We're in This Together

Episode 31

"Jennifer," Lawrence called out, and I echoed, "Lawrence," in perfect sync, followed by shared laughter.

"What an unbelievable encounter, isn't it?" she remarked with a huge smile.

"Yes, truly amazing," I agreed, and we exchanged a small hug.

"So, you're my new neighbor?" I asked with a smirk, which she returned with chuckles.

"Well, nice to meet you, neighbor," she replied with a grin.

"I'm sorry, I was a little startled by the sudden knock on my door, and... I was a bit late," I explained, gesturing to the situation. As Adie slowly emerged from her room and took hold of my hand from behind, Lawrence noticed her presence. With a gentle bow of her upper body, she greeted Adie, "Hello, little girl," accompanied by a warm smile. I softly pulled Adie closer to me to ensure Lawrence could see her clearly. Adie returned the greeting with a small bow and a smile.

"So, do you need some help, Lawrence?" I offered. "If there's anything you need, please feel free to ask me," I added with a soft smile.

"Well, thank you, Jennifer," she replied. "I'm really glad to have you as my neighbor, and for now, I don't have anything special planned for today," she added. But then, it seemed like she remembered something and continued, "But I want to donate some of my books to the library or something. Do you know any place for that?"

I took a few seconds to think before responding, "I think I know one."

"Great! So, will you give me directions?" she asked eagerly. Before I could provide directions, a sudden thought crossed my mind. After our cleaning session, Adie and I planned to visit Lexa's cafe, and the place where I could direct Lawrence was on the same route. So, I decided to invite her to join us.

"You know what, in the next few minutes, Adie and I also have to go the same way as you. Would you like to join us? I can help you with your books as well," I suggested, causing her smile to widen.

"That's a good idea, Jennifer," she agreed. "Then, we'll meet in the next 30 minutes," she added, and I nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, Jennifer," Lawrence said gratefully as she walked back towards her room, presenting me with her pie cakes with a smile.

"No problem, Lawrence," I replied, waving and smiling in return. As we both swiftly disappeared into our rooms, Adie and I finished our cleaning and took quick showers before heading up to Lexa's cafe with Lawrence. Thirty minutes later, we heard a soft knock on our door once again.

"Jennifer! It's me, Lawrence," she called out to confirm her identity.

"Coming!" I swiftly replied and swung open the door. There stood Lawrence with two huge boxes, which left me gasping in disbelief.

"What are they?" I asked, curious.

"They're all the books that I want to donate," she casually explained with a smile. Without saying anything, I simply nodded and turned my attention back to my room, calling for Adie to join us. As Adie joined, I locked the door. When Lawrence attempted to lift both boxes at once, I quickly intervened, taking one into my arms. They were quite heavy, and I couldn't fathom how she managed to lift both at once. Lawrence's strength and fitness surprised me; she truly had a strong body.

"It's okay, Jennifer, I can carry them myself," Lawrence insisted. I shook my head in objection.

"Let me help my neighbor, please," I teased, and we all swiftly left our apartment. On the way to Lexa's cafe, we engaged in conversations that brought us closer. It only took a few minutes to reach the cafe, and as we arrived, I made an excuse to Lawrence and took Adie inside.

"Jen!" Lexa called out upon seeing me in the cafe, walking over from her counter. "Damn, what is that box?" she asked, frowning.

"I'll tell you later. For now, I want to leave Adie with you," I said swiftly, nodding, before leaving Adie in her care and stepping out of the cafe.

"This is my friend's cafe," I explained to Lawrence as we reunited outside.

"Oh, really?" she said with a huge grin.

"I'll introduce you when we get back here," I promised with a wink. As we made our way to the vintage bookstore, it took a couple more minutes to arrive. Once inside, we placed our boxes on the floor and engaged in conversation with the shopkeeper. As Lawrence conversed with the shop owner, I quietly slipped out of the shop to give her some space. It was clear that Lawrence was an intelligent woman, knowledgeable about books and speaking fluently with confidence.

As I stepped out of the shop, I found a spot near the platform and lowered my gaze to my shoes, enjoying the peaceful silence. Suddenly, voices of argument caught my attention from beside me. Glancing around, I spotted the source just a few steps away. It was a dispute between two men: the seller from a side lane shop and a younger man. The younger man seemed to be much younger than the seller.

Driven by curiosity, I slowly approached to listen in on their conversation. As I got closer, I could see the old man selling little kittens from a box, while the younger man seemed to be trying to intervene in some way. I listened in on their argument.

"Sir, you can't keep them like this," the young man insisted, his accent noticeably different, suggesting he was a foreigner.

"Hey man, it's none of your business. Just buy or leave it," the old man scolded the young man. The more I listened, the more intrigued I became. I took a few more steps closer to them without directly looking at them.

"That's why I told you... I will take them all," the young man replied firmly. As he spoke, I turned my head slightly towards him, trying to catch a glimpse of his face. However, he was wearing a hoodie and glasses, making it difficult to see him clearly. As I tried to make sense of the situation, the young man glanced in my direction. Our eyes met briefly, and then he looked again, his eyes widening with recognition. A small smile appeared on his face. What surprised me even more was that he already knew my name and called out to me.

"Jennifer," he called out, causing me to flinch and look directly at him.

Who is he .....