HIS STRANGE DAMSEL

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“???????? ????????????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ?????????????????” I asked grandma as we ate dinner quietly but I decided to break the silence.

Grandma was chewing on her veggies slowly and her attention was just on the food.

Mom was lost in thought because she barely even touched her meal – just tossing on it.

She was just stabbing the meatballs with her fork and I felt for the poor thing ; she was stabbing the meatballs so hard like it was the cause of her problem.

Grandma cleared her throat and turned to look at me. She wiped the corner of her lips with the dinning hankie.

“???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????. ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????. I couldn’t wait to get discharged and go home.” She shrugged and continued eating.

“Yeah. I hate the smell of hospital too grandma.” I scrunched up my face while she chuckled lightly.

“You couldn’t even visit me at the hospital Alicia, you’re a bad child.” She whined and took from meatballs and ate it.

I laughed at her childish character.

“I’m sorry grandma. Mom told me to make sure I stay at home and do the chores while she promised to always visit you.” I pouted.

“Yeah, yeah, your mom actually told me.” She smiled and patted my back.

“Clarissa, is everything okay?” Grandma asked as she stared at mom who looked like she wasn’t part of this Earth again.

“Yes, yeah. I’m fine.” Mom rushed her words as if there was an hot food in her mouth that she wanted to get rid quickly by swallowing it quickly.

“Are you sure? You looked all lost and you’ve barely touched your food and you’ve been stabbing the poor meatballs.” Grandma persisted, staring intently at her.

“I’m fine grandma.” Mom sighed and dropped her fork.

She stood up from the chair and drank a little water, “thanks. I’ll be in my room.”

“But you haven’t even touched your meal.” Mom protested.

“I don’t have the appetite.” She shrugged and started for the stairs.

“What’s wrong with your mother?” Grandma asked, her gaze on mom’s messed up meal on the table.

“I don’t know.” I shrugged plainly and continued eating.

*

*

ALICIA’s POV

“Hurry up Alicia! You aren’t gonna take the whole day, are you?” Mom yelled from downstairs as I got dressed.

“I’m coming mom!” I yelled back and quickly slipped my legs in my sandals.

I took my clutch bag and hurriedly got out of my room.

I met mom at the door and we both walked out of the house.

We boarded a taxi and throughout the ride, neither me nor mom spoke a word to each other.

We were quiet with different thoughts running through our minds.

I was both nervous and uncertain – I didn’t Know what to believe: if everything would work out fine.

We got to our destination and mom paid the cabbie.

I exhaled sharply as mom and I stood face to face to the huge mansion gate.

My nervousness increased and I’m scared too. Mom? I couldn’t tell if she was nervous or scared – there was no expression whatsoever on her face.

She looked less bothered too but me… I was almost freaking out.

My legs were suddenly heavy as we made it closer to the gate.

Mom rang the doorbell and the same huge guy I had seen opened the gate and stood face to face with mom and I.

“Hi, how can I help you?” His deep voice made me shiver just like the other time.

“I’m here to see Jerry.” Mom said.

“Why? He didn’t say he was having a visitor.” He growled.

“Whatever. We want to see him.” Mom insisted.

“I’m sorry but you can’t. He didn’t tell me you were gonna come and as such, I can’t usher you in.” He groaned.

Mom suddenly started screaming loudly and the guard looked really surprised and be tried to stop her but her scream only increased.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

I joined and we both screamed loudly.

We heard footsteps and fortunately, we met dad.

“Daddy!” I called happily and ran to hug him. He didn’t hug me back but I didn’t let it get to me – maybe he’s just surprised to see us, that’s all.

“Clarissa? What are you doing here?” Dad asked as he scrutinized mom who had a slight frown on her face.

“I came to see the father of my daughter.” Mom rolled her eyes and placed her hands dramatically on her waist.

“Oh!” Dad looked speechless.

“Okay! Look Clara, you have to leave with your daughter, my wife is around and I don’t want her too see you.” Dad panicked as he glanced back into the house.

“I don’t care!” Mom snapped.

“Please Clarissa, I’ll come visit you tomorrow but right now, you have to leave.” Dad begged.

My countenance changed as I stared at dad.

He doesn’t want his wife to know about us?

He’s gonna hide us forever?

“We are not leaving!” Mom insisted.

Mom angrily made her way into the house while dad looked scared.

“Come in then.” He mouthed at me.

I nodded my head and sighed sadly.

We got into the mansion and as expected, mom was bedazzled and awestruck by the beauty.

Mom sat comfortably on the sofa and crossed her legs on the glass centered table. While I just sat gently.

“Please Clarissa, you’re gonna get me into trouble.” Dad said, starting occasionally at the sparkly stairs as if he was expecting someone.

“I don’t care!” Mom hissed.

I felt pity for dad because he looked really scared.

“Hun, who’s there?” I heard a tiny voice say from the stairs, followed by footsteps.

Mom and I turned towards we the stairs and there was Chelsea’s mom climbing elegantly from the stairs.

She looked so pretty with her knee length gown which I presume would be really expensive. She had a light makeup on and her long hair fell freely down her shoulders.

She wore a silver sandals and in her hand was a glass of wine.

She looked really elegant and beautiful.

Chelsea did take after her.

Her smile faded as she finally got to where mom and I sat.

I stood up and mom did too.

Dad just stood quietly, staring at his feet.

“Hello. And who are you?” She asked, staring intently at mom.

“I’m Clarissa and I guess we’ve met before.” Mom smiled.

“Oh! Yeah! You were the woman we had bumped into at the mall the other day.” She smiled but the smile quickly disappeared just the way it came.

‘so, what are you doing here?” She creased her eyebrows.

“We are here to see my father.” I said and darted my eyes to look at dad.

“I don’t understand.” She laughed and stared at me.

“Jerry here is the father to my daughter here.” Mom supplied with a smirk.

“What!” The glass of wine she was holding slipped from her hand and crashed on the floor, breaking into pieces and the content spilled out.

She went all pale like someone who suddenly saw a ghost.

“Tell me it’s a lie Jerry! Tell me she’s lying.” She laughed, but it wasn’t genuine – it was laced with sadness.

“I’m sorry Kenny. But it’s the truth.” Dad said and bent his head.

Chelsea’s mom looked rather too shocked and speechless.

She didn’t say anything, she just took the car keys on the table and stomped out of the house.

“Wow!” I mouthed speechlessly.

“If your appearance here today cause a rift between my wife and I, I’ll never forgive you!” Dad yelled angrily and started towards the stairs.

“I even plan on staying here with my daughter. So, she better accepts the truth and learn to the truth the hard way.” Mom yelled after him.

Dad shook his head and jogged up the stairs.

I sighed sadly and shook my head.

A maid came to the sitting room to clean up the mess.

“Get me a glass of cold juice.” Mom ordered the maid as she made to leave.

“Okay ma”am.”

*

*

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As I walked absent-mindedly, I bumped into someone and fell hard on the floor.

“Oh my! I’m so sorry.” The person I had bumped into, rushed her words apologetically at me.

She stretched forth her hand towards me and I didn’t hesitate to place my hand on it and stand on my feet.

I stared closely at her and she looked really familiar. Her eyes were puffing and it looks like she”d been crying.

“Are you okay?” I found myself asking.

“Yeah. Hope you weren’t hurt?” She asked with a smile.

I shook my head negatively and smiled at her, “no ma”am.”

“We’ve met before right? A night sometime ago.” Her eyes shone brightly.

“Yeah! You’re that lady that I had bumped into.” I recalled with a smile.

“Yeah. ” She laughed.

“No wonder you looked familiar.” I added.

‘so, what are you doing here by this time of the day alone?” She asked affectionately.

“It’s a long story ma”am.” I sighed.

“It’s Kenny.” She said.

“Uh?”

“My name is Kenny, so stop with the formalities.” She smiled.

I nodded my head and smiled at her. Wow! I like her already.

“And I’m Delaney.”

And to my utmost surprise, she pulled me into a warm hug.

*

*

TBC

ARE We Thinking The Same

Who Do U Think Kenny Is