16. A Face in the crowd

  

When Rhone was young his mother narrowly escaped from the Recruitment Camp. He was born in Turkey. Although, he didn't remember those days when his mother worked at the orphanage. She met an American and they settled in Minnesota. Naturally, his mother thought they'd found a nice Siberia. Of course, she was cold year-round. He guessed she would always be that way. While he on the other hand was grateful to the glorious outdoors of fishing and hiking. Honestly, he didn't know what a good life he had. His American father never brought up the past.

After all, he was just a quiet kid who might not have read a lot. It wasn't until he met Lottie at the library that he thought he might know what a romantic life was.

She would always be a mystery to him. Of course, she said she was cursed, living in shelters and a mother who drank a lot and couldn't work much. Yes, maybe it was fate. She was striving for a better life. And it wasn't until he knew of her troubles that he realised how much she was like his mother. 

Of course, he didn't tell her this. Instead, he did his best to cheer her on her bad days and hope to be a part of her good days. Yet, she was still moody. And he patiently waited, hoping someday she'd see how lucky he was to know her.