Life After Prison

“You don’t know her?” Maurice frowned when he saw Severin’s puzzled face. He did not believe that anyone would help their family for no apparent reason.

Severin shook his head. “Have you seen what she looks like?”

Judith shook her head and said, “No. Whenever she comes to send us money, she’ll knock twice on the door twice and leave immediately. We’ve never seen her face, and the most we saw is her rear figure as she rode off on an electric bicycle. She doesn’t come at a fixed time either. Sometimes it’s in the morning, sometimes at night, but she’ll generally come around the fifteenth or sixteenth of every month!”

Severin nodded. “Not to worry, I’ll definitely return the favor of those who helped us.”

After assuring them that he would not forget everyone’s kindness, Severin paused for a moment before saying to his parents, “Stop picking up trash to sell, Mom. And stop going to work at the construction site either, Dad. Now that I’m back, I’ll take care of you both from now on!”

Maurice smiled bitterly. “That just won’t do. I’m only fifty now, and I should help earn some money while I still can. There’s plenty of time to rest if I finally can’t do it anymore!”

Judith then said, “He’s right. You need to money after coming out of prison. Where are we going to get money if we don’t work?”

Severin thought for a moment and said with a faint smile, “You can both take it easy from now on. We have money, so there’s really no need for the both of you to keep worrying. There is still a lot of money left behind from what that generous man gave to me! I won’t be happy if you still pick up garbage to sell and work at the construction site.”

Seeing Severin’s slightly chastising look, Judith smiled and said, “Alright, alright. We should relax a little now that you’re back. The money owed to Easton has been paid off too, so we can breathe a sigh of relief now.”

Severin looked at Maurice, and remarked, “Besides, Dad needs to rest. His waist muscles have been strained for the past few days, and he’ll suffer from lower back pain. If this goes on, his health would only continue to worsen! It’s not worth it!”

that my back hurts? Or that my muscles are strained?” Maurice had an astonished expression, for he did not even mention his pains to Judith! Indeed, he had been suffering a backache for the past two days, but he did not go

and chastised him, “Is money or your health more important?

pain-relieving patch in a couple of days and put it on!” Maurice smiled

some ointment here, which

hand into his trouser pocket, and fished out a small bottle of

I can save money on the pain-relieving patch!”

Severin for a long time. The next morning, Maurice got up and

waist a couple of times and confirmed

healed, Judith! It doesn’t hurt anymore!” Maurice hurriedly woke

when I rubbed the ointment on your waist last night.

rest now!” Maurice smiled, and then said, “I’ll visit the construction site later and tell the foreman to settle my salary, because I won’t be going there

When Judith thought of Severin’s return, she seemed to have become several years younger. Her face was full of smiles, and she looked much more energetic

up really early today! He must’ve gone out and

a good job and keep it!” Maurice sighed and said again, “I’ll take a break for a couple of days before checking to see if I could find a job that doesn’t put so much strain on

that familiar park elicited a little chuckle. It was such

reminiscing about the past, a beautiful woman in a floral dress let out a cry of

a coherent sentence. A middle-aged man who had been playing chess with the old man was just as startled, and he got down to check on the old

soon as he realized

sudden cerebral hemorrhage!” Severin determined after

The woman in the floral dress was very sweet-looking, but as soon as she heard that it was a cerebral hemorrhage, her face turned pale