The Lost And Forgotten Memories

      It took a little time for Peter and Daniel to go to the house of the latter. Sammy got his desired fresh meat and ate it with pleasure. And while he is interested in examining some places in the living room, sniffing every single centimeter, and looking around the back of the house, the men set themselves comfortably on the bar table in the kitchen.       “Oh, last two bottles!” Daniel exclaims, taking two cold bottles of beer from the refrigerator. “I thought I had to go to the store.”       “So, do you buy reserved ones?” Peter chuckles kindly, knocking on the bar table with his fingers.       “Sometimes I drink to relax a little.”       “I hope you know the limit.”       “Calm down, buddy, I ain’t gonna ruin myself by drinking.” Daniel finds the bottle opener and opens the bottles placed on the kitchen table. “Maybe, I’d do it. But I can’t. I owe too many people.”       “It won’t help you. It won’t solve your problems.”       “I know, but sometimes I need to relax a little. Drink beer… Smoke a cigarette…”       “A cigarette?” Peter frowns slightly. “Since when have you started to smoke?”       “Actually, I’ve smoked since my teenage age,” Daniel exhales slowly. “I smoked a lot. Later, I stopped it for some time… Then I started to do it again… It happened several times… And some time ago, I started to smoke at times again.”       “Some time ago?”       “The smell of smoke always helped me relax.”       “Hey…” Peter thinks for two seconds. “What if smoking is the reason you had problems with singing?”       “Maybe…”       “But why did you start to smoke?”       “Well…” Daniel turns to Peter, leaning on the kitchen table with both hands. “I’ve just lately been too nervous… That’s why I began to smoke one or two cigarettes per day. And after failed shows, I could easily smoke a bigger part of a pack…”       “Is the case that you couldn’t take high notes?”       “Not only… A fear. The fear that someone would blame for singing with autotune.”       “You were tense before every single performance. You were kinda too nervous.”       “It’s fine to be nervous before a show. Because we wanna make everything perfect.” Singing for friends is one thing. But the other thing is performing for unfamiliar people. While your friends forgive you for mistakes or don’t see them, listeners may be too careful.”       “But you knew that not everybody would admire you.”       “But agree that it’s unpleasant to screw it up in front of people.”       “Unpleasant. But not tragic. Check out the Internet and search for videos of some artists’ performances. Fall, sing wrong, forget words… A bad hair day, let’s say.”       “I’ve had too many.”       “Take it easier. Don’t aim to be good for everyone. There will always be those, who’ll keep showering you with dirt, no matter how good and talented you are.”       “I am doing that.” Daniel places the bottle opener in its place, comes to Peter, and points one bottle to him. “But it didn’t impact the quality of performances.”       “Don’t worry, it won’t last forever,” Peter says confidently, holding the bottle of beer. “Maybe, it will be better after the break.”       “I’ve gotta fix it somehow…”       “Now, just stop smoking. First, it’s bad for your health. Second, it impacts the voice badly. And third, if you miss a chance, it’s gonna be hard to wean yourself away from it.”       “Were you so right that you never tried to smoke?” Daniel chuckles kindly.       “Remember my stories about the shit I lived in, so you understand that I didn’t have a wish as well as reasons and effects.”       “That’s right. You shouldn't ruin your health.”       “Do you wanna stop smoking?”       “Of course, I do.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “Moreover, I’ve been suffering from a strong cough for a few months.”       “Yeah, I noticed…” Peter nods.       “When I don’t smoke, everything is fine. But when I start, it comes back. I could take it before, but now I cough constantly.”       “That’s why you must stop doing this.”       “I’m gonna try.” Daniel sits at the bar table in front of Peter with a bottle of beer. “Yeah, we could drink for that.”       “And just for luck.”       “Yeah,” Peter and Daniel pronounce.       The friends barely knock on each other’s bottles and drink some cold beer.       “M-m-m, it’s good!” Peter exclaims cheerfully. “Cold, strong…”       “It’s good to drink beer with a large plate of chips while watching a football game,” Daniel notices confidently.       “Agree.”       “By the way, when I was a teenager, I told my parents I wanted to play soccer. They found a place that was within a few minutes drive from my home, and I went there for a few years. And later, I gave up on it.” Daniel clears his throat. “So to say, I burnt down. I got sick of the same runs and workouts… I wanted to play in a football game for juniors or a youth team. But… I didn’t do it.”       “Were you a bad player?”       “Nope, average. My trainer didn’t kinda see me: no praise, no claims… I was like a shadow. Well… And that’s why I lost my passion. The fact that I didn’t see progress impacted my decision to leave soccer. Though, I still love it and have the pleasure of watching the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro, and something like that.”       “So, did music catch you in its tempting webs with a reluctance to let you go?” Peter chuckles, drinking some beer.       “I’ve always loved music. But I wasn’t always interested in it seriously. I don’t have a musical education. I learned to play on my own. With books and video lessons on the Internet…”       “Actually, we’re all self-taught people without a music education… I wasn’t able to hire teachers of vocal and drums lessons.”       “Hey, did someone from your family love music? You had a cajon at your home. So, your mother could be interested in it.”       “No, my mother wasn’t interested in music. Once, she wanted to throw the cajon off or sell it to get drunk with her pals again. I magically saved that thing from that woman…”       “And your father?”       “I dunno… I can say nothing.”       “Has she never told you about him?”       “Nope. She didn’t like to talk about him and exploded when I tried to start a talk about my father several times.”       “Was there nobody, who could tell you about that man?”       “There was a woman. She lived not far from my mother and me… She knew him and her. But sadly, she died when I was a child.”       “Didn’t your mother really tell you anything about him?”       “She only said that the idea of giving me the second name, Jackson, belonged to him. And my mother always hated this name.”       “But why? It’s a good name!”       “Maybe, she had a boyfriend with this name, who hurt her. Maybe, it was my father’s name… Maybe, it was her close person. I can’t say. Moreover, she was mad that I preferred using this name for some time.”       “What?” Daniel wonders. “You called yourself Jackson?”       “Yeah. When I was a child, I hated the name Peter. Of course, I called my first name but asked people to use my second one.”       “But why?”       “I just wanted to be different. To be Jackson Rose, not Peter Rose… I even had a dream of growing up and changing my name officially, but… I didn’t do it. I realized my name wasn’t so bad. And changing it wouldn’t make me a different man. It wouldn’t erase all my memories. I could become Jackson but remain Peter in the past. So, I decided… As I was named Peter, I would be Peter.”       “Interesting…” Daniel pronounces thoughtfully and drinks some beer from his bottle. “I didn’t know it…”       “My mother would’ve probably killed me if I’d really changed my name and started to call me Jackson.”       “Hey, what do you know about your father?”       “Nothing. I don’t know his name or the way he looks. I mean, my mother briefly said that he was the blond as well as me.”       “Didn’t he really try to find you and take you with him?”       “Sometimes I dreamed of it. Living with my mother was fucking hell. Seriously, I was even happy when she left home. I had nothing to lose. I served myself on my own and learned everything without her help. I was scared only because I stayed all alone.”       “Maybe, he tried to take you out, but your mother didn’t let?”       “No, my mother would’ve given me to someone with pleasure. I was always like a ballast, which she didn’t know where to leave. And I’m surprised that she didn’t do it.”       “But how would you react if you saw your mother or father in front of you?”       “I don’t know, Daniel…” Peter slowly exhales and shrugs. “Sometimes I try to imagine this scene, but I believe I won’t be glad. At least, if I saw my mother. I don’t wanna see her.”       “And your father?”       “I can say nothing about my father. I don’t know what kind of man he was: an angel or an asshole. I don’t wanna defend or shower him with mud. I think Mother could love him, but he hurt her. And I don’t exclude that he was guilty of the fact that Mother began to drink.”       “So, don’t you wanna see your father?”       “Not very much. I wanted it before, but now I don’t need it. Moreover, if he’d wanted, he would’ve found me a long time ago. But I’ve never met my father or anyone, who knew him, for twenty-six years of my life. Not saying about that late woman.”       “I can understand you.”       “Oh, let’s not talk about it!” Peter drinks some beer from the bottle and sharply runs his hand over his hair. “Now I don’t need their help and am living on my own pretty well.”       “Are you mad at them? Honestly!”       “I am not, now. I’m not mad at Mother and Father, but I don’t wanna say about a great love. I just think about them as the people, who gave me life… I wasn’t born out of the air… I’m not a part of an experiment made at a laboratory… It’s the past. The past that I try to think about as little as possible.”       “I see…” Daniel pronounces thoughtfully and drinks beer from his bottle with sadness in his eyes.       “Would you like to see your parents?”       “Very much. Especially, Father. We were close enough and understood each other well. Like a man and a man. But I loved Mother, too. While Father could help me with a business and a piece of advice, Mother gave me love and care. But my parents and I rarely met. Only in the evenings. Father worked a lot, Mother was busy with homework, and I was stuck at school or hanging out with my friends.”       “I believe your parents had a good relationship,” Peter assumes with a slight smile.       “Yup, my parents were very close to each other,” Daniel nods. “I always admired the way my mother looked at my father and took care of him. And he looked at her with a tender look and was ready for anything to make her happy. When Father saw that Mother needed help or a rest, he did her business. Even when he worked and came back home hungry and tired.”       “Good.”       “They always called each other the love of their lives. They didn’t doubt that they’d live a long, happy life together. And they were together at hard and happy times.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “I saw Father holding Mother’s hand many times when he was lying on a hospital bed and dying. And… Saying nice words to her… Trying to calm her down. Making her sure that he would be fine… And Mother truly believed it…”       “Did they get on so well?”       “Much better. They understood even the hints of each other… When one thought, another knew everything. They didn’t fight and tried to discuss everything quietly. Even if my parents were too different. Father was a little harsh, tough, and cool, but he wasn’t deprived of kindness and fairness. And Mother was sweet, quiet, peaceful, kind, and caring, but she lacked harshness. They were an addition to each other, like yin and yang… But they felt like they missed something when they were separated…”       “People say that opposites attract.”       “I knew those people, who couldn’t live without scandals and got pleasure from screaming, having their hair pulled out, and getting slaps in the face. Of course, I don’t wanna live a boring life, but I don’t need it, either. I don’t guess what’s gonna happen tomorrow.”       “Especially, me.” Peter drinks a little bit of beer and knocks quietly at the bottle with his fingers. “Fighting for pleasure is not for me.”       “And it wasn’t for parents. There was always an amiable atmosphere at our home. Nobody shouted at each other. Everybody tried to explain everything quietly. Of course, Cass and I confronted constantly, but our parents tried to calm us down quickly.”       “I get it.”       “I used to give a fuck about what was happening at my home. I was indifferent to everything about home. But now I miss that atmosphere…” Daniel drinks some beer from his bottle. “Oh… It hurts that we start to appreciate something when we lose it… Or when we grow up and have to change something…”       “I wanna forget my past and pretend that all of that didn’t happen to me.”       “And I’d like to come back there at least for two minutes. Remember the times that I didn’t appreciate because of my stupidity.”       “You know, buddy…” Peter pronounces with a slight smile. “I kinda wanna go to your past… To see how a happy, loving family lives.”       “Ah, Peter, you’d love the atmosphere at our home…” Daniel smiles shyly. “Especially, on Christmas… Our home was decorated with some garland, lights, and other things… Mother cooked all her best dishes… I still remember the smell of the baked turkey that she cooked every year… It was so soft, luscious, with some spices… Father and I adored it. We could eat it for two minutes. And then we puff like a locomotive because of overeating.”       “Damn, if you keep talking so deliciously, I’m gonna wish to eat.”       “I already want a piece of that turkey. But I’ll hardly eat it ‘cause Mother was the only one to cook it so that I liked.”       “But you could find a recipe.”       “No, she cooked it specially.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “She always had her cooking secrets that she never told anyone. Mother took some notes, but I have nothing, sadly. Well, even if I had something, I wouldn’t cook anything. Because I’m fucking bad at cooking.”       “Oh, yeah, having one fire truck wouldn’t be enough.”       “And the best moment was sharing gifts. It was so great to open a pack and get what you wanted. We had a big, puffy tree, under which there could be a lot of gifts. When Cass and I were kids, our parents pretended that Santa Claus brought them. Though, I always knew they bought gifts.”       “Honestly, I’ve never believed in Santa Claus,” Peter confesses. “I didn’t believe miracles could happen on Christmas. I never knew what celebrating Christmas with close people and feeling something special on that day was like. And I had nobody to celebrate with… I didn’t have a family.”       “Believe it or not, but there’s something special about this holiday.”       “It was a usual day for me,” Peter says thoughtfully, scratching the back of his head. “Which I spend at home, all alone, being wrapped in a warm blanket to save myself from coldness, drinking hot coffee or chocolate, and thinking about how to get out of that shit. Christmas meant nothing to me. I never decorated a tree, had a special dinner, made a wish… Nothing happened!”       “You missed much, dude,” Daniel drinks beer from his bottle. “Christmas is an amazing holiday!”       “I realized it some time ago when I agreed to celebrate it at the home of Helene and her grandmother last year. They invited me many times, but I always refused. But since Marshall and I started to date, I agreed to celebrate Christmas with her.”       “Even if I hadn’t wanted to celebrate, I would’ve been made. Celebrating Christmas was a demanding tradition for our family. You could do what you want, but you must’ve been home on Christmas Eve and the day of Christmas. It was never violated. Thanks to my parents, I know almost all the traditional Christmas songs. We sang them all together… At first, we tuned them on a music system, and when I learned to play guitar more or less, I started to play those songs. My favorites are ‘Joy To The World’, ‘Silent Night,’ and ‘Deck The Hall.’”       “I also love Christmas carols and singing them. ‘Let It Snow’ got stuck in my mind a long time ago…”       “But I didn’t aim to spend a lot of time with my family. Yes, I didn’t forget them, but I didn’t feel attraction. Once, I argued with my parents ‘cause I refused to celebrate Christmas and wanted to get somewhere with my friends. I liked all these things in childhood, but I got sick of it in a teenage age. I wanted more freedom. It was the time of protests against everything and everyone.”       “Was everything so planned at your home that you could get a punishment for any crime?”       “No, it didn’t happen,” Daniel chuckles kindly. “It was just a special day when we all could spend time together. My parents were getting ready for that with special pleasure. Literally one or one and a half months before. So, they made me forget about my plans. Well, on the other days, we could do anything. But I only had time to go to school and hang out at someone’s home or in the city after lessons.”       “If the school didn’t exist, you wouldn’t have probably gone home and would’ve literally lived on the streets.”       “I wasn’t home too often. I went home to eat, sleep, and wash myself. And change my clothes.”       “I’m truly surprised that you didn’t skip school.”       “Kidding?” Daniel chuckles quickly. “I did! I went there when I was a child, but I started to skip lessons at times. But my teachers always told my parents about it. I got off it one time, but I could be pressed to the wall and made to go to lessons the next time. I studied well for some time, so everybody got off me, and then I pissed everything off.”       “Yeah, studied…” Peter chuckles shyly and drinks some beer from his bottle. “You picked up the smartest girls, who did everything for you.”       “Yeah, I had to ask the biggest nerds for help. And sometimes my teachers asked them to make sure that I understood what I didn’t wanna understand.”       “But as I see, it didn’t almost work.”       “I didn’t actually care about it. Even if I sometimes went to school at my wish, I nobody listened to teachers and had fun with my friends at the back tables.”       “Idiots like you are the reason why guys, who crave to get knowledge, can’t study. Because they were bored by some creature, who shot paper balls and pulled girls by the hair.”       “C’mon!” Daniel waves a hand. “Those, who needed it, did study! Nerds could study in any situation. Even if guns make a shoot, they keep solving the hardest problems that would never be necessary in life.”       “They make brains work.”       “In case you know how to solve them. But when you see Chinese hieroglyphs that you don’t know, your brain won’t thank you.”       “I imagine how much your teachers disliked you for giving them so many problems.”       “Yeah, I wasn’t their favorite boy.” Daniel chuckles quietly. “I had an especially tense relationship with my physics teacher. I cursed everything when going to lessons with that annoying old man. And he didn’t like me a lot.”       “I guess all your teachers danced on the table after the graduation ceremony.”       “When we were at the graduation ceremony, that teacher came to me and thanked me for graduating from school. He honestly confessed that he dreamed of that day. He joked that he’d drink to the hell from happiness.”       “When they spent the hooligan to adult life, they definitely drank something stronger than vodka.”       “But I must confess that the physicist and I said goodbye in a pretty good way. We even hugged each other.”       “I guess he had drunk a glass before,” Peter assumes with a slight smile.       “Maybe,” Daniel drinks some beer from his bottle. “Anyway, my school years were cool.”       Daniel and Peter crack a smile and drink some beer, trying not to rush and drink everything at once.       “And actually, it was impossible to call Cassidy and me good children,” Daniel confesses with a slight smile. “I couldn’t stay in the same place and loved to hang out with my friends. And Cass was disappearing all day long with her friends… Among whom there were only boys.”       “Only boys?” Peter wonders. “Didn’t Cassidy have friends among girls?”       “She got on poorly with them. She says it’s easier for her to speak to boys. Actually, my sis doesn’t like all these female things.” Daniel chuckles kindly. “The kid always got mad when she received dolls and dresses as gifts. She resented when our parents didn’t let her play with toys that she took from me and wear my clothes.”       “So, a tomboy…”       “Cass never aimed to be feminine and tender. Mother tried to give her love for feminine habits and encouraged her to dress up like a girl. But that girl was stubborn… She never had makeup, made some hairstyles, and rarely wore dresses… She wore my clothes, which I had in childhood… Played with my toys…”       “Considered herself a boy?”       “No, she didn’t call herself a boy. She didn’t have problems with gender issues… Cassidy talked about herself as a girl and introduced herself by her name… She didn’t just wanna be feminine and hear Mother’s lectures about being a girl and having to act correctly.”       “I think she will come to this someday if nobody makes her.”       “Cass was really mad when our parents put dresses on her and got tender feelings, saying she was so cute and beautiful. I have photos of her wearing these clothes. She has a gloomy face and poured lips in them. But she smiles widely and played the fool in the photos of her wearing my t-shirts and pants.”       “Weren’t you mad when she stole your clothes?”       “No, I wasn’t. I didn’t care. Those clothes were too small for me, and many of them looked too childish. And I wanted something mature through the years. Stylish jeans, t-shirts with sassy signatures, leather jackets…”       “Did she buy something for her?”       “Of course, she did. Mother often took her to a store. She hoped they’d go to the girls’ section… But my sister went to the men’s one.”       “Was Cassidy always like this or since a certain age?”       “Always. We understood it when Cass refused to wear a pink dress. She was one. At first, Father tried to dress her up, but then he asked Mother to help. But alas, until we found shorts and a t-shirt of neutral colors, that girl kept shouting and crying.”       “So, was the case about the taste, not the teenage age?”       “I think so. But when she grew up a little, the situation got a little worse. It was possible to agree with her when she was a child, but then Cassidy stopped listening.” Daniel cracks a smile and drinks some beer. “Father said she gave much more problems than I did. And it’s true. Cassidy was a wild child: playing the fool with boys, joking with them and someone else, and fighting at times. She went home with bruises and blood. Teachers and our parents tried to make her feel ashamed many times and said she was a girl. But my sister got much madder. Cass thinks a tender and feminine girl is a stereotype. A thing from the past. A girl could kinda be different. Not only sigh sensually when getting compliments and faint from strong feelings.”       “It looks like a protest to some extent. A wish to be heard and noticed.”       “Or non-acceptance of herself. Girls dislike themselves and try to hide all their shortcomings at a young age.”       “Didn’t Cassidy like herself?”       “I’d say yes. Every time she looked in the mirror, she said it was disgusting for her to look at herself. Mother said she just needed to dress up beautifully, do makeup, and get her hair done, but my sister didn’t want to.”       “But that’s not the truth. I personally think Cassidy is quite a sympathetic girl. If she made herself look much better, she’d be a beauty.”       “I guess she just needs a good adult guy that would help her believe in her and become feminine.”       “She will meet! She’s only nineteen. She’ll get cured, come to herself, get friends, and meet a guy.”       “I’m glad she’s able to fall in love and wants it. Even despite what happened to her, my sis still wanna meet someone and be loved.”       “The most important thing is not to rush.”       “And not to count on someone to be taken.”       “Did she fall in love with a taken guy?”       “She definitely got a crush…” Daniel smiles mysteriously. “And Helene would get nervous if she knew it.”       “Helene?” Peter frowns slightly. “Does she have to do with it?”       “Haven’t you gotten it? Cassidy got a crush on you.”       “Me?”       “Yup. She told me about it. Asked if you dated someone. But I had to make her upset by saying you already got a girlfriend.”       “My gosh…” Peter smiles shyly.       “Yay, blond, you made the heart of the little girl melt. She did not like Terrence MacClife himself and his brother Edward as much as she liked you. Though, she said those two were also handsome.”       “M-m-m, I’m imagining how you turned on the bad brother mode and resented it,” Peter laughs shyly.       “No, I didn’t.” Daniel drinks some beer from his bottle. “Of course, I wouldn’t mind if you became my family member. But I prefer seeing you next to Helene.”       “Is this how you softly let Cassidy know that you wanted to hear nothing about her crush on me?”       “Oh, oh, look how someone got excited!” Daniel laughs shyly. “Smiling, getting blushed, getting shy…”       “Yes, it’s nice,” Peter says with his head proudly raised. “Nice to be so popular among girls.”       “Yeah, but don’t open your mouth too widely. Hear me, blond sex bomb…” Daniel claps Peter's hand. “You’ve got Helene, a beautiful and caring girl. But my sister must get healed. When she comes to herself, she will think of boys.”       “So, couldn’t the girl have a crush on a handsome guy at quite a young age?”       “Of course, she could. I just want you to be careful. Marshall wouldn’t like to watch you purr like a happy cat and roll your eyes, being surrounded by girls.”       “They support my belief that I’m irresistible and attractive. And I have Helene for love and care.”       “Watch out, Sammy will quickly deal with you if he dislikes something.”       “Relax, Perkins, it’s gonna be cool!” Peter raises his thumb up. “And don’t get excited every time Cassidy talks about having a crush on someone.”       “No, I won’t give her to anyone so easily.” Daniel drinks some beer from his bottle. “Without my permission, Cassidy won’t date anyone and especially get married.”       “Oh, yeah, you’re a dangerous dude,” Peter laughs shyly and takes a sip of beer.       “And when Cass learns to be beautiful and feminine, I’ll have to give much more effort to look for some bastards. I’m sure that my sister could be very beautiful. She is too similar to Mother. Who was a gorgeous woman and always took care of her. That’s why Father admired her and pleased her ‘till the last day of his life. Clothes, jewelry, cosmetics, a hair salon…”       “I don’t know what about your mother and father, but she’s really like you,” Peter notices thoughtfully and looks at Daniel closely. “Hair color, eye color, some features…”       “Yeah… We’re alike. Not as much as the MacClife brothers are, but we’ve got many common things.”       “If she got a beautiful hairstyle, she’d be more beautiful.”       “My sister used to have such beautiful long hair. Many girls would’ve envied her. As well as Mother’s hair. She cut it regularly but kept the same length and didn’t aim to make radical changes.”       “Cassidy was a tomboy but had long hair?”       “Yeah, but she always gathered it in a bun. Though, she didn’t aim to cut it, and our parents didn’t let her get a short hairstyle. Father always said the most beautiful thing that any woman has is long hair. Well-groomed, well-cut hair with a good smell.”       “Hey, what happened to her hair? Did she cut it?”       “No, not her, but Wainwright.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “Cass said she had boy’s hair for a long time, but now her hair reached her shoulders.”       “Oh, poor girl…” Peter exhales sharply with sadness in his eyes. “She suffered so much because of that bastard…”       “That scumbag died and is burning in hell.”       “I hope she’ll find the will to move on. It would be bad if the memories of Wainwright didn’t let her start a new life and get happy.”       “No, she will forget everything,” Daniel promises confidently. “I won’t leave her and will do my best to help her. It’s gonna be hard, but I have to. As an older brother, I must take care of her.”       “Haven’t you agreed to her therapy?”       “No yet. But soon, I’m gonna contact the clinic that her doctor recommended.”       Daniel and Peter fall into silence for a few seconds to drink some beer. Then the men glance at Sammy at a different time, while the dog gets interested in something in the corner and starts to sniff and touch it with his paw.       “I want to be by my sister’s side not only because of the responsibility,” Daniel confesses with sadness in his eyes. “But also because I’m ashamed of her. Ashamed of giving a fuck about her. I always behaved like she never existed. We weren’t enemies, but we weren’t too close. I was never interested in who she hung out with and what she was doing… I didn’t really care!”       “Weren’t you made to babysit her?”       “Of course, I was. But I never agreed to do it at my wish. When Father worked, I was at home, and Mother needed to go out somewhere, she asked me to watch Cassidy. Sometimes I refused and went somewhere not to become a nanny. And sometimes I agreed when I was promised money or a thing.”       “A child can’t be left alone. Someone must watch the one.”       “Yeah, but the child was like a dog’s fifth leg to me. I didn’t wanna be a nanny and watch that little girl, who shouted and cried constantly. You know how loudly Cass shouted when she was a baby. I thought I’d go crazy when Mother was feeding her, playing with her, and putting her to sleep. But I had to learn to do all of that against my wish. I mean, I watched Mom or asked her something.”       “So, do you have some experience?”       “I could say so.” Daniel drinks some beer from his bottle. “If someone gave me a child and asked me to watch the one, I wouldn’t get confused.”       “How good were you as a young daddy?” Peter laughs shyly.       “More or less. I was lucky that Cassidy was quiet with me. She ate everything I gave her… Slept well… Or just stared at me and made some funny sounds.”       “And it made you indifferent?”       “Nope… Looking at her, tender feelings woke up inside me sometimes, and I started to believe I love my sister.” Daniel cracks a smile. “Being a child, Cass was spreading happiness. I got kind of better when I looked into her eyes. Saw her toothless smile. Heard her making some sounds. But I quickly forgot all of that when I stopped being a nanny. And when she grew up, and we started to fight over toys and steal each other’s stuff, there was no talk about love.”       “Didn’t you react to the news about getting a sister?”       “No. I didn’t do. I was eight when Mother and Father came to me and said I’d have a brother or a sister. They said I’d defend and love the baby. But I didn’t care. I listened and nodded, but I felt nothing.”       “It was indifference or jealousy?”       “It’s amazing, but I wasn’t jealous. I was indifferent. I didn’t care that Mother and Father started to give me less attention and got ready for the birth of the baby. And I lived as usual… Even when they sometimes got me involved in those things, I kept being indifferent. No delight, no curiosity, no aggression…”       “Even when you saw your newborn sister?”       “Aha. Even when my mother came home with the baby, I was something like, ‘A girl? A sissy? Well, cool. I’m glad.’ But I dunno… Maybe, it was something like a shock… I was used to being the only child, and then someone suddenly came back home with something that moved and was wrapped in a blanket.”       “But did you hate or love her deep inside?”       “I don’t know, Peter… At first, I had mixed feelings.” Daniel drinks some beer from his bottle. “I didn’t know if I loved my sister… But when she started to speak and walk, Cass started to annoy me. We confronted much, and I aimed to get outta home. My parents told me something, but I didn’t hear them. I wanted to be responsible for nothing and nobody. I thought I was too young and didn’t wanna waste my time on my sister that I never asked. Really. There weren’t moments when I came to Mom or Dad and asked them to make a brother or a sister.”       “I get it.” Peter takes a sip of beer. “I believe the same thing would’ve happened to Terrence and Edward if they’d been growing up and living together. They would’ve hardly lived in peace because both are stubborn and by far not innocent angels. Yes, we know that MacClife, Sr., was happy with his brother’s birth and was interested in him. But their relationship could’ve been ruined later because of their characters.”       “But I think they would’ve gotten on well. Maybe, they would’ve confronted at times, but they would’ve been very close. Just like now: Edward and Terrence argue in any situation, but they can’t do without each other.”       “Anyway, that’s good they learned about each other much later.”       “As people say, it’s for the best.”       “I think you and Cassidy will also get much closer. She’s not a baby, and you’re not a boy. You’ve got nothing to share… Nothing to fight for…”       “I really have nothing to fight with my sister for. She’s my only relative that I have.”       “As well as you are for her. She’s got nobody else to ask for help. Cassidy counts on you, and you can’t leave her.”       “You know…” Daniel drinks some beer from his bottle. “Watching Edward and Terrence’s relationship, I thought of my sister and me more and more. About what was happening between us. The MacClifes made me regret giving a fuck about Cassidy. And… I wanted to fix everything… But I thought it was too late… I thought my sister was dead…”       “But now you have a chance.”       “I’ve always liked their brotherly relationship. But now after what recently happened, I started to admire the way they treat each other much more.”       “Do you mean what Wainwright did?”       “Yup. The older brother took a risk for the younger one, even if he understood he could’ve died. And the younger brother was protecting him and wanted to be a victim… And… He saved his brother…”       “As I understand, MacClife, Sr., found a way to reach his brother ‘cause he’s more relaxed now.”       “Sometimes I think their parents don’t impact Edward as much as Terrence.”       “Maybe,” Peter cracks a smile. “Anyway, I love their relationship.”       “I still remember how sad Terrence was after the fight over the story of their uncle. They fought to the fuck… MacClife had bruises that his brother gave him for a long time. It was clear that the guy was nervous. Terrence pretended that he gave a fuck about Edward, but it wasn’t the truth.”       “Yeah, MacClife, Jr., went a little crazy because he thought the girl cheated on him. Also, his uncle washed his brains constantly and turned him against his brother, father, girlfriend, mother… Towards those, who accepted him.”       “However, Edward still has his own mind and might be unpredictable.”       “The important thing is that he’s a cool guy. Anyway, Edward is a wonderful friend.”       “And I must confess that his heroic actions sometimes lead to success.”       “Yeah, he wanted to revenge on Wainwright and did it!”       “I agree,” Daniel nods with a slight smile and drinks some beer again. “And I completely understand Edward’s reaction to what Wainwright did to Terrence. I understand Terrence’s anxiety about his brother and fear of losing him. Because… I felt all the same when I saw Cassidy. All the same… I was shaking at the thought that I could’ve lost her after we just met.”       “It won’t happen now,” Peter replies confidently and quietly and drinks some beer from his bottle. “She won’t also wish to leave you.”       “And she weaned herself on that shit because she couldn’t accept our parents’ death.”       “If I’m not mistaken, Cassidy was too young.”       “She was only twelve when we received a call from the hospital two weeks before her birthday, and the doctor told Mother that Father died at the deep night.”       “Two weeks before her birthday?”       “Yeah. But the celebration was an open question, ‘cause Father felt bad and started to fade away before our eyes.”       “But what was he sick with?”       “He had heart issues that got worse after a heart attack. He even got a surgery. It ended successfully. But it didn’t help him.”       “And what was his age?”       “At that moment, Father was forty-two.”       “Wow… So early…”       “That was what got us shocked. We couldn’t believe it happened. We refused to believe in his death… My mother and sister were disconsolate and crying along with Father’s stuff and the photos of him in their hands all day long. It was hard for me, too… I considered my father a close person. Most of his pieces of advice were good to me. And I memorized them for my whole life.”       “I get it.”       “It was too hard… Not harder than realizing that I was the only man in my family. I had to grow up and start to work. But I got used to everyday hangouts so much that it was hard for me to refuse them.”       “So, didn’t you work?”       “No, I worked. I earned something, but it wasn’t enough. And I jumped from one place to another, just like Edward did somehow. I had a one-side job… Or I got a permanent job but left it soon.”       “And your mother?”       Mother also had to go to work, but she did it, so to stay, rarely. She had such a strong depression that she ate nothing and stayed in her room all day long. She never worked and dedicated her life to the home and the family. Father provided us with everything, but the good times ended after his death. The fact that we had some money, which we saved for a bad day, helped us for a while.”       “Sometimes our plans aren’t the same as the ones that destiny has prepared for us. And adulthood may be so unexpected that you just get shocked and don’t understand how you just recently hung out with your friends, but now you have to work hard to earn money for food.”       “It was super hard for me.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “I knew it would happen early or late, but I didn’t think I’d do it so sharply and soon. I didn’t have time to come to myself after Father’s death and realize what happened.”       “It’s like a bucket of cold water splashed over your head?”       “Sorta.” Daniel drinks some beer from his bottle with sadness in his eyes. “But the situation got harder because of Cassidy. Her drug dependence.”       “Yeah…” Peter also drinks some beer. “If not for the death, she wouldn’t have taken that shit.”       “The case is not only about Father’s death. Cassidy said she wanted to be in the company of the boy she liked. Everybody sniffed the grass and let her taste it. And she couldn’t stop.”       “So, did Cassidy take drugs to get his attention on her?”       “And she got it. But Mother deprived her of any money after she heard about her passion for drugs from my sister’s familiar girls and found out that a large amount of money disappeared. They spoke to my sister ‘cause she was able to buy drugs. But… No money – we don’t wait for ya!”       “It’s like the case of my mother: when she had a bottle of vodka, she was accepted with open arms, but when she didn’t have it, they pissed her off.”       “Cass was young and silly. What kind of love could a thirteen-year-old-girl have? And that sixteen-year-old boy had no brains! Only thoughts of drugs and hangouts.”       “Yeah…” Peter pronounces gloomily. “She told him everything, but he kinda supported her and gave her that shit.”       “Right…” Daniel tightly grips the bottle of beer in his hands. “But if I’d known, I would’ve put his head all over the wall. Because of him, I almost lost my sister. The poor girl felt too bad after Father’s death, but drugs made her life much worse.”       “I’m afraid to imagine what happened after her mother’s death.”       “We lost Mother six months later after Father’s death. She also barely turned forty… Father and she knew each other since childhood and had the same age. At first, they were friends… Then they fell in love and decided to wait until eighteen to get married. They kept studying and graduated… Father started to work, and Mother got busy with the homework. And I was born when they were twenty-one.”       “They agreed to let them get married on the condition that my parents would get a high education. And then they supported them until their deaths.”       “Wow…”       “After my father’s death, my mother lost the meaning of life. She was falling into depression, stopped eating, spent hours in her room with my father’s stuff in her hands, and viewed some photos and cassettes with him. And…” Daniel falls into silence for two seconds to swallow up nervously. “I don’t know if this is a coincidence, but Mother also ended up in the hospital with a heart attack. Although she never had heart issues. But while my father fought for a long time, she didn’t hold on even for one week. She didn’t wanna fight and live. Even for Cass and me. Though, she knew we needed her.”       “Were you next to her before she died?”       “Yeah… Cassidy was crying and begging Mother to survive… She swore she’d stop taking drugs… Asked for forgiveness for making the mistake… It was madly hard to watch that scene… My heart was tearing.”       “I get it,” Peter pronounces with sadness in his eyes.       “Before their deaths, Mother and Father begged me not to leave Cassidy. Father reminded me that I was an older brother and must’ve felt the responsibility for my sister. And Mother… Mother asked me to give her the love that she did not give. And… A few minutes before her death, she was holding the hands of Cass and me and asked us to stay together. And love each other… And when she said she loved us, Mother died. Before our eyes.”       “I’m so sorry, dude, really.”       “That day became our worst one. We stayed alone. Without our parents. We had nobody else. And I should’ve educated Cassidy. A thirteen-year-old girl that was pressing herself to me, crying bitterly, and saying she wanted to be with Mom and Dad. There was nobody, who could calm me down. I should’ve calmed my sister down. Though, I also wanted to howl and freak out.”       “Oh, how awful…”       “Sadly, she saw Mother dying from start to end. It impacted her mental health badly. One thing is when you’re just told about someone’s death. And another is when you see someone suffering. At least, at the age of twenty-one, I was ready to accept just a little bit of responsibility. I couldn’t piss her off and gave a fuck about her feelings. I was ready to be by her side. But… I didn’t complete my mission. I didn’t watch my sister enough. I didn’t let her take anything from home and confronted her constantly because of that. But she stole something anyway. And one day, Cassidy left home forever, taking something from Mother’s jewelry.”       “The necklace she gave you?”       “It was one of the things.” Daniel falls into silence. “But something else happened before…”       “What?”       “A few weeks after Mother’s death… Erm…” Daniel takes a sip of beer and exhales sharply. “Cassidy tried to kill herself.”       “What?” Peter rounds his eyes full of horror. “Kill herself?”       “Yeah…”       “Did she… Erm…”       “No, she didn’t cut her veins,” Daniel shakes her head. “She drank the whole pack of sedatives when being in her room. Cass would’ve used the second one, but I found her in time. Though, it was hard ‘cause she was resisting, screaming, and beating me strongly. I did it only when she started to lose consciousness. I called an ambulance immediately, and she was taken to the hospital. I was told I could’ve lost my sister if I hadn’t reacted in time.”       “Poor girl… How much she has survived…”       “I’m shocked, too… She’s such a baby, but she has suffered much more than any adult person.”       “I’ve got nothing to say… Seriously…”       “It’s very hurtful for her to talk about the suicide attempt. Just like about what happened. So, try not to ask her about that. And I will warn the men and the girls.”       “Don’t worry, Daniel, I won’t even start a talk about it.”       “The fact that Cassidy told me everything was enough. I knew a lot, but she told the full story in all detail. Not very nice ones…”       “So, it happened that Cassidy a homeless all this time? Where did she live? Sleep? What she wore?”       “Cass said she was really homeless and wandered in the whole city. Spending a night where she could… But my sister was under the control of Wainwright for most of the time.”       “Hey, how did Cassidy actually meet him? It happened after your father’s death?”       “No, after Mother’s death.” Daniel drinks some beer. “The boy, who got her addicted to drugs, gave her the number of Wainwright on the condition that she’d pay for that shit for her, him and his friends. But when my sister lost the opportunity to get money, all those drug addicts pissed her off. As I’ve said, they only needed her money. They didn’t need her without it.”       “So, they wanted to get it for free…”       “But she didn’t lose contact with Wainwright. At first, he was getting drugs for her on the condition that she’d pay her debts and gave his money. But later, he decided to close his eyes to it if she’d agreed to make his dirty and disgusting wishes come true.”       “It happened after she left home?”       “Yes. Cassidy left home two months later after our mom’s death.”       “Oh, shit…” Peter drinks some beer from his bottle. “It seems like your family was cursed.”       “Yeah… That time was super hard for us. Life was absolutely ruined… But it changed my attitude toward my sister and my family… I started to realize that she was my close person. And she’d always be the one. I started to feel some responsibility.”       “Did your parents’ death change the relationship between you and Cassidy?”       “Yeah, for a while.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “We got closer when our parents were sick and dying. But after Father’s death, Cass took drugs for the first time and became aggressive and irritated. She couldn’t talk quietly and lied insolently… Yes, she was always a little harsh and sassy. But Cass wasn’t deprived of kindness and shame. And after Mother’s death, everything got much worse. And while I, trying to accept that I was the only one to feed my family, tried to find money, Cassidy was poisoning herself with drugs.”       “Hey, didn’t she feel lonely or like a stranger?” Peter drinks some beer from his bottle. “Maybe, her parents didn't understand her and banned her from something? Or were they too busy with themselves and their business?”       “I think she really needed parental love. Father spent hours at work, and Mother was busy with the homework and barely had time to do everything. We only had time to talk at dinner, and then our parents went to sleep. Cassidy and I didn’t spend much more time with them. And my sister and I didn’t almost talk. And when we met, we always confronted.”       “Didn’t you feel lonely?”       “Sometimes I also lacked conversations with them. Especially, when I was a child. Just a heart-to-heart talk. Yes, our parents talked to us, but it wasn’t enough. Sometimes we wanted to share some feelings and emotions with them. They promised to listen to us, but they got too tired and forgot it.”       “I get it.”       “Though, I can’t blame them. Father worked for the best of his family. Thanks to him, we had a large, gorgeous house and enough money to live well. And Mother gave her everything to keep it in order and educate her two children. Yes, we could hire a servant, but she minded it and said another woman wouldn’t do anything in her kitchen. She didn’t hire a nanny. Neither when I was young. Nor when Cassidy was born.”       “And she was happy?”       “She liked housework. My grandparents taught her to cook, clean, and do multiple things at the same time in childhood. Mother was never scared by the perspective of staying home all day long. But that woman didn’t look like an exhausted housewife with dirty hair. Vice versa, she always had an opportunity to go to a hair salon or a store. Father never spared money for her beauty and encouraged her wish to stay beautiful and desired.”       “That’s how…”       “And… I think our parents understood that they didn't give Cass and me enough attention and tried to fix the situation, getting everybody together at weekends and on holidays. With the thought that they could save their business for later and spend time with the family at least once per week.”       “At least, they didn’t forget about you and Cassidy.”       “Yeah, but there were moments when we wanted to spend much more time with them. Cass suffered from a lack of her parents’ attention much more. We lived well but… We lacked togetherness… Live communication… Heart-to-heart talks… Even if I aimed to speak to my friends and hang out with girls more, there were moments when I wanted to talk to Father and Mother longer.”       “Yeah, buddy…” Peter exhales with sadness in his eyes. “It was hard for you to live… Even when you had everything…”       “Not everything…” Daniel drinks some beer from his bottle. “Sometimes we have to sacrifice one thing to get another. For example, Father cared about providing for his family and knowing that his close people lived in a good house and were able to buy anything. And… He sacrificed the time that he could’ve spent with my mom, my sister, and me. The same about Mother… She cared about making sure that the good house was clean and kept in order, and her children and husband were fed up in time and wore washed clothes.”       “Anyway, they tried to be good parents.”       “Oh, Peter, spending one day with your family is nothing… You spend one or two days with your family. Then you get busy with your work all day for the whole year, going home to eat, sleep, and wash yourself. Yes, that’s good, but it’s not enough. Cassidy and I kind of tried to compensate for this lack of attention by hanging out with our friends. We even fought, insulted, and behaved badly. It’s kinda similar to the case of Edward, who tried to get the attention of his father in this way.”       “Yeah…” Peter drinks some beer from the bottle. “Your life wasn’t what it seemed…”       “That’s right… Money didn’t make us happier… Because we were deprived of something more that we missed. Yes, I don’t wanna say there was a bad atmosphere at our home. Vice versa, it was very good. And I’ve said I miss that time. But… I wished everything was a little different.”       “Did you never tell us about your life because it was hurtful for you?”       “Yeah…” Daniel nods without emotions. “I wanted to forget everything and live like it didn’t happen to me. I could say I pretended to be another man. I was the only one to know the real me. And people saw just the mask.”       “Daniel…”       “And… I was ashamed… Ashamed to confess that my younger sister became a drug addict. I thought it would make me worse for my friends. That’s why I never told you about my past.”       “But you knew we wouldn’t judge you. You weren’t guilty that your sister took drugs!”       “There were moments when I blamed myself for everything. I thought… I did something wrong… It was my punishment for giving a fuck about my sister. Not being close to my family and not appreciating the moments that we spent together. So, fate decided to punish me and… Take all my close people.”       “No, Daniel, don’t say it. You’re guilty of nothing.”       “Maybe, I am not… But I’ve never been perfect… I’ve always had shortcomings.”       “Sometimes a person may have such beautiful dignity that it outstands their shortcomings.”       “I’m surprised that I didn’t end up on the street. I don’t live in poverty. Don’t suffer from a lack of money and food. I’m able to buy anything. Though, I could easily have only my underwear, wander somewhere, and live with kind people.”       “Many parents kick their children out when they barely turn eighteen. They don’t care how they’re gonna live and where. If they grow up, they must get out. But your father and mother did care about you. They bought you this house.”       “It’s one of the best gifts…” Daniel falls into silence and takes a great sip of beer. “My parents said they wanted to buy me a house when I was a child. But they wanted Cassidy to live with me, too. We should’ve learned how to live alone. I didn’t like the perspective of living with my sister. But I said nothing and just nodded.”       “And when did you get it?”       “On my twenty-first birthday. On that day, they gave me the keys and the documents, which claimed that I was the official owner of the house.” Daniel cracks a smile. “At least, they were never greedy for gifts. For example, my first car was good enough, not some second-hand thing. When I got my driver’s license at the age of sixteen, I was driving in the city all day long and felt sassy.”       “And you had tons of penalties?”       “I did,” Daniel laughs shyly. “For crossing the speed line. But when the euphoria was gone, I started to drive my car quieter. And it’s amazing that I’ve never gotten into a car accident. Though, I could’ve crushed myself a hundred times.”       “You definitely have a strong guardian angel. If you quietly leave the hell’s fire, shake something off, fix your hair, and move on.”       “You’re right! I’m surprised, too.”       “Hey, was Cassidy supposed to live with you at this house forever?”       “No, not always.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “Father and Mother wanted her to live with me before celebrating her eighteenth birthday, so she learned to live without someone’s help, and then buy her a house. They promised to help us for some time and prepare a foundation, but, as they thought, we should’ve kept living on our own. But those plans were ruined due to Father’s death.”       “They only bought this house?”       “Yup. And they helped me get used to this place. When I got the keys and the documents, the house was half-empty. But my parents bought some furniture little by little… Repaired something… Changed something… I said what I wanted, and they did everything.”       “Was Cassidy here when your parents were alive?”       “Yes, she was.”       “But if she knew where this house was, why didn’t she find you for so many years?”       “I think she wasn’t sure I still lived here. But I confess that I’m also surprised that she didn’t even try to find me. I’ve been living in this house since I became legal and am not gonna leave. Anyway, Cass already knows that she’s gonna live here after leaving the hospital.”       “At this house?”       “I won’t kick her out! Cassidy will choose one of the guest rooms, change everything she wants, and live. I’ll help her put herself in order. I’ll take her to a hair salon, let her pick up some clothes… Buy a phone, after all…”       “Maybe, you’ll save money on clothes if she wears yours,” Peter assumes with a quiet grin.       “If she wants, it’s okay. I’m not greedy. But she better buy something that fits her size. Of course, it would be great if Cass wore clothes for girls, but I won’t insist and will let her express herself.”       “That’s right. If Cassidy wants, she’ll ask to buy something for the girls. But if your sister wanna wear clothes for men, don’t ban her. She’s grown up and could hardly be changed.”       “You’re right… I don’t wanna make it worse. The only thing I’m gonna insist on is her therapy. Everything her doctors are gonna say. In this case, I’m gonna be harsh.”       “Cassidy does wanna get cured.”       “Yeah, but I’ll closely watch the process of therapy.”       “Your right.”       Daniel and Peter say nothing for two seconds to drink some beer from their bottles.       “Hey, what happened to the place where you lived with Cassidy and your parents?” Peter asks.       “Oh, honestly, I forgot about that house after Mother’s death,” Daniel confesses, as he squeezes the bottle standing on the table with both hands. “And when I decided to think about what to do with it, Cassidy had left home.”       “And you decided?”       “Yes.” Daniel drinks some more beer and glances aside. “I was tearing myself between this place and my parents’ home. But I spent a bigger part of my time at the home of my parents along with Cassidy. But after Mother’s death and my sister’s disappearance, it was madly hard for me to stay there. The latest memories caused sadness and a sense of loneliness. They made me cry… And… When I found the strength to move on, I decided to sell that house.”       “Get it…”       “I didn’t know the house could be sold or given to a rent. But if I’d done it, I would’ve better found someone to rent it. I would’ve had some money. However, my knowledge in the real estate sphere was worse than mathematics. So…” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “I didn’t think of the price and specified the amount of money, for which my parents bought the house, when adding an advertisement to a website on the Internet.”       “And what? You did it?”       “Yeah, a buyer was found quickly. A middle-aged man. Single, without children, worked at a good place, earned enough money… We got on well quickly… I showed him the house, and he agreed to buy it at once. But he was very surprised that I was ready to sell my house for such a small, as he thought, price. That man was generous enough and offered much more money. At first, I refused, but then I thought… Why not… And… I agreed… Luckily, he knew how to sell and buy apartments and houses and helped me register everything. And everything was ready, I gave him the keys and the documents and got a few million dollars. And even after I paid all the taxes, I had enough for a partial home improvement. And I lived well for some time.”       “But someday you had to think about what to do ‘cause your money was fading away.”       “Right, the money that I got for a one-sided job only let me buy food. I say nothing about clothes, stuff for the house, and other things. I couldn’t drink a glass of something strong at the bar. And I couldn’t take a girl anywhere. Someone wanted to go to a café, someone wanted to go to a cinema, and someone wanted to ride…”       “And what did you do?”       “My love for music saved me. When I was thirty-three, I remembered about it. After a long break.”       “Abandoned?”       “Yes. After Father and Mother’s death and Cassidy’s disappearance, I stopped playing guitar. And singing. I was in a bad mood. I spent my time getting used to a new life and accepting the fact that I had nobody.”       “Didn’t Cassidy love that?”       “She did. My sister loved playing guitar since early childhood. She loved it earlier than me. I took the guitar for the first time when I was sixteen or seventeen. Cass had already been able to play as a professional after a few years of working with a teacher.”       “Wow…”       “By the way, she taught me to play it.”       “Cassidy?”       “Yeah… I mean… She didn’t teach me… Somehow, I just showed an interest in what she was playing, and Cass showed a few chords. She played a simple song. And… I really liked it… So much that I started to study, too. On my own… By making mistakes and experimenting… With video lessons… And my sister helped me a little sometimes.”       “Great,” Peter pronounces with a slight smile.       “But I gave up on it several times ‘cause I couldn’t play well at first. I couldn’t remember chords, confused strings, bad my fingers were in blood after every lesson… It was hard for me. I mean, I didn’t wanna work hard… I wanted to play as perfectly as Cassidy immediately. But one day, I got so obsessed with a wish to learn to play that I braced myself. And when I could do something, it gave me the motivation to keep moving on.”       “I think it was hard for Cassidy, too.”       “At least, she never complained aloud. My sister was very stubborn when she did something that she liked. As Cass didn’t wanna study and understand what she heard at school, she got the results that she deserved.”       “Doesn’t she sing?”       “No, she doesn’t like singing. But Cass has always loved guitar. I did love it and often sang my favorite songs in the whole house when doing something.”       “Your parents liked it?”       “Yup, they liked it. Though, I was terrible at this thing. Yes, I’ve always had an ear, but I didn’t know how to work on it.”       “But now you’re a professional of your business.”       “I am now. We all started to work with teachers, who teach us to sing and play. We were good but got much better.”       “Everybody starts with something.” Peter drinks some beer. “I also played terribly and often sang out of tune. I also had nobody, who could show me all my mistakes. I played and sang, not knowing if it was right.”       “Anyway, we used our passion correctly and made it the source of our money.”       “We’re just madly lucky.”       “That’s cool I saw the announcement about the search for a bass guitarist. When I remembered about guitar, Lady Luck stood by my side. Luck that changed my life and gave me enough money to buy everything for the house. And I still have a small amount of money that I earned on performances with Albert’s band.”       “Yeah… I got really lucky, after all. I finally got out of the shit I lived in and moved into a more or less normal apartment that seemed a paradisiacal place to me.”       “Well, I wouldn’t say that place is paradisiacal.”       “I had no choice. And at first, everything wasn’t so bad ‘cause my neighbors were good and didn’t provoke fights first. Something got into their heads a few years ago.”       “Oh, Pete, I think you should already get outta that hole and search for something good,” Daniel exhales sharply and drinks some beer. “Now you can buy a good house or a good apartment. So, you play quietly, and your neighbors don’t threaten to call the police.”       “I’ve been thinking about it lately… I’m really sick of fighting with my neighbors and hearing the cats scream loudly. And I wanna sing well… At the top of my lungs… Not in a whisper… Moreover, I have the apparatus for recording songs, but I can’t use it because I need an isolated room where nobody can hear me. I have all the necessary software on my computer. And I know enough of the theory.”       “Maybe, you bring the apparatus here? The guys and I could record songs for ourselves or albums! Nobody would annoy us! My neighbors are good, without demons.”       “Nice idea…” Peter nods. “We need to talk to the MacClifes later and find out what they think of it.”       “Oh, they’ll agree!” Daniel waves his hand with a quiet chuckle. “If they don’t, nobody makes!”       While Peter chuckles quietly and shakes his head, Daniel drinks some beer again. Silence settles for two seconds, and then the blond breaks it:       “That’s good we have a band. I dunno what I would do now if I hadn’t joined Albert’s band, met good people, and started my one.”       “I consider it a prize for my suffering,” Daniel confesses.       “Me too.”       “Maybe, that time wasn’t always good, the work in Albert’s band was a great experience. I’m not gonna ignore it and pretend that I didn’t have that time in my life. I’m gonna say more – I’m thankful for that chance. Sometimes Sanderson was unfair, but thanks to him, I survived and started to live better.”       “I don’t also wanna forget that time. That chance let me start to have a lot of money. Stop counting every cent and plan a budget. Now I can quietly please myself with clothes, cool gadgets, or a glass of strong alcohol. And it won’t be bad for my budget.”       “Agree…”       “But there’s something that bothers me…” Daniel says thoughtfully and moves his sad eyes to his bottle. “And… I don’t know how it… How it’s gonna impact me… My future…”       “What do you mean?”       “The article… That is the reason why everybody hates me… Why the people curse me and wish me to die…”       “Erm…”       “I don’t know how I’m gonna perform and look into people’s eyes…” Daniel moves his sad eyes to Peter. “Everybody’s gonna think I’m guilty for what happened to you. I am an enemy to them. Especially those, who have a crush on you. You’ve got many enough fans.”       “You have nothing to be afraid of, dude,” Peter says quietly. “You’re guilty of nothing.”       “No, Peter, I am guilty.”       “Daniel…”       “Let’s be honest, those people are right to some extent,” Daniel stops. “They say I’m guilty of what you did, and that’s the truth. I mocked you somehow. Laughed at you because you didn’t have a relationship. And it pushed you to the edge more and more.”       “I blamed nobody and will not blame for that situation.”       “Please, Peter, don’t deny it. I am guilty of your wish to kill yourself to some extent.”       “You didn’t know what happened to me. You didn’t know why I refused to have relationships and go on dates. I made you think something wasn’t right about me. That I had no experience communicating with girls and was as innocent as a virgin. That I was fragile. And it wasn’t something like normal to you…”       “Knew or not, I can’t deny I didn’t have to do with that case. I gave you a strong pain. I constantly hit the same place. And I’m not surprised you eventually lost your temple and attacked me.”       “I should’ve just told everything, forgetting about my fears and doubts. We’ve known each other for a long time, and you would’ve understood me. Silence was my greatest mistake, which was bad for me and the other people.”       “Don’t blame yourself. There’s nothing surprising in your reaction. You behaved as it was expected.”       “Don’t blame yourself, too. And don’t pay attention to what people say and write. Someone just wanted to get a piece of fame. And chose you as a victim. But the next time, someone else is gonna be the one. The media loves making scandals and spreading rumors.”       “I know that celebrities may run into something worse.” Daniel drinks some beer from the bottle. “But you know how terrible it is to hear how someone blames you for bringing a person to the wish to die. And when I read everything they wrote about me with amnesia, I believed it and started to feel ashamed. I was ashamed that someone tried to kill themselves because of me.”       “Yeah… Everything happened at a very bad time… When we couldn’t prove that it was a lie to you and the people, who insulted you and even wished you to die.”       “I… Tried to understand why all of you spoke to me as if nothing happened. But I was especially surprised by the way you treated me because… If it’d been true, you were supposed to hate me much more. But you supported me…”       “Because I knew the truth and was ready to stand for it ‘till the end. I resented that they wrote it about you. The voice inside me screamed it was unfair and made me fight in any way and let the people know the truth. We all knew it and stood our ground. Even if we could do nothing…”       “But you’re gonna lie if you tell everyone I’m not guilty. You know that’s not the truth.”       “No, Daniel. I’ve never blamed you and will not blame you for what happened. My demons were guilty. My weakness. My loneliness. There was nobody to help me get stronger and teach me to defend myself and pay no attention to those, who wanted to humiliate and hurt me. I let myself be vulnerable, and I paid a lot for that. But everything would’ve been different if I had been able to raise my voice and keep my fists ready. Behaved like I ruled everything. No matter if I was a leader or an outsider.”       “Anyway, that case changed a lot… For me… It made me think of me… About who I am… About my life… Think about whether I did everything right…”       “Everyone makes mistakes.”       “Moreover…” Daniel takes a sip of beer. “I was horrified when I saw you with open veins. When I saw my sister swallowing tablets of a sedative in her room. I wasn’t ready for that. I expected anything but that.”       “I’m sorry that you and Terrence had to see that.”       “You know… When you told us you wanted to die, I thought of Cassidy and compared her with you often. Your suicide attempt became the moment when I started to think of her more and more. About my family. About what happened many years ago… I tried not to think about that time and remembered my past all alone on the birthday of my sister, father, and mother. But… I got more obsessed with grief for my family after that case.”       “Now I understand why it was a shock to you.”       “Yeah… I was shocked that you actually did it, and Terrence and I didn’t come to ourselves after what we heard from Helene and Jessica. I think if MacClife hadn’t been with me, I would’ve kept standing like a column and done nothing. Blood in the bathroom made me dumbfounded. I was frozen and couldn’t move.”       “But how did you brace yourself in Cassidy’s case?”       “I made myself do it.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “Because I knew if I had done nothing, I would’ve lost my sister. I was madly afraid to stay alone. Well… I stayed alone… I lost my whole family for one and a half years… I thought I lost.”       “You know…” Peter falls into silence for a second and places the bottle of beer on the table. “If someone had told me what I’m gonna confess now, I would’ve probably been laughing at that person for a long time.”       “Confess what?” Daniel frowns slightly.       “What used to be unreal to me.” Peter glances at his bandaged hand placed in front of him on the table. “I’m glad I didn’t die on that day. Really. Very happy. My death would’ve been my greatest mistake.”       “You’re serious?”       “Absolutely,” Peter nods confidently, moving his eyes to Daniel. “And I must thank you and Terrence for that. If you hadn’t gone to my home, you and I wouldn’t be talking with a bottle of beer.”       “We did it for friendship. We had no time to think of offenses and disappointment. I mean… I stopped thinking about it when I saw you on the day when George told us to come to him and gave us two weeks to choose the future of the band. And when we heard about your wish to die, I forgot that at all.”       “I think… I haven’t still thanked Terrence and you… It’s been a few months, but I haven’t thanked you for not letting me make the greatest mistake in my life.”       “C’mon, blond, stop!”       “Really, Dan, thank you,” Peter cracks a smile. “Thank you for not letting me die. I’m sorry for not sharing what happened inside me and not aiming to open myself even to my closest friends. Pretending that everything was okay and making me bite the bullet not to explode when someone talked about what hurt me.”       “We’ve talked about that situation, and you explained everything more than just clearly.”       “And I’m really glad. Glad there were people, who gave me a hand. Did everything to make me feel better.”       “I’d like to believe our efforts were worth it.”       “They were.” Peter drinks some beer. “Although I had a lot of fun with my friends, I wasn’t the Peter that I am now. I was a fake. A different man, not myself. Everybody knew me as a sanguine idiot, who treated everything optimistically. And they didn’t even suspect that a scared, self-loathing boy, who was afraid of literally everything in the world, was hidden under the shell. But after revealing what had poisoned me for many years, I got better. And I started to become the one, who I was pretending to be.”       “You’ve really changed a lot. At first sight, you’re an innocent boy. But you’re a man with a tough character. You could smash a hit, raise your voice, and answer verbally. You learned to be confident and harsh. You were awesome during the fight with Wainwright.”       “I accepted that fight as a check. As a challenge. As a chance to know what I could do. Whether I got scared in front of danger. Whether I had enough strength to deal with such a strong man. I always thought I’d… Lose if someone attacked me. I wasn’t sure about my strength and thought I didn’t have enough.”       “But as you see, there is enough.”       “Maybe, I became confident and braver… But there is a thing that still makes me scared. A fear of staying all alone. Without friends… Without a girlfriend… Without a dog… I was alone for so long that I am now shaking at the thought that it will happen again. That I’ll have nobody by my side. That nobody will hear me and comfort me if I say something. That’s what I will never accept. No enemy can make me shake as strongly as the threat of staying all alone.”       “No, Peter, you’ll never be alone,” Daniel says confidently with a slight smile. “Yes, maybe, you don’t have a family, but you have friends, who will always come to help.”       “I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d lost them. I wouldn’t have accepted that.”       “I don’t also wanna stay alone. Only my friends helped me accept the fact that I didn’t have a family. If I had had nobody, I would’ve hardly wanted to live. But luckily, I have close people. My little sister, whom I love so much. And my best friends, who I shall owe until the end of my life.”       “My friends are my family that I never had. Thanks to them, I understood that even the worst outsiders could be respected.”       “It doesn’t matter if you were an outsider or a leader. The important thing is that you’re a good man!”       “I’m grateful to all of you for helping me feel like a man. A persona, who has the right to their opinion. And letting me know that differing from others wouldn’t mean being bad.”       “Anyway, keep being you. Be who you are, and don’t change to please someone. It’s super easy to lose the real you when trying to pretend to be someone else and making someone love what you have outside.”       “I don’t regret what happened to me. Sometimes we have to get kicks on the ass. There are cases when someone needs to have shock therapy.”       “That’s right,” Daniel agrees with a slight smile.       “If everything hadn’t happened to me, I wouldn’t probably have met such cool friends and… Wouldn’t have played in the band.”       “Without you, our lives would’ve also been different. And the band wouldn’t have been successful without its talented drummer.”       “As well as without its inimitable bass guitarist. As Terrence said, we complete each other. Now everything’s in the right place.”       “Yeah…” Daniel quickly takes a sip of beer from his bottle. “Anyway, the question about my situation is still open.”       “Daniel…” Peter exhales slowly. “We’ve talked about it…”       “I don’t mean it. I mean the fans. They wrote so much about me that I still have my hair standing. And I don’t know how to fix it. The band might lose many fans just because of me.”       “It’s okay! We’d better have fewer real fans.”       “Listen, maybe I should leave the band?” Daniel asks hesitantly. “The band’s fans are asking me about it. And… If it saves the situation, I… I’m ready to do it.”       “What?” Peter rounds his eyes and shakes his head sharply. “No, no, I don’t believe it… It’s said by you, the man, for whom the band means so much!”       “I’m ready to do this to save the band’s reputation.”       “Are you really afraid of those, who believe the insolent lie? They wish you to die, but you want to give them a reason to be happy!”       “People will always see the enemy in me. The enemy, who mocked his victim. For them, I am the one, who treated you much worse than it actually happened.”       “No, Daniel, you won’t do this,” Peter says confidently. “Don’t even think about it! The MacClifes and I won’t let you go. We won’t let you leave!”       “I wanna do it for you, guys. You shouldn’t suffer because of me.”       “I said don’t dare! If you leave us, the band will stop existing.”       “I don’t want it, but the fans don’t wish to see me.”       “What if they want?”       “No. No excuses will help me.”       “No, buddy, you won’t have to excuse yourself,” Peter replies with a slight smile.       “Why do you think so?”       “Everybody’s apologizing to you. The people finally realized that they were fooled. They regret everything they sent you. Many folks have already deleted their posts with insults to you.”       “Really?” Daniel rounds his eyes.       “You can read some tweets with the hashtag #DanielWeAreSorry. Just in case.”       “What if I see something bad?”       “I’ve found no negative posts about you in the past few days.”       Daniel hesitates for two seconds, takes his phone from the table, and opens Twitter to make sure Peter is telling the truth. Then he can immediately see tons of tweets with this hashtag, a mention of his username, apologies, and cute things. It’s possible to see positive photos of the two men proving how friendly they are.       “Wow!” Daniel pronounces with a slight smile, scrolling down the Twitter feed. “They’re really tweeting nice things to me.”       “Sometimes they tweet too cute things,” Peter chuckles quietly. “They make me smile much wider than we smile when looking at our sweet couple of Edward and Natalia.”       “Oh…” Daniel exhales with relief. “I kinda got much better…”       “How long ago did you read what they wrote about you?”       “No, I didn’t read anything about me ‘cause I didn’t wanna get upset. I just saw a few horrible stories about Terrence, who is literally buried by the media.”       “Oh, I see it every day. We should just pay no attention to that… Or treat it with humor.”       “You know, it’s not funny to me now.”       “Remember how the lads and we laughed at the rumors about the band issues and recorded a video, on which we allegedly fought and beat each other.”       “And announced the breakup of the band in the end?”       “And posted on April Fool’s Day. It was hilarious to watch the reaction of our fans, many of whom really believed it.”       “So, do you suggest laughing at the rumors about the rivalry between you and me?”       “Why not?” Peter shrugs with a slight smile. “But this time, we can try to look natural. So, journalists start to post articles about the bassist and the drummer of ‘Against The System’ confirming their bad relationship and take screenshots with the best shots. And if they watched the video ‘till the end, they’d be overwhelmed.”       “Hear, Rose, I like your idea,” Daniel chuckles quietly and puts his phone aside. “Who needs proof, we will give it to them.”       “May the MacClife become witnesses of these things.”       “We could also call George!”       Daniel and Peter laugh quietly, still talking about their idea and drinking almost everything from their bottles. And while the men are busy with the talk, Sammy enters the home after walking somewhere in the back of the house and begins to sniff the furniture in the living room. By the way, the dog's hair looks a little wet as if he jumped in the pool and was swimming in it but went to the house quietly after shaking himself. At some moment, Sammy pays attention to the coffee table because the smartphone lying on it starts to play a loud sound.       “I think it’s yours,” Daniel frowns slightly.       “Sammy, give me the phone!” Peter exclaims.       Sammy carefully grabs the black phone book case in his mouth and brings it to Peter.       “Helene taught him to bring the phone,” Peter explains. “So, her grandmother doesn’t get up from the sofa too much.”       Peter takes the phone case and opens it.       “Oh, it’s Marshall!” Peter runs his finger over the screen and puts the phone to his ear. “Hello…”       Meanwhile, Sammy comes to Daniel and looks at him like he is asking for some caress that he gets, after all.       “Hi, Helene,” Peter pronounces amicably. “Are you free now? I thought you’d be late today.”       Peter listens to what Helene tells him for a few seconds.       “That’s how,” Peter pronounces, knocking on the table with his fingers, and smiles slightly. “Good.”       Sammy comes to Peter, who scratches his neck.       “And when are gonna be free? What? In one hour? Oh, great! So, we’ll meet in one hour.”       Sammy barks confidently, as if he wants to say something.       “Sammy is giving a greeting to you,” Peter laughs shyly and caresses Sammy’s head. “He’s sitting in front of me… Looking at me like a fresh piece of meat.”       The happy Sammy barks again and licks his mouth, while Daniel chuckles quietly.       “No, no, I’m not home,” Peter says confidently and moves his eyes to Daniel. “No, I’m at Daniel’s home. Yes, we’ve talked and solved everything. It’s okay now.”       Sammy does not stop looking at Peter, slowly listening to every single word.       “Listen, you can come here if you want. No, I think he wouldn’t mind.”       Peter moves his eyes to Daniel, who nods confidently with a slight smile on his face.       “Okay. Sammy and I will be waiting for you here. I’ll talk to Perkins, and the long-eared one will have some rest. Today, he ran so much that he begged Dan and me to take him in his arms.”       While Daniel chuckles quietly, running his hand through his hair and leaning on the table, Sammy barks quietly and stands on his paws, starting to wag his tail energetically.       “Okay, Helene, I got it,” Peter says with a slight smile, runs his hand through and over his hair, and smiles shyly. “I love you, too… Okay, see you soon.”       Peter turns off the call, puts his phone aside, and moves his eyes to the thoughtful Daniel.       “Helene will come here?” Daniel specifies.       “Yes, in one or one and a half hours,” Peter nods. “I expected that she’d leave work late, but she did it earlier.”       “Well, I think we’ll have time to drink a second bottle of beer. Ah, yeah, I forgot we drank the last two ones.”       “Don’t misuse beer too hard, buddy. You may ruin yourself by drinking very soon.”       “Don’t worry, blond, I promise I won’t ruin myself by drinking and will stop smoking a few packs per day.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “Of course, I won’t refuse to drink, ‘cause I love something strong. But I will stop smoking. At least to sing well and stop choking with a cough.”       “Look, Perkins, if you don’t stop smoking, you’ll have to deal with the MacClife brothers and me,” Peter threatens with a finger. “We’ll surely make you come to yourself.”       “Okay, okay, Rose, I got it,” Daniel raises his hands up with a quiet chuckle. “I’ll stop, I promise.”       Sammy barks, as he approves that Daniel is going to stop smoking.       “Sammy is gonna watch you, too,” Peter adds.       Silence settles in the air for a few seconds, during which Peter scratches Sammy's hair with both hands and notices that Daniel is thinking about something, clicking his fingers nervously, and setting his sad eyes into the distance.       “Are you okay, buddy?” Peter frowns.       “Yeah, I’m just thinking…” Daniel replies thoughtfully. “Thinking of what I’d hardly forget.”       “Thinking of Anna again?”       “It’s impossible to forget her.” Daniel gets straight slowly and looks at everything he sees around him with sad eyes. “If I want to, I won’t do it…”       “Hey, when are you gonna tell her that you were cheating on her all the time, and that kiss wasn’t the only thing that happened between you and the Spaniard?”       “Already did.”       “What?” Peter rounds his eyes. “What do you mean?”       “I’ve talked to Anna and confessed everything.”       “But… When?”       “On the day when Terrence woke up.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “After I was in Cassidy’s room for some time, I decided to come to all of you. But I met Anna, who was probably going to the room, too. So… I stopped her and talked…”       “Wow… But why didn’t you say it?”       “I had a bad mood.”       “We noticed it. But we didn’t think you’d talk to Anna. She was ignoring you. And you didn’t aim to start a talk.”       “I should’ve done it anyway. I should’ve confessed that I really cheated on her and almost slept with Blanca. And I had nothing to lose and was absolutely honest and told all the truth.”       “And she got much anger.”       “Oh, yeah… Anna was furious… And angry because my friends were kind of defending me and trying to make me good, but I was showing off and pretending to be a hero. I tried to persuade her to give me at least one chance, but she was stubborn and said we were over.”       “She told us the same. No matter how hard we tried to remind her about when you cheated, Anna didn’t listen. Though, there’s nothing surprising. That girl is mad and feels betrayed.”       “I know… It’s hurtful to realize it. I don’t wanna believe this is the end… Though, I understood that I was guilty of her.”       “You thought she’d melt after you said ‘sorry’? No, Perkins… It’d make her much madder.”       “She was terribly mad that I was excusing myself for her. And because… I did something… I made her really wild after that.”       “C’mon, buddy, say it clearly. It will be easy for me to understand you if you don’t pull a cat’s tail.”       “What should you understand? You should only know the end: Anna slapped me in the face.”       “Come on!” Peter stares at Daniel surprisingly. “Anna? Slapped? You? But for what?”       “For kissing her,” Daniel confesses with sadness in his eyes.       “Kissing? You really started to kiss her?”       “I couldn’t hold it down! I was afraid it would happen. And I talked to Cassidy about it. I was kinda afraid that if I was next to Anna, I wouldn’t hold myself down and kiss her.”       “Oh, man…” Peter laughs quietly. “I don’t know what to say.”       “I really went crazy when I came to her and pressed her to the wall. Yes, I told myself I couldn’t do it, but I could do nothing to me. Anna made me feel what I had been missing for such a long time. Being next to her was a real pleasure. Especially, after the company of that hysterical girl, Blanca.”       “Weren’t you afraid that she could shout at the whole hospital and say you harassed her?”       “But she didn’t,” Daniel smiles slyly. “Yes, she threatened to do it and beat me on everything, but that was a bluff. And I realized that Anna was still indifferent to me. She was nervous and shaking when I got very close to her… The body can’t pretend. Either you get attracted to someone, or you feel disgust.”       “And how long were you pressing her to the wall?”       “I don’t know, I didn’t care about the time. I just enjoyed her pretense. And I got excited by her resistance. The more Anna tried to get out, the more I wanted her. So, the girl asked for trouble, and I decided to remind her how I could drive girls crazy with just one kiss. At first, she resisted the kiss. but then she answered. However later, she sharply pushed me off and slapped me in the face strongly. She blamed me for cheating again, announced our breakup, and left.”       “Yeah, Perkins, you’re really brave… But I’m very sorry.” Peter claps Daniel on the shoulder. “Now I understand why you were as gloomy as a cloud on that day.”       “At first, I felt so good… For the first time in a while… And then I sharply got worse! It’s a disgusting feeling…”       “To be honest, I’m truly surprised. I never thought Anna could slap someone. She’s too tender and innocent. Just like an angel.”       “I was shocked, too…” Daniel confesses with sadness in his eyes. “Anna never raised a hand, even for fun. But then she beat me and slapped me in the face strongly.”       “Yeah…”       “Slaps usually make me angry. Especially, when I get them for nothing. But I wasn’t mad that time. I was upset. I was kind of frozen and couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t move… I couldn’t speak… I had a shock… I felt freaking lousily. After feeling what I was looking for for such a long time. What I wanted all this time… Oh…” Daniel exhales sharply and runs his hands over his hair. “I felt like a piece of shit…”       “I get it,” Peter runs his hand through his hair with sadness in his eyes, calling the memories of the days when Helene was angry at him for his talk with Scarlett about her birth mystery. “It hurts when a girl beats you… Insults you… Humiliates you…”       “Damn, what an idiot I am, Peter,” Daniel says in a lower voice, looking into the distance with dead eyes. “Just an asshole… How could I screw it up? How? Anna is right. I ain’t mad at her. For the bad words. For the slap. I deserved it. I’m mad at just one person – myself. The bastard that ruined everything he had by himself.”       “I believe you didn’t want it,” Peter says quietly. “And you’re not guilty of becoming a victim of that liar. That’s just a turn of events.”       “But I could’ve fixed everything. I just needed to listen to me, realize that Blanca was disgusting to me, and piss her off. But I didn’t do it… I didn’t do it before Anna’s eyes… Who saw everything as it happened. I can’t say anything like ‘it’s not what you thought about…’”       “When she calms down and is able to think, she’ll understand you could be used.”       “No, Peter… She will never understand… And she will keep saying I had an affair with Blanca literally before amnesia. I mean, Anna does say it. But that’s not the truth. Everybody saw that I had nobody but her. I dated that girl and lived with her.”       “We saw everything,” Anna says confidently. “But understand her. You hurt her feelings. She believed you but saw that girl kissing you. Don’t be mad at me for saying it, but Anna is mad for the reason.”       “I get it. But I don’t wanna believe it’s all over. The end of everything that happened between us for almost one and a half years. Every day I spent with her was the best thing in my life. I ain’t ready to accept the fact that it will never happen.”       “At the bottom of her heart, Anna still loves you. But she will not confess it. Because she’s too obsessed with anger. Whoever someone does, that girl will keep saying everything is over for her.”       “No, nothing is over for me. I won’t tolerate another man next to her! If I see her with someone hugging and kissing her, I swear I will strangle that bastard personally. Even if it’s one of my friends.”       “You see. You get mad at the thought that she might meet another man. So, think of what she felt when she saw you with that foreigner. I ain’t surprised that Anna listens to nobody and tries to make us sure that she is ready for a new relationship.”       “I know, Peter, I know. But I have no idea what to do.” Daniel sharply runs his hands over his hair. “I’m in despair! But understand that if I do nothing, I will lose Anna forever. But I don’t wanna lose her. I love her. I need nobody but that girl.”       “Sorry, Daniel, but you can hardly do something now. Talking to a person blinded by anger is worthless.”       “Fuck, how could I let it happen? How? I didn’t want it… Everything was so good! We were so happy?”       “Was everything really so good? You lived together and might’ve had much more conflicts because of that.”       “No… Of course, not everything was perfect… Anna and I confronted… But it had to do with some home issues. Or when someone woke up in a bad mood… Or when I stood in her way, while she had PMS or her period. On those days, she was always a little irritated. But that’s temporary things… We reconciled, and everything was fine.”       “So, not everything was fine.”       “Dude, it’s called a breaking-in period. Any couple gets through it. If you and Helene live together, you’ll fight, too. She won’t like that you put something in the wrong place, but you will resent that she sometimes wakes up in a bad mood. You need to get used to that. If you pass this test, it will be easier to live.”       “And what? You got used to Anna’s habits?”       “I accept her anyway. With all of her tastes and habits. Even when she annoyed me, I didn’t think we should’ve broken up. Father and Mother warned me that even the most beloved people could annoy you. So, I was ready for that and tried to take our conflicts quietly. Though…”       Daniel says nothing for two seconds and thinks about something, running his hand through his hair and looking into the distance while Peter watches him with sadness in his eyes, and Sammy sitting next to the blond listens to the men’s talk closely and makes quiet sounds sometimes.       “What?” Peter asks hesitantly.       “You…” Daniel pronounces thoughtfully and slowly moves his sad eyes to Peter. “Have you ever asked how ended up there where I got hit by a car?”       “Actually, yes. We all thought about that.”       “To be honest, I’m surprised that none of you asked me about what happened on that day.”       “What happened?” How are you and Anna connected with it?”       “On that day, Anna and I fought again. Seriously, this time. And I left home to walk a little and calm down… I took my wallet with money and documents and keys from my home.”       “We guessed it. We were sure that you ended up at that place for a reason. Something made you go there. Either a conflict with Anna… Or a secret meeting with your enemies.”       “No, no secret meetings,” Daniel cracks a smile. “Everything is easy.”       “But why did you and Anna fight, if it’s not a secret?”       “My habit of smoking,” Daniel says nothing for two seconds and clears his throat quickly. “She found a cigarette on the mat in the living room and started to shout at me that I was an idiot, who almost burnt the house down.”       “She knew it?”       “From the beginning.”       “And was the reason for the conflict the fact that you smoked?”       “Everything about it. Anna tried to make me wean myself away from smoking many times, ‘cause she terribly disliked the smell of smokes and smoking people. And when she saw cigarettes on the table, she was mad. And somehow, I didn’t put out a cigarette a couple of times, and Anna shouted at me… I was a kind of irresponsible idiot, who could set up the fire. And she was right. If a cigarette had fallen on the mat or the sofa, a strong fire would’ve started.”       “Well… Her anger is clear. You could’ve burnt your house to the ground many times and ended up outside million times.”       “I know. So, I didn’t argue with her.”       “Damn, couldn’t you stop smoking even for your beloved girl?”       “I swear I tried! Sometimes I didn’t really smoke for a long time. But when I ran into stressful situations, I smoked a cigarette or two. I got a little better. I smoked not because I had a dependence. I just felt good. I tried to smoke secretly, so nobody saw me. I was afraid that Anna would get me caught and start a scandal again. I was afraid that some of my friends would get me caught and tell her. That’s why I was much more nervous… But I couldn’t always do it. The smell of cigarettes from my mouth and on my clothes betrayed me, and I didn’t have time to change my clothes and eat candy.”       “Oh, dude, I’ve got nothing to say…”       “I always promised Anna to stop smoking and never take a cigarette again. Just like Cassidy promised Mother and me to stop taking drugs a million times. But she didn’t keep the promise, and I couldn’t brace myself.”       “So, were you smoking your stress, while others drink it with alcohol or eat it?” Peter frowns slightly.       “Actually, I always get rid of stress not in a very safe way. Smoking a pack of cigarettes per day or driving in the city like crazy… I can also hit someone in the face. It also helped me get rid of tension… Oh… In short, I was really wild.”       “I’m really surprised that you didn’t take drugs.”       “No, I’ve never tasted drugs. I’ve never sniffed grass. Though, someone suggested that I do it many times.”       “There’s nothing bad in drinking something strong per week.”       “When you’re in despair, you don’t know the limit. If you drink, you drink ‘till you feel sick and pass out. If you smoke, you smoke ‘till the cigarettes are gone. Maybe… If I had fewer stressful situations, I would overcome it. But there were too many ones…”       “Daniel…”       “The past one and a half years have been very tense. There have been many stressful situations… The fear of losing Anna and the upcoming meeting with her parents that would happen early or late… The band issues, my conflict with you, your suicide attempt, the memories that I got because of it… All this time, I’ve been stressed but tried not to show that I felt bad. Yes, maybe, I got a little better after our band started to record an album. But then I got too nervous again… I didn’t notice how I started to smoke literally before every performance. It helped me for some time, but… When I got the voice issues, it added fuel to the fire. And… Made my anxiety much stronger.”       “But you always said you didn’t know what happened to you.”       “I couldn’t complain.”       “But if you were so anxious, you could drink some antidepressants. And if you knew you couldn’t stop smoking on your own, you could go to professionals.”       “Aha, and I would’ve fallen asleep on the stage!”       “But it’s not fine. You should’ve helped yourself. Okay, I understand that you don’t wanna take tons of tablets, ‘cause I don’t like them, either. But you could talk to someone about it.”       “And show my weakness? No, I could not!”       “Were you gonna bring yourself to a deep depression and act like you gave a fuck about everything?”       “I was sure I could get through that.”       “Sorry, dude, but I don’t recognize you,” Peter says confidently. “What happened to you? You always seemed strong! You were collected and showed initiative literally first!”       “Seemed, Peter, seemed. Sometimes I was also pretending to be happy, subduing my wish to scream at the top of my lungs.”       “Daniel…”       “I couldn’t show weakness. I didn’t want someone to doubt that I’m strong and tough.”       “By sacrificing your health?”       “It’s fine when a girl is weak. But a man has no right to be the one. He must be strong. Otherwise, everyone will laugh at him. But I can’t want it. I don’t want someone to make me the one to laugh at.”       “Being open to your close people is fine. Nobody would judge you for being open. For the fact that your sister took drugs, and you couldn’t watch her.”       “Do you think I should’ve complained to everyone and said that I felt bad? Sad, lonely, ashamed, scared…”       “You don’t have to tell everything. Just saying you’re nervous would be enough. The guys and I would’ve supported you. And if you’d wanted to open your heart, we would’ve listened closely.”       “I repeat, I thought I’d get through that. Since I experienced the loss of my whole family, I could get through that situation.”       “Everything has a limit. If you’d kept being silent for some time, it would’ve led to terrible consequences.”       “Maybe… I was pretending that everything was fine and hiding my for too long. But now I know I don’t wanna be silent anymore. Now I’m just sick… Sick of being sassy and unbroken.”       “No, Daniel, you are strong. You just need to have a rest and relax. This time has been really tense. Anyone would go crazy from it.”       “I doubt that I can relax. Because Anna left me. Because of me. And I don’t know how to get her back. We could reconcile after the fight over my habit of smoking, it’s impossible after my betrayer.” Daniel runs his hands through his hair and pulls it out strongly, inclining his head slightly. “Oh, shit… We would’ve rather fought over my habit of smoking every single day… We would’ve made peace and pretended that nothing happened.”       “Sorry for my curiosity, but why did you actually leave home?” Peter asks with sadness in his eyes, folding his hands in front of him on the table. “You could go to the back of the house or lock yourself in the room. You would’ve calmed down and talked then! Why did you the fuck leave home and go nobody the fuck knows where?”       “I just didn’t wanna make everything worse. I needed to walk and breathe in some air… Calm down…”       “And how did you end up nobody the hell knows where?”       “I was just going where my eyes looked,” Daniel confesses in a low voice. “Not thinking about where I could come and how I’d get out… I wanted to find a quiet, unpopular place to stay alone.”       “You could do it in your room. If the conflict was so serious, Anna would’ve locked herself somewhere with a wish to stay alone.”       “I know… And I’m really sorry about not doing that. I would’ve rather stayed home and just locked myself in a bathroom, a room, on the back of the house… Anywhere! Nothing would’ve happened if I hadn’t left. And Anna would be with me now.”       “Wainwright wouldn’t have pushed you on the car, and you wouldn’t have become the victim of amnesia.”       “I know…” Daniel looks around the empty living room. “And now I’m paying a high price for my stupidity. For being careless. For not wishing to listen to my feelings when my brain didn’t work. For deciding to listen to the liar, who made me fight with my girlfriend and almost made me do it with my friends.”       “Anna said she was shocked when she heard about your amnesia, but she came to herself later and was ready to help. And she would’ve done it if not for that girl. I’m sure that Seymour wouldn’t have left you. Yes, we thought she betrayed you, not knowing the reason for her act. But now we know Anna did it because of the offense.”       “How do I live without her?” Daniel asks in a low, little hoarse voice. “How? I am so used to living with her… Waking up next to her… Spending time with her while talking or watching TV… Having a breakfast, lunch, and dinner together… The time that I spent with her was a real happiness to me… We lived like spouses and considered ourselves a family… And… I realized that family life wasn’t as bad as I thought. I used to shake at the thought I’d become a husband and a father someday. I didn’t wanna lose a chance to spend time at cool hangouts, drink to hell, and have fun with girls. It was my happiness. But now I understand it’s different. It’s you beloved girl by your side and her care.”       “You’re just grown up and looked at some things differently. People change, dude. You’re one person in your teenage age, but later you get different tastes, habits, and wishes. What you dreamed about in childhood seems stupid in adulthood. You didn’t understand adult people’s wishes and were sure that you wouldn’t like it.”       “I wasn’t ready for an adult life. And I kept thinking like a child even after my father’s death. I was sure that it wasn’t happening to me. It was a dream. I would wake up. But… No… I didn’t wake up… And after Mother’s death and Cassidy’s disappearance, I finally realized it. I had to grow up. Say goodbye to my former life and start to think about how to survive. I had nobody to ask for help. Nobody could help me with money, a good job, and all the good things that I was used to. So, I had to accept the fact that I should do something by myself. Yes, the situation got better somehow, but… How much I sacrificed not to die from coldness and hunger.”       “Dude, I always lived like this. I've taken care of myself literally since I was born. And I also had nobody to ask for help. Everybody gave a fuck about what was happening to me and my life. Yes, it was madly hard, and I had a breakdown many times. But I did it. I survived, even with tons of psychological traumas.”       “If someone can fight with the whole cruel world all alone, it means they’ve got a great power of will.”       “Sometimes a person starts to do something when they’re pressed to the wall. When they realize that there are only two ways: doing nothing and dying, or bracing themselves and solving the problem.”       “I guess you thought I couldn’t understand you. That I didn’t live on my own and didn’t know what it was like to stay alone. That I couldn’t complain 'cause I was lucky to be born in a provided family.”       “Yeah, I didn’t know a lot about you.”       “But I understood you well when you said you were always on your own.”       “Sometimes life kicks the asses of those, who need it.”       “I definitely needed it. I was an irresponsible bonehead, who could’ve easily spent his life on hangouts with my friends, drank, and smoked with no control. Who didn’t know what counting every single cent meant and was spending my money without thinking. I didn’t care about how the money showed up. But… Everything suddenly changed at some moment. Though, I kept living like a bonehead… I was too used to the careless life and refused to accept the new reality.”       “I get you.”       “I felt like a little boy when playing in Albert’s band. I kept treating life too easily and didn’t think of the future. I didn’t know whether I wanted to keep living all alone. If Father and Mother were alive, they would insist that I think of my family. Mother did always care about this question.”       “Didn’t they ask you about it some time before they died?”       “They did, but they were worried about Cassidy much more. They didn’t want her to stay alone. They wanted her to have someone to educate her. And they gave me this responsibility.”       “She was a baby. They were scared that their daughter would stay alone.”       “Anyway, they did care. They didn’t want me to keep being an irresponsible boy, who only thought of drinks and hangouts. But the world of who turned upside down after I met Anna. Someone kinda switched something on, and I started to think differently.”       “Yeah…” Peter chuckles quietly. “You became a good boy and started to think of your family immediately?”       “Not quite, but many things started to change,” Daniel cracks a smile. “It’s amazing, but I didn’t notice how I stopped thinking of the past life and started to realize that I wanted to change something. I got sick of the former life. I wanted to find someone, who would love and take care of me…”       “Did Anna do a magical thing?”       “I liked that girl at first sight. She seemed so attractive… No ordinary… She got a charm…”       “So, you never saw girls with red hair?” Peter chuckles kindly.       “The case is not about the hair color. It’s about her. She differs from the girls I’ve known. She isn’t similar to any of my exes.”       “Yeah, you dinged into my ears when you met her for the first time.”       “So, as she gave me the green light and left her number, I decided to conquer her. The more time we spent together, the more I liked her. Beautiful, smart, educated, and with perfect manners. Just a gem! I should’ve lost my mind and fallen in love!”       “You’ve got good taste. You chose a really beautiful girl.”       “I never loved someone as much as I love her. She is the only one, who I didn’t really wanna lose. And now I’m ready for anything to be with her and make her happy.”       “The changes are clear enough: you’ve just met the right girl. As people say, you realized it was yours.”       “It’s really mine… What I wanted.”       “Nobody can say you didn’t love Anna. When she was with you, you became different. Not what you are for your friends.”       “She hurts me by saying that I’ve never loved her,” Daniel says with sadness in his eyes. “It’s a lie. I love that girl. And only her.”       “I know, Daniel. I see you’re depressed. Not as sassy and loud as before. There is no fire in your eyes that you had before. It’s gone.”       “Oh, I do feel like a vegetable…” Daniel says thoughtfully and clears his throat quietly. “And I’d lock myself at home with pleasure or run away somewhere… Or I’d hang out somewhere and drink ‘till death.”       “You won’t get better if you drink like an alcoholic. It would be a temporary relief. When you come to yourself, everything starts again. Your problems won’t be gone.”       “I’d piss everything off and disappear. So, nobody knows where I am…” Daniel runs his hands over the top of his head to the nape of his neck. “But I can’t. I owe many people. I can’t betray them.”       “I understand, buddy. But please, don’t be like Edward and don’t pretend that you’re a hero, who could do anything. And remember that even if you’re silent, the guys will know the reason for it.”       “I don’t wanna seem a whining guy. But…” Daniel throws a sad look aside, leans on the table with his elbow, and leans his head on his plate, looking at Peter. “I feel too bad without her, understand. I feel bad ‘cause I almost lost Anna and can do nothing to get her back. I’m not ready to accept it. People break up when love is gone, but I still love and ain’t gonna end my relationship.”       “Anna can say you’re over as much as he wants. But until you decide it together, your relationship will exist.”       “Even if I accept the breakup someday, I ain’t sure I could love someone as much as her. I truly wanted to make Anna happy and did everything for her. But cheating is cheating. There’s no excuse for that. I can’t hide it and don’t want to do it.”       “I’m sure that Anna completely understands everything,” Peter replies quietly and confidently. “And she is mad because she is jealous. That girl definitely wanna be with you, but she can’t get through it. She loves you, but she is afraid to believe. To be deceived again.”       “I did everything for her… Anna didn’t ask too much, but I gave her multiple times more. I thanked her every time she did something for me. Nothing from what she did was unnoticed.”       “She remembers that. Good things can’t be forgotten.”       “Oh, it doesn’t make sense now…” Daniel waves a hand. “Nothing can be changed… Sometimes we need so little time to ruin everything, but literally a whole life to restore just something.”       “No, Perkins, you’ve got a chance to prove that you are not indifferent to her.”       “Even if I do something to protect her from that man, she’ll hardly forgive me. I’ll probably hear tons of insults and charges. False and stupid, I don’t exclude. And she’ll remember all our conflicts.”       “But aren’t you gonna leave the poor girl in trouble?”       “Of course, not. I am doing this for my feelings and respect for her father. But I don’t have hope of getting her back. And I try not to think about it and… Just to do my duty.”       “Don’t lose hope, Daniel,” Peter advises quietly. “Life is too unpredictable. Besides, you can impress a girl with some heroic things. Anna loves stories about strong men rescuing weak girls.”       “I could dream, but I don’t want to. It will make me feel worse.”       “Dude, Terrence, and Edward also thought that Raquelle and Natalia would never come back to them. They dragged each other through a lot of mud… But the beautiful things were good for the men.”       “Terrence and Edward just must be with Raquelle and Natalia. So to speak, they are destined to be together.”       “The same story is gonna happen to you and Anna, trust me. She’ll thank you many times if you protect her from that bastard. Actions are our everything. They’ve conquered the hearts of millions of girls around the whole world.”       “I care about saving her from that sick scumbag much more. I will not calm down until I know Anna is fine. Then I will disappear from her life and give her freedom if she wants it.”       “Don’t bury your relationship. Do what you should and wait for some time. Time may solve many problems.”       Daniel says nothing and just hums quietly, scratching something off the table with a finger, while Sammy still sitting near listens to him and Peter with interest.       “We were so happy…” Daniel says thoughtfully. “Even despite all of our fights. At first, they gave us a bad feeling. But then we started to… Getting used…”        “We all liked the way you looked together,” Peter confesses. “And we were sure that it wouldn’t be over.”       “I’ve never wanted to end this story. Vice versa, I started to get more obsessed with one thought. About a marriage. For her, I was ready to say goodbye to freedom and marry my beloved girl.”       “Oh, Daniel, the girls, the men, and I have heard it a million times,” Peter exhales slowly. “But you didn’t propose to her. Even if you gave Anna hints about your plan to do this. And I’m sure that she was waiting for that moment and hoped you’d grow up for this someday.”       “But I really have serious plans for her and see her as my wife.”       “But why didn’t you propose to her?”       “I was afraid to lose the freedom that meant so much to me. I’ve always wanted to be independent and do anything I want. I hate when someone sets any limits and bans me from doing something. I wanted to be absolutely free. And I always thought that a relationship with a girl and a wedding with her would force me to forget about my former life.”       “But your relationship with Anna didn’t impact your freedom. You could go anywhere to have fun, meet anyone you wanted, and have a cool time. Anna wasn’t obsessed with sick jealousy and didn’t make you use a GPS navigator to know your current location. She never called you every half an hour to know where you were and what you did.”       “It’s one of the reasons why I fell in love with Anna. She never limited me. That girl respected my personal space and didn’t bother me when I wanted to be alone. She didn’t control me. Anna let me stay as free as before. We could spend time together and be independent.”       “I mean the same! Even when you were in a relationship with her, you didn’t have to be next to her for thirty-four hours per day and praise her and say how wonderful she was. Anna did know you loved her, and she was the most beautiful and favorite girl to you.”       “She didn’t have to remind me of it. I did it. Every day. Because I wanted to make her feel beloved… I tried to see all the changes: new hair, new clothes, new jewelry… And I always praised her. I never criticized or said something hurtful. When I didn’t like something, I just gave pieces of advice that she always listened to.”       “There is nothing to criticize her for. Anna is a beautiful girl with a good sense of style. She can take care of her and show her dignity.”       “That girl is gorgeous even in a night pajama without makeup and with lousy hair. She could be different: a fateful lady or a shy, home girl. I never felt bored with her. always tried to make her life better… I made surprises, thinking of her… I wanted her to like it. She’s gonna have a birthday soon, and I prepared a gift for her. I know her tastes well and was sure that she’d like what I found.”       “And she quietly accepts the fact that a taken guy can speak to girls.”       “Right… Anna was never jealous of me, her friends, and any other girls. She knew that just because I looked at a girl or talked to her didn’t mean it was betrayal, cheating, and something like that.”       “I think she was just sure about you. When someone knows they’re loved, they behave quietly.”       “Even if Anna was jealous, it was a healthy jealousy. Just like, for example, when she and her friends were jealous of Helene and us.”       “Everyone treats a new person in a company with suspicion in the beginning.”       “Moreover, Anna wasn’t jealous of my friends and me. She treats you, Edward, and Terrence well and never banned me from speaking to you. When I wanted to spend time with you, that girl let me go without words.”       “We’ve understood that the girl is a gem.”       “Freedom became especially important to me after one of my relationships. I would call it toxic.”       “When it happened?”       “I was somewhere sixteen or seventeen. I dated one girl. A hysterical brawler that seemed sweet and fluffy at first sight.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “Everything was fine at first… But some time later, she suddenly changed. She started to press on me a lot and get me exhausted. Provoke scandals… Annoyed me with a sick jealousy. Even if I just looked at a girl or aside, I had to tolerate her hysterics because I allegedly cheated on her. She tried to make me jealous many times and forced me to attack some boy, who she was showing off for. That girl got me exhausted for two or three weeks. I didn’t notice how I felt emptied. That girl sucked all my energy out…”       “Why didn’t you leave?”       “I loved. I mean… I was attracted to her… She was very good in bed. Sex was always incredible. At least for some time.”       “She demanded your attention?”       “Permanent attention. I should’ve been next to her all day, all night. My friends made a circular motion with their index fingers near their heads and wondered why I tolerated all the hysterics of the girl, who was jealous of me, girls and even boys.”       “That’s how!”       “Thus, I was supposed to give a fuck about my friends, among whom there were girls and boys, and always be next to her. Say how wonderful, beloved, and unique she was. It was the moment when I was pinned to the wall. I felt worse and worse. I was literally choking. At some moment, my self-rating went down because she criticized everything about me: hair, face, clothes, habits… She thought I was overweight or said I was too skinny…”       “I don’t believe you really tolerated that,” Peter says confidently. “You’re not the type of man, who would swallow it silently.”       “I tried to leave her several times in anger. But she always fell on my legs and started hysteria… She begged me not to leave and promised to get better… So, I believed her tears and promises about changing and came back to her.”       “Did your parents know about this relationship?”       “They did. And they were against her. Cass knew it, too. But she never meddled and watched it silently. But when we talked in the hospital room, she said she disliked that lady.”       “And how long did it last?”       “That sick relationship was very long. A few months were gone. But one day, I realized it couldn’t happen anymore. I stopped speaking to my friends and ignored them. I didn’t notice how I started to be afraid to irritate her and became her henpecked man.       I started to understand I didn’t feel happy and actually stopped talking to my friends. I gave all my attention to that girl. I didn’t see that I started to be afraid of making that girl mad and literally became a whipped one. I became the victim of psychological violence. And then I decided to end it.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “So, I braced myself and announced our final breakup. And it was easier than I thought… The love was gone, and sex with her was boring.”       “And what?”       “Of course, she started a hysteria, cried, and begged me not to leave her. But I was determined and left her. And you know what great relief I felt! I finally started to breathe easily. And how it was cool to start to speak to my friends and those I forgot because of that madam! I was madly happy that I ended this relationship! I drank so much in happiness that I almost passed out.”       “A sense of freedom becomes much more valuable when you’re deprived of it for a very long time.”       “But after that, I didn’t start a relationship for a long time. I was afraid that the story would happen again. And since that time, I never let a girl take my freedom from me.”       “Not only men can be bastards. Girls may also behave like bitches.”       “But two weeks later, I got a strong hit.”       “So, were you back with her again?”       “No, worse… I was betrayed.”       “Betrayed?”       “Yeah,” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “Somehow, I decided to visit my friend at home and offer to go somewhere to hang out. But I got a very unpleasant surprise.”       “Which?”       “That idiot opened the door, being half-wet and wearing a towel. But at first, I didn’t pay attention to that and thought he just took a shower. But I noticed that the guy was kind of nervous and found excuses not to let me in. He didn’t want me to come in. But I didn’t have to guess because my half-naked ex came to him.”       “The one, who mocked you?”       “Aha. She felt his dick up. She needed a little bit to suck him enough.”       “But it happened after your breakup!”       “It didn’t make me suspicious. But then that gal said she dated my friend when I had an affair with her. She did it confidently! Looking into my eyes! She was cheating on me, you imagine! With my fucking friend! I thought that guy was my close person and believed I could trust him. But that scumbag disappointed me.”       “Wow…” Peter shakes his head. “Did he say something to excuse himself?”       “That idiot didn’t even try to explain anything and confirmed everything. And that whore definitely wanted to stay in two places: fucking fewer men and dating one of them. Moreover, my parents were provided. And she used it insolently.”       “What a twist…”       “Oh…” Daniel growls irritably and hits the table with a fist. “I thought I would’ve killed that asshole. And I wanted to pull that psychopath’s hair out… I got so furious that I forgot I never raised a hand on a girl. But that betrayer let me do nothing. I just hit that stinker in the face and fought with him, and then he kicked me out and told me not to go to his home anymore.”       “Damn, how insolent and shameless people could be…” Peter exhales slowly, running his hands over his face. “Because of someone like that lady and that guy, anyone can lose hope that there are good people, who’d never frame you.”       “I was disappointed in people, too.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “. Of course, there were moments when someone betrayed me and put me in a terrible situation. But nobody ever did that to me. I immediately struck that bastard out of the list of my friends, blocked all of his accounts on social networks, deleted his number from my phone, and told the others not to mention even his name.”       “And don’t you know what happened to him?”       “Some time later, when I calmed down a little, some of my friends told me that my ex left that betrayer. He kinda slapped her in the face or actually beat her strongly, but she couldn’t take it.”       “I’m afraid that’s the type of girl. They can’t live quietly and need those ups and downs. Toxic people that suck the energy out of someone like vampires. And if she likes it all, the version about leaving him after he slapped her in the face doesn’t sound true.”       “I don’t know. I give a fuck.”       “Hey, didn’t you speak to that guy after that case?”       “He contacted me one day. But I didn’t react to his calls or messages. So, he went to my home. I didn’t wanna listen to him but decided not to start a scandal. My parents and sister were at home. In short, that idiot started to apologize and say he was sorry about what happened. He tried to pity me somehow… He wanted us to become friends again and said he’d do anything for that. But I couldn’t forgive him… And I let him know that I’d no longer speak to him. That guy swore he’d never betray me again… He said he didn’t wanna lose his friend… He didn’t know why we fought over the girl. But I couldn’t give him a chance. Moreover, I had heard too many bad things, after which I stopped trusting him. He tried to apologize to me several times and then gave up. I heard nothing about him from that.”       “Haven’t you forgiven him yet?”       “No, now I ain’t obsessed with anger. So to say, I let the situation go. But I don’t wanna let those, who betrayed me at least once, be a part of my life. And some time later after the fight, I started to realize that guy and I weren’t such good friends. I thought he was my best friend, but it wasn’t the truth. He… He only cared about my money as well as many friends of mine. Money for food at cafés, drinks at bars and clubs, and fun. I always paid for everybody. They never asked if I wanted to do it. They just ordered something and then let me know it.”       “It’s like Cassidy’s case: when she had money, all the drug addicts needed her, but when she got nothing, they pissed her off.”       “Provided people are always surrounded by freeloaders that only need their money. Men and girls – all of them wanna get much more from them and have fun on their accounts. Only a few people didn’t care if I had money. They didn’t even think of asking me to pay for something. And those people weren’t rich. Middle or low class. And now I understand that they did the right thing.”       “Yeah, buddy…” Peter exhales slowly, scratching the back of his head. “The more I listen to you, the stronger stupor I get. Seriously! You always seemed like a bonehead, who gave a fuck about everything. For whom everything was always fine. Who didn’t definitely care about any problems.”       “Here’s the lesson: don’t judge people by their appearance and behavior, not knowing the story of their lives. Because it might be worse than yours.”       “I’m really sorry, Daniel. I understand your feelings and do know how terrible it is to be betrayed by someone.”       “It was hard, I don’t deny it. But it taught me a lesson. I started to pick up friends more closely. That’s why I struck many people out of my life with no regret. Those, who needed my money, and those, who didn’t wanna do anything when I felt bad. After making such a radical clean-up, I lost many people. But I got those, who I could count on. However, I stopped to speak to them some time later… No hurt and betrayals. Every single one just started to live their lives.”       “Did someone support you after your parents’ death?”       “Nobody. Nobody waited for me to come to myself. Nobody expressed a wish to support me in such a hard time. Even if everybody knew what happened.”       “Didn’t anyone else date your girls?”       “No, luckily, that case was the only one.”       “That’s good…” Daniel throws a sad look at what there is on the bar table and rummages about it, while Peter pets Sammy being next to him on the head. “By the way, Blanca also choked me with her jealousy. Sometimes she could start hysteria in the middle of the street before many people, for whom I felt ashamed. And she turned into a mad lady when I just talked to her sister and looked at other girls. She didn’t let me say a word. She always spoke for me. Her parents told her about it, but she gave a fuck. And that girl doesn’t respect her sister. She’s something like a piece of shit to her.”       “Yeah, there’s something similar…” Peter nods.       “It was one of the reasons why I was broken and emptied and lost my vigilance more and more. I felt as bad as I felt with that gal. As they say, you run into what you’re afraid to shake in your knees.”       “And of course, did Blanca care about your money?”       “Oh, yeah! That bitch wanted me to buy her the best and most expensive things. And she didn’t care about where I could get money for her impossible wishes. I had to go to work, get money, and give it to her. That idiot doesn’t think she needs to eat something, pay for electricity and water, and pay tons of taxes. She only has one thing in her mind – ‘I want!’”       “I guess that girl is one of those, who wanna live on a man’s account and never work.”       “Maybe…” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “She always whined and told me to buy her a ring and propose to her. Moreover, that bitch came here and acted like she was the owner of the house. Like we’ve been married for ages. She planned to do repairs, move some furniture, and throw off what she didn’t like. Blanca wanted to check my phone and computer regularly. Blanca wanted me to hide from the world and live in her cage like a bird.”       “Yay, what an insolent gal…” Peter chuckles quietly.       “Fuck, that’s good I didn’t really buy a ring and propose to her. Or I wouldn’t have gotten away from that girl easily.”       “That’s good you didn’t give her the right to your house and care and access to your card and bank account! Otherwise, she would’ve really left you in your underwear! Found a way to robe you. No matter if it would've been legal or not. Someday, she would’ve just changed all the locks, thrown your clothes off, and told you, ‘Auf wiedersehen!’”       “That’s good I got my memories back in time. Or I wouldn’t have solved that problem.”       “I wonder what Blanca would do if she realized that her lie was revealed? She should’ve understood that everything would be out early or late!”       “I dunno. Maybe, she didn’t think about it. Or maybe, she wanted to take me far from those I know. Make me feel like a different man and live another life. Blanca tried to make me like her interests too hard… For example, she literally banned me from singing and playing guitar. She made me think I was terrible at that. That I shouldn’t have been into music… She thought I’d find a job and provide for that madam. And she would’ve been lying on a sofa all day, watching TV or tanning in front of the pool. And taking care of me and cleaning the house wasn’t her plan.”       “Ah, a person would do much to stay here legally…” Peter replies thoughtfully.       “Legally?”       “Blanca Moreno is an emigrant. An illegal emigrant. If you reported her to the migration service, she’d quickly be deported to Spain.”       “How do you know it? Is this your guess?”       “No, it’s the truth. Our friends and I conducted an investigation after you said Blanca was your fiancée. Edward said he saw her in the hospital. He asked her something, but she pissed him off in Spanish.”       “That’s how!”       “And after that, Natalia decided to go to the hospital and find out something about Blanca.”       “Would have someone told her?”       “She got the doctor she went to into a talk.”       “Allegedly examination?”       “Her hand scratched strongly and was covered with some rash. So, Rochester decided to use the chance.”       “And what Natalia found out?”       “As it turned out, Blanca got fired from the hospital due to the problems with documents a long time ago. Everybody complained about her regularly: doctors, patients, and visitors. She was mean to everyone, did nothing, walked into the hospital, and spent her time in the cafeteria or rooms of patients, the brains of whom she washed. Blanca was wanted to be kicked out, but they let her work out of pity ‘cause she needed to help her family, who lived in poverty. But when the hospital staff found out about her document issues, they fired her.”       “She didn’t tell me about getting fired… She was just gonna get fired. She didn’t have to work because I’d allegedly provide for her.”       “It happened somewhere two or three weeks ago.”       “It happened that she lied when saying she was working?”       “Who knows. But that girl no longer works in the hospital.”       “So, did she get a job without document issues but get fired when she got them?”       “Sorta. Natalia said her family lived and worked here on the visa, but it’s already expired, and they don’t rush to extend it. So, they all are here illegally and not gonna get out.”       “At least, her parents are fine at first sight… And Blanca’s sister is good…”       “Maybe, it’s true. But they aren’t so sweet and fluffy. And that girl doesn’t definitely wanna leave. So, she found an easy way to stay here and not to trouble herself with lots of documents and pay money they don’t have. She just decided to marry you. The American with a citizen, money, a house, a car, and all good things.”       “So…” Daniel pronounces thoughtfully, slowly running his hand over his hair and looking into the distance. “That’s why she wanted to marry me so badly… She needed to stay here legally… Of course! She needed a citizen alongside money!”       “Sort of,” Peter shrugs. “Then she got such a cool candidate! You can rarely meet a young, provided, and handsome guy!”       “But how? How did she know about me? How did she know I had amnesia? Blanca couldn’t know it!”       “Who knows… Unless you knew her before.”       “No, no, dude, I swear I didn’t know that gal! And I don’t know how she knew about me.”       “Okay. Anyway, she planned everything. Very well. And your amnesia could help her get close to you.”       “Maybe…” Daniel falls into silence for a second and frowns slightly. “A liar… How wasn’t she ashamed of lying so insolently, looking into my eyes? She’s definitely stupid and non-educated, but she’s very sly…”       “Hey, did you understand her when she said something?”       “Yes, she spoke English, but with a terrible accent. Her squeaky talk really irritated me. It was terribly disgusting to hear her broken English. She’s lived in the USA for three years, but she still can't speak well. She learned words more or less, but has great problems with grammar and pronunciation.”       “So, she doesn’t really want to. You’d easily start to speak a foreign language fluently after three years of living in a foreign country.”       “You know, sometimes I felt that her sister knew something. She definitely wanted to say something, but she was afraid of Blanca’s reaction. Some of her words and actions made me suspicious at times. There were moments when she said something, but then she took her words back.”       “You wanna say she’s her accomplice?”       “Blanca could make her sister say nothing by force.”       “You could invite her sister somewhere and question that girl carefully.”       “I didn’t think about it. And it doesn’t make sense now. But I must confess that her sister is sweet enough. It was easy for me to talk to her. While I felt bad with Blanca, I spoke to her sister with pleasure.”       “Are you sure she doesn’t pretend?”       “No, I don’t think so. That girl shakes in front of Blanca and literally curls up in a ball when her sister starts to shout at her and be mean to her.”       “And what about her parents?”       “They might know nothing. When I went to their home for the first time, they were definitely overwhelmed. Blanca lied to them that we dated secretly and wanted to tell nobody about our relationship. And her mother and father looked like they didn’t believe her. Yes, they tried to be gentle, but… They definitely didn’t believe her words… And they saw I didn’t love their daughter. I felt terribly embarrassed until I got out of here.”       “Maybe…” Peter frowns slightly. “Her parents do their tricks, and their daughter does something else.”       “Yeah… Cute smiles don’t mean kindness.”       “By the way, hasn’t the foreigner visited you at home?”       “No, she and her family went to Spain. I can’t be sure that the girl didn’t lie to me. But I’m terribly glad she got out. I could finally breathe after she got out.”       “But she’ll be back someday and start to get stuck on you.”       “She won’t,” Daniel throws gloomily. “When I see her before my eyes, I’ll send her to Spain and tell her to leave me alone. I shall let her know that I revealed her lie.”       “What if she doesn’t?”       “I’ll go to the police and report that hysterical gal. Or report her and her family to the migration service.”       “That’s right. You must not leave her unpunished.”       “Fucking bitch! She ruined everything! Everything that was so important to me. Everything I was afraid to lose. And I could’ve lost much more if everything had gotten much worse.” Daniel hits the table with a fist and groans quietly. “If not for that girl, nothing would’ve happened.”       “Blanca will pay for the lie anyway.”       “But who would bring my Anna to me? Even if that bitch goes to prison or is brought to Spain, I can’t get my beloved girl back!”       “You must kick her anyway. You must not let her deceive someone else. If a foreigner realizes that she can’t fool you, she may easily deceive another man.”       “Damn, why didn’t I listen to my feelings?” Daniel asks in a low voice, running his hands over his face and grabbing his hair. “Why? If I had reacted to the suspicious feelings that chased me all the time, nothing would’ve happened. I could’ve avoided the breakup with Anna. But I ignored all these signs and naively believed that I’d remember everything that nasty bitch told me about.”       “You did say Blanca made the moments related to you and Anna look like they happened between you and the foreigner.”       “Right… If not for that, I would’ve doubted it… But… After I heard those stories, I really believed Blanca. I didn’t believe the girls when they said my girlfriend was Anna Seymour, and none of them knew Blanca Moreno.”       “Of course, it hurts that you believed her, not us. But we can’t blame you.”       “I believed you! Truly. I felt good with all of you. Everything changed after I read that fucking article about the conflicts between you and me. I decided to distance myself from shame, and Blanca used the moment and thought up a whole story to turn me against my close friends.”       “We were afraid you’d turn your back on us. But we couldn’t prove that the article was fake. Everything was against us. People said bad things, and Blanca added fuel to the fire.       “I know…” Daniel moans tiredly, slowly running his hands over his face. “Fuck, how ashamed I am… Ashamed of everything I did… Why was I such an idiot? Why? Because of my stupidity, the time spent with Anna will remain just memories…”       Seeing how Daniel suffers, sitting on the bar table and pulling his hair out, Sammy comes closer to him with a quiet whining and puts his face on his laps.       “You aren’t guilty, Daniel,” Peter says quietly with sadness in his eyes. “You just became the victim. The victim of amnesia. The victim of the foreigner, who wanted to get citizenship and live in luxury. Any of us could be instead of you.”       “Damn, how do I get rid of bad habits when I always feel stressed?” Daniel exhales sharply. “First, one thing, then another, and now my girlfriend left me.”       “Cheating is bad. And I judge you, I don’t deny it. But in this case, I can excuse you somehow. One thing is when you cheat consciously. But another thing is when you are used and can’t mind it.”       “While I explained everything to my friends, the case of my beloved girl is much harder. Though, you all had the right to get mad and strike me outta your friends list.”       “We just knew you weren’t yourself. We didn’t take your words seriously and decided to wait.”       “Even if I said a lot of bad things?”       “Let’s think that’s… The consequence.”       “I’m madly lucky that I didn’t lose my friends. If everything had been worse, I don’t know what I would’ve done. Alone. Without support. I think I would’ve started to ruin myself with drinking… Smoke much more… And I would’ve preferred disappearing.”       “Don’t give up so easily, Dan. I’m sure that you still have a chance to make amends for Anna.”       “No, Pete…” Daniel glances at his hands. “I don’t hope for anything…”       “Anna is hurt, but she still loves. She must understand that she can’t kill her love for one day. It takes weeks, months, and even years.”       “It doesn’t matter if she loves me!”       “It does matter! Love will play a major role when she has to think about the future of your relationship someday.”       “She’s too mad.”       “The only thing you can do now is to give her time to calm down. You’re truly sorry about what you did, but regret plays a major role in many cases. You did the best thing that you could do. You hid nothing and honestly confessed what happened.”       “I think I made everything worse by telling her the truth.”       “No, buddy, you would’ve made it worse if you’d hidden everything and pretended that nothing happened. But now you’ve got a chance, and you can use it. Of course, girls love words, but they also need real actions. Between an irresistible chatter and an inconspicuous guy that keeps his promise, she would choose the second one.”       “You know… Somehow, I heard that breaking up with your beloved person is like a little death. And… It’s true. It seems like someone stole a part of you… That’s why you feel like an imperfect person. You always miss something and try to find a way to get back the second half of you so hard.”       “Do you mean your breakup with Anna?”       “Not only. After my parents’ death, I felt the same. I was deprived of something important… I knew Father and Mother would die early or late, but… I wasn’t ready to lose them when I was only twenty-two. When the two were so young.”       “Anyway, I ask you not to give in and turn into a vegetable. No matter what has happened in your life, you’re a strong man. Strong enough to overcome all of that.”       “But I can’t suffer and do nothing!”       “Being a little sad is fine. It’s fine to have despair for a while. A breakup is very hurtful, I don’t deny it. But it’s not a reason to forget about yourself, lock yourself in four walls, and suffer. Nothing would come to you easily – you’ve gotta fight for everything.”       “I know, but it’s hard.”       “You have the reasons to stay strong. Anna needs help and protection. Cassidy needs her brother to forget her past life. The band needs a bassist. And your friends need you. Think about it. About what would happen if those people lost you. Strong and brave people don’t run from problems. They solve them or find a way to do this.”       “You think I really have a chance?”       “The only person, who can fix your mistakes, is you. When you grow up, you’re responsible for all your mistakes and actions. And no matter how heavy your burden is, you’re the only one to carry it.”       “You’re giving me hope,” Daniel smiles forcefully. “And the strength to hold on.”       “You’re strong, brother,” Peter encourages with a slight smile. “I made sure about it after hearing the story of your life. Your way from a freaking bonehead to a man, who’s ready to accept the responsibility was hard, but you did it. If you got out of the shit, you will get through it this time. But you will do it with the help of your friends, not alone.”       “You can comfort.”       “Since you wanted to talk about it, I must support you and give you some advice,” Peter shrugs with a slight smile. “But I think Edward and Terrence would advise you the same if you wanted to talk to one of them.”       “Everything got out by itself…” Daniel runs his hand through his hair and rubs his forehead with this one. “I’m probably just sick of keeping everything inside.”       “I’m glad you’ve opened yourself. But it would be better if you braced yourself and helped Anna.”       “I didn’t say I refused to help her. Even if Anna leaves me after all, it’s okay, I will have to accept it. Anyway, I have a sister, whom I must help start a new life. I promised her to be strong. So, I can’t betray her. And lose her again.”       “Your sister can’t stay alone with such a terrible problem. She must get through it, but she can’t do it without your help.”       “I know… It’s gonna be hard, but we will do it.”       “Until we know how to help Anna, focus on Cassidy’s therapy.”       “It’s gonna be hard to accept my breakup with Anna. But I have to. And I will do it. I’ll try to stay strong for the band. For my wonderful friends, who would never betray me.”       “It’s gonna be okay. Any problem has a solution. And we will find it,”       “Thanks, Pete.”       Sammy barks two times, amicably looking at Peter and Daniel, who move their eyes to the dog with slight smiles, and the latter scratches the neck of the retriever sitting next to him.       “I don’t forget you, fluffy,” Daniel says amicably. “I’m sure you’ll help me if you’re just next to me.”       Sammy barks again and, wagging his tail energetically, puts his face on Daniel’s laps, so the man softly yanks his ears.       “What a wonderful dog!” Daniel notices. “I never met such a smart dog with a pure heart.”       “I think he understands what people say,” Peter replies thoughtfully. “Sammy knows when he needs to support a person or leave them alone.”       “Right. Petting him makes me feel better.”       “And he always comes to the right place, at the right time.” Peter thinks about something for two seconds with sadness in his eyes, clicking on the table with his fingers. “Sammy became my salvation… My salvation from what could’ve made me remember the old times.”       “What do you mean?”       “Sammy has saved me several times from…” Peter falls into silence to swallow up nervously, locking his fingers tightly. “Attempts to harm me…”       “What?” Daniel sharply moves his eyes to Peter, stopping to smile immediately. “No… No, no, you didn’t…”       “Yes, Daniel, I tried… Tried to cut myself…”       “No, bro, c’mon…”       “My hand reached to the blaze when I was in the bathroom somehow. I just looked at the one and didn’t realize how I took it.”       “Are you gonna harm yourself again?” Daniel gets horrified.       “Please, don’t think I wanted it. Everything was fine, and I didn’t think about it. There were just moments when the memories got suddenly obsessed with me. When I got sad and… I went to the bathroom… It worked automatically… I was kinda hypnotized but woke up when the blaze barely touched my skin.”       “Peter…”       “And I would’ve cut myself… But Sammy came to the bathroom at some moment… He was a puppy. He started to shake my hand and pull me by the pants. It woke me up… And then Sammy started to bark loudly and… He didn’t calm down until I put the blaze in its place… Thus, he saved me… And I was madly grateful to him for that. It happened several times… When the fluffy was at my home.”       “Damn, but why did you say nothing? Why did the guys and I know nothing?”       “I just didn’t wanna get you excited.”       “Helene doesn’t know it, either?”       “No.”       “But, Peter, why? What if Sammy hadn’t been next to you? And nobody would’ve stopped you! Would we have found you in the pool of blood in the bathroom again?”       “No, no, I swear I didn’t wanna back to the old way!” Peter exclaims. “And I braced myself in time when I tried to cut myself all alone. It was a habit! The habit that was too hard to wean away from.”       “Damn, we’re worried about you. Because we know you haven’t come to yourself fully. We needed to know those things.”       “Sorry, buddy… I know I should’ve told you everything. But I was sure I could do it on my own. Because I had the people, who I should’ve lived for.”       “I understand, but you should’ve said it!”       “C’mon, man, relax. It’s okay! I did promise I’d never do that again.”       “Listen, if you break down, tell the guys and me about it immediately. Don’t make us worried.”       “Promise me one thing.” Peter slowly runs his hand over his face and briefly glances at his hand with the bracelets. “Just one.”       “Which thing?”       “Never cut yourself,” Peter says in a quiet, much lower voice and takes Daniel by the wrist. “Hear me… Never. No matter what happens, don’t even dare to take the blaze. If you start it, you won’t stop. I used to think I felt better after every single cut, but it was just autosuggestion. I was getting much worse, and that thing became my habit. The habit that would’ve killed me if I’d had nobody by my side.”       Sammy whines quietly, looking at Peter with pity in his eyes, while the man folds his hands in front of himself.       “I understand,” Daniel nods with sadness in his eyes.       “Even if you feel bad now, don’t dare to think of what I did,” Peter says confidently. “It won’t make you happy. As well as drinks, cigarettes, drugs, and any other dependence.”       “Didn’t you get better? Are you still pretending and saying you’re okay, while you’re dreaming of death again?”       “No, no, Daniel, I swear I don’t think of death! I did really get better after my friends supported me. Even if I still have a bitter taste. Just… I just can’t forget everything and let it go yet. I try not to think about it, but when I stay home alone, I think of the past sometimes… I get dragged into this pool more and more. But the thoughts about my friends, girlfriend, and band help me hold on.”       “So, do you really feel better?”       “Much better. Now I’m trying to accept my past and consider it something like what made me stronger and better. To forgive my mother, my father, the girl, who made me fear love, and those, who humiliated me… To make myself sure that if I was born, it should’ve happened.”       “It takes time.”       “I know. Anyway, now everything’s different. New life, new people, new me… Everything is different. And now it would be much easier to take the rest of the way and leave those events in the past.”       “Anyway, you’ve gotten through a lot,” Daniel notices with a slight smile and claps Peter on the hand. “And you’re a good fellow! You’re doing this well.”       “Thanks, Dan.”       Sammy barks quietly.       “Yes, yes, Sammy, we know you’re here,” Peter says with a slight smile.       “You’re our good fellow, too,” Daniel says amicably, petting Sammy’s head. “As the blond said, you’re near in the right place, at the right time.”       Sammy barks two times, making Daniel and Peter laugh quietly.       “You know, I’ve lately been thinking of adopting a dog,” Daniel confesses thoughtfully, running his hand over Sammy’s hair.        “Get a dog?”       “What? I love dogs! Besides, I’m living alone now! And I have experience with dogs.”       “Good idea. Maybe, Sammy could get a friend…” Peter smiles mysteriously. “Or even a girlfriend…”       Sammy barks happily, starting to wag his tail energetically.       “Oh, boy, I see you want a girlfriend,” Daniel smiles slyly.       “It’s been a while,” Peter chuckles kindly. “He doesn’t miss any dogs when Helene or I walk with him. If that’s a girl, Sammy starts to show off. For example, he liked a doggy today. But he didn’t meet her ‘cause the owner didn’t like the puffy.”       Sammy whines and inclines his head with sadness in his eyes.       “It’s okay, Sammy, don’t worry,” Daniel exclaims. “We’ll find you a beautiful doggy! You'll do what you should and become a dad of charming puppies.”       “But only if you behave very well and never make Helene and me upset,” Peter smiles slyly.       “Wait…” Daniel pronounces thoughtfully, looking at Sammy’s hair closely and scratching it. “Sammy… Why is your hair dirty? Where have you been?”       “Indeed, Sammy! What is this? Why are you a freaking piggy?”       “Hey, didn’t you swim in the pool?”       Sammy makes a quiet sound, looking at Daniel innocently.       “So, while we were talking, you had time to swim!” Peter exclaims. “You washed your stomach?”       “And the pool is dirty,” Daniel adds with a sly smile. “I can’t get time to clean it… I mean, I’m lazy…”       “Then, someone’s gonna take a shower in a warm bath.” Peter yanks Sammy’s ears when the dog comes to him. “With big foam… With a fantastic smell of shampoo… M-m-m…”       “Judging his face, he’s not happy with this.”       “Aha… He doesn’t like to take a bath, but he rolls in dirty pools with pleasure. This creature swims in all the rivers during the walk.”       “Yeah, active doggy…”       “It’s okay, he’s gonna take a bath before a delicious dinner tonight,” Peter smiles slyly and widely. “We could do it at Jessica’s home. She takes a wonderful bath, in which there is so much space.”       Sammy looks at Peter questioningly, making a weird sound.       “Why at Jessica’s one?” Daniel frowns.       “Because the fluffy does love being at her home,” Peter replies confidently. “Sammy can’t wait for Helene and me to take him to her home.”       “Yeah…” Daniel laughs shyly “He looks like he’s gonna swim you in a dirty pool.”       “He knows he’s gonna get a kick on his nose and ears after doing a bad thing.”       Sammy barks loudly, looking at Daniel and Peter.       “C’mon, he’s afraid of her,” Peter confesses. “When someone talks about Jessica, he always reacts like this.”       “But why?” Daniel wonders. “Jessica is a good girl. A friend of you and Helene. The friends of your owners must be at least respected, Sammy.”       “She’s just a little sharp and rude sometimes… Jess can’t show tenderness. And Sammy is our tender and sensitive boy and doesn’t like when he’s treated rudely.”       “That’s how…”       “My beloved friend lacks a little bit of love. And a man’s shoulder.”       “She has nobody now?”       “Men are afraid of her ‘cause she’s rude and not feminine,”       “Tomboy?”       “Sorta. As long as I remember Jessica, she’s always been like that. She’s never worn skirts and dresses. While all the girls put on dresses and shoes with heels and made hairstyles for the graduation, Taylor came there in a shapeless hoodie, shabby jeans, and sneakers and with a sloppy tuft on her head.       “Familiar case,” Daniel laughs shyly. “It’s all the same about Cassidy. And she madly hates the pink color. When she was offered clothes of this color, Cass had hysteria. She resisted all the girls’ things too hard.”       “Jessica wore dresses and skirts in childhood. She showed her childhood photos. But she said she didn’t like the way she looked. Though, in my opinion, there was a very cute girl in the photos.”       “I’m sorry that my sis doesn’t wear it. She’s a very sympathetic girl. If Cass is dressed, guys won’t leave her without attention.”       “And Jess would also be very sympathetic if she put her appearance in order.”       “Was Jessica popular among men?”       “She was not as a girl. She was considered one of them. Though, it’s clear. I’ve tried to tell her about it many times as a man, but she just joked. She thinks if a guy loves her, he’ll love her anyway.”       “Hasn’t Helene tried to impact her?”       “I dunno, maybe, she has done. But she has no time ‘cause she needs to work, take care of her grandmother, and just spend time with her friends and me.”       “By the way, I wanna change the subject.” Daniel folds his hands on the table in front of himself. “I’ve just remembered that Helene was kinda sad and quiet on the day when I fought with all of you. She… Didn’t speak too much, as I thought. Something happened to her?”       “Yup, something… It had to do with her family. I mean, her parents and grandfather.”       “Is it so important to her?”       “The men know it as well as the girls. So…” Peter falls into silence for a second and clears his throat. “In short, one day, Helene’s grandmother told me the secret of her granddaughter’s birth and asked me to be silent. But she heard us and was mad at Mrs. Marshall and me for a long time.”       “And what was the secret about?”       “Her parents didn’t die, as she thought. They left her.”       “Left?” Daniel rounds his eyes.       “Yup. Helene always thought her mother died during childbirth, and her father did some time before her birth. But as it turned out, the two might be alive. And… They left their child.”       “Yeah, Helene mentioned her parents’ death with the pretense of Terrence and me…”       “So, Mrs. Marshall said Helene was born when they were sixteen or seventeen. Of course, Helene’s grandparents were shocked by their daughter’s pregnancy. But they said they were ready to raise her. And persuaded her not get an abortion.”       “That woman wanted to kill the child?”       “Yes, she didn’t want anything to remind her of Helene’s father, who left that woman because of the pressure of his family. And Helene’s mother gave a damn about her pregnancy all the time. She could’ve even had a miscarriage. Luckily, that woman carried the child and gave birth. But Helene’s mother didn’t get the love for her daughter and rejected her after she was born.”       “Oh, gosh…” Daniel wonders.       “She said she wouldn’t take the baby home and banned her parents from doing that. But they couldn’t do it. They couldn’t accept the fact that the child could’ve been taken to an orphan house. So, those people took their granddaughter. And when Mr. and Mrs. Marshall decided to send Helene’s mother to therapy for postpartum depression, that woman ran away from home. And she didn’t come back.”       “What a story… I don’t even know what to say…”       “I was also shocked when her grandmother told me about it. And I can’t understand those, who leave their children.”       “I don’t understand it, either. What was that woman thinking of? I understand she was young, but her parents agreed to help!”       “Anyway, it’s possible to understand her and Helene’s father. I would be overwhelmed if the sixteen-year-old me heard I’d have a baby.”       “Okay, it’s clear about her mother. But what about her father? Wasn’t he a part of educating his child?”       “No, he’s never been interested in Helene and tried to find her after he left her. I think his parents washed his brains so well that he forgot about the daughter, who was almost killed by her own mother.”       “And Helene’s grandmother never told her that?”       “She couldn’t find the courage ‘cause she didn’t know how Helene would react. But that girl found it out, got furious, and was mad at Mrs. Marshall for being silent and me for promising to say nothing ‘cause she should’ve heard it from her close person.”       Sammy whines quietly, and Peter pets his head.       “Helene even forgot about Sammy,” Peter adds with sadness in his eyes. “I had to take care of him. But the fluffy was also depressed. Because his owner didn’t pay attention to him. He didn’t eat, drink, and play… He was lying quietly in the corner all day long.”       “Poor doggy…” Daniel pronounces, throwing a short look at Sammy.       “But he did make Helene stop being mad. Thanks to him, she came to herself and realized that she behaved, saying softly, not very well.”       “How long was she mad?”       “For a few days, I think,” Peter replies thoughtfully, running his hand through his hair. “Which were super hard to Mrs. Marshall and me.”       “Get it.”       “Yeah… Because of that case, I…” Peter glances at his locked fingers. “I almost broke down and cut myself… At Helene’s home…”       “At Helene’s home?” Daniel rounds his eyes.       “She treated me like I didn’t deserve. I tried to hold on, but… Her words made me break down. I was in despair… And when I saw the blaze, I… Didn’t notice I took it and brought it to my hand. But I stopped in time and threw it as far as possible.”       “Oh, fuck, dude…”       “It’s okay, buddy,” Peter cracks a slight smile. “It was just a moment of despair. The moment when I thought there was no way to solve that problem.”       Sammy whines quietly with sadness in his eyes.       “Sammy suffered much more than me,” Peter adds and yanks Sammy’s ears softly. “He suffered because of Helene and was worried about me. When Helene was near him, he looked at her with the hope that she’ll remember him again. And when she screamed, he literally curled in a ball.”       “I imagine how bad he felt,” Daniel says with sadness in his eyes.       “Still, he found the strength to support me. Sammy helped me feel better. And… I believe we got much closer to each other.”       “Sammy loves you anyway. Just see how he looks at you.”       “I see…” Peter cracks a smile. “And this fluffy stopped being jealous of Helene and me.”       “Seriously?” Daniel chuckles quietly. “Sammy was jealous?”       “Oh, yeah!” Peter exclaims with a laugh. “The puffy didn’t let me stay alone with Helene and always annoyed us.”       “My gosh…” Daniel moves his eyes to Sammy. “Hey, boy, didn’t ya wanna share your owner with Peter? You thought she was yours?”       Sammy barks confidently, looking at Daniel and Peter amicably.       “I don’t know, maybe, Sammy was jealous for fun,” Peter assumes with a slight smile. “But I’m sure he treated me with suspicion at first. He didn’t let me stay with Marshall. Then he got used and started to let me do it rarely. Though, he keeps being mean. Especially when I kiss Helene.”       “What’s gonna happen when you have sex?”       “He’s gonna have hysteria.” Peter smiles slyly. “But I’ll do my best for the fluffy not to be near.”       “I think someone really needs a girlfriend,” Daniel chuckles quietly. “To get busy with her and forget about his owner and her boyfriend.”       “Yeah, but there is no candidate for the role of his girlfriend.”       “Don’t worry, buddy! Even if I adopt a dog, I promise I’ll get a girl. Especially for Sammy.”       “Make sure Cassidy is happy.”       “Of course, she will! Yes, maybe, she likes small dogs like pugs, pomeranians, or chihuahuas, but I prefer big dogs like retrievers, shepherds, or labradors. But Cass is gonna love any kind of dog.”       “Hey, didn’t you know Anna feared them?”       “No, I didn’t. We never talked about cats and dogs, honestly. There was no talk about my wish to have a pet. But since Anna doesn’t live with me, I can pick up a puppy or mature dog.”       “When you’re ready, Sammy will come to meet it.”       Sammy barks happily in a jump, making Peter and Daniel laugh shyly and shake their heads.       “Hey, didn’t you get drunk after a beer?” Daniel asks.       “I think no,” Peter shrugs. “But I definitely feel good. I’m absolutely relaxed and quiet.”       “Me too,” Daniel slowly gets up from the bar table, leaning on this one with both hands, and takes the empty bottles. “I haven’t felt so easy for ages.”       “After so many tense days, that’s what we need.”       With these words, Peter also gets up from the bar table, takes his mobile phone, and goes to the living room alongside Daniel, who throws the bottles in the trash on the way.       “You know, I must confess that I got a little better after this talk,” Daniel confesses with a slight smile. “Really… I’m happy I stopped keeping it inside.”       “Me too,” Peter agrees, stroking down his hair and putting his phone on the table beside his glasses. “If you know the limit, drinks can help relax.”       Daniel and Peter sit on the sofa next to each other.       “I think this is our most open talk,” Peter notices, putting his arm on the back of the sofa. “And we haven’t spent time together for ages.”       “Agree…” Daniel nods and runs his hand over his hair. “And I can’t even understand when everything changed…”       “When we met the MacClife brothers, I guess.”       “Maybe… We started to spend a lot of time with Terrence and then Edward. And… We stopped going out somewhere together. Though, we used to do it literally every day.”       At this moment, Sammy sits on the floor in front of Daniel and Peter to listen to their talk.       “I don’t know what about you, but I believe we’re now communicating much better than before,” Peter notices thoughtfully. “Yes, we were friends and hung out together often, but… Something wasn’t right… And after we had that conflict, it got much clearer… Maybe, we apologized to each other and got along well again, but… There’s still a bitter taste. And… It didn’t let us get closer again.”       “You know, sometimes I think the same. We were speaking, and everything was fine. But there was a barrier between us. I dunno… Maybe… We didn’t forgive each other fully. And we’re still mad.”       “I think we weren’t so close before, but now our relationship got much better and stronger.”       “I thought the same about Terrence. When you and I fought, I started to think about it more and more. We spoke to MacClife well, but… I thought we were never such close friends. Yes, spending time with him was cool. But I would’ve hardly called him my close person. I wouldn’t have called him my brother.”       “Terrence wasn’t close to me, either. And especially Edward. We barely knew him. Both of them are cool guys, but the MacClifes were just familiars to me.”       “And I think the same thing was happening between you and me. We just kept a good relationship as colleagues when we played in Albert’s band.”       “If the band had broken up much earlier, you and I would’ve hardly kept communicating.”       “Listen, Pete, don’t get mad at me for what I’m gonna say, but I guess it happened because of you,” Daniel assumes hesitantly.       “Because of me?”       “You didn’t get in touch and ignored me at first. You didn’t even try to talk to me about something else except the band’s work.”       “Listen, Daniel…”       “I understand we seemed too different to be friends. People still talk about it. But running away from me like crazy was also wrong.”       “Right… It happened.”       “Why were you ignoring me?”       You want the truth?”       “I’d like to know it.”       “Okay, I’ll tell you…” Peter falls into silence for a second and chuckles quietly, moving his eyes to Daniel. “I was just afraid of you.”       “Seriously? Me? But why?”       “You reminded me of those guys, who studied at my school. They all looked frightening… So, you seemed the same… You were too tough, little arrogant, and proud… I thought you didn’t know what kindness and sympathy were.”       “No, Rose, I can’t believe it…” Daniel laughs quietly, shaking his head.       “When I saw you at the audition, I told myself I must’ve kept myself as far as possible from that guy. I didn’t stop praying, ‘If only I didn’t end up with him in the band!’ Otherwise, you’d turn my life into hell.”       “Hey, what do you think so?” Daniel wonders with a slight smile, clapping Peter on the shoulder. “I actually wanted to be in the band with you! You immediately seemed a good guy, with whom it would be easy to work.”       “Because you could feel that I was much weaker and couldn’t stand for me. And I wasn’t lucky… I found out that I’d play with you in the same band… And I was ready to shoot or hang myself. Because I understood that I’d be dead.”       “Oh, shit…” Daniel claps himself on the forehead and shakes his head. “I’ve got nothing to say…”       “I was even ready to refuse to work not to see you. But I was stopped by the fact that I had no money. So, I promised myself to stay in the band for some time. Until earning some money.”       “Damn, I don’t get it… There were such assholes, who were mean, but you were only afraid of me.”       “If someone was an asshole, they looked harmless. But you looked like you’d easily grab a gun and kill anyone to go against you.”       “Not truth, it wasn’t me!” Daniel protests with a slight smile. “Don’t make me a monster!”       “You really seemed like a monster to me.”       “And couldn’t you play after the first attempt because you felt uncomfortable when we had to play on the audition together?”       “It’s one of the reasons,” Peter confesses quietly. “But I was also worried about my skills. I strongly doubted I could play. When I came to the audition, I had never held drumsticks. I didn’t even know how drums looked until I saw them at the audition for the first time.”       “But why did you wanna be a drummer?”       “I thought I could play something ‘cause I had some experience playing cajon. And I had never seen a guitar or held it in my hands before. So, I decided to fight for the place of the drummer.”       “You know, buddy, even if you couldn’t play drums, they liked your play. Just like the guys, who came to the audition, and I did.”       “Honestly, I’m still surprised that someone could like what I played. Because I played out of tune and couldn’t say a word when they asked me something.”       “I think they saw potential in you. They were sure that if you’d put in some effort, you would’ve played like a professional. And it happened.”       “Yeah, but how many nerves I lost. Sometimes I had hysteria and wanted to leave it all. Only the thought of needing money helped me.”       “But you love singing and playing.”       “Right, but I did everything wrong and was terrible at signing and playing. An experienced person could see it. Even when I tried to earn money by playing outside the city, I was always told about my mistakes.”       “And what? You weren’t born with the skill of playing drums and singing! Besides, you should work on any talent.”       “I know. So, I listened to the critics. And I tried to fight with my fear of showing my talent.”       “You did it right. Otherwise, you would’ve worked as a pizza man, a delivery man, or someone to give papers outside.”       “Yeah… I would’ve probably kept working as a delivery boy or a sales consultant. But I saw the bright announcement that was hanging on the bus stop and got my attention in the newspapers several times. As if someone said I should’ve tried. It was my chance. My destiny.”       “I didn’t think a lot after I saw that announcement in a newspaper. I thought, ‘Why not?’ I found out everything and went to the first audition, before which I’d been playing guitar too hard and remembering everything I forgot after a long break.”       “And I must confess that you played well,” Peter notices with a slight smile. “Even if you didn’t have experience, you did it well.”       “But I was also worried. Yes, I had experience and could play, but I understood it wasn’t enough.”       “It was enough to become a member of the band. A few auditions let them know they could make something good out of you.”       “I was so happy when I got a call and was told I was admitted to the band. But I got much happier when I got the money for our first performance at the club.”       “And how thrilled I was when I got a call from someone, who told me I was admitted to the band.” Peter runs his hand over his hair and rubs his forehead. “But I got terribly nervous when I found out you joined it, too. I… I was scared when we met as the members of Albert’s band.”       “But I was happy to work with you and thought you could become my good friend. I wanted to speak to a simple, normal guy, who wouldn’t pretend to be an upstart.”       “As I’ve said, I wanted to piss everything off. Because of you and Marty… At first sight, she seemed sweet and fluffy, but she was a real bitch. A fucking princess, who everybody must’ve pleased.”       “I disliked her immediately. I wasn’t gonna be her friend and speak to her. But I really liked you. I wanted to befriend you. Or at least speak. And I didn’t even think of harming you.”       “I know… But I didn’t believe it… I thought your friendliness was a mask. You were kind of waiting for the moment to mock me. I didn’t trust you at first. I thought you lied, pretended, and wanted to frame me.”       “Damn, Rose, you surprise me…” Daniel laughs shyly.       “As I’ve said, you always seemed too cold, tough, and arrogant. I saw you were always more than just confident. And your look let me know you would’ve killed anyone, who would’ve come to you. But I was terribly afraid of bad people and couldn’t stand for myself. It was my school fears that I couldn’t get rid of since school.”       “Oh, Pete…” Daniel runs his hand over his face with a quiet chuckle. “You made me laugh…”       “You know, I had my legs shaking when I went to another rehearsal with the thought that I’d spend a lot of time with such a dangerous and terrible man like you.”       “Yes, maybe, I’m a little cold at first sight and have never been a good boy. But I’ve never done anything bad to anyone.”       “If you’d said it then, I wouldn’t have believed.”       “Hey, I ain’t a monster!”       “I wanna let you know that I almost peed my pants when you somehow caught me outside after another rehearsal,” Peter exclaims with a laugh. “There was nobody around, and I was terribly scared when you got close to me. I started to think of my school years and thought ‘It’s my funeral!’”       “I just wanted to ask why you never talked to me and kept yourself far away when we didn’t have to discuss the band’s business. I wanted to talk to you, suggest we go somewhere, and get to know you better. I tried to get closer to you, but you always ignored me. And it was hurtful because I did nothing bad to you.”       “Sorry, Dan…”       “You amaze me.”       “Yes, I began to realize that you were really amicable some time later. But I was afraid to trust you anyway.”       “I didn’t think it had to do with your reluctance to open yourself to people because of fear of being pissed off and insulted.”       “I didn’t trust people and thought the entire world was literally against me for a very long time. That’s why I wanted to distract myself from everyone. Though, I’ve never been an introvert and always wanted to speak to people. I was just trying to learn to trust others and remember that there were not only assholes.”       “You could explain everything instead of finding any stupid excuses to run away from me.”       “Mistrust and reluctance to be weak made me silent. I managed to trust you some time later. At first, I learned to work with you and find a compromise. Then I tried not to be nervous and not to be afraid of your pretense. And the last step was my agreement to spend time with you. And I didn’t regret doing this. I discovered the other side of you. And I started to understand that you weren’t so mean and horrible. You were a good enough man.”       “And I made sure I wasn’t wrong when I thought I should’ve chosen you as my friend.”       “At least, I always have fun with you,” Peter cracks a slight smile. “And I couldn’t believe I met someone, who didn’t use me for his interests and really wanted to be my friend.”       “Well, when you opened yourself, we easily found a common language.”       “I think we were united by the work in the band and the wish to mock Marty.”       “Oh, it was my favorite thing,” Daniel laughs quietly. “Someone to be cold, arrogant, and sassy was Ms. Marty Patch. Not me!”       “It was cool to use the fact that she didn’t dare to attack us with fists. She could only go to Albert and say that we hurt her. Though, I didn’t care about his lectures. And I wasn’t afraid of that girl.”       “Albert did nothing – he just threatened with his finger… It’s bad to hurt a girl, men.”       “Aha, what if the girl can bring someone from the dead?”       “Maybe, I’ve never raised a hand on a girl and won’t dare to do it. But I’ve never been shy of speaking what irritates me openly.”       “There are hysterical girls, who could understand something only if someone shouted at them.”       “I’m surprised that I held on for so many years. If not for the big money, I would’ve gotten outta the band much earlier.”       “I was supposed to be upset after leaving the band. But I was madly happy! Happy that I pissed Marty off.”       “But I was mad that I had to give her money for the headscarf, which I tore. I didn’t wanna pay anything, but I was afraid of problems.”       “It’s okay, life has put everything in the right place,” Peter replies confidently and smiles slyly. “Now that girl is pulling her hair out because she lost her job.”       “Why do you think so?”       “Oh, right! You don’t know! I recently found out that Albert went bankrupt, closed his studio, and sold almost all his houses abroad.”       “Did Albert go bankrupt?”       “Yes. But I barely understood what happened. Either Sanderson got into great debts or did something wrong with taxes, but everything was too bad.”       “But how do you know it?”       “Ashton told.”       “Ashton? That’s…” Daniel thinks for two seconds, putting his finger on his lip. “Wait… Is that a sound recorder with a crooked smile caused by facial palsy?”       “He is! I talked to him a little, and Ash told me about Albert and Rachel, who started to date someone. And she’s happy.”       “Listen, I remember that Brianna mentioned Marty’s problems. What if her cousin knew everything, and Ash kindly leaked the information to us?”       “I don’t exclude it. If Brie said it so confidently, she knew everything but decided not to give us details.”       “Hey, what’s Ash doing now?”       “Nothing. He complained that he couldn’t find a job. He gets some one-sided jobs, but can barely pay himself.”       “What if we help Ash? I think we could find a job on our band team? That man is smart and responsible. We could always count on him.”       “Yes, yes, I thought about it.”       “I’m in! And I think the MacClifes will agree. But I don’t know what we could offer him.”       “But I do! Ash could be a great replacement for Connor and become our assistant.”       “Yeah, Connor… That boy has really disappeared… Have you seen him?”       “Nope, for a long time.”       “He probably found another young cutie and is hooking up with her.”       “But I think he hasn’t come to himself after Edward, Terrence, and I kicked his ass before the eyes of people in the café,” Peter laughs shyly.       “Really?” Daniel wonders. “You hit him?”       “Aha. A couple of hits on the balls and a couple of slaps in the face before we got much better.”       “But when?”       “A few minutes after you left the café.”       “So, I missed something interesting…”       “We just got mad that he showered you with mud and remembered all of our past sins.”       “Wow…”       Silence settles in the air for a few seconds, during which Daniel scratches the back of his head and quickly gets something out of his eye while Peter pets Sammy’s head.       “Anyway, I don’t regret that time,” Peter confesses with a slight smile. “Despite the difficulties. Thanks to that, my life changed for the better. And I met many good people, some of whom got very close to me.”       “I also appreciate the time I spent in Albert’s band,” Daniel confesses confidently. “I finally met the people, who would never betray me. It’s nice to know there are those, who befriend you not because you’re a guy from a provided family. Because they just wanna be my friends without a benefit or a goal.”       “I don’t care if a person is rich or not. If I wanna befriend them, I will. No matter if they’re poor or rich, healthy or ill. The most important thing is the personality. Actions. Readiness to sacrifice something and be next to you in hard times.”       “Glad to hear it,” Daniel cracks a slight smile. “And I also truly appreciate the time that I spend with my best friends. The friends, who have really become close to me. Like my brothers. Who I love.”       “You three aren’t just my best friends. You are my brothers, who saved me from loneliness and the terrible things I could’ve done.”       “That’s cool Terrence and Edward joined us. I’m glad we met them, got on well quickly, and made our hobby the source of money.”       “And it’s just the beginning,” Peter says confidently. “So much interesting is waiting for us.”       “I promise I won’t betray you.”       “Now we can say you and I know maybe not everything, but many things. And we got much closer. As I’ve said, we used to be colleagues, but now we’re real friends, who spend time together for the band and at their wish.”       “Absolutely agree,” Daniel pronounces with a slight smile. “I think we’ll understand each other better. I’ve told you everything about me and hide nothing more.”       “I’ve also told everything about me. I hide nothing and completely trust those, with whom I speak.”       “Now you know you’ve got no reason to fear me.”       “It’s the past.”       “You can always ask me for help. I don’t leave friends in trouble.”       “I know. You can also count on me.”       Daniel and Peter share a homie handshake with slight smiles and take each other in an tight, amicable hug, clapping each other on the back, the shoulder, or the head.       “Thanks for listening and supporting,” Daniel thanks. “I got much better.”       “Thanks for trusting and speaking out,” Peter replies.       Two seconds later, Peter and Daniel step away, while Sammy comes to the guitar placed near one of the small tables with different things on it and touches the strings with his paw. That’s why quiet and nice sounds spread out and make the men pay attention to them.       “Nice melody,” Daniel notices and chuckles kindly. “Someone definitely has a musical skill.”       “Hey, Sammy, what the fuck?” Peter resents, moving his eyes to Sammy. “Who asked you to touch someone’s stuff without permission? Samuel! I am calling you!”       “C’mon, leave it!”       “Sorry, he’s not indifferent to guitars. When I sometimes play and sing at home, Sammy always comes to me and sings along. And he tries to touch strings with a paw.”       “He’s doing this well.” Daniel moves his eyes to Sammy. “Hey, Sammy, maybe, you will play something for us? Make us happy with your solo show!”       The happy Sammy barks loudly two times, takes a strap of the guitar with his teeth, and pulls the instrument to the legs of Peter and Daniel.       “No, I think someone’s suggesting we sing and play,” Peter assumes with a shy laugh.       “Why not?” Daniel wonders, takes the guitar, and places it comfortably in front of himself, starting to pluck the strings quietly. “Let’s play something together. We haven’t played anything for ages.”       “When Terrence leaves the hospital, we’ll surely play something.”       “I can’t wait for him to be with us again.”       Meanwhile, Sammy finds the second guitar in the mess in the living room near the stairs and pulls it to Peter.       “Yeah, he’s definitely determined,” Peter chuckles quietly.       “Oh, yeah…” Daniel shrugs.       “So…” Peter takes the guitar given to him by Sammy looking at him and Daniel with his tongue out. “We could play something for fun. Warm up our fingers and voices.”       “Yup, play together like in the old good times,” Daniel nods, plucking the strings slowly.       “But what?”       Daniel plucks the strings for a few seconds, while Peter just creates the rhythm for the melody. Sammy is just sitting in front of the men, watching them with interest and waiting for them to strike at least a couple of chords and sing something. However, the doggy does not have to wait for too long because Perkins starts singing and playing a quiet and soulful melody on his guitar at some moment. Peter joins Daniel and sings two or three more lines with a slight smile, plucking the strings of the guitar confidently enough. And when the men start to sing the chorus, Sammy starts to howl quietly along with the guys, keeping the right rhythm amazingly. Although Daniel and Peter cannot hold their laughter down, they try not to stop and to keep singing, as they sometimes share a look with slight smiles on their faces. By the way, they brilliantly take high notes without any breath issues or a shake in their voices, and the doggy howls funnily at certain moments.       Being busy playing and singing, Daniel and Peter do not have time to realize how the song ends. They sing the last lines of the chorus together, accompanying themselves by playing guitars for their only loyal listener, Sammy, who listens to every single note and word closely. And after the friends strike the last chords, silence settles in the living room, which can be broken by Sammy’s happy bark.       “That was cool!” Peter exclaims cheerfully.       “Yeah,” Daniel agrees with a slight smile.       “You did it very well.”       “Thanks, you are brilliant, as always. And notice that I’ve finally taken high notes well.”       “Yes, yes, I saw. You just needed to stop smoking and warm up your voice.”       “I haven’t smoked for a long time. Since the day I fought with Anna and got hit by a car.”       “So, when a car hit you, your brains were kinda repaired.”       “Maybe,” Daniel chuckles kindly.       Sammy gets Daniel and Peter’s attention by barking loudly two times.       “Hey, long-eared, you can be a star!” Daniel notices cheerfully, petting Sammy’s head. “You have a great talent!”       Daniel says nothing for two seconds, yanking Sammy by the ears softly.       “Listen, boy, don’t you wanna sing with our band and become a special guest that our fans would surely like?” Daniel suggests.       Sammy barks confidently.       “Edward, Terrence, and I talked about it,” Peter confesses with a slight smile. “And they thought it would be really cool.”       “So, we’ll take Sammy with us someday.”       Sammy barks again, jumping happily and making Daniel and Peter laugh quietly and shake their heads.       “Hey, I’ve just begun to realize that this song fits us well,” Daniel notices thoughtfully. “The lyrics describe us and our lives so well. We’ve experienced a lot of things, but it does make us stronger.”       “I’m starting to understand why we like it so much, and we’ve never played it with the MacClifes,” Peter replies thoughtfully. “This song is about us.”       “We’ve got our song, and Edward and Terrence have the one they only sing together.”       “I remembered how they annoyed us with one song, which was stuck in my head for the whole week when we worked at the studio.”       “Oh, yeah!” Daniel chuckles quietly. “They sang it everywhere! But I thought they would’ve killed us when we loudly started to sing the stuck song, which had been recently released.”       “I remember,” Peter laughs shyly and scratches Sammy’s neck.       “Listen, Rose, how long have we known each other?” Daniel frowns slightly, plucking the strings of the guitar.       “Erm…” Peter stutters, playing something on the guitar, too. “If I ain’t mistaken… It’s been… Five years… Some time before your birthday… I mean it’s gonna be five years.”       “Oh, fuck… How fast time flies…” Daniel exhales with a slight smile on his face. “We just recently played on the audition together. And I tried to get on well with you…”       “It seems like it happened yesterday, but it’s been almost five years…”       Sammy barks quietly, looking at Daniel and Peter.       “Yes, Sammy, five years…” Daniel nods.       Silence settles in the air, during which the friends think about something, and Sammy watches them with interest. But a few seconds later, they hear someone ring at the door, to which they automatically turn.       “That’s probably Helene,” Daniel assumes.       After sharply running his hand over his hair, Daniel puts his guitar aside, gets up from the sofa, and goes to the hall door, while Peter scratches the hair of Sammy, who wags his tail energetically. And when Perkins opens the door, he really sees Helene standing on the doorstep and waving at him with a cute smile.       “Hey, Daniel,” Helene says amicably.       “Hey, Helene,” Daniel greets amicably with a slight smile and greets Helene by hugging her and kissing her on the cheek. “Glad to see you.”       “Sorry for bothering you, but Peter said he was at your home with Sammy.”       “Sure, come in. Sammy and Pete are waiting for you.”       Daniel lets Helene enter the house and locks the door. And when the girl comes to the living room, she immediately hears Sammy’s happy bark and sees him running to her and wagging his tail with his tongue out.       “Sammy!” Helene exclaims happily and starts petting Sammy’s head. “Hi, my sweetheart! Hi… Did you miss me?”       Sammy gets much closer to Helene, impatiently waiting for the caress that she gives him with pleasure, while Peter comes to them with a slight smile.       “My good boy…” Helene pronounces softly, caressing Sammy’s hair, while he goes around her and looks at her closely. “You missed your owner…”       “This bad boy finally saw his owner,” Peter says with a slight smile. “And I finally saw my beloved girlfriend.”       “Just like I finally met my beloved man,” Helene smiles shyly.       After sharing a true smile, Helene and Peter kiss each other on the cheek and hug each other touchingly. But when Daniel enters the living room, the lovers step away, not wishing to show how happy they are, while he is worried because of the situation with Anna.       “I see you had a good time here,” Helene assumes, glancing at the guitar lying on the sofa. “You played guitars.”       “That’s Sammy,” Daniel replies. “He pulled the guitars to us, and we decided to play for ourselves. And he helped us well.”       “Aha, this fluffy sang along with us with pleasure,” Peter adds.       “Really?” Helene wonders and laughs shyly. “I’ve suspected that Sammy has a musical talent for a long time. He howls along with any song. My grandma loves listening to CDs with old songs or turning on the radio. But she can’t listen to music well, ‘cause this bandit makes all the sounds quiet by howling.”       “You’re lucky your neighbors don’t complain about his howl.”       “Yeah, thank God, we’ve got good neighbors, who don’t start a scandal for any reason.”       Sammy barks quietly, and Helene yanks his ears softly and pays attention to his hair, over which she runs her hand.       “Hey, Sammy, why do you have dirty hair?” Helene frowns slightly. “You swam in a river or a pool again?”       “Aha, in the pool at the back of this house,” Peter says confidently, crossing his arms over his chest.       “The dirty one,” Daniel puts his hands on his hips with a sly smile. “I’m too lazy to clean it… While the blond and I talked, the fluffy ran to the back of the house and swam.”       “Oh, Sammy…” Helene sighs with a slight smile. “You do love dirt… You’d better love swimming in the bathroom and washing.”       “Do two or three pairs of hands have to hold him to wash?”       “Oh, yeah! Sammy can’t quietly wait for me to wash him after every walk. You know how dirty he is after running a lot, jumping in pools, and rolling on the dirty ground. And he dares to run away from the bathroom when I soap him with shampoo.”       “Get it,” Daniel laughs shyly. “Luckily, my dog had no problems with it. As Chelsea was small, it was easier to wash her. You could grab her, place her under the faucet, and wash.”       “Well, this pretty boy can’t be grabbed ‘cause he’s too heavy,” Peter notices and yanks Sammy by the ears. “Sammy could be carried when he was a little puppy. But now the puffy grew up and became a 66-lb. thing.”       “But he’s very funny and active,” Helene says with a slight smile. “You’d never be bored with the doggy like this. And walking with him might easily replace a workout at a fitness club.”       “As they say, mix business with pleasure,” Daniel shrugs.       “Yeah…” Helene runs her hand over Sammy’s hair. “Hey, Daniel, if you love dogs and have experience, why don’t you get a dog?”       “Yes, yes, I’m thinking about it and told Peter I’d like to adopt a dog.”       “But don’t kill Cassidy when you decide who you want,” Peter laughs shyly. “What if you wish to get a big dog, but Cassidy would like to have a small one. Or you’d like to get a boy, but she may wish to have a girl.”       “Don’t worry, blond, we’ll agree.” Daniel smiles slyly. “But actually, Cass must listen to me because I am her older brother. She’s too young to decide something. She’s gonna do what I’ll say.”       “Will you behave the way Terrence does toward Edward?” Helene chuckles quietly.       “If she doesn’t listen, I’ll have to educate her.”       “Okay, Perkins turned the bad brother mode on,” Peter notices with a sly smile.       “Everything depends on Cassidy. If she’s a good girl, I’ll caress her head. If she’s mean, I’ll have to kick her.”       “Yeah, at first, the MacClifes kicked each other’s ass, and now the Perkins are gonna make us happy,” Helene assumes thoughtfully, crossing her arms over her chest.       “Calm down, guys, it’s gonna be okay,” Daniel promises confidently. “Cass and I will talk, and I’ll decide to get a big, half-adult dog.”       “Okay, decide it!” Helene waves a hand. “But bring your doggy to us. We love dogs.”       “Well, we three really love dogs… But the others… Natalia loves cats… Raquelle and Terrence are indifferent to pets, as I think. Edward loves all animals… And Anna is actually afraid of dogs…”       “Maybe,” Peter agrees. “Nevertheless, everybody loves Sammy.”       “Not loving him is impossible!” Daniele exclaims. “This dog can steal the hearts of people.”       Sammy barks confidently with a proud look, wagging his tail energetically.       “I agree,” Helene agrees. “This boy knows how to make everyone love himself. Even those, who are indifferent to dogs. Or goes crazy from cats.”       “Or fears dogs…” Daniel adds thoughtfully, throwing a sad, short look aside.       Helene and Peter guess what Daniel thinks about but say nothing out of a wish not to give him pain, while Sammy whines quietly and nuzzles his nose against Perkins’ hand.       “It’s okay, Sammy,” Daniel says without emotions, petting Sammy’s head. “It’s okay…”       “He feels you’re worried and trying to support you,” Helene notices quietly with sadness in her eyes.       “I know…” Daniel cracks a smile. “The memories just came into my mind…”       “Don’t you really believe everything will get better?”       “Dunno, Helene…” Daniel shrugs. “At least, not in the nearest time… Even my help in saving her may change nothing.”       “I think if Anna’s father believes you didn’t want to hurt her, he may help you,” Peter assumes. “By having him as your ally, you’ll have a greater benefit.”       “His words will hardly impact her. Since she doesn’t hear her friends and believes you're all trying to whitewash me, I say nothing about her parents.”       “Seymour can say anything, but she does take notes of everything she hears,” Helene assumes confidently. “And when it’s time, Anna will analyze it all.”       “I doubt it…”       “You see…” Helene locks the fingers of her hands tightly and bends her arms at her elbows. “My friend is too hurt. Don’t believe everything she says now. She’s obsessed with anger.”       “Anyway, I’ll do my best to save her from the mockeries of that man. Her calm and well-being are important to me, and I can’t give a damn about what’s happening to her. Despite everything, I’ll worry about her. And I don’t care that she wants to leave me. It will happen. I won’t run and beg her to give me a chance. It will be her decision. And I will accept it.”       “Your help won’t go unnoticed,” Helene replies confidently. “I would personally appreciate it if someone helped me in trouble.”       “Even if I don’t hear any thanks, it’s okay. I’m doing this for my love for Anna and my duty to her parents, not for commendation and a wish to hear words of thanks and praise. I just need to know she’s safe and sound.”       “Her well-being depends on you. And if you’re honest with her, Anna will realize you’re regretting it one beautiful day.”       “The fact that you told her everything is very good,” Peter adds confidently. “Anna will appreciate it.”       “Well, yeah…” Daniel replies thoughtfully. “She appreciated… With a strong slap… And tons of insults…”       “Slap?” Helene frowns. “When did you get a slap from her?”       “On the day when Terrence woke up. I caught Anna in the hospital when she was going to the room, told her everything, tried to apologize, and then kissed her. That’s why I got a slap on my face.”       “Wow…” Helene says nothing for two seconds, being shocked by what she heard. “I never thought she could do that. Anna never raised a hand on anyone: no girl, no man.”       “I was also surprised, ‘cause Anna seemed too soft and tender to me,” Peter confesses. “But people are right when saying there’s a little demon inside every innocent angel.”       “I think she’d wanted it for a long time,” Daniel assumes. “Yes, it was terribly hurtful to me. But I deserved what was fair. I can’t be mad at her. Anna was right.”       “But I think she liked to kiss you,” Helene assumes with a slight smile. “She won’t confess it, but Anna was waiting for that moment.”       “I thought so,” Daniel cracks a smile. “She did answer the kiss that lasted for a long time. In the worst case, I would’ve gotten a slap shortly after coming tightly to her.”       “Her feelings just got a victory under her offense for some time. But then she realized she was angry and let you know that.”       “Even if it lasted for some time, it’s okay. I felt happy at least for a while.”       “Never say never,” Peter says confidently. “Everything may be changed for the better if you do something for that. And we don’t doubt that you won’t stay in the same place and do nothing.”       “No, no, I will be everything I can.”       “That’s right,” Helene supports. “Anyway, you can always count on us.”       “Thanks a lot, guys,” Daniel says amicably with a slight smile. “I’m happy to have such wonderful friends.”       “It’s gonna be okay, don’t worry,” Helene encourages, clapping Daniel on the shoulder. “We’re with you.”       Sammy barks loudly two times.       “Yeah, buddy, you too,” Daniel pronounces, petting Sammy’s head with a slight smile.       A few seconds later, a sudden ring on the door breaks the silence.       “Oh, are you waiting for someone?” Helene frowns slightly.       “No, nobody,” Daniel shrugs.       Daniel goes to the hall door to open it. And he feels that his heart stops for a moment when he sees Maximilian, who looks a little harshly but nervous enough.       “Mr. Seymour?” Daniel wonders in a shaking voice, rounding his eyes and getting a little white from a scare.       “Hello, Daniel,” Maximilian greets coldly. “I’m glad you remember me.”       “H-hello… Erm… Excuse me… I did not expect your visit…”       “Sorry for coming without warning. I have some free time now. And I want to use it to talk to you about some things that have lately happened.”       “Erm…” Daniel stutters and glances aside. “Yes, sure… Come in… I will surely listen to you.”       The excited Daniel lets Maximilian enter the house. Anna’s father quietly comes to the living room, where he sees Peter and Helene playing with Sammy and then moving their eyes to the unfamiliar man.       “Oh, hello,” Maximilian pronounces thoughtfully. “It seems like I came at a bad time.”       “Hello…” Peter pronounces hesitantly.       “As I understand, are you Daniel’s friends?”       “Yes, it’s correct,” Helene confirms quietly.       Meanwhile, Daniel returns to the living room and throws a hesitant look at everybody, who is here.       “Oh, sorry…” Daniel pronounces hesitantly. “I did not tell you I was not alone here… That’s my friends…”       “I got it,” Maximilian nods and takes his mobile phone from the pocket of his pants. “Oh, excuse me… I got an important message. I need to reply quickly.”       Maximilian goes aside and starts to check out something on his phone, while Daniel looks at him scarily for one or two seconds and then comes closer to Peter and Helene.       “Hey, who’s this man?” Peter asks in a whisper. “What does he need? And why did you get so white?”       “It’s Anna’s father,” Daniel replies excitedly in a whisper.       “Anna’s father?” Helene and Peter get surprised quietly and look at each other.       Sammy barks very quietly, as he is next to Helene, who pets his head.       “Oh, dude, you won’t avoid the talk about what’s happening,” Peter assumes thoughtfully.       “Yeah, but I don’t know what to tell him,” Daniel confesses excitedly. “Of course, I wanted to talk to him, but I didn’t think it would happen so soon.”       “Sorry, it’s late. That man went to your home and would make you explain everything.”       “I know, Pete, I know.”       “Talk to him about Anna’s situation,” Helene suggests confidently. “It’s your chance!”       “I’m gonna do this… But I ain’t sure I can explain everything quietly ‘cause I’m freaking nervous.”       “It’s okay, buddy, relax,” Peter calms down, clapping Daniel on the shoulder. “I think he’s not so aggressive. He’s likely nervous.”       “For a while!” Daniel exclaims with widely open eyes.       “Don’t be nervous, Dan. If you don’t brace yourself, your talk with him will go badly.”       “I’m dead, guys… Mr. Seymour is gonna kill me for what happened between Anna and me.”       “Gosh, talk to him at first and then say you’re dead,” Helene sighs quietly.       “Oh, damn… I also drank beer…” Daniel groans quietly. “Listen, do I smell strongly?”       “Well, if you’re close, you do,” Peter says thoughtfully.       “Did you drink beer?” Helene frowns slightly.       “We did. We wanted to relax a little.”       “But if I’d known Anna’s father would come here, I would’ve refused,” Daniel confesses with a heavy breath.       “C’mon, buddy, don’t worry. You won’t get drunk from beer.”       “Oh, shit…”       Daniel exhales sharply and runs his hands over his face, shifting his weight from one foot to another. Meanwhile, Maximilian puts his phone in his pocket and comes to the friends.       “Erm, young people…” Maximilian pronounces thoughtfully. “I truly apologize for disrupting your pastime, but I have a very important talk to Daniel that has to do with my daughter.”       “Yes, sure…” Helene nods. “We understand it.”       “We are going to leave,” Peter adds thoughtfully.       “The sooner Daniel and I talk about it, the better it will be,” Maximilian says confidently.       “You are right,” Daniel nods.       “I’m glad you understand this. And I’m going to talk to you not only about what you think about.”       “Sure, Mr. Seymour… I’m ready to listen to you…”       “Alright, we will leave then,” Helene says thoughtfully, looking at Peter. “We have some things to do…”       “Yes, we will not bother you,” Peter adds a little thoughtfully.       “Sorry about bothering you again,” Maximilian apologizes with sadness in his eyes. “But the case is very important.”       “It’s alright, sir. We are leaving.”       “Erm, wait for a while,” Daniel says hesitantly to Maximilian. “I will say goodbye to my friends and come to you.”       “Alright, I am waiting for you.”       Maximilian goes aside and looks at what surrounds him, while Daniel comes to Peter and Helene.       “Okay, guys, farewell,” Daniel says in a shaking voice. “If I hurt you somehow, I’m asking you for forgiveness.”       “Dude, stop shaking like a scared bunny,” Peter says with a quiet laugh. “Nobody’s gonna kill you.”       “Well, I dunno…” Daniel scratches the tip of his nose. “He’s gonna give it hot to me.”       “Don’t worry, it’s gonna be okay,” Helene comforts with a slight smile. “Just be honest.”       “This is the best thing I can do.”       “Hey, wait, I’ve got an idea!” Helene exclaims, opens her purse, and takes a small pack, which she gives Daniel. “Take, eat one!”       “What is this?” Daniel frowns slightly.       “Mints. They will get you rid of the smell of alcohol.”       Daniel takes a mint from the pack and eats it, feeling a nice, minty freshness in his mouth.       “It’s good,” Daniel notices, eating the mint, gives the pack to Helene, and smiles slightly. “Thanks, Helene. You helped me out.”       Peter hugs Daniel amicably and claps him on the back and head. And when they step away, Perkins hugs Helene, who caresses his shoulder softly. Meanwhile, Rose takes his phone, his glasses, and the leash from the coffee table and puts it to Sammy’s collar.       “Bye, fluffy,” Daniel says goodbye with a slight smile, petting Sammy’s head and yanking his ears. “Be a good boy.”       Sammy barks quietly, sits down, raises his paw, and draws something in the air with his tongue out, while Peter puts his phone in the pocket of his jeans and puts on his glasses, and Helene quickly checks something in her purse.       “Let’s go, Sammy, heel,” Peter says quietly, pulling the leash on himself slightly. “Heel! Good boy!”       A few seconds later, Helene, Peter, and Sammy leave the house, and Daniel, who quickly closes the door after them. Then the man exhales sharply, raises his head, and goes to the living room on his weak legs, while Maximilian is waiting for him.       “They left?” Maximilian asks with his arms crossed over his chest.       “Yes,” Daniel nods.       “Wonderful! We can talk now.”       “Yes, sure…” Daniel points at the sofa hesitantly. “Let’s sit down?”       Maximilian sits on the sofa next to Daniel and clears his throat.       “By the way, how do you feel after you got hit by a car?” Maximilian asks.       “Pretty good,” Daniel replies quietly. “I suffered from a headache at first, but now it’s gone.”       “I know you were diagnosed with amnesia.”       “It happened…” Daniel confirms, fingering over nervously. “But now I remember everything. My memory came back to me.”       “I’m glad you’re fine. But I came here not to ask you about your health. I want to talk to you about something else. My daughter.”       “I am ready to listen to you.”       “I will not pull a cat’s tail.” Maximilian says nothing for two seconds to clear his throat. “Daniel, you know that I accepted you as a man of my daughter and did not mind your relationship. However, what happened some time ago made me very upset.”       “Do you mean the fact that I betrayed Anna?” Daniel specifies with sadness in his eyes.       “I found out what happened on the day when Anna went to my home with tears, asked to let her in, and said you kissed a girl before her eyes.”       “Mr. Seymour, I swear I didn’t want it,” Daniel excuses himself with pity in his eyes. “I am very sorry and recognize my mistake. Yes, I behaved terribly. And I don’t want to excuse it with my amnesia and the fact that the girl had me wrapped around my finger for an American citizen.”       “At least, you had a choice. You could reject that girl and say, ‘no’ to her. But you didn’t do that and hurt my daughter too much.”       “I’m very sorry, Mr. Seymour…” Daniel says excitedly. “But please, understand me… I was used when I couldn’t mind. That foreigner pretended to be my fiancée and said we were going to marry. And I believed her… At least because everything she told me happened between Anna and me. I mean… She told our story as if it happened between that girl and me. I felt everything was familiar to me, but I naively believed that liar until the end.”       “Oh, alright…” Maximilian pronounces quietly. “Let’s assume I believe you. But I think you should have felt that you were not attracted to that girl. And your friends probably told you what happened to you.”       “Yes, it really happened.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “They told me about Anna. But I didn’t listen to my feelings and didn’t believe my friends until the end. Moreover… I thought they were liars. She separated me from Anna and made me fight with my friends. Because of her, I told them many bad things and barely got their forgiveness. But your daughter refuses to believe me.”       “You know, Daniel, somehow, one familiar of mine said a heart remembers a lot. Even if you had an emptiness in your mind, your heart could tell you where the real truth was. But you didn’t listen to its sound. I don’t understand why you tortured yourself? If you dislike it, you should show it openly and never let someone lie to you.”       “Now I’ve learned this lesson. I’m really sorry I let someone play with me.”       “I’ll be open with you…” Maximilian clears his throat quickly. “On the one hand, I’m disappointed in you. You broke your promise to make Anna happy. But on the other hand, I think you hardly had a wish to betray my daughter. Unlike her, I can think soberly and understand that you were used.”       “I would have never done that if I had known I dated your daughter. Maybe, I would’ve remembered her if she had been next to me, just like all my friends. When I was in the hospital, I saw Anna only once, but I memorized her. And viewing photos of her at times, I thought she was special.”       “I was sure you didn’t want it and thought so until the end. Even if Anna says you had an affair with that girl when you lived together.”       “No, that’s not the truth! I didn’t know that girl before amnesia! She just went to my room and accosted me. He annoyed me almost every day… I enjoyed the time when she was not there when my doctor kicked that girl out of the room.”       “She works at the hospital?”       “She worked as a cleaning woman. But my friend said she got fired due to the problems with documents and people’s claims.”       “And how did she know about you? If that girl knows about you, you know her.”       “I swear, I do not know how she knew about me. The only thing I can say is that everything could be planned. She literally wanted to get closer to me. Money, house, American citizen… All of that could be a reason.”       “What a story…” Maximilian frowns slightly.       “Anyway, I shall bring that girl to clean water and find out what she needs from me when she is back here.”       “Where is she now?”       “She went to Spain with her family.”       “You didn’t go to the police?”       “Not yet. But if she shows up and doesn’t leave me alone, I shall go. There is a person working at the police, who would not refuse to help me.”       “Alright, I got it.”       “What do I do, Mr. Seymour?” Daniel asks with sadness in his eyes. “I really want to prove to Anna that I’m madly sorry about what I did and wouldn’t have betrayed her at my wish. But, sadly, she let me know she broke up with me after our last talk.”       “Yes, Anna said about it. She said you remembered everything, and your friend ended up in the hospital. So, I decided to take a chance and talk to you.”       “I wanted to contact you. I understood I would have to do this early or late.”       “I wanted to do it much earlier but decided to wait. I thought it would be worthless to say something to someone to have amnesia.”       “I got it.”       “As I understand, did you tell my daughter everything?”       “Yeah…” Daniel throws a short, sad look aside and swallows up nervously. “I told Anna about everything I did all the time. I hid nothing… I think I should be honest with her.”       “She said you almost had sex with that girl,” Maximilian recalls gloomily.       “I did. But I’m madly thankful to her sister for not letting it happen when she called that foreigner.”       “And what were you thinking of?”       “I don’t know… I was out of my mind… I… I saw Anna in front of me, not the foreigner. It made me slowly go crazy.”       “Alright, Daniel, if you are really honest with me, I appreciate it.”       “Do you believe I am sorry?”       “I do. Because I’m judging this situation soberly, not thinking about my disappointment.”       “Even if Anna hadn’t seen that foreigner kissing me, I wouldn’t have kept silent.”       “Honesty is a very good feature,” Maximilian replies, fixing the strap of the watch on his left hand. “I’m glad you prefer being honest to lying that nothing happened.”       “Yeah, but I’m afraid my confession made everything worse,” Daniel assumes, looking down for a second. “Now Anna is much madder.”       “Well, I can’t promise that she’ll forgive you, but I think my daughter will appreciate your help,” Maximilian says thoughtfully with sadness in his eyes. “If you wanted to save her from trouble, she would not leave it unnoticed.”       “Yeah, about trouble…” Daniel sharply runs his hand over his hair, rubs his hands nervously, and locks his fingers tightly, moving his eyes to Maximilian. “Mr. Seymour… It’s very unpleasant for me to say it, but… I should talk to you about something related to Anna. And it’s not about me cheating.”       “It’s amazing, but I would also like to talk not only about your betrayer,” Maximilian confesses, stroking his chin and frowning slightly. “There is something very important.”       “Alright, you can explain the situation first, and then I’ll explain mine.”       Maximilian keeps silent for a few seconds to get ready, but then he moves his rounded eyes to Daniel.       “My daughter is in great danger, Daniel,” Maximilian confesses in a shaking voice. “We may lose Anna because of one terrible man.”       “What?” Daniel gets frozen with horror in his eyes.       “You are our only hope. You are the only one to protect Anna from what is threatening her.”       “Erm…” Daniel says nothing for two seconds, biting his lip slightly. “Excuse me, do you mean the man, who mocks Anna?”       “How do you know it?”       “That’s what I want to talk to you about. My friend told me and our friends that he met Anna and a suspicious man. He pretended to be good but started to scream at your daughter, injure her, and even beat her after they stayed alone.”       “Oh, gosh…” Maximilian closes his mouth with horror in his eyes and shakes his head, becoming speechless for two moments.       “That man treated her worse than a doormat. He doesn’t respect women and considers them something like dust.”       “I know…” Maximilian groans quietly, clenching a hand into a fist tightly. “Damn… How much I hate that stinker… That cad brought my daughter to such a terrible condition and terrified her.”       “He was trying to be good for you?” Daniel frowns slightly.       “Yes, Julian was pretending for me and Anna’s mother.”       “That’s his name?”       “Yes. Julian Potter.”       “And how well do you know him?”       “My ex-wife and I befriended his father and late mother. And that man used the fact that Lilian and I found him good and pretended to be an angel, who came from heaven to help my daughter forget you. I told him about your betrayer, and he pretended that he was sorry and wanted to help Anna.”       “That man knows about me?”       “He does. And Julian is terribly mad that Anna canceled the wedding because she decided to run away with you.”       “Wedding? But her potential fiancé’s name was different. I… I can’t remember his name, but that’s not Julian.”       “The case is that my daughter was originally wanted to get married to Julian. But her mother persuaded Norman, his father, to have a wedding of Anna and Ryan, the younger brother of Julian.”       “Right! Ryan!”       “I want to specify that Ryan is not as bad as his father and older brother. The age difference between them is eleven years: one is thirty-five, and the other is twenty-four. He took after Genevieve, his late mother. That guy is very good, educated, and smart… Now he is getting a second high education… In short, my ex-wife liked him more. My parents and the parents of Lilian insisted on the marriage of Anna and Julian, but they eventually gave up on my ex-wife. But this wedding did not happen due to the escape of Anna with you. That’s why Julian and his father got terribly mad at us and cursed you.”       “Is Ryan really much better than Julian?”       “My word! Ryan is an angel!”       “Why did Anna’s mother want to marry her daughter off to him?”       “She says she liked Ryan more. Lilian literally slept and saw him becoming Anna’s husband.”       “And what did you think?”       “I agreed with everything when many people wanted something. Julian is Julian. Ryan is Ryan.”       “That’s how…”       “I thought my ex-wife did not dare, either. She never showed her emotions and seemed a harsh enough woman. But now everything is different.”       “Are you still speaking to Anna’s mother after divorcing?”       “Sure, I’m working with her. We have a common business. Yes, we are divorced, but we remain colleagues and parents of our daughter.”       “Excuse me, Mr. Seymour, how did you actually know that man was mocking Anna?”       “Mocking is too easy to say,” Maximilian sighs with sadness in his eyes. “Julian mocks my daughter as much as he can. At first, I didn’t want to notice it because I thought he was holy. Anna tried to tell me that she was afraid of Julian and begged me many times to save her from him. But I didn’t believe her and thought that the girl was just going crazy because of you. That’s why she allegedly tortured herself, withdrew into herself, stopped speaking to her friends, and refused to spend time with Julian. I treated her suffering with respect, but I saw that it lasted for too long. That’s why I literally pushed her out of my apartment when Julian arrived.”       Maximilian exhales slowly and swallows up nervously.       “Somehow, my ex-wife went to my home and said we needed to save Anna from Julian, and Ryan told her something about her father and brother. But I didn’t believe her. And I kept proving that he was good. That’s why Lilian and I had a big fight and recalled all of our sins.”       “Anna isn’t used to being treated so terribly,” Daniel says thoughtfully. “I imagine what she felt: she was surrounded by love and care, but then someone called her worthless, ugly, and talentless.”       “But later, I realized that my daughter told me the truth. Julian betrayed himself by calling Anna an ugly, stupid, and terrible girl. He was scared when I said I’d take her to a psychologist. At first, Potter tried to make me sure that they were liars, and then he even banned me from going to consult.”       “It’s clear… The truth would’ve come to light.”       “Julian threatened me with a knife and said he was mocking my daughter by the order of Norman Potter, his father, who my ex-wife and I hurt somehow. Their family lost a lot of money and got mad at us because we were guilty.”       “So, are they revenging you by using Anna?”       “I think so. They know Anna is the dearest thing that Lilian and I have. If we didn’t have our daughter, we’d have no reason to live.”       “To use the girl, who is not guilty of anything…”       “If we had become a family, we would’ve probably always smiled falsely and hated each other deep inside. I mean, they would’ve hated Anna and her mother, Ryan, and me. He doesn’t have a good relationship with Julian and Norman. He is not a part of their tricks and examines books quietly.”       “So, is everything worse than I thought?”       “I am shocked that I almost destroyed my own daughter. Anna begged me for help so many times, but I didn’t hear her pray and thought she was going crazy. I thought Julian would wash her brains. She counted on me, but I betrayed her…”       “I understand you didn’t want to believe that the man wasn’t decent. You can expect it from someone you know. Not from someone you’ve known for ages.”       “I couldn’t think Julian and his father were so terrible, but Lillian has always known it. She wanted to protect Anna… Even if she didn’t show her love. That woman wished her happiness anyway.”       “Sometimes people love quietly, without showing emotions.”       “The maternal instinct. It might be very strong. And…” Maximilian throws a short, sad look on his hands. “Lilian was definitely right when saying I was a bad father to my daughter.”       “No, Mr. Seymour, don’t say it,” Daniel says with sadness in his eyes. “You’re a wonderful father. And Anna has always loved you with all her heart.”       “No, Daniel, I am a bad father. I can earn money, but educating children is not my thing. Though, I madly love my daughter and am ready for anything for her.”       “Sometimes parents don’t hear their children.”       “I thought it would be better for my daughter to speak to Julian and, heaven forbid, get married to him. I believed she would pay attention to him. Gosh, how stupid it was!”       “You are not guilty, Mr. Seymour. And I’m sure that Anna blames you for nothing.”       “Mothers…” Maximilian pronounces thoughtfully. “They always know what’s better for their children… Lillian wanted to make Anna’s life a little easier. But she was afraid to go against her parents’ will and make the Potters mad.”       “And did Anna know all of that?”       “About the wedding? Yes, we always let her know it.”       “Don’t you want it now?”       “No, we have no goal to get our daughter married by force. I think Lilian and I changed after we stopped being dependent on our parents when they died. It made us realize Anna would know better how to live. Maybe, we don’t approve of many of her actions, but it’s her life. She’s not a baby.”       “That’s how…”       “And you know…” Maximilian slowly moves his eyes to Daniel. “I’m truly grateful to you for literally canceling the wedding and protecting my daughter for some time. Of course, the Potters would’ve done something early or late, but I’m sure you would’ve protected Anna.”       “I am now ready to do my best to save her from those stinkers,” Daniel replies confidently. “I do not care if Anna wants to leave me. I just want to know she is safe.”       “Honestly, I don’t know what we can do…” Maximilian sighs quietly. “Lillian and I talked to the police officer some time ago, but they said they needed proof. Words can’t prove anything for sure. Even your friend cannot help if he says what he saw.”       “But he’s ready to help.”       “His word will mean nothing if he does not prove it.”       “I know, but we must do something! If we do nothing, Anna will be dead!”       “I must confess that Lilian and I went to the police at our own risk because Julian blackmails us and says he is going to kill Anna, my ex-wife, and me if we start to look for help. Though, I don’t want that scumbag to be unpunished. Don’t want him to get married to my daughter and control everything she is doing.”       “My friend said Julian got mad at everything about Anna: her silence, her protests, her breath, her appearance, her talents. Everything!”       “Gosh, why was it my daughter? Why? If that cad Norman wanted to deal with Lilian and me, he could give claims to us. Instead of using my daughter!”       “By the way, I’m a little surprised that Anna came to the hospital. If that man controls her and blackmails her, any of her actions may enrage him.”       “It’s true, even the most innocent or accidental actions of hers make him angry.”       “Excuse me, is Anna not with him now?”       “No, she went to walk. And thank God! At first, Anna stayed at home all day long and went nowhere.”       “But what about Julian?”       “Julian and his father left the city for some time. So, that man could do nothing to my daughter.”       “And when will they be back?”       “I do not know it. They didn’t say.”       “So, we need to use this time.”       “Lillian and I don’t fold our hands and are trying to do something. But we were powerless before. At first, we wanted to talk to you or Anna’s friends, but we could not because you had amnesia, and we had no contact with your friends. And the trip to the police gave us nothing.”       “You know, my friends and I did want to contact you and talk about that situation. They told me that Anna got in touch with a terrible man. But I said I couldn’t help them because I didn’t know where you lived and couldn’t remember if I had your mobile number.”       “You are our last hope now. We have nobody to ask for help.”       “Listen, Mr. Seymour…”       “Daniel, I’m begging you at my knees, do something to save our daughter,” Maximilian begs with despair in his voice and pity in his eyes. “Lillian and I don’t want to lose our only daughter because of the two nasty bastards. Anna has nothing to do with our families’ business. If they want to revenge, they can deal with us. But they must leave my daughter alone.”       “Yeah, but…”       “Please, protect her from that stinker. Yes, he is dangerous and could do a lot, but you can do this.”       “Oh…” Daniel exhales slowly and runs his hand over his hand, moving his eyes down. “Honestly, I don’t even know how I can help… Anna will piss me off if I offer my help to her. But to protect her, I should be next to her.”       “For God’s sake, do something. Lilian and I will be grateful to you if you save our daughter.”       “But I don’t know how!” Daniel throws his hands up. “Unless you tell me how to help her.”       “Sorry, Daniel, but I don’t also know what to advise…” Maximilian shakes his head with sadness in his eyes. “Though, I know we must be together to end this story. I don’t ask you to deal with Julian. At least let me know you will protect Anna.”       “It goes without saying, I’m ready to protect her.” Daniel clears his throat quickly. “But I say again: I can’t protect her at a distance.”       “Sadly, we don’t know when Julian will be back in New York. But I’m sure he will stop pretending to be good, even for Lilian and me. He is sick of that. And my poor daughter will suffer much more if we do nothing.”       “I know…” Daniel throws his hands up. “But everything’s too complicated… Even if I’m ready to help you. If I have to, I will ask my friends to help me.”       “Do anything you want, but save my daughter,” Maximilian begs in a shaking voice with pity in his eyes. “I will not forgive myself if something happens to Anna. If I had listened to her pray in time, she would’ve been okay. But I, idiot, lost the moment and put my innocent girl in danger.”       “Don’t blame yourself, Mr. Seymour. I know you didn’t want it.”       “Everybody was right when telling me I was a naive idiot, who could be easily deceived. Potter did use it. At first, he pretended to be an innocent lamb and swore he wanted to help Anna. But he showed his worst side after realizing he was almost pinned to the wall.”       “I promise we will find a way to save your daughter and make that stinker pay for what he did,” Daniel promises confidently.       “Although we have some time to find a solution, we must be ready at any moment. And be ready for the return of Julian and his father to the city at any time.”       “The only thing I can advise is to pay attention to where Anna goes. Julian will hardly hurt her in front of people. But if they are in a desert place, danger will threaten her. Every time she leaves, ask her where. Don’t let her find excuses.”       “My gosh… I didn’t think about it… Damn!”       “Don’t you know where she went?”       “No, she didn’t say. But I know that Anna has met her friends in the past few days. And I must confess that she started to look a little better and doesn’t cry all day long like before.”       “It’s too early to say she got better. When the guys and I saw her for the first time, we were overwhelmed by what had happened to her. The Anna we knew does not exist. The present Anna is broken. Terrified…”       “I know…” Maximilian sighs with sadness in his eyes. “My girl was so positive and smiling… And thanks to your care, my daughter was really happy next to you. She had a gloss and love for life in her eyes…”       “She was just never beaten or insulted. You were harsh but never treated her as if she was something disgusting.”       “No-o-o-o… Raising a hand never happened in our family. We even tried not to scream at each other. Lilian and I broke down when she tried to make me sure that Julian was terrible. That’s why Anna wasn’t used to this attitude. She got shocked when a scumbag, who never showed any success, called her worthless, ugly, and talentless and said she was not lucky to be born as a woman.”       “I would never dare to behave towards a girl in this way. My parents cared about it too much and didn’t stop saying I had no right to insult, humiliate, and beat a girl. They swore at me even for pulling girls’ pigtails. And I think that’s right. No man has the right to treat a girl like this.”       “You know how much my heart hurts every time I see Anna like this. It’s hurtful to think my treasure is suffering. But it’s much more hurtful that I put her under torture and didn’t protect her. Only her mother tried to do something, but she would be powerless, too. The Potters will not be shy of insulting Lilian.”       “I know, Mr. Seymour. I really want to help her. And I would give much more effort than before to make her happy. For her, I’m ready to sacrifice anything, even my career in the band. If Anna told me she didn’t want to see me on the stage, I wouldn’t think about it.”       “No, no, Daniel, don’t even think about it. First, Anna would never want it because she knows you love music and your band. And second, you must not give up on your dream. If you want to sing in the band, sing. Nothing must be a barrier to that. It’s your life. It’s your dream.”       “Yes, yes, I know. Anna always supported me in anything. And knowing about my dream, she did insist that I keep reaching it.”       “You know, man… I think you do have a chance to get her back. Anna has said many times that she loves you, despite her offense and wish to forget you. My daughter is really in love with you and hardly wants to look for another man.”       “During our last talk, Anna said she was ready for a new relationship. I was madly angry! Everything was burning inside me at the thought that my beloved girl would be kissed by another man.”       “She said it to make you mad. Anna still loves you and will not forget you for a long time. Or maybe, she doesn’t aim for it. Anyway, I am sure that love will win, and she will forgive you.”       “I must confess…” Daniel glances aside. “So many people have said I haven’t lost her… I kind of doubt that I could fix my mistake… But I’m kind of trying to believe. Remembering the stories of my friends that are a little similar to mine.”       “I heard about those stories from Anna. And it’s one of the reasons why I have hope for your reunion. Moreover, I believe you really didn’t want to betray her. I appreciate the fact that you confessed everything honestly.”       “Thanks a lot for your understanding, Mr. Seymour,” Daniel says quietly with a slight smile on his face. “I’m glad you believed in my truth.”       “Maybe, I was also obsessed with anger at first, but now I calmed down and can think soberly. And I think if you protect Anna against Julian, she will appreciate your honesty and regret.”       “I would like to believe it.”       “I will help you if you need it. Anna’s mother and I will be by your side. Together, we’ll find a way to protect the innocent girl against that terrible man.”       “I don’t promise that I could do it, but I will do my best,” Daniel says quietly. “And when everything is over, I will be just waiting. Waiting for Anna to think of everything and make the final decision.”       “It will be the best decision. By chasing her like a dog, you will make her much madder. But no matter what happens to your relationship, remember that I really want my daughter to come back to you. Now I don’t doubt that you are the one she needs. I know what I must see in my daughter’s eyes and what I wish her.”       “Thanks, Mr. Seymour,” Daniel thanks with a slight smile. “You’re very nice to me.”       “If you save Anna from Julian, Lilian and I will owe you for the rest of our lives. Just save our beloved daughter, and we will do anything for you.”       “I will do my best.”       Maximilian says nothing and just smiles sadly, not doubting that he made the right choice this time, and Daniel will really protect Anna from Julian and everything that man could do to her.