{ AHT }
"Do you have a gramophone or any record player?"
"Good morning to you too, Mr Aht." The kid blinks slowly.
"Theodore!"
"Wow, so aggressive in the morning. There are a couple in the store room, why?"
"Unused anymore?"
"Yes, several guests left their things and didn't claim them back."
The lobby has very few people around when the dawn streams inside this establishment. I pace to the storeroom at the far end of the lobby, searching for a decent record player.
This cramped space is difficult to move into. Luckily, I come across a good gramophone after inspecting one of them. It has needles, a crank, and everything. I hope to God that its interior still works, have to check it out and clean it up. I head back with the dusty gramophone in my arm, facing Theo and his cocked eyebrow.
"I uh... I want her to listen to music. Songs. And please call me Aht. I've told you before. No more switching it up."
"I'm sorry, Aht. She never—?"
"Never. Only listened to singing and hums. I'm not sure what music she prefers."
"That's why you are high-strung now?"
"I'm not high—! Am I?? Whatever, I hope this bloody thing works."
"You're sweeeetttt for your ladyyyy!" he sing-songs with clenched hands close to his chin, gushing out a dreamy look.
Aiishh this man. "Theodore Charles Guthrie, please don't."
"Can I least savour this romance from you two since I might never meet the love of my life?"
"For God's sake, you will meet! And our 'romance' is forbidden."
"Eehhh maybe, although the forbidden makes it sweet."
"What in the world?" I grit my teeth. "It's agony."
"You two will fight against the world together. I'll reword it as ginger tea. You hate the initial taste but you both will feel relieved afterwards."
My grip on the player almost ruins it when he flashes a blithe grin. He doesn't lose sleep over this like I did—well, I don't sleep... Ugh, the point remains! He has to cut back on romance books. "Hmph, you and your ginger tea love-hate. You put too much faith in our love lives."
"I'm a man of faith. You can't blame me."
I blink at him. He whistles while checking the guestbook.
...
Perhaps...
Maybe I should follow his example? His knowledge about the world is limited compared to mine and yet, he trusts the unknown and aware of it. Glancing down at the desk, I mutter, "Fine. Do you have—?"
"Vinyl records are on the top shelf behind me, so take as many as you like."
"As many as I want to? Thank you so much, Theo."
"You owe me a good romance story. Now go, that poor spirit has missed out a lot."
____________________
{ KI }
"Taq, please."
"Are you nuts!? Lunatic!? Loony-patooie!??"
"Pa-patooie?" I think I'm not the only one who needs to brush up on the language.
"You will be condemned!"
YOU ARE READING
Damnation Of Devotion ✔
Paranormal"I would've prayed for Them to go easy on you too." He moves and his eyes are on me, eyes where they are brimming with tears, but his soft smile confuses me. Gently caressing my temple, he gazes at me as if I'm the most delicate treasure. His lips k...
