Chapter 9
After staying in New York for five years, she was worn out.
She booked the earliest flight to Charleston.
When she was little, she was raised by her grandma. She didn’t move to New York to live with her parents until junior high.
Charleston wasn’t as developed as New York. In comparison, it might even look old. But Marlene had beautiful memories here.
Since her grandma passed away, it had been a long time since the last time Marlene visited Charleston.
It was 11 p.m. when she arrived. She went home alone with her luggage.
With her grandma gone, the old house had been vacant ever since. However, as in her childhood, Marlene opened the door and called out, “Grandma, I’m home.”
This time, no one answered.
Dust and cobwebs were everywhere in the house. Marlene cleaned it silently. By the time she made her bed, it was 2 a.m. already.
After a shower, she flopped onto the bed.
When she worked in New York, she was often sleepless at night. Once she got home, her insomnia was cured automatically. She slept without dreams.
It was near noon when she woke up the next day. The first thing she did was visit her grandma’s grave on the mountain.
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There were a few visitors every year. The lush grass made it look desolate.
Kneeling before the tomb, Marlene began pulling out the grass with her hands.
“Grandma, I haven’t visited for a long time. How have you been in the other world?
“My parents are fine. Don’t worry about a thing. I quit my job.
“And, Grandma, I broke up with him.”
Sadness flooded her heart.
The phrase “break up” actually didn’t fit in her relationship with Kenyon. Technically speaking, they never started a relationship.
Her grandma had seen her with Kenyon once. Judging from their intimacy, the old woman had guessed something was going on between the two young people. She had asked Marlene if Kenyon was her boyfriend and when she was gonna bring him home.
Blushing shyly, Marlene had denied. But deep down, she was eager to introduce Kenyon to her family.
Then, she told Kenyon about it indirectly.
Having been in the business world for many years, certainly Kenyon read her mind at once.
When he heard Marlene’s words, the smile on his face was cold and seductive. Come to think of it, it carried a tad of mockery.
“Marlene, are you kidding me? Why should I meet your grandma?”
She would be lying if she said she wasn’t sad back then. But crazily in love, she made excuses for him. She told herself he was too busy and that
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they hadn’t defined their relationship yet.
Yet she neglected the real reason: he didn’t care.
He didn’t care because he didn’t love her.
Tears flowed out of her eyes unbidden. Marlene wiped her eyes. How could she be so stupid back then? She was simply a fool.
Luckily, she withdrew from the relationship before it was too late.
When she was about to go down the mountain, she heard a shout.
Marlene looked and saw a man crawling out of the grass. It was awkward. She bent over and saw the man’s face.
“Dr. Jensen?”
Alaric shook the dried grass off of him and smiled awkwardly, “Ms. Fawcett, small world.”
Marlene wasn’t silly enough to think it was really a coincidence. Her gut feeling told her Alaric was following her.
Alaric was quick enough to sense her mood: Pointing to a nearby spot, he explained, “I wasn’t following you. My grandpa’s grave is also here.”
Marlene ignored him. She subconsciously felt nothing would happen between them. So, further communication was pointless.
She turned to leave. Alaric hurriedly caught up to her.
“Isn’t it a coincidence? I know you. Your grandma might also know my grandpa.”
He prattled on. Marlene walked quickly in front. When she was about to reach the foot of the mountain, a scream came from behind her.
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She looked back.
It turned out Alaric fell face down.
“Ouch, I’m dying here. Ms. Fawcett, I’m dying.”
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Marlene had to turn around to check on him. She had never seen a doctor
acting this way after tripping over.
“Ms. Fawcett, your grandma is my grandpa’s neighbor. And we two know each other. You can’t watch me die, can you?”
Alaric cried out loud as if he were really dying. Annoyed, Marlene wished to slap him. “Drop it!” she snapped.
Out of options, she could only support him along the way as they went down the mountain.
Marlene’s hometown was a small town. People knew each other. Seeing her supporting Alaric, they kept asking, “Marlene, is that your
boyfriend?”
At first, she would reply. But later, she couldn’t be bothered to respond.
Despite his inner joy, Alaric didn’t say a word along the way.
At the hospital, the doctor looked first at the CT scan images and then at Alaric, who was wincing with pain as if his legs were broken.
“Your bones weren’t injured. Your tendons are fine. So are your muscles. As a grown man, why are you howling like this?”
Lateefa Khanam is a spirited writer who finds freedom in horse riding. She cherishes her mare and the newborn foal, calling them her little happy family.
