OR

ed off his phone and ensconced himself inside th

happened with him and his father had he not passed away too early. But anyway.., he tried to dismiss his surfacing emotion. But still, whenever he comes across an old man who could have been same age with his late father, he couldn’t always keep his manly sadness from rising up. He was twenty years old

ated she was. She looked strong and firm from the outside but she is still undeniably very fragile inside. As a business woman, she never let that show but when at home, they could see how being alone took its toll from her. But she was good at managing. Their mother never d

nce of visitors. He could tell who are inside by which cars were there, his cousins and the favorite uncle was already there.

rough the windows one can see that the whole house is lighted as well. Francis can feel the old familiar fee

led the scent of the house which he always loved

placed as the head of the family. But he didnt seat without shaking hands with those who are there. He greeted his uncle John and his wife. H

everybody and

ningly gorgeous. He finely styled hair is just below shoulders long. Like the typical native of Central Town, her skin is fair and her height is five feet one inch. Francis’ mother appears very youthful for her age. Why she ne

for the fifty fi

rs she had always been a brilliant student. Although she was a beautiful young woman, she was not the popular girl in school. She was friendly and all but she devoted most of her time studying. She has two or

small grocery store using Gene’s money. Surely ,they knew the right way from the beginning. They didn’t do anything else, they were sure of which path that would lead them somewhere. The business they immediately started making money. So before Francis was born, they already had two stores in two different towns. Five years later, the name AppleBeans was

off. Their business catapulted them to the top so that created a gap between them and their society which were mostly their distant and close relatives. They were estranged not only from their society but also from the culture they grew up with. That was, maybe, the main issue she encountered throughout her social life. She felt bad that she had to stay aw

t have a stable social circle. Not where she came from and not where she is going also. She had to live with a life of isolation at some point. Thanks God she

ortant people before anybody else. But for her she simply didn’t have time to go and spend time with her relatives like one would

her situation didn’t allow that. For that reason, her birthda

other or let’s say they didn’t have much reason to. Unless they themselves are in the same fie

her. That being a successful business woman didn’t cause her to deprive her boys of what they mostly needed in all aspects. And as a re

ul mother, Georgina!”Francis s

simply mother is only for the less privileged families. It may sound funny but that is how it is. If you are rich, you have to show it. Never call your mother with lousy names such as that. The boys either call their mother by her name or just ‘mother’ and every

once in a while as relatives whenever there are functions. Social gatherings, at least mostly, are also religious functions where one needs to invite all relatives around, w

ss, Francis?”Un

e Bean store is already finished.”He smiled naughtily at everyon

proud of his boy,”He laughed while talking. Uncle John

s he found the woman for him, though.”Auntie

What is all the money if you don’t have no one to share it with? Money is much enjoyed when it is spent for kids. Where will you

ne look at him. Everybod

. Just look for a girl and se

? Pick a girl a

is Cheryn?”Georgi

her, she is my frie

or in the province who doesn’t have a

y that of high position, is preferably a family man. A man is more valued and revered if he is married and has no unpleasant record not necessarily in court but in the society. The culture doesn’t regard a single u

like one. Elders means not just old people, they are the ones who should know more as a result of having h

eleven thirty. Francis, as the most responsible man in the

is uncle gave him a firm hand shake

is reposing in his family house. When he went back in, Ge

fifth birthday you can’t even br

t woman shows up. Satisfied?”Fran

how many birthdays did you have already?”

twentieth time. .there are no limit of women availa

’m gone

hat at fifty five! We just had

s to make his mother upset but there are times when he really wants to stres

d it becomes a ‘nightmare’ during gatherings such as an hour ago. That is the time when everyone is expressing their worries about him getting old alone. ‘That ho

oesn’t re