Chapter 388 Memories
"Yeah." Natalie's eyes got all misty thinking about the past.
After a few seconds, she asked, "Raymond, wanna meet my brother?"
Raymond took a bite, paused, and looked at her. "Can I?"
"Sure thing, I'll take you after lunch," Natalie said.
They picked a small diner to eat at.
Natalie used to hit this spot a lot back in school. It was cheap and the portions were huge. She didn't come as much after she started working, but the manager still remembered her.
"Oh, Natalie, you're here!" The manager spotted her right away and greeted her warmly.
It was the lunch rush, and the place was packed. They finally snagged two empty seats and sat down.
Natalie ordered, "Two large black pepper beef pastas."
The food came out quick.
The manager looked at Raymond. "Ryan, long time no see. Haven't seen you guys much since you graduated, but Natalie still drops by now and then."
Natalie knew the manager had mixed up Raymond with Ryan.
Raymond played along. "Yeah, long time no see. Been busy, so I don't come by much."
The manager, loud and friendly, said, "Good for you. You must be out of college by now."
Raymond replied, "Already working."
"That's great. Used to see you all the time, and now you're all grown up. Time flies." The manager sighed and then rushed off to help another customer.
The room was warm, and with the steaming pasta, Raymond looked at Natalie, feeling a bit surreal, like there was a haze between them. "Natalie, did you come here a lot with your brother?"
Natalie nodded. "Yeah."
"Are you being nice to me because I remind you of him?" Raymond felt a bit uneasy.
He was a rich kid, with money and looks. Lots of women chased him, but he never cared. Yet, Natalie saw him as a stand-in.
Natalie admitted. "Yeah."
Hearing that, Raymond clicked his tongue. "Can't you just lie to me?"
Natalie swallowed a bite of pasta. "Hurry up and eat. The pasta here is cheap and tasty, with big portions. Even a big guy can get full. If you wait too long, it'll get cold."
Raymond took a bite and found the pasta surprisingly good.
Looking at her familiar face, Natalie said, "You're not like my brother. He wasn't as arrogant and proud as you, and he didn't have your fancy background. He was just an ordinary guy. You, on the other hand, are a rich kid." She murmured, "You might be him, or maybe not."
After finishing the pasta, it was around 1 PM. Natalie took him to the cemetery.
The cemetery was south of Vachilit, in a remote area near the mountains.
Back then, Curtis had helped arrange the burial.
Natalie took a bottle of liquor from her bag and placed it in front of Stanley's tombstone. She then used some tissues to wipe the tombstone, getting rid of the dust. "Dad, it's been a few days since I last visited. I brought your favorite vodka."
She turned to Ryan's tombstone. "Ryan, I didn't bring you anything this time, but I knitted a scarf for you. There are a few missed stitches, and Mom said it doesn't look good, so I'm wearing it myself. I'll knit you a better one in a few days."
Natalie's voice was soft, but a light breeze carried it to Raymond, who was standing behind her.
He watched Natalie bend over, pulling weeds from around the tombstone and wiping the dust off with tissues. He took a step forward and looked at the photo on Ryan's tombstone. The young face, the contours, were identical to his own.
His throat suddenly trembled slightly, and he clenched his fists.
It felt like something in his mind was trying to break free, making him uncomfortable.
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