A STORY OF REALITY

When The Past Knocks

Days after, Daniel’s new life began to settle down. He woke up early, swept the shop, delivered prints and returned onto clean the counter before customers arrived. The routine once felt a little strange to him, but became familiar and comforting. It was a Friday afternoon when everything shifted. The sun was almost down that day and when the door swung open and a man stepped in.

Daniel froze and was shocked.

It was his cousin Divine.

“Daniel?” Divine’s face broke into a grin. “I thought it was you–he said smiling. Long time, cousin!”

Memories flooded back into Daniel’s and Divine’s minds– the nights they stayed up laughing back In the city, the day Daniel left to another state, the promises he made to visit them from time to time but he never kept that promise. Divine tapped Daniel on his back and said “so this is where you have been hiding?”, Daniel replied saying “I… I work here,” still trying to process the situation going on.

“Work? wow that’s really nice” said Divine. His eyes began looking around the shop amazed by the equipments around him. “You’re doing well for yourself self but I need to talk to you” said Divine. When the shop closed in the evening, Divine was waiting outside the shop patiently for Daniel to finish with his work. When Daniel was done and came out, he said “walk with me”–they moved together through the streets until they reached a small bar, they decided to go in and talk there. Inside, Divine orders two glass cups of wine and leaned on the table and then he said, “I need a place to stay” but it’s just for a few days Daniel, “things are rough on my side” he said to Daniel. Daniel hesitated because his room was not really big enough for himself, but Divine was family.

“Alright,” Daniel said to Divine. You can stay with me for a while. Divine was happy with his response.

The first night was fine. They talked and even laughed a little. On the seconds day.Daniel noticed a few things missing in his room.. things like –a half loaf of bread and a few gold coins missing from his drawer. At first, he tho it was nothing, he also thought maybe he just misplaced it. Then on the fourth night, Daniel returned from work, only to find Divine sitting with two strangers,playing loud music from a borrowed speaker and empty bear bottles on the floor.

Daniel was angry and then he asked, trying to keep his voice down, “what is this?”. Divine replied, “relax bro! We are just having a good time.”

“In my room?”,Daniel said.

“Yes in your room”,replied Divine and then he said “you are too serious cousin, learn how to love a little!. But Daniel didn’t smile.

The next morning,Daniel went to work covered in the smell of alcohol. Mr. Emmanuel pulled him aside and said “you smell of alchohol,” he said frowning then Daniel replied “it wasn’t me sir,” Daniel replied quickly. “Someone–“ Mr. Emmanuel raised a hand. “ i don’t care about your excuses, keep your life in order, he also said that “if it starts affecting your work, you’re out!”. Daniel nodded without saying anything else with shame burning in his chest and with anger for Divine in him.

That evening, he confronted Divine, he said that you have to stop bringing people here. Divine scoffed saying “so this is how it is? I come to you for help, and you treat me like a stranger?”.

“I’m trying to keep my job” Daniel replied.

That’s the only thing you think about “job, job, job! that’s all you keep talking about, “you think you’re better than me now?, said Divine. Daniel took a deep breath putting his fingers on his forehead, massaging them and replied saying “No, but I can’t afford to lose what I have worked for.” Divine’s expressions changed and he became mad and said “maybe I should just then”, Daniel didn’t say a word.

The next day, Divine was gone and so was the small savings Daniel was keeping aside to pay back to Mrs. Mercy. The betrayal hit Daniel really hard in the chest, his mind was in a fog and didn’t know what to do, going through the motions at the shop. When he finally told Mrs. Mercy, she just shook her head but she wasn’t mad at him. “Family,” she said softly. “They can lift you up, or they can break you and then she said “I am soo sorry for you Daniel.” He replied “I will still pay you back,” he said quietly, and then she smiled saying “I know you will, that’s is why I will trust you.” That night, Daniel sat alone in his sad apartment. He felt anger, hot and bitter, but underneath all that emotions , it was something deeper.

He missed his cousin.

He missed the night’s when they use to stay awake laughing, the companionship and the feeling of having someone who he shared history with. But he also knew that letting Divind stay would cost him everything. The next morning, he woke up really early, even before the sun rises. Instead of just lying there, he got up, swept the room, washed his clothes, and went to work early. Mr. Emmanuel met him there, he looked surprised to see him arrive there before everyone else.

“You’re here early,” Mr. Emmanuel said.

“Yes, sir,” Daniel replied. “I want to learn more about these machines sir, can you teach me?”. Then Mr. Emmanuel studied him for a moment, then nodded and said “good, come with me.”

Following weeks passed, Daniel was really dedicated to his work. He learned how to fix paper jams, how to run larger orders, and how to trouble the software when it froze. Slowly, the pain of Divine’s betrayal began to fade, but it never fully left. It stayed with him as a reminder that trust is precious, that not everyone who comes smiling has good intentions for you, and that even family can hurt you a lot.

One evening, as he locked up the shop, he saw his reflection in the glass door, he saw someone older than he felt, someone stronger and tougher, someone who was broken and fixed the pieces back together and for the first time, he didn’t just feel like a survivor, he felt like someone who was becoming better in life.