An old love story

2

"Good morning Mr. Dun," the maid greets Mr. Dun as he sits on his usual chair to have breakfast.

"Hi," Mr. Dun replied before he picked up the newspaper and read it.

Mr.Dun lives in the same apartment as James. He lives on the floor above. Mr.Dun doesn't speak much, especially since his best friend, James' father, passed away. Perhaps he was the only friend of James' father.

"Poor boy is looking for his mother," the maid told him as he put the breakfast in front of Mr.Dun.

"Thank you," Mr.Dun politely said while still reading the newspaper.

"Do you know when did he came back?" Mr.Dun asked.

"I'm not their maid,"

"You work for me, so you gotta do what I ask you to," he gently replied. "It's best if I know what he's doing. Remember, I know what I am talking about, the lady James is searching for left us a long time ago. We don't get to bring back people who belong to our past. You understand what I am saying, right?" He adds.

"Well, you are saying to spy on him, but he's smart. If he wants to do something without us knowing, he finds a way. Like his father,"

"You know me. I'm trying to protect all the residents of this apartment. If I can't do it the easy way, there will be only one other way for me," he says while he puts down the newspaper. "I don't want to think about that option, but it is there," he adds before he starts his breakfast.

"I'm going to ask you one more time. Please follow James, and let me know where he goes. I got a lot of work to do," Mr. Dun requests.

"I'll do my best, sir,"

"Good," he says while finishing his food.

Getting up, Mr. Dun stops for a brief second and looks at his maid. "You be careful," he said sternly.

With no more words, Mr. Dun leaves the place to go to work.

***
The alarm turns on. It is 11:00 am now. James gets up from his bed and washes his face.

Last night, when he went to Mariya, he felt jealous. He isn't a guy to feel jealous but seeing a happy family made him want it. Was it possible for him to see them again? He was welcome to Mariya, but he was not welcome by Sandra.

James wears his jacket, but then he feels something is in his jacket's pocket. It's the one he wore last night.

He takes it out. It is a piece of a folded old picture. Without thinking, he unfolds it.

"What the..." He roars after seeing it.

"What the hell!" James started to say while lowering his voice. "This is not true. Not true," he said as he paced in his room.

Someone knocks on the door of his room.

"Ugh, what now?" James yells while he gets to the door.

"James, I came to check on you. Are you ok?" Mr.Dun's maid asks gently.

"I'm good," James replies.

"You yelled a second ago. That's not you. Are you sure everything is ok?" Mr. Parker, Mr. Dun's maid, asks. "You can speak say anything you want to me. I'm not Mr.Dun," Mr.Parker says gently. "James, what messed up with your head?" He adds.

"You are a good spy. It's not that you are obvious. I know Mr.Dun would do anything to prevent me from learning who my mom is," James replies.

James simply lets Mr.Parker know that he's not going to believe what everyone says.