Sunny nodded and looked back to them. “It was February or March, and I was staying in a homeless shelter run by the church. They provided a bed in the hall, but it was only open from nine o’clock at night until seven in the morning. I was okay during the week, when I could go to my lectures or the university buildings. But the weekends were much harder. I had nowhere warm or dry to go, except the library or the bus. I was so close to giving up and letting my father down.”
Libby nodded as she listened. She’d seen a couple of people sleeping on the bus over the past month, their bags clutched tightly to their chests, and wondered about their stories.
“I was on the 88 that day, thinking about sending an e-mail to my mother telling her I was coming home, when Frank satdown across the aisle from me,” Sunny said. “When he started talking to me, I was suspicious. Not everyone has good intentions, you see.”
“I can imagine,” Libby said.
“But Frank was so kind.” Sunny smiled for the first time since the start of his story. “He asked me about India. No one had asked me about home in a long time, and it was wonderful to speak about my family. And he told me a little about his life too: his career as a great British actor, how he once worked with Laurence Olivier.”
Libby smiled, remembering the bowler hat Frank had shown her.
“When we got to Clapham Common, I said good-bye, but Frank invited me to join him for lunch. I was so hungry, I couldn’t say no, and he bought me a meal. While I ate, he told me his story about the woman on the 88 bus and how he was trying to find her. It reminded me of my father. He loved my mother very much. I think he would have done the same thing for her too.”
“It is an extraordinarily romantic story,” Libby said.
Sunny tilted his head to one side. “I think only a person with a good heart would still be looking for his love after all this time, no? To not give up is a very brave thing.”
“It is,” Libby said, feeling a dull ache in her chest. Despite all the posters they’d put up and the “Rush Hour Crush” advert, there was still no lead on finding the woman. She or Dylan checked the e-mail inbox every day, but there was never anything aside from junk mail, and hardly anyone was using the hashtag. And all the time, the clock was ticking for Frank.
“So, what happened with you and Frank after lunch?” Dylan said. “Did you see him again?”
Sunny shook his head. “We said good-bye and went our separate ways. But my time spent with him had deeply affected me. Frank had talked to me like a real human being, not some homeless person to be ignored or disapproved of. He had treated me with respect and kindness, like no one else had for months.”
“That sounds just like him,” Libby said.
“Riding back on the bus that afternoon, I decided not to e-mail my mother just yet. I had six months of my course left, and I would not give up on my dream, like Frank had not given up on his. So I stayed, and I graduated top of my class.”
“That’s wonderful,” Libby said, grinning at him. “Are you a computer scientist now?”
“I am,” Sunny said, nodding proudly. “I work for a company here in London. I met my wonderful wife there too, and we are expecting our first baby this summer. I am on my way to meet her for an ultrasound scan now.”
“Oh my goodness, Frank will be so happy to hear this!”
“I’m sure he will not remember me,” Sunny said shyly. “But I am so happy to be able to tell you my story, because for all these years I have thought about Frank and wondered how he is.”
“He’s very well,” Libby said. “And he’s still being kind to strangers on the bus, so nothing’s changed there.”
Sunny’s face turned serious again. “Libby, Dylan, I must ask of you a favor, if I may?”
“Sure, what is it?” Dylan said.
Sunny nodded toward the posters in Dylan’s hands. “I would like to help Frank, like he helped me. Perhaps I might be allowed to put up some posters for you?”
“Oh, that’s very kind but we’re almost finished,” Libby said.“We only have a short stretch to do, and then we’ve covered the whole route.”
“Oh, okay. I understand.” Sunny looked down at his lap.
“Of course you can help,” Dylan said, giving Libby a discreet nudge. “Here, why don’t you take half of these?”
“Really?” Sunny looked up at the pile of posters Dylan was offering him.
“We’re going to put them up around Stockwell today, but maybe you could replace some missing ones along the route?”
“Of course, I will be most diligent,” Sunny said, putting the posters carefully in his bag. “I will go out tomorrow with the posters and tape, and I will fill in missing spaces.”
“If you’re sure you have time?”
“It will be my absolute pleasure,” Sunny said. “For a long time I have wished I could repay my debt of kindness to Frank. Now, in a small way, I can.”
