Days pass since that day. A lot of changes happened.But there's a lot of things that stayed the same. Our store is filled with customers everyday.I sometimes feel different when Sir Flinn would call me his granddaughter, it's heartwarming.The first time he hug me as a granddaughter, he cried. I let go the last because I want to feel his soul. Guess being a veteran at hiding emotions runs in our blood.
I don't want to ruin my relationship with Sir Flinn, he's part of my home and I don't want to mess anything with him. He didn't do anything to make me burst in madness, he's the man who help me and he's has a space in my heart.
I wish I knew him when I was a child. He's not a typical grandpa who's back is aching. He's tough physically and mentally.But everything happens for a reason- I may not know him sooner as my grandfather, atleast I know him as Sir Flinn. The man who has a pure heart and a soul that is one of a kind.
Even though we are blood related, I still call him Sir Flinn and he told me it's okay. I am still adjusting on calling him ' grandpa' . It feels awkward calling your boss 'grandpa'. I now know his name. Flinn Devann. It's just a coincidence too that I haven't told him about my last name.
He's my Mom's father. I never heard about him from Mom. She never told me about how great Sir Flinn is. Grandma- name is Melissa, who is Sir Flinn's wife, died because of stroke when Mom was only 18. I wonder how she look like but I am sure she's majestic.
Mom left that day, she gave me a warm hug. She told me Dad is doing great and busy with his business. And my bike is still in the garage waiting to be useless. Seeing her departing was a relief-knowing Dad and her are doing fine, but there's also a part of me that is crying, I might not see them again.
After that time, I talked to Sir Flinn for the first time as my grandpa. He said Mom would always talk about me everytime they had a chance to exchange thoughts. I asked him why I never saw him visit our house, then he respond, “ I'm scared your Mom wouldn't allow me to be with you, since she said your illed.” It made me confuse. “ And I'm also in fear that I can't be the grandpa you deserve. But I did saw you when you were still one.” He stated leaving me in surprise.
“You are watching an animated movie that time, then I sat next to you, then you'll ask me if I know Totowo.” he continued while smile is flashed in his face. And that made me laugh.
He took his wallet from his pocket and opened it. He took the picture which is now old caused by the passing of time. “ This is our only picture, that's why I treasured it.” I gulped and scanned the picture. It's the young me and Sir Flinn beside me, we're sitting in the sofa while there's a lollipop in my mouth.
“What a small world.” I said to myself.
We don't really have any idea about what's ahead on us. We don't know where will fate bring us. It's a small world after all. We can't force anything to happen according to what we want.Whatever flows, flows.We can't always be happy. We need to feel pain so that we can know the value of every second. As long as you are breathing, there's still hope that one day, you can finally say that you made it.
This is our third week of opening and we are filled with customers. I found it really strange how we are in success when we just opened the store. I was expecting that we will have no customers for our first week-but here we are, NO VACANT TABLE.
While serving orders, I would catch Tim looking at me,then he'll wink. Miss Mia would see it and then she will tease me and say, “I think Timothy Williams has a big fat crush on you.” I would just respond, “ Nah, he's really like that, and we're just friends.”
For now.
We are already cleaning since we already close the store. It was a busy day. Sir Flinn said the income today has a huger amount than yesterday's. After hearing it, the three of us were in sync saying the word 'wow'.
“We need new books.” Tim said while unbuttoning his name tag from his apron. Miss Mia nod and agreed. “ I think about it, too. And also the music track...”. I laughed a little, I already memorized the songs as they kept on playing over and over again for three weeks already.
I took my bag from the kitchen and look for my camera. After I found it, I immediately run going back to them. “ Let's take some pictures.” I said and turned on my camera. Miss Mia immediately run going to the mirror. She then frowned the moment she saw her reflection. Timothy then spoke. “Miss Mia you are sophisticated, no need to look yourself in the mirror.” she smiled after hearing it.
We squeezed together so the four of us could be seen. I hold the camera and positioned it. I stood next to Sir Flinn and then Miss Mia on the other side of me. I glanced at our faces on the screen and there's one missing. “Tim, where are you?” Sir Flinn is already smiling and Miss Mia is touching her hair. “Just...wait”,he spoke from behind and then I saw his face in the screen. He use a chair and stood at it. He smiled widely and formed his fingers into a peace sign.
“1,2,3, smile!!” I said and pressed the button. A flash appeared and then Sir Flinn said “one more!”until the 'one more' lasts for minutes.
After taking series of pictures, we scanned our faces and then Tim argued with Sir Flinn saying "he outcharmed the boss". Sir Flinn would say, " you look like an idiot". Then I laugh making Tim frown. We love to tease him.
That time, while looking at them joking and hearing their happy voices, I told myself I am already with the best people. The bravest, the ones who understand me, and the ones that made me feel home. I am home. We might not be close to perfect, I know these are the people I've been looking for.
We are almost on our way going out of the stall when Kira suddenly entered. All of us turned to her direction. She's wearing a big smile on her face making me feel excited. “Mama!I made it!” she stomped her feet in excitement then showed her certificate. Miss Mia run to her ang hugged her. My eyes were blessed. We clapped for her victory and congratulated her in a singsong manner.
I congratulated her by hugging and told her she deserved it. She passed the entrance examination for her dream University. She's really an intelligent kid with a wonderful heart. Miss Mia cried the happy tears telling she's the proudest. I am proud of her, too.
“We need to celebrate! The success of our stall and Kira's victory!” Sir Flinn screamed all of a sudden. Then silence. Then exchange of stares. Then Tim spoke. “Yes! Tomorrow is our rest day,how about going on a camp?”
My eyes widened at his thought and then my serotonin boost. Just imagining it, it's a must to experience in a lifetime, but tomorrow is too early. “Tomorrow?We still need to prepare a lot of stuffs.” I uttered and then Miss Mia agreed.
These people really love to say 'tomorrow' on events that needs a whole lot of preparation. We need to pack our clothes, prepare our foods, the transportation, and we don't even discuss yet where we are going to held our camping.
Sir Flinn rub his chin and then nod. “ You're right, Kath.” he said,making me feel relieved.
“So..when?“ I asked, looking at Sir Flinn.
“Tomorrow evening.”
I haven't got a long sleep. I've been awake since we went home and now here I am sitting on the floor preparing my clothes and other stuffs. They really mean it when they said "tomorrow evening". They didn't listen to me when I told them it's quite early and we need to plan it. Miss Mia laughed at me and told me I'm like a kid who's scared of adventure. It was only a joke, but it's really true.When we are already in the apartment, Tim rush to his room and gave me a quick goodnight. He's excited, really. He was even talking about the foods he want to eat during the camp, the first thing he'll do, or the time he'll go to sleep. I don't know what will happen with this unplanned trip, but there's one thing I am sure of, we will be the happiest.This will be my first time going on a camp. Since I was a kid, I would ask Dad how being in a camp feels like. He'd tell me, it's a great feeling.
I felt like I lost my voice- from singing and screaming and laughing too hard when Tim sung out of tune and it was really hilarious that we need to stop the van because Sir Flinn can't control his laughter. My cheeks are really tired from laughing and my eyes are crying with the happy tears.Tim, Miss Mia, and me are the vocalists while Sir Flinn is the one who keeps on singing the instrumental parts and it sounds extremely weird. And to my calculation, we played almost 458 songs and the unfinished one when Sir Flinn said we arrived.The resort is called "London Beach", and it's funny that is sounds like "London Bridge". And the fact that we are not in London, it made me think how crazy a person's mind is.I got amazed when I saw how lively the place is even though it's already quarter to fo
“Is this already okay?” Miss Mia asked us as she sets up the two tents. I suggested we could sleep here or talk until sunrise, and these people are always on when it come to not sleeping.I bob my head and gave her a warm smile. It's only the four of us here in this part of the resort. They say this part of the place requires a huge amount of money, I didn't know how Sir Flinn did it, he just show his ID, then we got a free access.The sky is pretty with the stars shining on their own ways,and the moon is hiding behind the clouds but it's beauty still remains. Just perfect for this moment.Sir Flinn and Tim are busy making the fire while I prepared the marshmallows we will eat for the campfire. I glanced at them and they are already arguing where to sit.“No-I said move-you could sit there.” Mi
“Just swim like a frog!” Miss Mia screamed while laughing as we witnessed how Sir Flinn wear his floater. He's face show how scared he is to meet the sea.“I don't know how a frog swims!” He screamed back making me giggle.Then later, Tim grab Sir Flinn to the water making him look like he haven't been to the beach in his whole life. I saw how Tim laughed when Sir Flinn shouted, “I know how to swim,now!”Miss Mia shake her head telling she can't believe Sir Flinn. We stayed in the cottage to prepare the foods. I sat down watching them having fun under the sun. There are also kids building sand castles, lovers flirting, and people like Tim and Sir Flinn.“Did Tim confessed something to you?”My eyes wide
I know he wasn't expecting that. I just felt the sudden urge to call him Grandpa and see his reaction. I know, he wants to hear it, too. He told me that he wants to feel that he is a grandpa, but he told me that I shouldn't force myself to call him as my grandfather if I am not ready yet. Even Tim and Miss Mia can't believe it. And then Sir Flinn-Grandpa, was looking at me with his teary eyed wet face.“Can you say it again?” His voice cracked and his tears will fall any moment.“Grandpa?” I uttered making him look up in the sky to stop his tears from escaping. I hugged him and whispered something into his ear. “Grandma must be happy seeing us right now.”We put back everything we used for the foods, collected all the trash that got sca
After trying most every ride, we stopped by a store that sells mango shake. I felt like my soul left my body riding the Vikings. I suddenly remembered Miss Mia cursing at every second as it suddenly goes down, then after the ride, she never stopped cursing until she got tired. Honestly, it made me feel the happiest.I took a picture of the surrounding and it was nostalgic. I felt like I am a girl and went back to the 80's where people doesn't think too much and just seizing the moments. We roam around the place and bought some stuffs for souvenirs. I bought bunch of hair clips for Kira, and for me. We also bought keychains, some tumblers, and cute head bands.“My stomach is telling me to eat.” Said Tim while overdramatically acting his starving as he put his hands on his belly and frown. We walk straight to the food area and we saw a stall that sells burgers and I was
I want to call him, talk to him-just the two of us and ask him about the things he told me and what I meant to him. Lately, he's been telling me words that a stupid friend wouldn't tell you. I don't want to feel awkward with him and I don't want him to. I just want to clear out things that's been living in my mind for hours now.I never been in love. I mean.. with real people. I only cry over boys who are fictional. I never waste my tears crying over a boy who doesn't think enough about his future-and it's a big turn off. I don't really have an ideal guy, as long as you're hardworking, honest, and most especially- a dreamer.A dreamer who shares his dreams with me. A dreamer that isn't afraid to take risks. The one who would accept me and my 20 other personalities. Too much, maybe he's not existing.But I already had a crush,but I don't consider it as 'love' because it was
Flinn's Bucket List1. Make Tim cry.2. Witness more than 100 sunsets.3. Have a new introduction for the customers.4.Witness how the clouds changes from blue to black.5.Visit Melissa's grave with Kath.I read it again and again. I always get stucked with the last one. I want to visit her, soon.I glanced at Tim who's now writing his bucket list.“Why do you want to make me cry?” he asked while his focus is still on his paper.“Only me knows.” Grandpa replied.“ I'm done.” Miss Mia said and gave me her paper.We gathered together and sat by the lonely seashore. Since this will be the last day of our trip, we want to make it memorable.