Come in, she said, without looking up from the documents. The door opened and Afonso appeared with a carefree smile on his face. Penelope stood up immediately, and her expression softened slightly upon seeing him.
Hi, honey, she said, walking over to him. Did you pick up Ashton from school? Did you take him home? Afonso kept the smile on his face and replied, Ashton went to a friend’s house. That girl, Hazel, he said they had schoolwork to do.
Penelope frowned, surprised. That’s strange. I don’t remember him mentioning anything about schoolwork, she commented thoughtfully.
Then she shook her head and smiled. But that’s fine. I like Hazel and her family.
Following that, the naughty husband quickly changed the subject. I brought a surprise for you, he said excitedly. A surprise? Penelope asked, curious.
Before she could even think any possibilities, Michelle appeared in the doorway, beaming. Surprise, she exclaimed, opening her arms wide. My lovely sister-in-law.
Penelope walked over to her and hugged her warmly, completely oblivious to the fact that Michelle wasn’t Afonso’s sister, but his lover. It’s so good to see you, Michelle, Penelope said genuinely. Michelle smiled and without wasting a moment began to speak.
Afonso told me you’ve been having a few little problems. Strange dreams, right? Penelope sighed and nodded in confirmation. That’s why I’m here, Michelle said enthusiastically.
You work too hard, sis, and it’s affecting your mind. That’s why today you’re taking the day off. We’re going to go out, relax, enjoy life.
And to top it all off, I booked a therapy session with a wonderful professional. You’re going to love it. Penelope hesitated, glancing at the table overflowing with documents.
Oh, I don’t know. I have so much work to do. Afonso approached and encouraged her.
Forget about it today, sweetheart. I’ll take care of everything. You deserve a day for yourself.
With a mixture of sighs and smiles, Penelope eventually relented. Before long, she left with Michelle, trying to relax while the other woman poured soft yet manipulative words into her ears, attempting to completely bury any uncomfortable memories the businesswoman had about the sensation that, in the past, she had been pregnant with twins. Meanwhile, Ashton and Hazel were on their adventure, searching for Luke, the boy with the same features as the wealthy young boy.
Theodore parked the car in front of the large banquet hall in the Peach District. The preteens quickly jumped out, their eyes alert, scanning every corner in search of Luke. But the street was deserted.
No sign of the boy. Ashton crossed his arms and muttered, It was to be expected. I guess he wasn’t coming back.
Hazel, trying to maintain her enthusiasm, smiled and said, Calm down, Ashton. Let’s try to buy some time. I’ll go inside and pretend I want information about my birthday party.
She entered the hall while Ashton stayed outside, his eyes fixed on any movement. Hazel took a few minutes, asking about dates, feigning interest in the party packages. Outside, Ashton sighed, looking around in all directions without success.
Time passed, and Luke was nowhere to be seen. Finally, the girl left the hall, seeing the discouragement on her friend’s face. Let’s keep trying.
We’ll find him eventually, she said, determined. They walked back to the car. Theodore, already restless, remarked, What took you so long? Hazel smiled and replied, The reception hall is so beautiful that I didn’t want to leave.
My party is going to be a fairy tale, Theodore. The driver chuckled and started the car. He began to drive slowly down the quiet street.
Ashton rested his head against the window, discouraged. His eyes scanned the sidewalks almost automatically, without hope. It was then that he saw him.
It’s him! Ashton exclaimed, pointing to the end of the street where a boy was rummaging through a trash can. Hazel’s eyes widened. Theodore, stop the car! She shouted.
The driver braked abruptly, startled. What’s going on? He asked, concerned. I forgot to ask something about my party.
Hazel improvised, already opening the door and pulling Ashton with her. Theodore, astonished, watched the two of them run down the sidewalk, but didn’t have time to stop them. From inside the car, he observed, frowning as he realized that they weren’t going back into the reception hall, but were heading towards a dirty boy who rummaged through the trash.
Ashton caught up to Luke and touched his shoulder. Luke! He called out, hopefully. The boy turned around, startled.
For a moment, his eyes reflected fear, but upon recognizing Ashton, a spontaneous smile spread across his face. Hazel, seeing the two side by side, put her hand to her mouth in shock. My God, you’re identical.
She whispered. Ashton, trying to reassure Luke, said, There’s no need to be afraid. Hazel is my friend.
You can trust her. Then the young millionaire took a deep breath and asked, Why did you run away yesterday? Luke, ashamed, replied, I don’t like adults. Whenever they get close, they try to take me to some shelter.
Ashton nodded, understanding. He didn’t want to scare him. Where do you live? He asked.
Luke shrugged. On the street. Those words struck the young millionaire deeply.
Hazel, still in shock, asked gently, Don’t you have parents? Luke lowered his gaze sadly. No, I was found in a trash can as a baby. Some homeless people raised me.
But they died. I’ve been alone ever since. Ashton’s heart ached.
He looked at Luke and felt a connection that went far beyond physical similarity. Something there was stronger. They sat on the sidewalk, away from the bustle, trying to find a moment of peace amidst the whirlwind of emotions they were feeling.
Luke, his eyes downcast and his voice choked, began to tell his story. He spoke of the cold nights, of how he had to protect himself from the rain with only pieces of cardboard. He told about the days when he couldn’t find anything to eat, the times he hid to avoid being forcibly taken to shelters where he knew he would suffer even more.
Ashton and Hazel, who came from completely different realities, listened in silence, their hearts heavy. The pain was almost physical. They knew that people experienced hardship.
But seeing it in person, right in front of them, a child like them suffering so much was heartbreaking. With tears welling up in his eyes, Ashton reached out his hand and said, You’re not alone anymore, Luke. We’re going to help you.
Hazel excitedly stood up quickly and added, That’s right. You’re coming with us. We’ll figure something out.
Luke smiled faintly, but the sad look remained. He knew that those two were just children, good children, but without the power to change what adults decided. Sighing, he said, You can’t do anything.
My life is here and it’s okay. I’m used to it. Silence fell over them, broken only by the distant sounds of the city.
Hazel, feeling the need to do something, reached out to try and comfort him. And that’s when, through a hole in Luke’s torn shirt, she saw something that made her freeze. What are you doing? Luke asked, startled as Hazel gently pulled at his shirt.
Hazel pointed with her finger, her voice thick with emotion. Look at that. You have a birth mark exactly like Ashton’s.
Ashton approached, observing closely. It’s true. I have a birth mark exactly the same, in the same place.
Look here, he said, surprised, also lifting his shirt. Hazel looked at the two of them, her eyes shining with disbelief. It can’t be a coincidence.
You’re twin brothers. There’s no other explanation. Luke’s eyes widened in confusion.
Twin brothers? What are you talking about? Ashton took a deep breath and explained. Today, before class, we were talking. We thought the only explanation for us being so alike was this.