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Novel Catalog
Carlisle clenched his teeth, then impulsively bought three phones in a row. He couldn’t help but feel a mix of satisfaction and uncertainty as he made the purchases. Seeing his generosity, Sean followed suit and treated himself to one as well.
In those days, SIM cards didn’t require any form of identification, so Carlisle didn’t hesitate to buy three phone cards on the spot.
As they exited the store, the manager, noticing their big purchases, handed them complimentary water bottles and umbrellas.
However, as soon as they stepped out of the store, a wave of regret washed over Carlisle. He felt a pang in his chest. What was I thinking? he wondered. Technology would advance so quickly in the coming years. Why did I buy such an expensive phone?
Yet, just as quickly, he reminded himself that the money was an unexpected windfall. His actions, however impulsive, didn’t seem as reckless when he reflected on them. After all, he had the fortune now, and he knew that he couldn’t afford to be careless with the second chance life had granted him.
In his previous life, Carlisle had often been negligent. He hadn’t adequately supported his parents or made enough of an effort to improve their situation. This time, he was determined to make it right.
He rode his bike to the market, bought a substantial amount of high-quality produce, and didn’t return home until after 9 AM.
Hilda was sitting on the couch, engrossed in her stitching, when Carlisle entered, bags of groceries in hand. She smiled at him, a teasing tone in her voice. “Oh, seems like my son has really grown up. Even knows how to buy groceries now!”
It was meant to be playful, but Carlisle couldn’t help but chastise himself inwardly. Other teenagers at his age could handle household chores like laundry or cooking by the time they were juniors in high school. But here he was, freshly graduated, buying groceries for the first time.
“I’m eighteen now. I’m an adult!” he said with a small, awkward smile, trying to brush off his self-consciousness.
He placed the groceries on the table, but there was something more he had to give. He picked up a white gift box that contained the phone he’d purchased for her and walked over to the couch. “Mom, I got you a gift!”
Hilda’s eyes widened as she saw the Motorola logo on the box. “Is this… a cell phone?” she asked in disbelief.
It wasn’t just any phone—it was a high-end brand, Motorola! Gerard’s older brother, Gordon, had bought a Motorola the year before, and it had cost over 3000 dollars. Hilda herself could never afford such a phone, not even after a year of manual labor.
Carlisle had anticipated this reaction. “I sold some game equipment last night for over 30 thousand dollars,” he explained.
“How much?” Hilda repeated, her voice uncertain, causing her to accidentally drop some of the phone’s components.
“30 thousand dollars!” Carlisle repeated firmly.
He then placed 20 thousand dollars on the coffee table. The sight of the money took Hilda by surprise, and she stared at it, her breath shallow. It took her a moment to compose herself before she fixed a steady gaze on her son. “Carlisle, where did this money come from?”
“I got it from selling game equipment,” he repeated, but he could tell she didn’t believe him.
Hilda’s skepticism was clear. “Nonsense. What kind of game equipment could sell for so much money?”
Knowing he had no choice but to explain further, Carlisle detailed the whole situation to her. He even called Sean, who, understanding the gravity of the situation, confirmed Carlisle’s story with enthusiasm.
“Aunt Hilda, Carlisle is telling the truth. We even sold it at a discount! Originally, it could have gone for 50 thousand dollars!” Sean exaggerated, but it only made Hilda more accepting of the truth.
After ending the call, Hilda looked at the 20 thousand dollars, her hands trembling slightly. “Do you really believe you can make money by playing games?” she asked, her voice wavering.
Carlisle hastily reassured her. “No, Mom, it was just a stroke of luck. I won’t get addicted to video games.”
Her eyes softened with relief at his words. She took a deep breath and then looked at him with pride. “You’ve really grown up, Carlisle.”
Carlisle smiled at her, his heart swelling with a mix of emotions. Sitting beside her, he carefully unpacked the phone. With steady hands, he inserted the SIM card, attached the battery, and powered it up. He handed the phone to Hilda.
Hilda sighed, looking at the sleek device. “This phone must be very expensive, right?” She ran her fingers over the Motorola logo. It looked even more exquisite than Gerard’s. It had to have cost a fortune.
“It was over 3000 dollars,” Carlisle admitted, a bit sheepish. “I bought three, so there’s only 20 thousand left.”
“That’s too expensive,” Hilda said with a small, helpless laugh, shaking her head.
She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the irony. A manual laborer who made just 300 dollars a month now owned a phone that cost over 3000 dollars. But, in that moment, Hilda knew—her son was no longer the same person he once was. He was growing, changing, and making choices with the future in mind.
