2

PERCIE

The last time I saw a house like this was when I was with her. Just that memory alone felt like I'd been stabbed in my heart over and over again. 

“Son, let me ask you one thing. Why did you risk yourself punching your boss when you saw him hitting his wife?” 

My eyes narrowed at his intrusion.

“Is it a defense mechanism? Or because you didn’t like him abusing his wife in front of everyone?” 

I opened the door and got out silently. He didn’t want to go there. 

He leaned his arms against the roof of his car and said, “I don’t wanna know, son, but whatever it is, I know it’s hard for you, and it may take some time. But you will get there.

My nose flared in anger and in pain. I pressed my lips together to stop from blurting out something he wasn't ready to hear. 

I just punched someone a few hours ago. I couldn’t punch him, and besides, he was a police officer. He had no bad intentions. All he was trying was to give some advice to someone who was a lost cause like me. 

I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath. 

“Let’s get over this with so that I can go home.” 

He smiled, and it irritated me. “Trying to get rid of me soon, Percival? Well, if you keep your knuckles in your pocket, you won’t see me sooner.”

I groaned and raked my fingers into my tousled brown hair. “You have no idea, officer. I don’t know why you are doing this? This isn’t a part of your job helping the offender by driving him home, feeding him dinner, and also not in a job description of a police officer to be a shrink.” 

He patted my back. “Let’s get inside, Percie.” 

I followed him into the house. He dropped the keys in a small bowl, then hang his coat on the rack. Then he led the way to their living room. There was a brown couch with a small glass coffee table and one snow globe on top. 

“That’s my daughter’s. Her grandma gave that to her. Make yourself at home, Percie. I’ll be right back.” 

I nodded. 

How could this man read every thought I had? First, the strawberry air freshener. Now the snow globe. He was lucky he had a normal family, unlike mine, a very dysfunctional one. Since that accident, my family had never been like before, and it would never be back to normal. 

Mom and Dad blamed me for that accident. They wished I died there. They even disowned me. I couldn’t blame them, though. I wished I did die that night because until now, I was constantly blaming myself too. I was more like a walking dead without emotions, no soul, and no heart. I died that night as well.

I heard footsteps and whispers coming from upstairs. Judging by those voices, that must be Keith and his wife. I rose from my seat and faced them as soon as they climbed downstairs. Keith was already in a white shirt and blue jeans while his wife was wearing a loose shirt and yoga pants. 

“Percie, I’d like you to meet my wife, Lillian. Lillian, this is Percival.” 

I shook the hand she offered and gave her a smile that I’d never done for months. “Nice to meet you, Lillian. Your husband here just brought an offender to your lovely home.” 

She shook and squeezed my hand before releasing it. “Keith would never bring here an offender like you, Percival. He has a good judge of character. He may find you charming, and I can see you’re a handsome young man.” 

My face heated. I looked down. 

“Oh, honey, stop making him blush. Let’s prepare the dinner before Percie plans on running away.” He kissed her on her cheek.

“Have a seat, Percival. I’ll just set the table. I'm done cooking before you arrived.” 

I smiled. “Thank you for having me, Lillian. It’s been a long time since I had dinner with a family.” 

She gasped. Sadness crossed her beautiful face.

I regretted it right away. I wished I could just keep my mouth shut. 

She walked right into me and hugged me, which caught me off guard. “Oh, sweet boy. You are welcome anytime you want. I’d love you to join us over dinner. I’ll let you meet my daughter, Haylie. She’ll be down in a minute.” She ran her hands on my arms. 

I missed my mom doing like this to me. After the accident, she had changed. The sweet and thoughtful woman I knew for nineteen years has turned into a sour and cold-hearted mother. 

I felt so ashamed of Keith and Lilian. They were good people. 

“Thank you. I don’t think it’s a good idea coming over here just to eat your food.” 

She laughed. Her rich voice echoed, warming my heart and crushing it at the same time. I missed hearing people laugh genuinely, not the ones with full of sarcasm like my mom. 

“Oh, honey. All you have to do is knock. Anyway, I’ll go and set the table before you run away.” 

Keith sat on the couch. 

“I’ll help you set the table, Lillian.” 

Keith chuckled behind my back. “Don’t you dare, Percie? Nobody touches her kitchen, utensils, and food until she's done serving. Even cleaning, me and Hailey had never bothered helping her.” 

Lillian laughed again before she went to the kitchen. 

“You have a beautiful family, Keith,” I compliment him heartily as I sat back on the couch. 

He smiled brightly. “Thank you, Percie. My wife meant what she said. You can come over anytime or call me first as you like. Up to you. I’ll save my number on your phone later.” 

“That’s too much already, Keith. Thank you, though.” I’d never interacted this long or sat with them in a home since last year if I wouldn’t count my grandparents. It felt a little awkward, but not with Keith. At least, not anymore.

Lillian called out from the kitchen. 

“I’ll call Hailey to come down. Have a seat here, Percie. Don’t you mind if I call you Percie?” Lillian asked. 

“I’m hungry. If I’ll tell you no, you might kick me out of the kitchen, or worse out of your lovely home.” I was surprised that I managed to crack a joke. It had been a long time since I was able to say something funny or sweet. 

She pecked me on my cheek. “Have a seat, dear.” 

I froze in my place. My eyes widened a little bit. No woman ever kissed me and treated me like her son since forever. 

“Sit down here, Percie.” Keith motioned his hand at the empty chair on his left. 

Her wife must be a good cook judging by what was on the table. A roasted chicken with rosemary and thyme. I could literally taste the spices in the air. Also, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, green salad, and dinner rolls bread. 

A moment later, Lillian came back with their daughter this time. 

As my gaze flew towards them, I gasped. My life suddenly froze as if everything surrounding me had turned to ice. In a split second, I felt like I’d been transported to a year back. It felt like a déjà vu. 

This is impossible. In my breathless moment, my eyes widened. I could feel my jaw drop. My heart beat faster. I could even feel it against my ribcage. 

I wanted to run away, but I also wanted to run into her and hug her at the same time. 

How was this even possible? No way. I am Imagining this. 

She stood around her height—five foot five inches. Her brown wavy hair ended just around her chest, just like her, but lighter. Her bushy eyebrows were furrowing, with her enormous brown eyes staring back at me. She also had high cheekbones, accentuated with her little nose, exactly the same as hers. She slightly parted full red lips. 

“Percie, this is my daughter, Hailey. Honey, that's your Dad’s friend, Percie.” She was only wearing a dolphin printed shirt with matching a pajama bottom.

I blinked twice, or maybe more, and swallowed hard. I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath for too long until I was already catching it. I held my hands at the edge of the table to support myself from falling when I stood up. My legs wobbled, and I felt like an idiot when I noticed her walking towards her dad’s back and stopped in front of me. 

She smiled shyly, showing her dimples. She was just as beautiful just like her. ”Hi, Percie. Nice to meet you.” Even her voice was almost the same as hers. 

She offered her hand for a handshake. I looked down at it, thinking if I should shake it or not. But I didn’t want to be rude, or they would think that I was weird or germaphobic. My hands were still trembling with shock now that she was in my reach.