Welcome back,
Not much to say about this particular part, it has almost everything, some passion, some twist and turns and obviously some pure moments of love. I hope you love this part as the story also starts to reveal.
For all the new readers, I request you to read the previous two parts first, because all these are interconnected.
Last but not the least I really want to thank my story editor
Old Naked Dad
for his ultimate support.
Thanks and happy reading
Chapter 47
I'm not expecting her to be here because it's already past midnight but...there she is! The secret behind Mark serving us all of my favorite foods is now crystal clear to me. There's no one better than her, who knows which dishes I love the most.
Mark moves to the corner of the room to provide her enough space and walks into the booth, none other than the lady herself, Mrs. Elizabeth Graham!
She's wearing black because, according to the news I heard on the television, her husband died a couple of weeks ago. Her hair has turned completely white but, except that; she looks quite the same, still holding onto the same grace and elegance she is known for.
I start to panic and lower my head as she comes closer to the table and stands beside me but I'm finding it difficult to look up. I have a mixed bag-full of emotions. I'm angry, panicking and also a bit ashamed while sitting in front of her with Tina.
I know her opinion about me or Tina hardly matters nowadays but I can't deny that she used to be one of the closest people to our family and I don't want to lose the reputation.
I concentrate on keeping my eyes rooted to the floor, waiting for her to say something. After a while, I feel her palms on my cheeks as she lifts my head to look into my eyes. I can see the turmoil in her eyes, there's so much to say. She must be trying to say she loves me and she's sorry for what she has done but words are really hard to come by.
Instead, she leans forward, kisses my forehead and after letting my face go, turns to leave without saying a single word. Now I'm feeling like the ass I've always been. I need to stop her somehow.
"I'm really sorry for your loss."
That's all I can manage to say and she turns on her heels.
"It's okay. I know you mean well. It's a part of life that you have to accept and move on. I wish I'd realized this, years ago, but I didn't. I tried to run away from the truth, tried to hide from the fact and I wasted a lot of time in the process. I did horrible things, which I can't change. I can only hope that my son finds some way to forgive his old mother. I came here, tonight; to tell you I'm sorry. I know it's too late to say it but it's better to be late than never. Tell Rosa that I'll visit her someday when I can gather enough courage to face her," she says, nearly choking at the end. I think she's about to cry.
Rosa! Other than my father, she is the only one to call mom Rosa instead of Rose or Rosalind. I don't know how mom might react if Mrs. Graham does decide to visit her someday but I don't think mom is still angry with her, it's been so long. Mom must have been hurt although it's nothing compared to my father, I'd guess.
************
Lt. John Philip Graham and my grandfather were best friends and when my grandmother died, during the birth of my father, this lady raised my father as her own son. I know she loved him and my father always respected her as if she were his biological mother.
Mrs. Graham always loves to be busy. She's an amazing cook and she enjoys making food for others. She loves it when people say how delicious her food is. That's the reason she opened the restaurant, which soon turned into the most renowned hotel of the city, with a little help from her husband.
Since childhood, whenever I was here, she always made sure that we had the best seats, the best service and the best food and wine.
It changed suddenly one morning when her daughter and son-in-law were gunned down in their own house. Police claimed there were drugs involved in their murders and she detached herself from everyone. The news must have hurt her pride, too much. My father tried his best to console her but she shut herself down.
Years later, when my father had been hospitalized and I was engaged to Peter, she didn't show up. When my father died, we still expected her at the funeral, to see her 'son' for the last time, and the cemetery but she did neither. We were hurt but that was more than eight years ago.
************
"I'm not angry with you, not anymore. It's been too long. I've been moving on with my life and today, I'm really happy to see that you're moving on with your life as well," I reply with a slight smile, which seems to break the ice.
"I can see you're moving on with your life and I'm also happy for you, too," she says, smiling back at me.
I feel as though a big weight is being lifted from my chest. She accepts us. I'm so happy that I walk to her and we hug for a while, tears flowing from both of our eyes and finally, when we separate, we rub the tears off and smile.
"Mark, make an announcement that tonight is a very special night as we have a very special couple with us. I want to share my happiness by providing free drinks for everyone in honor of my granddaughter's" she says.
Tina chokes, badly, on the drink she's having when she hears the word 'granddaughter's' Poor Tina, she doesn't know anything about my past. What she heard must give her some idea that the Grahams, one of the most reputable and richest families in the city, are very much known to us, but when she calls me 'granddaughter', it must be too much for Tina to take.
I thank Mrs. Graham before she leaves. She also instructed Mark to make sure we get the best of everything. Mark follows her to make the announcement, providing us with privacy, once again. Tina looks completely amazed by all of these incidents. I take a large sip from the glass; I know it's time to tell Tina about my past.
CHAPTER 48
"If you don't want to talk about it right now, it's completely fine with me. You can tell me anytime when you feel comfortable enough," she says.
"I'm okay, and I think it's about time I tell you about my past. If I don't tell you today, I'm not sure when I'll get another chance. I'm not very fond of remembering my past," I reply.
I take another long sip before I start telling her about me and my family.
************
I'm the only child of Mrs. Rosalind Jones and Lt. Allister Jones, my father, who used to be the joint owner of 'Jones and Long Shipping Corporation' alongside his friend Mr. David Long. We used to live on Palm Avenue, beside the Graham's, the owners of this establishment.
I was my father's princess and he fulfilled my every wish as soon as possible. I wasn't one of the most demanding children but, every now and then, there was a surprise for me, in fact, he loved to spoil me as much as possible. I had the costliest dresses and shoes, most fancy toys and everything a child could ask for and most importantly, the undying love of my parents.
I tell her about the incidents about playing hide and seek with my father and how he saved me, every time, from mom when she was angry at me for some reason and how often he made a fool out of himself to make me laugh and cherished me all of the time.
During my first year of college, we came to know my father was suffering from stomach cancer. He was hospitalized for better care and treatment because his condition kept deteriorating day by day. When my father said his only wish was to see me happily married before he died, Mr. Long proposed his own son, Peter. Though we had never dated or fallen in love, but he is not a stranger at least. So, I didn't object and we got engaged soon.
After engagement, we had sex a few times. I thought, as my husband-to-be; it was his right to have sex with me. We delayed the marriage, waiting for my father to stabilize enough to attend it, but he never did stabilize.