Chapter 2

We had about nine days off for the upcoming holidays, and I worked for six of those days handing out flyers, tutoring, organizing lecture notes for other students and helping out at the cafeteria kitchen.

I would leave my dormitory before the sun was out and return when it was late at night.

When I was handing out flyers, I was thrown out by the property management staff. When I was tutoring, the student's parents kept picking on me, and my skin was peeling from washing so many dishes in the kitchen.

However, it was all worth it to me because I could make money.

On Thanksgiving, I continued working in the cafeteria from morning until night. I wiped down tables, cleared the dishes and mopped the floor. When it was 8 pm, I leaned against the back door of the cafeteria to munch on stale bread.

My phone buzzed, and I clicked into my social media account to see that Ezra had posted some pictures. They consisted of a great big roast turkey, candied yams and a full table of delicacies. The caption read, [Having a taste of home during Thanksgiving. I wish I could be home forever.]

I continued scrolling downward.

Norm had commented, [Don't even think of dieting. Have as much as you can.]

Edith wrote, [Mom chose the fattest turkey in the store just for you.]

My mother, Irma Livingston, also commented, [I'll make turkey for you again next year, Ezra.]

I decided not to scroll any further, but that was when I received a text from Norm. [Remember to complete the trivia.]

That was all. He did not wish me 'Happy Thanksgiving' or ask about me. All he remembered was to ask me to work on the trivia. I put my phone away and continued munching on my stale bread. It was cold, hard, and scratched my throat.

I drank some cold water from my water bottle and swallowed the last of my bread.

When I saw the picture of Ezra munching on the turkey leg, it made me hungry to see the juices bursting from it. I gulped and swiped the post away. I would never get the turkey leg if I were at home.

"Here you go, Son." The cafeteria lady looked out the back door with a steaming plate of food in her hand. She even placed a piece of pumpkin pie at the side for me.

"I kept this for you since today is Thanksgiving. Have them while they're hot. You can't just have stale bread when you're already so skinny."

It surprised me, and I almost cried in front of her.

This was a day when families were supposed to sit together and celebrate, but it was a stranger whose name I did not even know who was giving me a warm meal.

"Thank you, ma'am." I took the plate from her and thanked her in a hoarse voice.

That Thanksgiving, I sat on the steps of the cafeteria, enjoying a plate of hot food given to me by a stranger.

The moon shone brightly above me that night, and I felt touched that someone in this world noticed that I had not had a warm meal.

After I was done, I washed the plate and returned it to the cafeteria lady. She stuffed two hard-boiled eggs into my hands. "Take them with you. You can have them for breakfast tomorrow."

I did not reject her. I was afraid if I said anything more, I would cry. I might not have a family this Thanksgiving, but I did have a plate of hot food from a stranger. This was probably the warmest gift I had ever received over the past six years.

Ezra updated his post again. This time it was a video. Edith was shopping with him while Norm paid for his new clothes. The entire family was having a great time at the mall. The caption read, [It's wonderful to be home.]

Norm commented, [If you're happy, I'm happy.]

Edith was carrying numerous shopping bags in her hand in the video. They were all new clothes for Ezra. Norm had his arm around Ezra's hand while smiling widely, and Irma could be heard shouting off-screen, "There's no rush. I'll transfer you more money if it isn't enough."

My entire family was enjoying their time together, and I turned off my phone.

The next day, I put together all my earnings from the past six days. It was enough to buy return train tickets to my hometown, and I even had some money to spare after paying for them. I bought the tickets home, but it was not for a reunion. I was going home to collect my personal documents.

I knew better than anyone that my trip home this time was not to reunite with my family, but to say goodbye to them, and to my old self who had always silently completed the trivia.

The exchange program required photocopies of my personal documents, and some documents were left in my hometown. They were locked in a drawer back home.

When I pushed the door open, I thought I was in the wrong house. The living room was rowdy and filled with people. My parents, sister, grandparents, and my aunt were standing around Ezra. Some of them were peeling oranges for him, some were feeding him other fruits, and others were asking about him.

Everyone in the living room was smiling happily, and no one noticed I had entered the house. I stood alone at the door with an old bag, looking like an outsider who had just barged in. It was warm inside, but I still felt a chill around me.

"Dad," I called out.

That was when Norm turned to look at me. He frowned. "Why are you back so late?" He did not even bother to hide the annoyance in his voice. "Where did you run off to when you had so many days off from university?"

My grandmother looked over as well, and she asked, "Why are you back so late, Elias?"

I replied honestly, "Because I didn't have the money."

The entire house turned silent.