Chapter Three: Granny's stories

I woke up and checked the time, 04:16am. I can hear Grandpa snoring. I looked at both of them and now they're making me jealous with that morning moment. Hugging while sleeping. I never saw mom and dad did that. I'm jealous with Ben Carter's parents, also my neighbor who are sweet as Grandma and Grandpa, it's just Ben's parents fights a lot and my grandparents don't.

I get up and went to the kitchen tip toed so I won't wake them up this early. I scanned the fridge and found lots and lots of strawberries. I took a bowl of it, placed on the table and sat thinking about when would mom and dad come home? And or are they still coming home? I ate strawberries, chewed it like it's the first time I tasted it. The moment of morning silence is making me sad, so I went to my car and took my bags. I just walked like I know it wasn't locked and yeah it wasn't.

I guess Grandpa wants me to feel at home like I always do. I arranged the things I brought to my room. Everything is well arranged as if I'm still a nine year old kid. This room looks the same but smells good more than it was before. It's like I never left. 

As I was arranging, a voice spoke. "Did you time travel, or I just can't believe what I'm looking at?" Grandma says joking.

I stood up from sitting on the floor and faced her, "Grandma, you annually renovate the building right? How come my room didn't changed?" I asked trying to solve a small rubix cube I found under my bed.

She sighed and answered, "Just because someone left, doesn't mean you need to change. If you want that someone to come back, then don't change what that someone has left to you." She said touching the decorationof my door. Grandma has a point. I wish I told that to myself when everybody left me behind. But I'm not left behind by everyone, I have Grannies.

"Hey, are you hungry? Let's eat cookies and fruits. I know you want those." she suggested and so to my excitement I threw the rubix cube to my bed to follow Grandma to the kitchen. Before I closed the door, I took another moment to stare at my room. I just can't believe it looked like I never left.

Grandma opened the cabinet filled with small baskets of fruits. Oranges, green apples, blue and black berries which I don't know where they get those, mangoes, guava which I haven't tasted that in my life, pineapple, dragon fruit which I wonder if Emilia Clarke the mother of dragons in Game Of Thrones planted those like how she raised her dragon offspring, kerson fruit berries and some fruit I never seen before. I looked around and recognized paintings with my signature. Paintings I threw last year. I wonder how these stuffs got here. 

"Uhhm. . . Grandma, are those my paintings?" I pointed the hall.                     Serving the milk she says, "Yeah. Last year your mother called and told your Grandpa to tell you thought were ugly so I told him to tell your mom to bring the paintings here. Yvaine was crying when she delivered your paintings. She said she don't know what else to do for you to feel better." she threw me a hmm look, rising her one eyebrow.

"Well that was just the time when I felt jealousy of famous painters in history which made me so conscious about my art and I threw my paintings that time because it looked like the most disgusting mess I ever seen." I explained, my voice shaking like I don't know what else to say. I don't wanna disappoint her for wasting my time and effort working on a bunch of paintings made of expensive paint brush, acrylic, paste, charcoal bars, oil pastel, chalk, frames, canvas cloth, expensive papers and preservatives(lamination, water proof coat, dust proof etc.)

"Strawberry," she sighs.

"It's just——" she didn't let me continue my words.

"Art is not about seeing aesthetic things, beautiful color combination, it's showing of the masterpiece of your imagination and emotion, a thriller view of your soul. True art cannot seen be naked eye darling, that's why you were born to make that happen. Don't threw paintings anymore okay? Or else this building would be filled with your paintings." she chuckled. Oh Grandma, your words are so cool.

"So that's what it is. Okay. Aye aye captain!" I said. Giving her a salute because I really, trully, very, so much, super dupper salute her. I guess this us the reason why Grandpa married her but wait. . . If you love a person, even that person doesn't have any thing to impress you, you still would love that person because love always loves you and accepts you even if you have nothing. Hhmmm. . . I guess I'll be digging in my family tree's history.

I took a drink of what of what Grandma poured into my glass which is a type of milk I never tasted before. A different milk from what I found in the fridge earlier.

"Grandma, how did you react when you found out mom was dating dad in their early——teenage years? I mean how did mom introduced dad to you and Grandpa?"

"Let's see if I still remember that chapter in my life. . uhmm. . . " 

Oh please Grandma, no, you just can't forget that chapter. She's your daughter! Oohh.

"Yup, that's it. She didn't told us about that guy named Niffrey Sun who happened to be your father the after a year of meeting her. Your Grandpa just figured it out through scanning her boxes in the attic which he found pictures and her diary. And I her mother happened to notice she was pregnant. I was scared that time thinking about what guy my only daughter had chosen and———"

"Wait a second Grandma," I immediately said when I heard the line——ONLY DAUGHTER! Wait, what is going on? I have aunts and uncles and of course cousins. How is this possible she said only daughter? Is this because my mom is her favorite offspring or. . . 

"Did you just said. . . ONLY DAUGHTER? Wha——t is going on?" My eyes were widen like I just saw a monster under my bed.

"Your Aunt Jasmin, Aunt Violet, Uncle Jet and Uncle Aes are actually adopted. Your mom is our only child but I failed to produce another for some reason and your Grandma didn't want Star Yvaine to feel lonely that's why we adopted four children from the street and orphanage." Grandpa who just woke up from his beautiful sleep says making himself a cup of coffee and walked closer to planted a kiss on Grandma's forehead before he drank.

I can't believe what I just heard. My jaw dropped for a minute. This is insane! Does my cousins already know about this? Is this the reason why my cousins keep telling me that I'm so lucky if our Grandparents would die sooner which I'm so scared about because I don't want them to?

"You're such a spoiler!" Grandma says throwing Grandpa who sat beside her an angry look.

"Oh, sugar you didn't tell me you're gonna tell her our story." He said trying to be cute for Grandma. 

"She just asked for her parents' story and now you're giving me another work to do. Don't you dare go to work without cooking chicken mandarin for me you spoiler!" Grandma said making chew a lot of cookies until Grandpa's mouth is full if cookies that he barely could chew those properly.

"Alright, alright I surrender." He said trying to swallow the cookies he haven't chewed properly. Coughing, he went to the washing area and washed how mouth full of chocolate bits.

"Berry gold creamer," Grandma laughed so evil like in the movies.

"Grandma," I called, still shocked. Waiting for her to continue the story.

"Oh, where were we again? Uhh. . . Yeah your mom, your dad and your cousins." She sighs heavily.

"But let's just talk about your mom and dad first. Oh this story will take forever!" she continued, and took another bite of fruit berries I don't know the name of.

"I dare you to tell her the stories in one week," Grandpa says finishing to drink his coffee.

"Are you challenging the writer!? Hmpf! And if I couldn't make it to tell her within one week, what would you do?" she asked raising one eyebrow.

Grandpa froze to think, "Well, uhhmm. . . Nothing. Because you always win and——you must always win and yeah like I said. I should get going, hmm start cooking this chicken mandarin of yours." He murmurs and went to the kitchen.

"Hmpf! Good." Grandma raises her eyebrow and making a face like a kid starting to make a fight.

I drank that milk and took a bite of a cookie as I let Grandma continue to talk.

"So here's how it all happened." She clears her throat while trying to sit properly. "We sent your mom to an Art School there in Caran when she turned highschool. We bought a——"

"What's—where is this Caran place?" I asked as I stood up to sat in the couch between the kitchen and the living room. She followed me bringing her breakfast as she replied, "Caran City is a big city there in our neighboring country. We bought her a small house so me and your Grandpa could visit her on her birthday. Everything were great acctually." she said and I nodded.

"She graduated a Valedictorian in her Senior High School and before she went to college, she became famous of her music and that music career made her rich that she didn't want to come home anymore." she sighs.

"I don't know, maybe her schedule was just full. And so she met your father, Niffren Sun. He was a rockstar and she was a popstar queen that time. They decided to have a music collaboration and all the fame stuffs." Sadly saying, she stopped and clears her throat, took a bite of a cookie. My mouth is still full of cookie, I'm still chewing it but I couldn't talk or at least say something because I'm really curious. Of course! Who would have thought my dad was a rockstar!? Since childhood I really thought das was a US Navy. Is this the reason why he only comes home once a month? How abput mom? Are my parents in a new collaboration now? I noticed Grandma looking down but she managed to continue. 

"Grandma,?" I said, trying to swallow what I was chewing.

"I know how it feels to be so shocked. Well, surprise! She said cheerfully and laughed a bit.

"My dad was a rockstar? Grandma, are you telling me my parents are great artists and are billionaires like you?"

"Yup, absolutely."

"But. . . how come we're not a rich family?Where did they spent all the money?"

"They were so rich before you were born. But one day their fame faded away. They were banned in the social media because there was an issue! A group of people accused them for not paying the right taxes. It wasn't true! They have kept every transactions receipts whenever they pay their taxes. Rrrgghhh! Those idiot people are just too jealous of them! There were rallies, social media arguments, fights, gossips and——killings.” I gasped when I heard what Grandma said.

“That happened especially when people figured out that Niffren was insane. Although it is true and that time he was about to stop his career because something was wrong with him. His songs doesn’t sound good anymore because of its killer and suicidal words in the lyrics. Children adored and idolized him but when those things happened——people got mad of him because he turned into a bad influence celebrity. It’s just went too far that the President commanded to delete all the uploaded videos, images and news about Niffrey and Yvaine because people got too distracted that they forgot about what the President is ______about.” And then Grandma coughs a little.

I immediately stood up and went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water. She continued the story when I handed her the glass.

“The team of your mom dared her to leave Niffrey so they won’t lose their job but  she loved him so much. So much that she spent all of her money just to take care of him. The mental hospital were so expensive and Niffrey’s therapy and medicines. My precious daughter, Star Yvaine De Luna returned home pregnant at the age of nineteen. I welcomed her the same because I want her to realize what a mother must be so that when she become a mother, she won’t be like the most mothers in the world. I didn’t care what her father would say or what her siblings would say. I bought her a house there on the hills so no one could find her. I hired doctors, nurses and people to take care of her whenever I’m not around. Four months later the baby died in her womb because she accidentally fell in the stairs. She cried and I was so scared about her condition. What if she’s like me that can’t produce a baby that easily? And that’s exactly what happened according to the doctors. Her baby that time couldn’t survive in her womb so they took the baby, the precious fetus and I told them to put it in a glass. You know, up until now it’s still there. There are four poor frozen fetus in the library of that house. I didn’t sold the house because I knew these days would come.”

“I have four siblings but they didn’t survive? Grandma, how did I survive?” I asked while I was cleaning the table because we’re done eating.

“Nine years later, your father slowly went okay and his doctors said he can visit home once a month. Yvaine took him to the hills and when Niffrey saw the four dead fetus, he blamed himself for their loss. He married your mom the next month and hoped for God’s blessing. That’s how you survived baby Strawberry.” Grandma tapped my shoulder.

“Grandma, why did you placed my siblings there in a library? Why not in mom’s room or in a restricted room in that house? “ I asked while I was drying the plates, bowl and glasses with a thin squared towel for the dishes. Grandma took the big plate and piled fruits on it.

“Because I wrote books every time a fetus would die. I used their names as the main character so kahit papano, we could feel their lives existed somewhere. The house looks like a museum now.”

I felt a little confused about what she said. I didn’t understand some part of it so I questioned her again, “Wewewe——wait Grandma, what was the word again? You said something like, uhhhmm——ughh something I don’t understand.” I groaned and she chuckled a little saying, “Oh, the kahit papano thing?” she asked, still smiling and I nodded. “That’s a Filipino word for ‘somehow’ and earlier I forgot its english term that’s why I just said that way.” She clicks her tongue.

“So Grandma, you weren’t mad at my dad?”

“No! Of course not. Why would I?” Arranging the fruit by its sizes to form it into a pyramid and then she continued, “I saw it in Niffrey’s eyes that he truly love your mom and it’s one of the reason why he’s in that condition. Huh! Too much love will make you crazy I guess.” She laughed a little, “No offense.” She said tapping my shoulder. “Don’t you worry, I love your dad for your mom especially when you came my baby Strawberry.” She giggles, washed her hands and squeezed by cheeks and then she let go to bring the big plate to the table.

“No baby. Your Grandpa will never react immediately. He asks for my opinion and for the truth before he say something about something. He didn’t stopped me from welcoming Yvaine in the mansion or in our lives, he just told me to do the right thing as a mother. I told him that Yvaine needs her mom and dad to guide her but he cried asking for forgiveness because he honestly was mad at himself and at Yvaine. He couldn’t bring himself to face her so I wore a tiny camera in my coat whenever I visit Yvaine so Martes could see her.” When Grandma said this, it just made me awed to hear how Grandpa Martes is such a good man and a good husband to her.

“Grandpa really is the right person for you Grandma.” Nodding, I said this. Trying to wish Kaoshi Rei Nowa to be the right person for me. Of course, even if we’re over, I still do love him. I don’t know what love really is but if there’s a word I could describe what this thing I have for him, then it would always be “love”. He may be so far away, but my love for him didn’t fade up until now. If he comes back, I have wide open arms for him. I mean, who doesn’t love japanese people?

Grandma stood up and went to the cabinet near the door to get a comb and she came back to sit down and untie her long black and white hair being styled by Grandpa last night as one centipede to keep her hair safe. “Oh, so now we’re on the topic of love. Hmm. . . How was your relationship with that Japanese guy huh?” She teases me as she comb her hair. I couldn’t help to blush because I remember all my memories with Kaoshi when Grandma pronounced  the word “Japanese” and a little bit pain on the last memory that we broke up in a blink of an eye.

“What’s wrong?” Grandma looked at my face facing down and that’s when I realized, there were drops of liquid escaping from my two cloudy windows. My voice is breaking as I pronounce my words, “Kaoshi broke up with me last month Grandma, it was the same day my parents, my dog and my cousins stopped showing up at home. I didn’t know where else to go so I went here. Grandma, why do people leave? Do I deserve this?” I said, sobbing like a drunk person on the road shouting how broken her heart is. Grandma tapped my shoulder and sat close to me so she could hug me. She didn’t say a thing, she just hugged me like I’m an infant scared of the dark because of a boogieman might show up anytime now.

“Sugar, I’m out of salt here in my kitchen, do you still have a——uhhmm” Grandpa called walking from his kitchen and stopped steps before the table wondering what happened to me and Grandma. I felt Grandma saying “Ssshh” to him and pointed the cabinet where she store the salt. I didn’t hear his footsteps when he went back to his kitchen, I guess Grandma signed him to tiptoe walking. The next minute as I was sniffing and sobbing trying to stop these stormy eyes Grandma finally spoke.

“Baby, people leave because that’s how God tells you that nobody’s perfect and nothing is permanent except him. Some people leave because their mission to teach you a lesson is done or it could be they’re just the wrong people for you and God is saving you from those bad influence ones.” A moment of silence came. I refrain from embracing, wiped my face with my fingers. Sniffing, I looked at her face and notice sadness in her eyes but didn’t last for a minute. She wiped her left eye which cries for a second. That memory she remembered must be so painful, I wish she’ll tell me about it.

“But Strawberry promise me, because you know, it’s not all the time people who leaves, leaves because they wanted to. Some people have purpose why they needed to leave you for a while. . And I swear, people like that felt pain because they needed to say goodbye even they don’t want to go.” Sniffing, she said.

“You mean——test? Or a challenge? I asked pouring water to a glass of water and handed it to her. I also gave myself one. She drank it, clears her throat and continued to say, “Yeah, ———it could be.” She stood up and went to the cabinet to get a casserole and a spoon which I don’t know what she’s gonna do with those. I stared at my glass of water, thinking what and who’s situation she meant.

“Tadddaaaa!!! Chicken Mandarin De Luna!” Grandpa came and stood before the table and presented his dish. “Sugar, let’s take a picture of this baby. Come on! Come on!” He excitedly said placing the chicken mandarin de luna in the table. It smells so delicious, I wonder how it tastes like.

“Wait up, wait up!” Grandma hurriedly went to the their room to get her phone and then she handed it to me. She stood beside where Grandpa is standing holding that dish. They smiled like it’s their first day of being married but the thing is I couldn’t capture that moment of them because I don’t know the password of this phone.

“Uhhm. . . Password?” I said.

“122520bear” She immediately spoke and wore that smile again.

I entered the password and scanned her phone where the camera app is and when I clicked it, the camera appeared and I saw them still smiling.

“That’s your password? Why? I thought your password was———” Grandpa whispered and Grandma ssshh him out.

“Done! Another pose.” I smiled, commanded them and what they did was such a perfect picture to put in a frame and to place in the living room.

“Thank you Chef, I love this Chicken Mandarin De Luna!” She chuckled, took the dish from his hand and transferred it to the casserole. I checked the pictures I captured and I heard Grandpa murmuring, “You love the dish, how about the one who cooked it for you?” he said with a pout face he wiped his hands.

“I love you.” Grandma whispered still transferring her favorite food to a casserole, making sure not a drop of its sauce would be wasted. And Grandpa immediately went to his kitchen saying, “I love you more.”

“Chicken Mandarin.” She continued, covering the casserole.

Grandpa turned back and looked at her with his meh face. Grandma chuckled and licked her pinky finger which has sauce of chicken mandarin. And then he went to their room saying, “I’m gonna take a bath and present myself to the restaurant.”

I threw Grandma a look saying, “Is he mad? What are going to do?”

“Don’t mind him.” She whispered. “He’s just a little bit upset but he’s okay.” She continued.

WOW Grandma, ‘JUST UPSET??’ you call JUST when he’s upset. Although that was just a little thing but to Grandpa that was a big deal I guess because his actions says so.

“Come on Strawberry, let’s take a bath too.” She claps her hands like saying ‘hurry’ to some scouts as she went to my room. I followed her and left her phone on the living room. When I got there, she already dipped herself in the bath tub. I saw two bath robes hanging on the mirror and I thought Grandpa really prepared everything. I closed the door and took off my clothes as I hear Grandma humming a song so familiar to me the same song I heard Grandpa was humming when I got here in Rue City.

“Strawberry, could you get me a towel please? I forgot I need to leave my hair unwashed today.” Grandma called from a distance since I’m still near the door and she’s in the bath tub which five steps away. I opened the drawer beside the mirror and grabbed the rolled towel from the inside.. I wonder how my Grandparents worked hard to still mind my room here.

“Here Grandma,” I handed her the towel and her hand came out from the shower curtain.

“Thanks Baby.” She said unfolding the towel and wrapped her beautiful black and white hair. Her hair looks better than mine, maybe because mine is just an artificial color and hers is natural. God is so great and wonderful to make Grandma have a beautiful hair even she’s old. Other people in Grandma’s age are experiencing too much hair fall which makes them wear wigs.

I dipped myself in the bath tub reaching the spring shower for my hair so I could put shampoo and then conditioner while relaxing my skin before I apply bath soap. Minutes later Grandma rose up from dipping herself in the warm water in  the bath tub and started applying a strawberry flavored liquid soap. I saw scars in her belly which I never knew she had those. My curiosity is killing me so I broke the silence so I asked her about it. She sighed saying, “It was a long story. I’ll let Martes tell you about it. He kept pictures of mine there somewhere in the bookshelf.” I nodded to make her feel that it is fine to me if she won’t tell me at this time. We continued to take a bath and helped each other to scrub our backs with a rough sponge. She was humming again that song with the tune so familiar to me. I kept thinking to whom and where have I heard it. After taking a bath, we wore the bathrobes Grandpa has prepared for us and went to the dressing room. She wore a white below the knee dress and a gray jacket and since I’m a pajama baby, I wore my mom’s bedtime outfit. I face the whole body mirror and hand combing my wet hair. I felt Grandma’s footsteps coming closer.

“You’re a Princess, my Scarlett.” She said joining me combing my hair and made me chin up to look at my face in the mirror. “Never let anybody drag you down.” She added. But all of the sudden Grandpa came running in holding a phone in his ear saying hurriedly, “My ladies, come quick! The shop——” he said breathing heavily trying to continue his words as he calm himself leaning on the door.