THE CARELESS MOTHER

CHAPRER 4

THE CARELESS MOTHER

By ABDULGAFAR HORRY OLAIYA

Chapter Four: The Stranger's Secret

The following morning, Horry woke before sunrise.

For a moment, he forgot about everything that had happened. Then he looked toward his father's bed and remembered.

James was still asleep.

His forehead was wrapped in a piece of white cloth stained with blood. His breathing was slow, and every few minutes his face tightened from the pain.

Horry quietly entered the kitchen and searched for something to prepare for breakfast.

There was nothing.

Not even a piece of bread.

He returned to the room and sat beside his father.

"Father," he whispered.

James slowly opened his eyes.

"You're awake?"

"Yes."

"Go and prepare for school."

Horry shook his head.

"I can't leave you like this."

James smiled.

"You have an examination coming. Your future is more important than my injury."

Before Horry could answer, a voice came from outside.

"Is James here?"

Horry stood up.

A man entered the compound.

It was the stranger who had been watching the house the previous night.

He was dressed in a clean brown suit and carried a leather briefcase.

James stared at him.

The color suddenly disappeared from his face.

"You?"

The stranger smiled.

"It's been many years, James."

Horry looked between them.

"Father, do you know him?"

James didn't answer.

The man stepped closer.

"My name is Daniel."

Horry waited for an explanation.

Daniel looked at him carefully.

"So this is your son."

James's expression hardened.

"Why are you here?"

Daniel placed his briefcase on the table.

"I came because something that happened many years ago can no longer remain buried."

Horry felt a strange fear growing inside him.

"What happened?"

James immediately interrupted.

"Nothing concerns you. Go outside."

"But Father—"

"Please, Horry."

The seriousness in James's voice forced him to leave.

He stood outside the window, however, listening.

Daniel spoke quietly.

"James, you promised you would tell him when he was old enough."

"I changed my mind."

"You can't hide the truth forever."

James lowered his voice.

"You don't understand. If Ada discovers the truth, she will destroy everything."

Horry's heart began pounding.

Ada?

What did his mother have to do with this?

Inside the room, Daniel opened his briefcase and removed an old photograph.

"I kept this for fifteen years."

James stared at it.

"Put it away."

Daniel placed the photograph on the table.

"You should look at it."

James finally picked it up.

His hands began to tremble.

Outside, Horry accidentally stepped on a dry branch.

Crack!

The two men immediately turned toward the window.

"Horry!" James shouted.

Horry froze.

He had been caught.

He entered the room slowly.

"I'm sorry, Father. I wasn't trying to listen."

Daniel looked at James.

"The time has come."

James closed his eyes.

Horry stared at the photograph lying on the table.

"What's in that picture?"

James looked at his son for a long moment.

Then he whispered,

"That photograph contains the truth about the day you were born."

Horry's heart stopped.

"What do you mean?"

Before James could answer, Ada suddenly appeared at the doorway.

She had heard everything.

Her eyes landed on Daniel.

For the first time in years, fear appeared on her face.

"Daniel..."

The stranger smiled bitterly.

"Hello, Ada."

Ada stepped backward.

"You shouldn't have come here."

Daniel picked up his briefcase.

"I didn't come for you."

He looked directly at Horry.

"I came because your son deserves to know who he really is."

Ada's face turned pale.

James stood up despite his injury.

"Daniel, enough."

But Daniel was already walking toward the door.

Before leaving, he turned to Horry.

"When the time is right, I will tell you everything."

Then he disappeared down the road.

Horry turned toward his parents.

"What is he talking about?"

Neither James nor Ada answered.

For the first time in his life, Horry realized that the people he trusted most might have been hiding something enormous from him.

That evening, while everyone slept, Horry searched through an old wooden box belonging to his father.

Inside, beneath several faded clothes, he discovered the same photograph Daniel had brought.

He turned it over.

Written on the back were five words:

"Horry is not who you think."

Horry stared at the message in disbelief.

And for the first time, he wondered whether the greatest secret in his family had nothing to do with his mother's carelessness at all.

End of Chapter Four.