"Don't say that Eli." Evelyn threw her head back as a gasp escaped her mouth, her lips trembling, her fingers shaking.
"I will always love you Eli, and I am so glad that you showed up on our door that day. I know I have not been able to give you the best life, but that doesn't determine my love for you."
"The money you were paid to keep quiet, where did they all go too, why are you still living poorly, why did we live as paupers, – don't tell me you were bought over by something so little." Eli asked, his voice steady, his gaze unwavering.
Evelyn sighed, moving in the direction of the sitting room while gesturing for Eli to follow her."
I and your father, if you still consider us that decided to use it to train you through school, and then set up a business for you, but after you left, we didn't have the conscience to keep holding on to the money, we had thought of giving it up for charity but we realized it wasn't ours to give, so we decided to lock it and kept hoping you would show up." She finished between sobs, stretching her hand to pull Eli into a hug. "We love you Eli, we did things that hurt you but it wasn't done on purpose."
Eli didn't resist the hug as he rested his cheek on the top of her head. "I am sorry Mom, – for everything, – for how I spoke now."
"What are you going to do with the information you have now, we were warned to never let you find out your identity, I am scared for your safety Eli, I really don't want anything to happen to you, especially now when I have just gotten you back." Evelyn expressed her worry, she wasn't crying anymore, but her face still held a bit of the trace of sadness that had been there earlier.
"You don't have to worry about that Mom, but I intend on finding out everything about my parents, – besides I am not that little boy you knew, I am married now." Eli beamed as he spoke.
Evelyn lifted her head to stare at Eli not saying anything for a while, she felt she was being pranked by Eli as she rubbed her eyes continuously.
"Don't play tricks on me Eli."
"I am not Mom, I am sorry for not inviting you, but the wedding wasn't something big."
"Does she love you Eli, how about her family, hope they are treating you well." Evelyn asked at once, not still able to wrap her head around the fact that Eli was married.
"Yes Mom, Elara, – my wife, she loves me so much, she is the best, I don't think I can leave without her."
"That's all that matters then, I was planning to ask you to spend the night but I am certain you wouldn't want to leave your wife's side, I hope you will stay for dinner."
"I can't Mom, there's still a lot I need to sort out and I need to start now, plus if I am really in danger because I just found out about this information, I don't want them to link it to you people and come after you, I will stay for lunch though since you spent so much time in the kitchen already."
Eli and Evelyn spent the remaining part of the afternoon discussing and catching up on the part of life they had missed from each other's life while eating.
"Guess I won't be able to meet with Dad today, tell him I came around Mom, but I need to take my leave now, and – your food is still as delicious as ever." Eli stood up from the dining chair as he spoke, going over to hug his Mom, a huge smile on his face, he couldn't remember the last time he had stayed in a peaceful environment, enjoying a beautiful meal without someone screaming over his head at every instance.
"So soon?" Evelyn asked as a new wave of tears threatened to spill from her eyes."
"Don't cry Mom, or I wouldn't be able to leave." Eli sighed, detangling himself from the hug as he turned towards the exit. "I will come back, I promise, and this time I will bring Elara." Eli waved, swearing solemnly as he finally stepped out of the house that held too many memories, the house that he knew he had been happy in, but that happiness seemed so far fetched now.
Eli checked the time on his watch, also checking his phone to know if he had received any message from Elara, not seeing any, he breathed out in relief before boarding a bus, his stop, the library.
Eli gets to the library, not really sure of what he was looking for, but hoping that the documents that sat in his pocket would be a direction on where to start, he had considered leaving his parents photos behind, but he felt it was safer with him, his only problem was where he could keep them without it being discovered by his wife and in-laws, there was no need drawing attention to the people he was certain were his real parents when he didn't know the real story yet.
After browsing through books for hours, going through rows after rows of books and still not seeing anything that could explain the documents to him, he decides to ask the librarian, hoping and keeping his fingers crossed that his trip today wouldn't end with the documents and a few photographs.
The librarian kept her head down, scrolling through her phone, but when she noticed Eli walking up to him, her face squeezed up in disgust. She had encountered people like him plenty of times. First pretending like they really came to read a book, after acting serious for a while, they would walk up to her, pretending again like they really need her help in finding an important document or book, then when they were certain she was giving them her full attention, they turn it into full time begging and coming up with so many sob stories to get money out of her.
"I do not have money or food to give you, so if you are coming to meet me to beg, you might as well give up now and go elsewhere." The librarian spoke before Eli had a chance to state his purpose of turning up in front of her, leaving him shocked for a while.
"I came to ask you for something really important and I had a very delicious meal before coming here, you should have tasted it." Eli responded smiling, not taking offense at her word.
Seeing that Eli wasn't there to beg her for money, she relaxed a bit, but was still slightly annoyed at the dismissive tone Eli had used in responding to her. " Then what are you here for, as you can see I am busy and don't have time for lousy men to hang around me."
Eli smiled, still not getting offended, he was used to people from all walks of life saying and doing terrible things to him, not hesitating any further, he retrieved the document from his pocket and showed her the logo on it. "I was wondering if you could have some information on this logo or if you know the section I could read about it from."
"That's Aurelius Global Company Logo. Everybody knows this logo except if you live in the poorest part of town." The librarian's voice carried a trace of pride and ridicule as she continued to stare at Eli in anger, her anger subsiding a little feeling superior to him for knowing Aurelius Global while he didn't.
It wasn't that Eli lived in the poorest part of town, since his wife's family weren't poor and could be considered higher than average, but he focused all his energy on trying to please his in laws and making his wife happy so he didn't have time to pay attention to all the big companies, his clothes were also very tattered because he didn't want to depend on his wife's money to get clothes for himself.
Turning his attention back to the librarian, he bowed his head in appreciation as he walked out of the library.
"Don't go begging them for money, they don't have time for people like y
ou." The librarian called after Eli as she watched him leave.