Walk A Different Path 🤍 Jaa/First

Chapter 5 ~ apologies ~

Sam ate an early dinner with Maskwa's parents and they talked about how their day had gone but Maskwa was a no show and Sam couldn't help but feel worried, he hadn't actually seen him eat anything since breakfast but what could he do?

After dinner he offered to help Maskwa's mother with the dishes but she declined so he went up to his room and decided to call toonie who picked up after the fifth ring,

"hey Sam, are you keeping warm?" Paitoon asked him.

"it's not as bad as I thought to be fair, well of course it's cold but I'm staying with a lovely family and their home is very comfortable"

"nice, so how's the shoot going?"

"we've not even started yet baby boy" then Sam went on to explain what had been happening.

"wow' and this guy who's helping you, you say he's never done modelling before?" toonie asked.

"never but he's a natural" Sam said.

"is there anything I can do to help bro'?" toonie asked.

"I don't think so, the designs will be flown in tomorrow or maybe the day after so I don't think there's much more to do" Sam replied.

"you've been gushing over this 'natural' guy ... it sounds as if you like him?"

"I do but ... he lives here and I live there" Sam replied.

"hey buddy what's a few thousand miles and remember what you told me ... open your heart Sam and if it doesn't work out hey ... it'll make you stronger and at least you tried" toonie said

"mmm, we'll see" Sam replied

"I need to go Sam but we'll get together soon yeah?" Paitoon said.

"yeah, ok toonie, it's been great talking to you" Sam said ending the call then he took a shower and put on some clean sweat pants and a tee shirt on before lying on top of the bed.

He stared up at the ceiling and wondered what Maskwa was doing right now and what time he would roll in. Would he even be in a fit state to model the outfits if they arrived tomorrow ... what if he had put his neck on the line and Maskwa let him down, let them all down?

Meanwhile, Maskwa was sitting in his usual spot propping the bar up and twirling the glass of amber liquid between his fingers, who had Sam been talking to that he knew about Pipon, who was he to tell him that Pipon wouldn't have wanted him to live like this but deep down Maskwa knew that Sam was right, he shouldn't be drinking his life away like this, it wasn't going to bring Pipon back and it was just making him more depressed and his family worry.

He looked at his watch and saw that it was 7.30pm, he should be at home helping his father feed the chickens and horses, polishing the leather or cleaning his gun and he decided that it was about time he gave himself a swift kick up the behind.

He pulled a couple of notes from his pants pocket and placed them beneath his untouched drink then slid off the stool to walk home but he suddenly had a better idea. He got home and made himself a sandwich and a flask of hot coffee then he grabbed a couple of pieces of fruit, a few carrots and his gun and went out to saddle his horse.

His parents were watching a movie so he avoided them, he didn't feel like getting into it with his father right now and he assumed that Sam was upstairs in the spare bedroom but that was ok, he would see him later. 

Placing the food and flask into one of the saddle bags and a small sack of grain for his horse in the other he led his horse outside the gate, secured it and after pulling himself up into the saddle he rode off.