Chapter 1-21
Grandfather’s Secret
It didn’t make sense; It couldn’t make sense; It wasn’t supposed to make sense…
Her friends, they couldn’t have consciously done that to her, right?
She didn’t cause them harm… or did she?
Was it because of her shy looks in their direction?
Or perhaps of the few times she spoke to them when they were playing?
It might’ve been the few times where she got into the business she wasn’t supposed to when they bad-mouthed about Alex, in any case, it still didn’t make sense how they would hurt her that much…
Lucia was in her room while thinking about everything that happened today; Her friends; Alex’s outburst, but most importantly; The town reaction to what he had done.
Alex’s reaction to her health being might’ve been excessive, but there was no ill intention in it, and besides, at the end of the day, it has his family that took care of her when she needed it the most…
Lucia continued to stare at the doll, seeing how it was missing an entire arm and leg, cotton hanging out, almost falling of from it, yet still, Lucia held dear to it, it was her friend after all, the only true one…well besides Sir Alex of course.
As her mind started to clear up a bit, we can see the door to her room opening as a familiar figure steps into her bedroom, this being her grandfather Caney, who greeted her with his old familiar smile, which never failed to give her comfort and peace, although this time, she couldn’t feel at peace after what he said about mister Alex.
Her room, which is decorated with bookshelves filled to the brim with books and a bunch of toys, which have caught dust, alongside a bright blue carpet and her bed, which almost look like a noble’s bed in terms of quality.
Finally, his voice was heard in the room as she turned her attention to him while holding a toy that resembled a cup of tea.
Caney: Hey little Lucy, how are you doing?
Lucy: Much better now! I was just playing tea with Mona here, she very much needs it after what happened today!
Caney continued to warm the room a bit with his smile while he went further into the room, sitting on the floor right besides Lucia.
Caney: Mind if an old fool like myself joins in?
Lucia: You know the rule Grandpa! You must first bow down to Mona and ask her permission!
As instructed by Lucia, Caney lightly drops his head towards Mona, who now sits on a small wooden chair made for her.
Caney: Miss Mona, may this humble servant have the honor of dining with you on this wonderful night?
From there a moment of silence is made as both Lucia and Caney look at Mona, but after a few seconds pass, Lucia begins to laugh as Caney looks in a bit of confusion.
Lucia: Silly Grandpa! You should know by now that you are her right hand, and as such, you do not need to ask for permission to join in!
Caney lets out a little laugh before grabbing one of the few tea cups sitting on the table.
Caney: That’s right, I’m eternally sorry for forgetting Lucia, my memory isn’t as great as before.
Lucia returns Caney’s response with a bright smile of her own.
Lucia: That’s okay! You already know how you can make up for it, right?
Caney: Vanilla or chocolate?
Lucia: Chocolate for the win!
As she was saying this, she grabbed Mona and spun her around, but because of her bad state, the doll flew off, breaking another one of her arms and hitting against the wall, before falling to the floor, where both Lucia and Caney sat in silence.
Caney: Don’t worry Lucy, ill have someone cure her tomorrow, okay?
Lucia: There’s no need Grandpa! Alex will be able to get her in the best state if I take it to him tomorrow.
Caney: L-Lucy sweetheart…
I don’t think that will be possible…
Lucia: Of course it will be! I trust in Mister Alex and his skills as a medic! He took care of both me and Mona, so I know he will!
Caney doesn’t respond, he instead seems to try reaching his arm towards her, but stops shortly after and instead directs his hand to his chin, where Lucia turns around, noticing his silence.
Lucia: Grandpa? Is everything okay?
Caney: I’m afraid you cant hang out with Alex anymore Lucy.
Lucia stands in shock for a bit before responding.
Lucia: Grandpa?? Why do you say that?? Mister Alex is my friend!!
Caney: Lucy sweetheart… don’t you think that maybe, just maybe, your friends hurt you because of him?
Lucia: They are not my friends! They are a bunch o-of.. dummies!
Caney from there lets out a sigh as he takes a fake sip from the cup of tea.
Lucia: And Alex… him and his family took care of me after what those dummies did Grandpa!
Caney: I wont deny that they helped you, but if you keep hanging around Alex-
Lucia: I don’t care what happens! I prefer to be an outcast like Mister Alex than be like one of those dummies!
After saying this, both of them fell into silence, the calm and happiness that once filled the room was now replaced with a feel of dread and tense for both of them.
Lucia had tears in her eyes now, and when Caney went close to hug her, she stormed and went inside of her wardrobe, which was big enough for her to stay in.
Caney from there could only stand and watch the wardrobe before letting out a sigh… that’s when he noticed Mona across the room, from there, he walked and crouched down to see that it was almost hanging by a thread, a strong one at that, with that, he went up to the wardrobe and put the doll right besides it before sitting in the middle of the room, where the fake tea set was sitting.
Meanwhile, inside of the wardrobe, Lucia was grabbing her knee’s to her chest while letting out a weak sob; One none could heard unless they tried…
Until, in the middle of her sob, she heard a whistling blow through the wind, breaking through her sobbing, this whistling sung an very specific song her grandpa used to sing her every night when she was feeling distressed, the whistling went for a bit until Lucia slowly drifted away and closed her eyes, in that moment the wardrobe can be seen opening from outside, were a hand is extended and leaves Mona right in her arms, where Lucia tightly hugs it and a smile is form while a final tear is shed, from there a couple of words are mustered, the toning of his voice this time was different, where before a smile was formed, was now a much serious, neutral face was created in its place, Lucia was not able to see none of this, as she was asleep.
Caney: Sleep well little Lucy… May you be able to forgive me one day for this…
From there the wardrobe is shut slowly and the light that could enter the wardrobe was now being slowly covered, from the other side, Caney can be seen pushing a bookshelf in front of the wardrobe and putting her bed, alongside with another bookshelf besides it: All of this done without waking Lucia.
After doing said movement, Caney moves himself to the center of the room where he sits and starts drinking real tea he had hid in the empty cup tea, as we slowly see an orange tinge appear outside of their window in the night sky.