My Heart Was Wounded Deep
Chapter 60's

Kikan looked tempted to come to the cottage. But finally shakes. "No, I got a lot of bracelet orders. I'd better stay home and work. What do your parents say when they hear about me coming to your birthday party?"

Rey shrugged her shoulders. "There will be a lot of people there" he said.

" I don't even have a swimsuit." Kikan kept trying to find an excuse.

" I'll buy you with pleasure."

Kikan threw a warning look at him. "And you know I won't accept your gift gladly. I'll buy it myself, if I have enough money to buy such insignificant things."

"not important? With the coming of the holiday season, most people your age will think of it as a necessity."

"I'd rather help Jason. I can finally do that, and it's a relief."

"You're too stubborn." Rey mutters.

After that, they talked about the game, how good Jason was and how happy he was when he won. They also talked about the possibility of Kikan watching the next game, even though it was held in their city. Kikan said he would wait a minute, that they should put themselves into the society gradually, and Rey could understand that. He dislikes imagining Kikan being insulted, and watching a game in his own city will inevitably expose the woman to certain possibilities that he is unable to control.

" When are you gonna make a spaghetti dinner for Jason and me?" rey asked as she stopped the pickup near the trailer.

Kikan opened the door but did not come out. "How about sunday?"

" I'm free. Jason doesn't usually go anywhere on Sunday, but I'll ask him first." Rey does want to enjoy dinner with Kikan no matter what, but she hopes the woman can make a better spaghetti than her biscuits.

" Tell me again" said Kikan.

" Yes, definitely." Rey put the gear into a normal position. "Do you mind if I check out your trailer for a second?"

Kikan. "For...?"

Rey recalls the hostile atmosphere she felt in her last meeting with the Logan family. "I don't believe in Logan."

" Everything's been very quiet lately" Kikan said.

" It's just for a moment" Rey said, and felt much calmer after inspecting the woman's seemingly uninterrupted residence.

Rey said good night and was about to get back in the car when Kikan surprised her by wrapping his arms around Rey's waist and hugging her for a moment.

" Thank you for everything, but especially I want to thank you for believing in. what happened seventeen years ago." Say Kikan. Then she smiled as Rey stepped out and closed the door of the trailer.

♪

♪

" Want to buy a bikini?" ask Jason.

Rey shrunk the window of the site she had seen to look around for swimsuits, but it made the page of Kikan's trading site appear on the screen, thus making her even more embarrassed. He is annoyed to see Jason and Devan wearing one of Kikan's bracelets while he himself does not have one, so Rey is tempted to order it online. He even considered ordering some bracelets so that Kikan could get more money to buy swimsuits for this weekend so that he could celebrate Rey's birthday. He just couldn't find the address for the bracelet's delivery without getting himself caught.

" And are these Mom's bracelets?" Jason sounded even more confused.

" I want to see what his work looks like" Rey said. Then get up to get a drink. He hopes to distract Jason from the computer.

If Rey closes the online shopping site, as if caught doing something she should not do, it will only make her interest more clear.

" So that's what Papa did all night?" ask Jason.

" no. Of course not. I was working." Rey does work, but she also spends more time than she admits looking through several related sites, in some ways with Kikan. First, he searched for information about Via Astaria. Rey wants to talk to him, knowing what he will say about Lori's death now that seventeen years have passed. Inevitably he was curious as to whether Via would change his story.

But he could not find anyone named Via Astaria, so he assumed she was married and tried to find a different last name. Or maybe he didn't use Facebook, which was originally thought to be a means to track his whereabouts. Rey started looking around in other apps as well.

After being unsuccessful, he moved to a store displaying Kikan merchandise, considered ordering some bracelets, then moved again to see swimsuits. Rey has found several options that she thinks will be very good to wear Kikan who is small and tight. Although he was not sure how to do it, because Kikan blatantly said not to give swimsuits for him.

" Mom, rich too?" ask Jason. "I mean through Facebook he said he wanted to give me pocket money. Do you think I can take it?"

" Why not. You may receive a small gift once in a while, if he offers. Just don't be too frequent and be careful not to let him give you too much. I'm sure you know your mother was willing to sacrifice anything for you. But he also needs money, a lot to do to rebuild his life."

" That's what I'm doing. I told him I didn't need anything, that it wasn't important. But mom won't listen."

Jason re-raises the swimsuit site on Rey's computer while Rey leans on the table. "So where are you going to buy it?" A cheeky smile fell on the boy's lips as he looked up at Rey. "I think you fit the white one, but please don't wear it in front of my friends."

Rey nodded towards her son. "Stop."

Jason kept laughing, only to tease Rey. But when he felt he had enough, he turned serious.

" Did you like him, huh?"

" who? Kikan?"

" No, my English teacher," Jason said as he rolled his eyes.

As usual, Jason didn't let his father get away with anything. Children are so intelligent now, so quick to catch even the smallest nuances." Okay, yes I like it."

Dimples appeared on Jason's cheeks as he smiled again. "I can feel it when we're in the pool."

Rey already knew about her parents' disapproval. And he could imagine what everyone he knew thought, but he wasn't sure what Jason thought. "Does that bother you?" ask Rey.

" It worries me." Jason acknowledged. "I didn't expect it to happen at all, because the last time you were together, the results weren't so good."

" It's not all bad. We got you and you know what it means for both of us."