THE MISSING PIECE IN PARALLEL UNIVERSE II

It was not his beautiful home; it was a small, broken house. Eva knocked on the door, and Sarah opened it. Sarah looked stressed in her dirty dress, holding a cigarette. Eva asked about her husband, but Sarah replied that he had left years ago. Eva then asked if she knew Robert, but Sarah claimed to have never seen him in her life. Eva inquired about the children, but Sarah said she didn’t know and slammed the door shut. Robert felt a surge of pain in his heart as he saw his wife’s miserable condition.

Robert then saw Silas coming from somewhere with bread and milk in his hand. He wore torn and dirty clothes. Eva asked him about his father, and Silas told her that his father had left his mother a long time ago. Robert approached him and asked him to sit on a bench near his house. He requested some time from Eva, and she sat with him as well. Robert asked Silas about his school, and Silas revealed that his mother could never afford to send him to school after his father left, leading her to be in a constant state of depression. Silas spent his days wandering around, doing small jobs for food as tips. Robert’s eyes filled with tears, but he composed himself and inquired about Silas’s sister. Silas explained that his sister was addicted to drugs and had been in rehab, but she ran away a few months ago and hadn’t returned home, so they had no way to contact her. This news deeply hurt Robert, but before he could react, Silas broke off a piece of his bread and offered it to Robert, thinking he was hungry. Overwhelmed with emotion, Robert hugged him tightly, apologizing. Tears streamed down his face. Eva, too, was moved by the scene but asked Robert to come with her in a soft voice.

Reluctantly, Robert left Silas and got into the car with Eva. As Robert looked at Silas, the boy smiled innocently. In the car, Robert cried and cursed himself repeatedly. Eva comforted him, telling him that she trusted his emotions as they were genuine, but she still found it hard to believe his story. Suddenly, Robert stopped crying and wiped his face. He asked Eva if she was still single. Puzzled, Eva questioned why he was asking such an unrelated question. Robert insisted that she answer, promising to prove that he knew her better.

Eva reluctantly confirmed that she was still single. Robert realized that even in this world, she was single, meaning she hadn’t married because of him. He asked her why, and she replied that she had never wanted to marry, but perhaps in the future. For now, she wanted to fulfill her duty as sheriff. Relieved, he said that she loved to walk near the lake in the evenings, whether she was stressed or happy, and that she enjoyed drinking coffee while sitting on a bench. Robert revealed all her favorite things, hobbies, her family’s past, and even her darkest secrets. Eva couldn’t believe that a guy she had met that morning knew so much about her, more than her own parents or friends. She began to believe Robert and asked him how he knew all this, even though he claimed to know her from another world. He gazed out of the window and told her that they used to love each other deeply and had been in a relationship, but they mutually decided to break up for various reasons. Eva laughed and exclaimed that she couldn’t believe she had a boyfriend.

At this point, Eva trusted him completely, and Robert continued talking about her. They both laughed and felt a connection between them.

Suddenly, Robert said, "I want to see my mother. Will you take me to her?" . Eva asked where she might be living now, considering that Robert didn't exist in this world, so his wife would never have met his mom, meaning she wouldn't be at his home with his wife. After a moment of thought, Robert said, "My first home." He explained that it was the house where he grew up, located in the same town. Eva took him to his mother's house and stopped. Robert was nervous, but Eva held his hands, looked into his eyes, and reassured him that everything would be okay. With newfound confidence, Robert walked towards the door and knocked.

However, no one answered, so Eva went to check the backyard. She called Robert and said, "The backdoor is open." Robert followed her, but Eva, feeling suspicious, silently opened the door with one hand while holding her pistol in the other. They entered and found his mother lying on the ground. Robert rushed towards her and held her in his arms. Eva sprinkled some water on her face, and she woke up, asking for her medicine. Robert fetched the medicine and gave it to her, realizing that it was of poor quality.

His mother was extremely sick, having lost consciousness due to lack of energy and proper treatment. He asked his mother about her children, and she sat on the sofa, stating that her kids had left her a long time ago. She was surviving on government funds, amenities, and medicines. She hadn't eaten for two days, which had caused her energy to deplete. She assured him not to worry, as she had developed this habit over the years.

Robert rested his head on her knee and cried. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she placed her hand on his head, saying, "My own kids don't want to take care of me, so why are you crying? Don't worry, son, I will manage on my own." Unable to find the words to respond, he turned away and began to walk. Eva placed some money in his mother's hands and called an old-age care home in their town, arranging for her to be taken care of there.

She returned to Robert, who was crying near the car. Eva pulled him and embraced him tightly, and Robert held her back, crying on her shoulders.Eva couldn't hold back her tears either; it felt as though they had known each other for a lifetime.

It was getting evening, and Robert was gazing outside the window at the colorful sky. Eva was driving the car and holding his hands. Suddenly, in a deep voice, he expressed his desire to go to his office and provided his office address. Eva asked why, and he replied, "I want to see my boss, see how he's doing without me. Will he be able to thrive in his life without me? I want to meet him and make him bow beneath me now. He treated me like a servant." Eva understood that Robert wanted to release his frustration and believed he might end up fighting with his boss. However, Robert persistently asked her to take him there. Eva reluctantly gave in and decided to take him to the office.

When they arrived, Robert saw another person in his office. He inquired about his boss using the boss's name.

The person replied, "I am the manager here now. The person you're talking about was the previous manager. He committed suicide five years ago due to depression and stress. His colleagues never supported him, and under immense pressure, he couldn't bear it anymore and resorted to consuming poison."

This revelation left Robert overwhelmed with regret. Despite giving him a heavy workload, his boss had also shown kindness at times by assisting him with various matters. He may have been a difficult boss but had a heart. Robert fell into silence, unable to find words to express his emotions.

Eva started driving the car again, and Robert began to curse himself for praying to God for a world without his boss. It dawned on him the significance he held in the other world. He realized that God had assigned him important roles to play, and without him, things would not have improved, but rather worsened.

As they continued their journey, Robert carried the weight of his realization, understanding the value of his presence and the impact he could have on others' lives.

By this time, Eva stopped the car near a coffee shop and purchased two coffees and sandwiches while Robert was still lost in his thoughts. They continued driving until Eva took him to the lake and parked the car. Robert questioned why they had stopped there, and Eva replied, "You mentioned in our college days we used to come here, drink coffee, gaze at the evening sky, and watch the sunset."

They got out of the car and walked towards the lake. The water was calm and clear, reflecting the colors of the sky. The air was fresh and cool, soothing their senses. They sat on a bench near the lake and sipped their coffee. They ate their sandwiches and shared some stories from their college days.

Robert felt a sense of nostalgia and peace as he listened to Eva's voice. He smiled as he remembered their happy moments together. Eva felt a sense of warmth and comfort as she looked at Robert's face. She laughed as she recalled their funny moments together.

They felt a connection between them that they had never felt before.

Eva reached out, holding his shoulders, and said, "I may not know about that other world, Robert, but I can tell you why I loved you in that world. You have a pure heart full of love and genuine emotions. Despite Silas and Ramona not being your biological children, you love them as your own. Despite your siblings neglecting your mother, you did everything you could to care for her. Even though your boss was harsh, you still helped him and alleviated some of his stress. And even though we mutually broke up, you still care for me. All of this proves that you are a person with a big heart."

She continued, "Of course, you can't fulfill everyone's wishes, but you provide them with their necessities and protect them. This world might be showing you just how important you truly are."

Robert listened to Eva's words, his heart warming at her understanding and appreciation. The weight of his regrets began to lift as he realized the significance of his actions and the love he had shown towards others.

Suddenly, Robert noticed a shimmering part of the lake in front of him. Eva looked at the lake, startled and confused. They approached the shimmering area, and Robert realised that it was the magical portal to his own universe. He understood that it was a calling back to his own world. He explained this to Eva, and tears welled up in her eyes and a sweet smile on her face as she asked him about his decision.

Robert replied that he wanted to go back. He was grateful to exist in that world and felt the responsibility to return to his family and the people who needed him.

Eva gently held his face in her soft hands, kissed his forehead, and hugged him. Robert did the same by holding her face, kissing her forehead, and expressing his gratitude for all the help she had given him. Eva replied that he could repay her by taking her to the lake with coffee. Robert smiled widely and turned back.

He dived into the lake, experiencing a rush of moments from his time there within seconds, and emerged from the water.

He saw the person who had sent him to the other world sitting on the bench in front of him. The person stood up, smiled, and Robert expressed his gratitude once again. The person laughed and told him to get ready to go home, where his family and boss were waiting.

Curious about the existence of the parallel universe and its reality, Robert asked the person.

The person replied that humans only see what God wants them to know about the universe. There are many hidden realities, but humans can perceive only what God allows. As Robert realized he was running late, he thanked the person and mentioned his intention to drop him off somewhere. However, when he turned back to look at the person, he had disappeared.

Robert was left in mystery, wondering if the person was a magician, an angel, or even God himself. He regretted not asking for the person's name and had many unanswered questions.

Nevertheless, he focused on the task at hand and drove his car towards his home, realizing it was Christmas night and eager to reunite with his family.

When he opened the door to his home with a sense of relief, he was greeted by a beautifully decorated house full of lights and a Christmas tree. Silas and Romana came running towards him, and he held Silas tightly in his arms, showering him with kisses. Romana hugged him, and he returned her embrace, holding her tightly.

Sarah was coming from the kitchen, when he held her and kissed her cheeks, a smile on his face and tears in his eyes. In an excited voice, Sarah asked him, "What happened to you, Robert?". He reassured her, saying, "Don't worry, love." He went to his mother in the kitchen, kissed her too, and expressed his love, telling her that she was his greatest blessing and that he loved them all forever. His wife was both happy and shocked by his return.

Before going to sleep, he told his wife that he would not go to the office and would take the day off. However, his wife insisted that he should go, so he agreed, as long as she was okay with it.

The next day, as he made his way to the office, thoughts of his boss consumed his mind. He simply wanted to see him, but when he arrived, something unexpected happened. He was astonished as he entered his office and found it adorned with decorations. A large banner on the wall read, "CONGRATULATIONS ROBERT WILSON." His boss stood there holding a cake that read, "Happy 20th Year of Journey." The board members of his bank stood alongside his boss, ready to congratulate him. His boss explained that it was all a surprise for him and that there were more surprises to come. At that moment, his family appeared, having also been part of the surprise. His boss revealed that the board members had made some decisions for him.

Firstly, he and his family were being given a 10-day vacation in Hawaii, with all expenses covered.

Secondly, he was being promoted to the position of Vice President of Finance: a higher position than his boss as he was working for 20 years with beneficial talents to the bank. These decisions were made by the board members: but upon the advice of his boss.

Overwhelmed with joy: Robert embraced his boss: and both of their eyes filled with tears. His boss expressed his gratitude: saying that he couldn't imagine where he would be without Robert. He acknowledged Robert's exceptional skills: and believed that he deserved these opportunities and better. Robert thanked his boss: saying that he was grateful for everything he had done for him. He also thanked the board members: saying that he was honored by their trust and recognition.

He then turned to his family: who were smiling proudly at him. He hugged them one by one: telling them how much he loved them and how happy he was to share this moment with them. They all congratulated him saying that they were proud of him too and how excited they were for their vacation. They all cut the cake together enjoying its sweet taste and celebrating Robert's achievements.

After dropping his family off at home he set out to do something he had longed to do. He asked Eva if she would join him for a casual coffee near the lake.

Eva smiled and remarked on his sudden change in behaviour, mentioning that he had been quiet for a while. He responded "I'll answer your question: but first: step into my car and let me drive this time." Eva, curious and sporting a wide smile asked what happened to him. He simply replied "Just hop in and I'll explain in the park."

He took her to the lake with two cups of coffee and two sandwiches. They settled on the same bench near the lake and gazed up at the sky. Eva relished the calm surrounding and couldn't help but ask Robert once again "What happened to you all of a sudden?"

Robert took a moment: then replied with a spark of interest "If I tell you a story: will you believe me?"

THE END