

??Whatever you say. I miss my baby so much.?? She started crying.

And I felt hurt, guilt and panic rise.

??Mama, please, I am fine. I am okay. I am coming for the party, you know. That was why I shifted my review presentation to Sunday. It was supposed to be a surprise.??

??Really??? Her crying stopped, though I heard her sniffle.

??Did you trick me now? Oh, you! Bad bad girl.?? There! Her musical laughter.

??Of course, I tricked you. And come prepared. Fred bought this new cane to spank your butt.??

She hung up the phone.

God!

What was I going to tell Uncle Fred? I had to call Uncle Jack and beg him to make him ??happy?? before coming to the party.

The things the adults in my life made me do.

Why did I call my mom again?

That kind stranger who left the diner hungry because he somehow figured I was going to leave.

I went back to my faculty; my appetite lost.

I did not see him for next two days.

He was a regular appearance in the diner. The single seat by the corner was empty for long.

I did not know why I decided to wait. What if he changed his lunch time?