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!”

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

chastised him, “Is money or your health more important? What am I going to do if you collapsed before Severin

patch in a couple of days and put it

As for your waist, I have some ointment here, which you can just rub it on! I estimate

into his trouser pocket, and fished out

that so? Haha, that’s great, then! I can save money on the pain-relieving patch!” Maurice

that night and chatted with Severin for a long time. The next morning, Maurice got up and stretched his waist. Though it had been painful for him when walking, he discovered that it

waist a couple of times and confirmed that there really was no

completely healed, Judith! It doesn’t hurt

me that it hurt when I rubbed the ointment on your waist last night. Did it really heal in just one night?” Judith found it a

finally have some 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

later. It’s about time we eat something good for breakfast!” When Judith thought of Severin’s return, she seemed to have become several years

up really early today! He must’ve gone out

“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

that time, Severin had gone out for a walk at a park that was not too far away from the house. The sight of that familiar park

was reminiscing about the past, a beautiful woman in a floral dress let out a cry of surprise from one

and saw an old man lying on the ground. The latter’s face was red, and he had difficulty forming 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 man. “You okay there,

over as soon as he realized

cerebral hemorrhage!” Severin determined

call an ambulance!” The woman in the floral dress was very sweet-looking, but as soon as she heard that it