" Hello, who- oh wait."

I did not utter any words, hoping he would think that my phone is broken or something and cut off the call himself. Or maybe I can do that after pretending to work this out and give up.

"Casey, who is on the call?" The old man asked.

"Hello, is that you Casey?"

It happens that I am stuck in an awfully situation. The old man's staring at me from upstairs not uttering a single word because I am not myself uttering any word. I don't want to but he would eventually figure out that the call was from my dad. 

"Yes."

Dad on other end, breathed out a sigh of relief while I am here struggling to figure my manual breathe. "Oh god, it's good to hear from you again. When did you came at your grandpa's place?"

"Couple of days ago. "

"Great, how have you been? Is your mother well?"

"She is great and so am I."

"And that guy, is he being good to you?"

This felt like I was a 6 year old child being interviewed after my first day at school. " Yes."

There was silence for few seconds that one would assume, the connection broke or the telephone itself, but I was wrong to assume the moment he spoke again, "Casey, are you sure?"

"Yes, I need to go. " My eyes averted towards the old man, " It's my dad, here." I shoved the phone into his hand and dashed upstairs.

Talking with him feels foreign to me now, it was easy when he sent emails, atleast in that case I had 1 to 2 hours to think over a reply. 

I looked over my books lying carelessly on the floor. I flipped open my homework, might well as stress over this rather than over the unexpected call I have no control over.

A few minutes later while my mind had just transferred towards my homework was brought back to the old topic by the old man who stood at the bedroom's doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What's going on kiddo?"

"What do you mean?" I asked pretending not to know what he was talking about.

"Jones called before, asked how are you doing."

"Okay."

"He did not sounded his usual."

I internally sighed, "What do you mean?"

"I am worried about you kiddo and so is he."

I turned my head sideways, "There is nothing to worry about me."

~~

"Here, deliver this to Warren, he lives down the street, the house whose lawn is filled gnomes."

I took the shopping bag from him and smelled, a habit i learned by being in company of the dog twenty four by seven. It smelled of cinnamon rolls. I raised my brows towards the old man and pointed at rolls in bags.

"Yes you would have your share if you delivered those."

"Okay then."

"Kid, you should thinking of enhancing your vocabulary beyond 'okay' and 'yes'. "

I nodded my head, sighing internally.

''and avoid nodding your head." He added.

I sighed internally again.

~~ 

After the brief delivery to Warren and exchanging few words of introduction between myself and Warren and his family, I made beeline to the old man's house specially back into the room upstairs.

When Robin comes into my field of my vision up the street, I wanted to go off street into the messy path leading to forest.

I gave up the idea because I wasn't familiar with the terrain of this place.

"Hey, I was heading towards your grandfather's place."

"How do you know that he is my grandfather?" 

He smirks, "These are just small things and it does take long for small things and new things to spread in this small town."

He shrugs it off, "Everyone knows."

"Yeah"

I began walking towards my destination and he walk side bh side with me.

"What were you doing over there before?" I asked him.

He gives me a subtle smile, "You would know soon."

I nodded, a habit I was told by old man to give up. "Why won't you tell me?"

"Why should I when you are going to know it later."

"And why won't you tell me, if it something I could know sooner?"

"How about you be patient enough it?" He asked while putting hands into his joggers pockets.

I rolled my eyes, "How about you be kind enough to tell me now?"

He gives me sheepish smile and then points his finger towards the direction we are walking. "Look you've reached your home now, now you are gonna know."

"This is " I paused. This isn't my home. But I don't say that outloud, and oppositely there is a part me which feels at ease that this could be my home. Then again, this place is temporary, and home is something which is permanent. I suppose.

He leans closer towards my side, "What were you saying?"

My eyes met his, "What were you doing?"

"You would know Casey," he claps his hands together, "Now that I've safely dropped you at your home, it's time I head back to mine."

I scruned my eyebrows, "Huh? Wait I can walk back myself to the cabin, I know the directions, You didn't have to do that."

He gives me a victorious smile, "Oh well I just did."

"I did not ask for you to do this."

He shrugs me off, "Yeah, whatever." He begans walking away from the cabin. 

When I began to open the cabin gate I heard his voice again. "Casey"

"Yes Robin" I turned towards him.

"See you later."