Time to Retaliate

Chapter 1: A sad Valentine

“If not for you grandpa I won’t return to this town again” Gabrielle uttered to herself while intently focusing her eyes on the road entering to the main road towards their town. She noticed the musty sign that says, “Welcome to Sansou”. Memories of her high school days flashed back at her but she shook her head to ignore the images playing in it.

Sansou is a place where she swears never to return to after she graduated from high school for she hated her life in this town,  but she kept coming back for one reason and that is because of her grandfather.

Luchio is 85 years old but in spite of his old age his memory is still very sharp. He loves to read poetry and also a vintage car enthusiast. His hair is all gray and nearly bald but he has the sweetest smile that can make everyone instantly feel his warm personality. Every chances Gabrielle gets she visits him. She never misses to see him in every important occasion. He practically raised Gabby; he is like a father and a mother to her. They love each other so much though their personality opposes because Gabby doesn’t have the charm towards others like him and for that along with some other reasons she experienced to be bullied and to be treated as a “loser”. Yes a loser that’s what she was during her high school days. Though her life in college didn’t change much but despite her social situation she managed to finish college and landed a job on a publishing company.

As she enters her car into the front yard she sees Luchio waving at her sited on his favorite rocking chair in the porch holding his tattered book of poems. She immediately parks the car and stepped out of it with much excitement. Luchio’s warm hug makes her heart shed tears; tears that means happiness and the feeling of finally safe being home.  

“Abuelo! I missed you so much” she said in a chirpy voice while she embraces him tightly.

“I missed you too Gabby. How was your trip? Did Miguel give you a hard time?” he asked as he looks at the vintage car parked in the yard.

“Oh! Not really grandpa coz I guess he is excited to come here” she uttered cheerfully.

Miguel is the 1931 Bentley 8 Litre vintage car given to her by Luchio after her high school graduation. They named it after her baby brother that died. Though at first Gabby doesn’t want to take it because she knows nothing about vintage car and she knows how her grandpa loves this one. She’s afraid that she might just destroy it or she might not take care of Miguel properly but Luchio insisted to give her the car as a gift.

Gabby sits on a chair besides Luchio.

“Gabby will you read me the last stanza of my favorite poem?” handing her the book.

“Which one grandpa? Coz you have two favorite poems right?”

“Thanatopsis” he said in a low voice.

Gabby doesn’t really need to read it because she memorized it by heart. She holds Luchio’s hand as she recites the last stanza of the poem.

 So live, that when thy summons comes to join

The innumerable caravan which moves

To that mysterious realm where each shall take

His chamber in the silent halls of death,

Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,

Scourged by his dungeon; but, sustain'd and soothed

By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave,

Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch

About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.

 

 “Uhm, uhm” she clears her throat just to hold back the tears that are about to fall. Emotional that’s what she feels whenever she reads him poems. They used to have this reading session every weekend when she was still young until she left for college.

“Grandpa, I think we should go inside coz its getting cold here. Let’s just continue reading there?”

Instead of answering her Luchio says with a weary smile, “Gabby, you know I’m old and sick. I want you to find happiness even if I’m gone. Forgive the people that caused you pain. Do not think that you’ll be alone ok? I’ll always be here somewhere to watch over you”.

“Abuelo! What are you saying? You’ll live longer. You’re all that I have so please stop saying those things you’re making me sad” she pleaded under her shaky voice.

“Happy Valentine’s Day Gabrielle my sweet pea. I’m so happy to see you again. I’ll be at peace to close my eyes and rest knowing that you will have a good life ahead of you. Do not waste your life hating people. Take good care of yourself and remember Te quiero” he said as he kissed Gabby’s forehead.

She embraces him while she says, “Happy Valentine’s day and Te quiero abuelo! But don’t sleep yet coz we’re gonna have delicious dinner ok? So shall we go inside?” and she kissed his wrinkled cheeks.

“Read some more poems will you?”

“But grandpa it’s getting cold here and—

“Don’t worry I have a blanket here and I’m not feeling cold so go on read some more” he said as he hold her hands tightly.

Gabby gazed at the west part of their porch adoring the mixtures of colors yellow, red, and orange into the bluish sky as she sees the setting sun. She continues to read poems while her grandfather closes his eyes.

Fallen leaves from the oak tree beside their porch drifts towards their feet as the cool wind blows. She gasps when she felt Luchio’s hands slowly fall its grip from hers.  Her bony cheeks are now wet with the gushing tears that she’s been preventing to escape from her eyes and she bellows at the top of her lungs… “ABUELO!!!”