Chapter 15 A Surprising Revelation
On the nightstand sat a simple picture frame that held several family portraits.
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Meanwhile, pots of greenery and some wooden figurines had been carefully arranged along the windowsill. Apart from these items, the room was sparse, devoid of clutter.
Wendy hadn’t expected Joshua’s room to look like this. Surprised, she turned to her sister. “Judy, when was the last time you came into Joshua’s room?”
“Me? I’ve never been here before!” Judy, the fourth eldest sibling, exclaimed with a shrug. “But he sure keeps it tidy! Let’s look around–maybe we’ll find his contact information or something.”
Without hesitation, they began searching.
The sisters opened the wardrobe, only to find a few pieces of clothing hung neatly inside with nothing else.
“Wait a minute…” Wendy’s brows furrowed as she studied the clothes hanging in the closet. “Judy, have you ever bought anything for Joshua?”
“Why would I buy him stuff? He’s never bought me anything!” Judy scoffed.
“I think…” Wendy paused, her mind searching through memories. “Yes, I think I bought this one. It was when he first returned home. I took him shopping with Frankie. As for this other piece, I’m pretty sure Shirley bought it for him… four years ago.”
Judy gave her a quizzical look. “Wendy, why are you talking about this? We’re supposed to be looking for a phone number!”
“And these shoes,” Wendy continued, ignoring her sister’s protest. “I remember these too. Indy bought them for him. He’s never worn them, though.”
“Huh?” Judy blinked in confusion.
“You and Cassidy never bought him anything, right?” Wendy said softly. “I guess that’s the case.”
With a sigh, she added, “Other than when he first returned home, it feels like we haven’t bought him anything over the past four years.”
For a moment, Judy was at a loss for words.
“Wendy, what are you trying to say? Joshua doesn’t need stuff like this. He’s part of the Frasers
—what could be possibly lack?”
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Chapter 15 A Surprising Revelation
“No,” Wendy said quietly, her voice heavy with an emotion she couldn’t quite name. “Something’s very wrong about this.”
After a pause, she said, “I’ll get Mrs. Locker. She might know more than us.”
“Huh?”
Wendy stepped out to call for Mrs. Locker, who arrived promptly.
“You called for me, Ms. Wendy?”
“Mrs. Locker, how many changes of clothes does Joshua have here?” Wendy asked.
Mrs. Locker glanced at the two sisters, visibly hesitant.
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Seeing her reluctance, Wendy pressed on, “When Joshua left, how many clothes did he take with him? Did anyone in the family buy him anything?”
At this, Mrs. Locker let out a heavy sigh. “Ms. Wendy, as you probably know, no one in the family likes Mr. Joshua. We’re in no place to say this, but what clothes does he have? He’s only got two school uniforms.”
“What?”
Wendy froze in place, her entire body going rigid. At the same time, her eyes widened in disbelief.
“Mr. Joshua was said to be an orphan and had been wandering on his own for years. He never said anything about not having enough to wear while he was here.” Mrs. Locker sighed softly, distant as she thought about it. “Besides his two school uniforms, he had two jackets. He earned them by secretly working part–time jobs outside. He never dared to mention it at home, fearing Mrs. Fraser would scold him.”
her eyes
As she glanced into the room, she added, “But it seems he’s taken them all with him when he left.”
Wendy felt a sudden wave of panic rising in her chest.
“W–What about his shoes? How many pairs did he have?” she asked, her voice slightly trembling.
“Shoes?” Mrs. Locker was briefly taken aback. “He had one pair. Joshua must’ve worn them when he left. His shoes were already worn out and had a hole in one of them, which he stitched up himself. He once borrowed a needle and thread from me. Other than that, he never mentioned having any other shoes, and I’ve only ever seen the same pair.”
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Chapter 15 A Surprising Revelation
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Wendy stood frozen. “You’re telling me he’s been wearing the same pair of sneakers for four years?”
“It seems so.” Mrs. Locker nodded with a sigh. “But Mr. Joshua never complained. He said it was just a small hole and that stitching it would be enough. After that, he fixed it himself. He’s probably still wearing them now.”
Wendy felt as if the ground had given way beneath her. Her eyes widened in shock, struggling to process what she had just heard.
Even Judy, who had been indifferent up to this point, furrowed her brows, her expression suddenly growing serious. Something had shifted in her, a realization dawning that she hadn’t expected.
Without a word, she turned and began searching through the room, her movements quick and determined.
True enough, the wardrobe was almost empty. There was a single pair of sneakers, but they were new and had only been worn once. The shoes were meticulously wrapped in plastic, looking as though Joshua had been preserving them in pristine condition.
As for the rest of the clothes, most were the same–barely used and carefully stored like pieces of treasure.
Wendy stood there, her mind spinning with memories of the past four years, recalling every fragment of time she had spent with Joshua.
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6:2 pm
Promise to Punish My Ridiculous Family
