Gray returned home just as the sky began to turn orange. The breeze was cooler now, hinting that evening was near. When he left their house, he was carrying nothing but the review sheets that were now with Chloe.
However, now, he was carrying a lot of bags, not with files to be reviewed, but rather with snacks, drinks, and groceries. On the way home from the Lancaster estate, he made a short stop at the nearby supermarket.
He didn’t buy a lot—just food enough for a week, some household items, and of course, a bag of chips and two medium-sized tubs of ice cream.
He also threw in a few candy bars and drinks that he knew Lily liked. It wasn’t often they got to enjoy these little things. But tonight, they would.
It was Friday, after all. He didn’t have a tutoring job tomorrow, and Lily didn’t have school. And with the coming days likely to be busier, especially with the grocery branch and Chloe’s midterm, he wanted to relax for a little.
Gray planned to have a simple movie night with Lily, like they used to do when they still had time.
Gray carefully balanced the bags in both of his arms as he climbed the stairs to their apartment. When he opened the door, Lily was curled up on the couch, flipping through a book with a sleepy look in her eyes.
"I’m home, Lily," Gray called out casually as he closed the door with his foot.
Lily looked up tiredly.
"Welcome—" before she could continue her words, her eyes widened when she saw what Gray was carrying. "Wait. What’s that, brother?" She tilted her head at the bags in his hands, and her eyes immediately sparkled.
Gray grinned and set them down on the table.
"Just supplies," he answered. "We’re having a movie night."
"A movie night? Really?!" Lily sprang up from the couch like she’d been recharged. The tiredness in her eyes immediately vanished.
"Are you serious?"
"Your brother never jokes, Lily," Gray uttered as he started unpacking the things he had bought. "I even got the sour cream chips you like. And your favorite chocolate ice cream."
Lily quickly ran to Gray’s side. She peeked into the bags and immediately jumped in excitement. "Oh my god, you bought two flavors!"
"Of course," Gray said as he shook his head. "You always eat half of mine anyway."
"Hehehe," Lily just smiled.
Gray shook his head again, before laughing.
"Go pick the movie. I’ll heat up dinner first."
"Sure, brother!" Lily came running back to the couch. She took the remote control and started searching for movies that they could watch.
Gray started heating up dinner. Twenty minutes later, they were both sitting in the living room, with plates on their laps. On their small TV, a simple comedy was playing.
Their dinner for tonight was simple. It was just rice and marinated chicken that he bought pre-cooked. To add some nutrients, he steamed some broccoli and carrots. Their dinner might be simple, but they both ate it with a bright smile on their faces like it was a full-course meal.
As the movie went on, their laughter filled the room. Lily kept poking fun at Gray whenever the main character did something stupid, saying things like, "That’s totally you, brother," or "You’d fall for that trick too."
Gray would groan and throw a pillow at her.
"I’m smarter than that, Lily."
After their dinner, they moved on to the ice cream not long after. Gray only got a few spoonfuls before Lily claimed his tub.
"You’re unbelievable," he said as she hugged both ice creams close like a dragon guarding her treasure.
"You love me," she said, grinning through a mouthful of rocky road.
"I’ll think about it."
It was these quiet and ordinary moments that Gray cherished the most.
Sometime close to midnight, while the second movie played, Lily’s head began to droop against his shoulder. Her breathing slowed, and her ice cream was now placed on her knees, close to falling.
Gray sighed and gently took the bowl from her and set it aside. He pulled the blanket over her and let her rest there.
He reached for his phone, mostly out of habit. He wanted to see how much time had passed. However, he was surprised to see a new message on his home screen.
The message notification blinked softly at the top of Gray’s screen. It was from an Unknown number.
’Who would be texting me this late?’ Gray frowned slightly.
He unlocked his phone and opened the message.
[Unknown Number]: Hello! Sorry for sending a message so late. Is this gray? This is the old man you saved.
Gray stared at the text for a second, his thumb hovering mid-air.
He looked confused for a second as he read the text once again.
The old man...?
And then he realized what it meant.
It was the man he had helped weeks ago.
Gray had nearly forgotten about that moment.
He exhaled before slowly typing back a reply.
[Gray]: Yes, this is Gray.
He hit send and waited.
It was already night, so he wasn’t expecting a reply. However, a second later, he saw another message from the same number.
[Unknown Number]: I’m glad. I’ve been looking for a way to reach you for a while.]
Gray raised an eyebrow when another message appeared after.
[I owe you more than I can say. If you have time, I’d like to see you. I’d like to thank you properly. Do you have any free time next week?]
Gray blinked at the message.
[Gray]: Yup, I have.
He didn’t know what to expect from this conversation.
A reply came faster this time.
[Unknown Number]: Good! If you’re free on Wednesday, then let’s meet. I’ll text you the address by next week.
Gray shrugged his shoulders and nodded to himself.
[Gray:] Okay. I’ll be there.
He agreed to it since the old man sounded eager. However, he was confused about how he got his number.