"Uncle, this is... too much."
Leyla, who looked into the box with wide eyes, said in a trembling voice. Bill couldn't find a suitable rebuttal. He too was surprised.
"How much did you spend?"
Leyla gave Bill a look of reproach.
"No. That's.... Well.... I've spent enough! You care too much about everything."
Bill barely came to his senses when he answered back. The dress Mrs. Mona prepared had arrived at the cabin on the day of the party. Bill believed the mailman would bring the dress in, but a young man who seemed to be an employee of the dress shop delivered it himself.
Bill thought Mrs. Mona must have paid special attention to the dress well enough for the nicely dressed employee to deliver it directly to them. When Leyla opened the box, the dress was beyond Bill's expectations. Even in Bill's eyes, who didn't know a thing about women's clothes and accessories, the white dress stitched with gold threads looked very luxurious and heavenly. The same was true of the shoes, gloves, and the necklace.
How much did I pay Mrs. Mona again?
Bill calculated with his fingers folded.
But did she take the money for the necklace?
Bill was puzzled and had calculated again while Leyla firmly covered the box lid.
"Why? You don't like it?"
"No way."
"Then why?"
"Let's return it. I can't let you spend this much money on a party that lasts for just one day."
Unlike Mrs. Mona's assurance that the gift would thrill her, Leyla simply looked worried.
"Leyla, if you don't wear this to the party. I won't ever see you again."
Bill's face suddenly turned cold.
"You always don't want to be indebted to me. I know your reasons, but Leyla, you shouldn't draw a clear line between me and you."
"Uncle....."
"If you don't take it, I'll just use it as a firecracker. And I'll never see you again, Leyla."
The red-faced Bill stepped out of the front door as if he was running away. As he circled around the flower bed and smoked, his mind was filled with late regrets for saying such mean words to the child. He didn't mean it when he said he'd never see her again.
While Bill was wondering if he should go back in, Kyle walked in from the other side of the road in his tailcoat. Bill used to believe Kyle was just a little boy who always pretended to be an adult, but seeing him dressed up so nicely, Bill realized that he was all grown up now.4
"Mr. Remmer. What about Leyla?"
Kyle excitedly asked.
"Well. I don't know."
"What? Leyla's not home? The party's about to begin."
"Not really, but......"
While Bill hesitated, not knowing how to explain the situation, the front door creaked open. The two men inadvertently turned their heads and gasped.
An unfamiliar Leyla stood there.
~~~~~
"Kyle, don't I look weird?"
Leyla asked with a grimace.
"I feel so awkward wearing these clothes....."
"You're pretty."
