Later that day, Damien met Vance at a cafe near the hospital.
Vance: "Didn't think I'd see you today. I thought your grandfather locked you in your room to reflect on yourself."
Damien: "Joke all you want."
Vance became serious. "How's your arm?"
Damien: "Better. But that's not why I wanted to meet you."
Vance: "Let me guess... Sarah Walker?"
Damien nodded.
Vance: "You owe me one. My colleagues are starting to think that I have a thing for her. But now I have to take Brenda out for dinner. All because of you."
Damien: "Who's Brenda?"
Vance: "Sarah's nurse and our informant."
Damien started laughing. "Here." He took out a card. "Take Brenda somewhere fancy, since I'm paying."
Vance took the card, satisfied. He then told Damien everything Brenda had shared. "Being blamed for her son's death, and getting slapped for it... I can't imagine what that girl was going through. And I think Brenda is right when it comes to her family; they are circling around her like some vultures. That girl is really pitiful…" Vance let out a long breath.
Damien felt intensely bad for Sarah. As he got up, he gave Vance another card. "This is for her hospital fees. Help me to take care of it." Vance nodded, and Damien left.
Damien then called Marco again. "I have another task for you," he said. "The driver, Ethan Evans, his mother, Mathilda. Find her and offer your condolences, also give her a card. Go to her, but don't tell her who you really are. Tell her you were a friend of Ethan's, someone he helped a long time ago and now you're returning the favour. Also, tell her to be good to people Ethan loved."
Marco looked up the address and, a few hours later, stood outside a small, weathered house. The door was opened by a frail woman with hollow eyes and a face etched with grief. It was Mathilda Evans.
"Mrs. Evans?" Marco asked gently.
"Yes," she replied, her voice raspy.
"My name is Marcus. I'm... I was a friend of Ethan's. I heard about what happened and came to pay my respects."
Mathilda's eyes filled with tears. "He never mentioned you..."
Marco: "I just moved back to town. I've been abroad for a few years."
Mathilda: "Oh, that's why I haven't heard of you. Would you like to sit?"
Marco sat down on the small porch and took a sip of the glass of water Mathilda offered.
Mathilda: "How did you meet my Ethan?"
Marco, after a moment, said, "It was a few years ago. I was going through a tough time, struggling to get a small business off the ground. Ethan... he helped me out with a loan, a significant amount. He told me not to worry about paying him back until I was on my feet. He was one of the kindest people I've ever met. Now I've earned a lot of money, and I thought of finding him and giving him half, but..." He pulled a sleek black card from his pocket. "I know he's gone, but debt is debt, and I want to pay him back what I owe. And then some." He put the card in her hand. "He would have wanted you to take this, Mrs. Evans. He was a good man. Please."
Mathilda's hand trembled. "I... I can't take this. We don't take charity."
"This isn't charity, ma'am," Marco insisted, his voice gentle but firm. "This is a debt. A debt I owe to your son. It's the least I can do to honour his memory."
The weight of her grief and poverty made her shoulders slump. Finally, with a weary nod, she reluctantly accepted the card, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice breaking.
Marco then added, "Oh, I almost forgot, that girl that Ethan loved, I believe Sarah is her name... I hope you're getting along well with each other, Mrs. Evans. I know Ethan would like to see that." Mathilda thought about his words long after he left.
On his way back, Marco called Damien.
Marco: "I did exactly what you told me, boss. Mrs. Evans didn't suspect a thing. She's quite pitiful, actually. I felt her pain while she was talking about her son and the emptiness his departure left. He was the only person in her life. We both know how it feels to lose a loved one. I also mentioned Miss Walker. I don't think Mrs. Evans would do anything to harm Miss Walker; it was the heat of the moment, the pain spoke, but I feel like she's regretting it now."
Damien: "Good. I don't want her bothering Sarah and blaming her for her son's death."
Damien hung up and went to his apartment, his thoughts focused on Sarah's situation and how he could make it better.