Meeting Again
Two weeks later.
If I thought not waiting for Frank's surprise on my birthday before was enough to clearly send my message, then I was thoroughly wrong. Everyday he would stay inside our store during my shift and volunteer to send me home afterwards. And everyday I would just ignore him in the store and try to sneak out with my bike after work. I already told him that we might be better off as friends but he is just so stubborn.
Right now Frank is seated on the other side of the store as I am wiping vacant tables on my side. We only have a few costumers at the moment since its a weekday. I hope for a costumer to come in so that I will have a reason to be busier. In that way I don't have to go to his side of the store.
As if the heavens heard my prayer, the door of the store opened. I raced with the other waiters in attending to the costumer and I was delightedly surprised to see who came.
"Hello Mr. Morris! How have you been since the last time we met?" It was the old man I helped on the night of my birthday at the cemetery.
He smiled. "I'm glad you still remember me. I'm doing good, thanks to you, young lady."
"You can call me Genesis. I think I'm not fit for the title young lady." I felt myself blush a little. "Do you have any companion, sir?"
"I'll call you Genesis then, but you have to call me Grandfather. I don't like formalities either. And I have no one with me right now but I definitely won't mind some chat with my savior. Would it bother to have some of your time?" He said smiling.
"My pleasure, grandfather. Let's go this way then." I smiled and lead him to where I was cleaning earlier.
***
Since then, grandfather became a frequent costumer in our store. And whenever I am not busy, I would go and chat with him. He is fun to talk to and he is very knowledgeable. We always talk about his experiences when he was still young and then he would ask me about my dreams. And I like listening to his advices and insights in life.
We also have common interests, and one of them is painting. And since I don't have any formal training, he somehow acted as my teacher. He would show me some of his works or gift me books about arts. He is like the grandfather I never met.
I never thought I would ever have a grandfather figure before I met him. And I am very thankful that we've met. Somehow, his presence lessen my feeling of loneliness.
One time he asked me to be his companion in a private viewing of an art exhibit. We checked our schedules and it was on my day off so I agreed right away. He said that the artist was a grandchild of someone he knew from before.
It was a private viewing. I don't know much about those stuff but I know that it is not easy to get invites in such events. I already know that grandfather is someone of importance base on our interactions and his wide knowledge, and this event further confirmed my hunch. He never told me and I never asked.
But the problem is I don't know what to wear on that day. Maybe grandfather felt my hesitation because the next day he brought a simple but elegant dress for me to wear. I tried to refuse but he insisted the dress on me. He said he remembers his lost granddaughter on me. I suddenly felt guilty rejecting him.
"Well ain't I your granddaughter already?" I said smiling while taking the dress back. And I saw the happiest and most sincere smile I ever saw. And then it was replaced by grief and regret. But it was so brief that I thought that I just imagined what I saw. He smiled once again after that.
"Indeed, you are grandfather's most beloved granddaughter." He said patting my head.
***
On the day of the viewing.
I can't believe that I am wearing something as elegant as this dress. It even feel a bit uncomfortable wearing this elegant dress. But thinking about grandfather and his smile, I brush off those thoughts and focused on preparing myself. I just applied light makeup and let my long hair loose. When I heard a car's honk, I went out and saw grandfather waving from inside a black car.
The studio was located in the business district of City B. It only took us half an hour of travel to reach this place. I've never been to this part of our neighboring city. When we visit City B before with my friends we usually go to malls and amusement parks in this city and not this district filled with high rising buildings.
Once inside the studio the curator gave us each a leaflet of the information about the exhibit. I saw only a few people inside, all dressed impeccably. I became conscious of how I look and then grandfather tapped my hands. "Don't let them bother you. Let's just enjoy the exhibit." I relaxed after that and then we began the tour. Once in a while grandfather will stop and then we will discuss the art pieces we're looking at.
Halfway through the tour, the curator came to us and asked for grandfather. I was left behind looking at the other displays. Then a painting caught my attention. It was a painting of a two-faced lady. Half of the canvass showed bright elegant colors while the other half dark crooked colors.
"That's 'The Mademoiselle'. It is about an evil wretch packaged as an elegant and well respected lady." I was startled. I suddenly turned around to look who spoke and then I saw once again that handsome and arrogant face. "I think this is very fitting at the moment. Do you agree?"
***