The telephone booth

Chapter Twenty Peter

Chapter Twenty
Peter
 
     The sound of rustling leaves under Peter's feet was heard and he was deep in thought and had put his hands in his pants pockets and walked a little like a playful child, but he was not thinking about good things. At that moment, a faint cry took him out of his thoughts and pulled him towards the fence in front of which there was a bench.
   Anna was sitting on that bench.
   Peter, who was standing behind the fence, coughed and said, "I didn't think you were in love with the night like me."
   Anna smiled and said, "Why are you lying to me? You were thinking about whether these events and the answers to your questions about your father are worth enduring a few more days of this hellish life or not!"
   "Do you read my mind?"
   "No, this doesn't take much intelligence. You don't care about anything; neither the night nor anything else."
   "You're right. But why are you so upset?!"
   "Are you worried about me or do you feel pity?"
   "Do you mean that I'm a monster who shouldn't care about anyone? If so; I won't say anything."
   Anna said, "For now, I'm the monster who doesn't want anyone to pity me."
   Peter said, "I don't pity, but why do you pretend? You always smile."
   "Because my life and yours have a difference; our parents left us but I don't hate them; I pretend not to upset my foster mother."
   "Really your life is like mine? That lady is not your mother?"
   "That lady is not my real mother but she is as important to me as that."
   "But the problem of my life is not just this."
   "The problem of my life is not just this either. I don't remember anything from the past except a burn wound and a terrible nightmare."
   "I can't say I'm sorry because the reason you don't hate your parents might be this."
   "Don't talk about this; I have no consideration in this matter so know your limit."
   Peter said, "I'm sorry, you know for the first time today I was thinking that maybe my parents loved me and maybe they didn't do this on purpose; although it might be very ridiculous." Peter was lying. He was thinking about that letter and that picture and who Mr. Collins really is and what he wants? Why did he lie that he saw Peter yesterday? Now he remembered he sent one of the bodyguards to cause trouble.
   Anna continued their discussion and said: "Why is it ridiculous? Is that why you're upset? But maybe this is the very thing that has made your life so hard; no matter how hard life is, if you have hope for yourself, you can start your life again and  even rebuild it from scratch."
   "This is very hard."
   "Don't you have any wishes?"
   Peter muttered: "Wishes?!" After a few minutes of deep thought, he said: "I have a wish." Then he whispered softly: "I have to find it; I have to change."
   "Every person's wish is their motivation for continuing their hard life. You had a wish, why did you want to end your life without reaching one of your wishes?"
   "You didn't understand me well; my life was very hard."
   "My life is hard too, but I never even thought of ending it. Forget the past from now on."
   "Did you study psychology?"
   Anna sighed as she got up from her seat and said: "No; I didn't study psychology."
   Peter caught up with Anna and said: "I'm sorry."
   Anna laughed and said: "I forgave you, but admit that you wanted to suggest to me that I'm a miserable person."
   Peter lowered his head and said: "I'm sorry."
   "You don't look like a bad person, so don't pretend."
   Peter, who wasn't sure what to say, said: "To be honest, I don't know what to say, but Mrs.  O'Brian and Mr. Collins's behavior is strange; do you know anything about the snow globe? Does it have a special meaning for this family?"
   Anna said: "Those two are married, but they've been calling each other family because of a weird argument. Then she laughed and said: "I really don't know what they fought about."
   This was not the answer Peter wanted, so he sighed and said: "Seriously?! But that's not what I meant."
   "Then what did you mean?"
   "Never mind."
     Friday, November 4th was a beautiful and amazing day for Peter until a few moments ago because he had researched ways to create mild poisoning to start his revenge. Peter went towards Anna who was ready to get in her car; this was when Anna said: "What's wrong, Mr. Miller?!"
   "Can I be with you today?"
   "Why? Today you're being introduced as the company's manager; you have to go to the company."
   "I have a bad feeling; I feel like I don't deserve to be the first person of a big company for a day. It feels like a dream. It feels like I'm having a dream."
   "Did you underestimate yourself again? Why do you think that way?"
     Peter said: "What if the company gets in trouble because of my incompetence? Then he said to himself: "He must have done something with my family and now he's feeling guilty. Maybe that cursed letter is a game. Maybe becoming his successor one day is a trap. Damn it."
   Anna laughed and said: "You don't look like being this scared?"
   "Are you laughing at me? I thought you were giving me confidence now."
   "Did you take the psychology thing seriously?! Don't be afraid of your destiny; you're the most deserving person as long as you do your best."
   "I don't think your words have influenced me."
   Anna said: "I'm sorry that my words didn't have an effect."
   Peter was cleaning his suit from dust and dirt because of that Anna said: "Are you obsessive? Don't worry so much. I have to go to work now; answer the reporters' questions with confidence." Anna got in her car and left.
   Josh Collins, as he was going towards Peter, said: "You know, in my opinion, you've changed a lot since yesterday."
   "Changed! What do you mean?"
   "Because you're smiling."
Peter realized that Mr. Collins was right because he had smiled; a faint and faded smile that of course disappeared right after Mr. Collins's words.
   Peter sighed and said: "I decided to come out of the dark forest."
   Mr. Collins said: "I'm happy for you and I'm afraid I hope I don't do anything that makes you go back to the dark forest."
   Peter said: "Do I have to come with you to the company?"
   Mr. Collins said: "You definitely have to come." Then he said: "You wore a chic suit. Go get in the car; today is a very important day."
     When Peter and Mr. Collins were sitting in silence in the car, Peter suddenly realized that a black car had been following them for a while; he said to himself: "The story is getting interesting but my life might be in danger."
Peter kept quiet about this and smiled; he felt different. He wanted to live but maybe he had become a bad person.