Chapter 44: Ten Apples
★NEXT DAY★
The happy laughters of kids could be heard from every angle of the orphanage as the kids received various gifts from Alfred and Theresa.
Theresa and Alfred came to make donations to the orphanage.
Alfred was putting on a white robe with the sign of the cross designed on it. He had a fake moustache on and a pair of rectangular eyeglasses stood at the bridge of his nose.
Theresa was standing right beside him, putting on a nun uniform and a pair of brown sandals.
The both of them were giving each of the kids a big wrapped box which contained various items such as; clothes, toys, books and a lot of kids items.
They have been to nineteen orphanages that morning, donating huge sum of money and gifts. The current orphanage is the last one for the day.
Some of Alfred’s men were also present. They were up to six and they all stood behind their boss, watching out for threats and danger.
A woman in her early fifties walked to Alfred and Theresa. She had a bright smile on her face as she approached the reverend and nun.
“Thanks a lot for your kind gestures, reverend Alfred.” The woman said, immediately she got to them.
“Thank the Lord and not me.” Alfred replied with a smile, then he signaled to one of his men.
The man walked to Alfred, and he gave Alfred a white envelope.
Alfred turned his gaze to the elderly woman, and he handed the envelope over to her.
The woman tore the envelope open, and a shocked expression appeared on her face.
A cheque was inside the envelope, but it wasn’t the cheque that shocked the woman, but the amount written on the cheque.
The woman slowly raised her head to look at Alfred who had a bright smile on his face.
“Reverend Alfred… Are.. Are you really giving us this?” She stammered, raising up the cheque.
“Yes, ma’am.” Alfred nodded. “You can use it or reconstruct the orphanage and take care of the kids.”
“But.. But ten million dollars. Isn’t it too much?” The woman looked at the cheque in her hand to be sure whether she saw the right thing, or her eyes were only deceiving her.
“It’s not too much, ma’am.” Alfred replied, still maintaining his smile.
Theresa remained on her spot, staring at Alfred, wondering if he’s really the ruthless mafia boss she knew him to be.
Staring at Alfred right now, Theresa started having a second thought about exposing his secret and putting him behind bars.
She still found it hard to believe that Alfred was really giving donations to various orphanages. It was the last thing she expected from a mafia boss.
Anyone staring at him right now would never suspect that he is killer, a cold hearted Mafia boss who doesn’t give a fuck about anyone.
He had a smile that captivated Theresa’s heart. The way he played and related with the kids made her wonder why he chose be a mafia boss.
Theresa excused herself, then she walked towards an apple tree. She sat on the grass, underneath an apple tree.
A boy was also sitting under the apple tree, chewing an apple happily. He had six more apples beside him.
“Hey kiddo.” Theresa smiled at the boy.
“Hi ma’am.” The boy replied in a funny tone. His mouth was stuffed with apple, and that made him sound funny.
“What’s your name?” Theresa asked with a smile on her face.
“My name is Fred.” The boy took a bite from his apple.
“You seem to love eating apples, Fred.” Theresa said, and the boy nodded his head while chewing his apple.
“Yes, I love apples a lot because it gives energy and it makes me happy.” The boy replied.
Theresa was stunned at the boy’s statement. The boy’s statement rang like a bell in her head. They were the exact words of her childhood lover.
★AT HOPE ORPHANAGE★
A nine years old boy and a seven years old girl were both sitting beside each other beneath an apple tree.
The girl had a smile of her face as she watched the boy who was eating an apple hurriedly like he was competing with someone.
A stopwatch was in the girl’s hand. The stopwatch beeped immediately the boy finished the last apple in his hand.
“Told you I would finish ten apples within two minutes, Theresa.” The boy threw his fist in the air, victoriously.
The girl chuckled softly. “I know you love eating apples, Freddy, but I never knew you love eating it to this extent. I mean, you ate ten apples within two minutes. Your name should be written in the Guinness book of record as the boy who ate ten apples within two minutes.” Little Theresa sai, and the both of them bursted into a round of laughter.
“Tell me, Freddy. Why do you love eating apples?” Little Theresa asked after the laughter died down.
“I love apple because it gives me energy and it makes me happy.” Little Alfred replied.
Theresa continued staring at the boy as he ate his apples. A sad smile appeared on her face as the memories she had with her childhood lover came rushing back into her head.
“You remind me of someone, Fred.” Theresa told the boy.
The boy turned his gaze to her.
“Who?” He asked.
Theresa was about to talk when she saw Alfred approaching them.
“Reverend Alfred!” The boy exclaimed happily as Alfred stood in front of them.
Alfred smiled and he crouched down to the boy’s level.
“Hey boy.” Alfred smiled as he stroked the boy’s hair gently.
Hr glanced beside the boy and he saw five apples beside him.
“You own those apples?” Alfred pointing at the apples beside the boy.
“Yes.” The boy nodded.
“You sure you can finish them all by yourself?” Alfred asked.
“Yes. I can eat them all within a minute.” The boy replied, boastfully.
“I also loved apple when I was about your age, and it’s still my favourite fruit till now.” Alfred said.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.
“Really?” The boy asked with a surprised look on his face.
“Yeah.” Alfred nodded.
Theresa remained quiet, watching as Alfred conversed happily with the boy.
“What’s your name?” Alfred asked the boy.
“Fred,” the boy answered, “my name’s Fred.”
“Our name sounds alike.” Alfred said.
“Yeah, it does. Mine is Fred and yours is Alfred. It really sounds alike.” The boy nodded in agreement while taking another bite from his apple.
“A friend of mine always called me Freddy back when I was a kid. She was the only person who always called me Freddy.” Alfred said.
“Freddy sounds cool.” The boy beamed with a smile..
“When I also was nine years old, I ate ten apples within the time range of two minutes.” Alfred gestured with his fingers.
Theresa’s body stiffened, and her eyes widened when she heard Alfred’s statement.
“It can’t be.” She gazed at Alfred with a shocked expression on her face, and her brain started working like a clock.
The name ‘Alfred’ was also the name of her childhood lover whose favorite fruit was also apple.
Her childhood lover was also nine years old when he ate ten apples within two minutes. And Theresa herself was the only one who usually called her childhood lover ‘Freddy’.
Theresa’s head was spinning as she did the maths. Even though her calculations were correct, she still didn’t want to believe that the man she’s staring at right now is her childhood lover.
“There’s only one way to find out if you’re truly Freddy.” She said to herself, gazing at Alfred intently.