6 6 – The Girl Who Lost Purpose 

"You want to come with me?" Troy couldn't hide his surprise when he heard Rose's wish to come with him when he was going to deliver food to the next village.

Rose nodded. "If you leave, I'll be here alone. I don't know anyone here other than the doctor who treated me. But I don't really know him."

Troy considered for a moment. After all, he would go in James' car. So he nodded. "I might as well take you home after I finish sending the food."

Rose nodded and immediately stood up. "Shall we go now?" she asked excitedly.

"Okay, let's go," he said.

Troy went to the counter to pick up two large plastic bags containing a box of food there, behind him, Carol followed. The girl suddenly reached out to Troy.

"What?" Troy asked confused.

"Let me help you," the girl offered.

Troy shook his head. "Just let me. It's heavy."

The girl narrowed her eyes. "You're afraid I'll drop it, aren't you?"

Troy smiled amusedly. "I'm afraid you'll get tired and fall again. Let's go." Troy walked past the girl and left the restaurant first. Just like before, Rose followed him obediently.

After stuffing the food in the trunk of the car, Troy opened the passenger door for Rose. Then, accompanied by Rose's curious question after question, Troy drove his car out of the restaurant.

"Where are you taking us? Is it far? Is the person we're going to send this food is living alone? What about the family?"

Every five minutes, the girl would ask, "Are we there yet? Is it still far?"

While Troy was driving, the girl kept asking questions like that, like the radio that Troy usually turned on. Fortunately within twenty minutes, it was over as Troy's car arrived at his first destination.

When Troy came down, Rose did too. However, the girl froze beside the car when she looked out on the terrace of the house. An old granny with curly white hair was sitting on a rickety wooden bench with her eyes straight ahead. While her bare feet looked scuffed and dirty.

Troy walked over to the grandmother and knelt in front of her. "Grandma," Troy called. "I'm here."

Instantly, the grandmother smiled. Her hand moved and touched Troy's face. "Grandma's been waiting for a long time."

"Why don't you wait inside?" said Troy. "Come on in, Grandma. I've brought food for you."

The grandmother smiled and stood, then with Troy's support they entered the house with the wicker walls. Troy glanced at Rose who was still frozen beside the car.

***

"She can't see. Until three years ago, there was a grandson who always came home every weekend. However, his grandson died in a work accident. The grandmother lost her will for life. That's why I come here every day and pretend to be his grandson," Troy explained on their way to their next house.

"So you lied to the old lady?" snorted Carol.

Troy shook his head. "That granny must have known that I was lying. Even though she knows I'm not her grandson, but she always waits for me in front of her house every day. And that is the reason of her life now. As for me, that's enough for it is."

Carol was stunned. "So … you're here some kind of giver of hope to those old people?"

Troy seemed to think for a moment. "That is true. That seems to be the case." The man smiled proudly.

Carol snorted at him. "You really are a good person," she said.

"How about you?" the man asked.

Carol frowned. "I don't think I'm a good person."

Troy turned to her, somewhat surprised. "What makes you think that? You remember something?"

Carol smiled bitterly. "No family members are looking for me." Although, it was a good thing for Carol. However, for a normal family, of course it was a sad thing.

"Don't be so sad. Maybe they're trying to find you too," Troy replied. "Right now, you can focus on restoring your health and restoring your memories. Once you can remember everything, you can go back to your home."

Back home? Then, die at the hands of her own family? The second Carol decides to go home, that's the second she decides to die.

"But you can take it slowly. There's no need to push yourself," Troy said.

Carol just nodded. When they arrived at the next house, before the car had even stopped, a pair of grandparents rushed out of the house. Troy stopped the car and without turning off the engine, he immediately got out of the car. Troy greeted the grandparents with a warm hug.

When Carol came out of the car, the attention of the old couple was on her. They looked at Troy questioningly.

"She's my friend, Rose," Troy introduced Carol to the old couple.

"Your fiancé?" Grandpa asked.

"You look good together," said the grandmother.

Troy laughed. "Friends, Grandpa, friends," he corrected.

"Yes, fiancé. I heard it. My hearing is still good. Because of that, I can immediately tell if you're coming from the sound of your car," said Grandpa.

Troy snorted in amusement. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Now, let's go in and eat first," he said as he took the old couple back home.

Before long, Troy returned to get some food in the trunk of the car. Carol approached him to help carry his food.

"Sorry, this couple doesn't hear very well," Troy said.

Carol just nodded again. Troy's statement was proven when he came into the house and overheard the conversation of the old couple.

"Roy and his fiancé seem to get along. I hope they get married soon and have a baby," said the grandmother.

"Yeah, but why is her lover's name weird? Boss? Why is his name boss?" asked the old man, and the old couple laughed.

"To be honest, I prefer that name. Boss. You want to call me that?" idly Carol asked.

Troy snorted in amusement. "Okay, Boss."

They delivered food for the old couple. Troy even set it on the dinner table before leaving. After leaving the house, they stopped by a few more houses before finally heading towards Troy's.

"Since the streets here are only straight like this, I won't have a problem if I want to go to the restaurant from home," said Carol.

"Don't go to the restaurant alone. What if you pass out on the street?" said Troy.

"I just had an accident and lost my memory, doesn't mean I'm going to pass out randomly," Carol grumbled.

Troy smiled a little. "If it's night, the road is dark. Street lights are few. Don't walk alone at night."

"Are you worried about me?" joked Carol.

Troy sighed. "Then, do whatever you like. If you're not afraid of ghosts or something …"

"Don't scare me," Carol snorted as she stared out the car window.

"I didn't ..." Troy's sentence was cut off, causing Carol to turn around to him, but an object sliding under her feet made her duck her head down.

"My cell phone. Please get my cell phone," Troy begged.

"Later, when it arrives," said Carol.

"Now. I have to call James. There's something important," Troy urged.

Before Carol could refuse again, the man suddenly lowered her head, causing Carol to scream in protest,

"What are you doing?!"

"Quick, get me my cell phone," Troy ordered.

Carol hissed in annoyance, but finally she bent down and picked up Troy's cell phone. However, suddenly the car shook violently enough, making Carol's head hit the dashboard.

"Ouch! You did it on purpose, right?!" Carol protested while rubbing her head. "You think, if I hit my head, my memory will come back?"

Troy cleared his throat. "Sorry. I've seen it in some soap operas."

Carol was getting annoyed by that. However, just as she was about to straighten herself up, Troy held her head and gently stroked the head she had hit earlier. For a few moments, Carol didn't move from the shock.

Until Troy's car shook again and made her forehead hit the dashboard. This time, without holding back, Carol smacked Troy's hand in annoyance.

"Stop watching soap operas! A clash won't bring back my memories!" shouted Carol angrily.

Carol thought it was absurd that someone could be as good as Troy. However, seeing the man's stupidity, only then did his kindness seem reasonable. In this world, no human is perfect. Troy is one of them.

***