Chapter 70: Stop Flattering Me
Thea smiled and took Grandma Grace’s hands as they walked out of the hospital room. As they approached the entrance, they met Julia, who was being carried by her mother. Julia’s eyes lit up when she saw Thea, and she exclaimed, "Sister Thea!"
Her childish voice echoed through the hallway.
Thea turned around to see who had called her and found Julia in her mother’s arms. "Hello Julia, nice to meet you," Thea said with a warm smile as she went to greet her.
"You remembered me? I thought you would forget about me. Why didn’t you come to visit me?"
"I was occupied with my work," Thea replied, still smiling.
"Who is this, Your Grandma?" Julia looked at Grandma Grace as she asked, her gaze shifting to the older woman beside her pretty Sister.
"This is my Grandma," Thea answered. "I was talking about her to you, remember?"
"Hello Grandma, I am Julia Sawyer," Julia greeted her in her childish voice, looking up at Grandma Grace with big, curious eyes.
"Nice to meet you, sweetheart," Grandma Grace answered, smiling warmly at Julia.
"What are you doing here?" Thea asked Julia, as she was little worried.
"She got a fever yesterday," Julia’s mom, Sarah, answered, shifting Julia slightly in her arms. "We brought her in to get checked out, just in case."
"Why did you come here, sister Thea,Are you sick?" Julia asked."No, I am not not sick.My grandma had an appointment today." Thea replied, smiling at Julia’s questions.
"Can I have your phone?" Julia asked, her hands reaching out for Thea’s phone.
"Sure, here," Thea said, handing over her phone. Julia quickly typed a string of numbers and called it.
"It’s my number! I finally got your number," Julia replied, grinning triumphantly.
"Thea, she’s taken a liking to you," Sarah laughed, shaking her head. "She’s cute, but very naughty. You’ve been warned!" Sarah added, chuckling at her daughter’s mischievous behavior.
"I am mommy’s daughter. I am not naughty, I am cute," Julia pouted, her face scrunched up in a adorable expression.
"Yes, yes, Julia is cute. Mommy is bad to call Julia naughty," Sarah replied, playfully rolling her eyes and smiling at her daughter’s protest. She tickled Julia’s chin, making her giggle.
As Thea and Grace turned to leave, Julia waved her hands enthusiastically, "Bye, Sister Thea! Bye, Grandma!" she chimed. Thea and Grandma Grace smiled and waved back, "Bye, Julia."
"Take care, sweetie!" they echoed, as they headed out of the hospital, leaving Julia and her mom to meet with the doctor.
"So this is the kid you were talking about whom you meet at birthday party ?"Grandma Grace asked.
"Yes, that’s her!" Thea replied, smiling as she thought about Julia. "I met her at Ryder’s friend’s birthday party a few weeks ago. She’s such a sweetie, and so full of energy! I’m glad we ran into her again today."
Grandma Grace chuckled. "She certainly seems to have taken a liking to you, dear. And she’s definitely a precocious one!"
"Thea, I want to travel on the bus today?" Grandma Grace asked, looking at her with pleading eyes.
"Are you sure? Won’t it increase your pain?"
"I have limited days left with me. I want to enjoy my remaining days. This is common as we become old," Grandma Grace replied, her voice filled with a mix of determination and resignation. "I don’t want to spend my last days cooped up at home. I want to see the world outside, and experience life to the fullest, even if it’s just for a little while longer."
As they settled into their seats, Grandma Grace gazed out the window, a faraway look in her eyes. "You know, when I first met your grandfather, it was on a bus," she said, a soft smile spreading across her face.
"Really? What did you feel when you first met him ?"
"When I looked at him, I was fascinated by his gentle features. He was sitting beside me, completely absorbed in the book he was reading. The way his eyes scanned the pages, the way his brow furrowed in concentration... it was as if he was in his own little world. I found myself drawn to his intensity, his passion for learning. And when he caught me staring, he looked up and smiled, and I felt my heart skip a beat. It was as if time stood still, and all that existed was the two of us, suspended in that moment."
"I was lucky, I finally got to marry him, who was my first love," Grandma Grace replied, her voice filled with a warm, nostalgic glow. She gazed out the window, lost in thought, as the bus rumbled on. A soft sigh escaped her lips, and a gentle smile played on her face, as she relived the memories of their life together.
"It’s a rare thing, to find your soulmate so early in life, and to be able to spend a lifetime together. I cherish every moment we had, every laugh, every tear, every adventure. He was my rock, my partner, my best friend." Thea recalled the words her grandma once told her.
The serendipity of it all brought a smile to her face. She knew that her grandfather was her grandmother’s first love, and fate had worked its magic to bring them together in a way that neither of them could have ever imagined. The marriage partner whom her great-grandfather had chosen for her grandmother, in a traditional arranged marriage, was none other than her first love, her grandfather. It was as if destiny had intervened to ensure that their love story would be one for the ages. Thea’s heart swelled with love and gratitude for the beautiful romance that had blossomed between her grandparents, and she felt so lucky to have been a part of their lives.
Thea’s curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "Grandma, if it’s okay, can I ask you a question?"
Grandma Grace nodded, "Hmm, go ahead."
"Why did your elder brother not want to have any relation with you for this long?" Thea hadn’t asked this question before thinking that it would hurt her grandma by bringing up the past.
Grandma Grace’s expression turned somber, and she gazed out the window, collecting her thoughts before responding. "It’s a long story, Thea. But I’ll try to keep it brief. You see, my elder brother and I... we had a falling out, many years ago. He was always rebellious , and I was a favored child of our parents. We disagreed on many things, and it created a rift between us. He wanted to follow tradition, and I wanted to forge my own path. It led to a bitter argument, and we lost touch. He went his way, and I went mine."
She listened intently, sensing the depth of her grandmother’s emotions. "But why did he leave great Grandparents’ house ?" she asked, puzzled.
Grandma Grace’s eyes clouded over, and her voice dropped to a whisper. "That I don’t know. I think, in the end, he realized that family is more important than pride and disagreements. He wanted to make amends, even if it was from beyond the grave."
Finally the day of the art competition arrived.
She quickly got ready.The time was 10 o’clock for the event. As time passed she was feeling more nervous.
"Feeling nervous?"Grandma Grace looked at her granddaughter who was sitting on the sofa.
"A little bit,grandma."Thea confessed.
"Don’t worry my sweetheart.I have full faith in you and your work."grandma Grace sat beside her as she uttered those words.
Her phone rang which was on the table.she looked into it to find that Charlotte is calling her.
"Best of luck for your day.I give you all my good wishes."Charlotte’s voice rang from the other end.
"She’s getting nervous, Charlotte"Grandma Grace observed, speaking to Charlotte from the other end of the line.
The quickly put the phone on speaker, allowing Charlotte to chat with her grandmother.
"Good morning, Grandma !" Charlotte exclaimed happily.
"Good morning, dear! How have you been? When are you coming back from Canada?"
"In two days most people ..I will come back,Grandma." Charlotte replied, her voice cheerful as ever.
Grandma Grace smiled, happy to catch up with her granddaughter’s friend. "You two talk, I’m going to my room," she said, standing up from her seat. "Good day, Grandma.." Charlotte chimed in.
"Good day, dear," Grandma Grace laughed, returning to her room, leaving Thea and Charlotte to chat among themselves.
"Are you nervous?"Charlotte asked her again..
"A little.You are not here so I am a bit tensed."
"Stop flattering me.I know you quite well .You are happy as no one is there to annoy you due to my absence."Charlotte answered.
