Purchased a Grave, Good for Two

Chapter 07 - John read a story

1 year ago...

It was Jillian's birthday as well as their supposed to be sixth anniversary as a married couple but John was alone now. Lonely and isolated, drunk and smiling. He was sitting alone at the wooden table where the Auntie had led him to, just in a corner away from the festive tables where several groups of friends and coworkers were happily drinking in that night market.

The alcohol had already climbed on his head as he just giggled and smiled alone, John would greet drunkenly those who passed by his table, saying 'hi' 'hello' 'how's your day' randomly since he has no one to talk to, Mari left early and he was now alone to spend the night. He sighed and was about to lie his head on the wooden table when he felt someone sat beside him.

He immediately flinched and was about to turn his head when a hand held his shoulder and pulled him, "You're cute."

John snapped his eyes open and saw the familiar ceiling of his room. He was in a daze for a moment but immediately got up and did his everyday cycle but while doing it, he kept thinking of something, something that was bugging him. It was only when he was about to wear his shoes did he remembered it, his eyes widened as he hurriedly went back to his room and took a letter under a pile of books on his shelf.

In the simple brown envelope, there were several stamps and his name on it. When he opened it, two white papers was filled with printed letters. It was a manuscript.

He once again read the title, "The Prince and the Knight."

Once upon a time, in a kingdom full of people and never-ending noise, a prince lived but the prince never had the chance to talk to anyone not even to his King Father, and Queen Mother so he silently retreated to the back of their palace and would talk to the old tree that became his friends since then.

But one day, a knight came, and the prince found him peeing on his tree. The prince was enraged and launched an attack on the knight but was easily taken down, the poor prince cried and cried. The knight didn't know what to do so he tried every way to console the prince but the prince still cried. However, when the knight said that he loved the tree and that he couldn't bear to have it die due to dehydration, he gave water to the tree through his own effort of washing it himself.

The prince stopped crying and finally smiled, "Really?"

The knight nodded, "Right! I will assure you, Your Highness."

And the knight and the prince who barely talked to any loud people in the kingdom found each other and became friends because of the old tree which they truly cared about.

John shut his eyes close after reading it, it was truly weird!

He then went to work with thoughts in mind, only did he snap back in reality when he saw the familiar car parked at the front of their store. His eyes lingered on the car as he entered but when he finally arrived, he heard the faint laughter of Mari and Wilrin who seemed to be having a fun conversation because they were too loud.

"Really? I didn't knew you had such an experience Mr. Jack? I feel like you're too young for this!" Mari giggled.

Wilrin who already arrived earlier had the time to use flattery words to the old lady, "Been always an expert Miss Sanchez."

Hearing the seductive tone, Mari laughed crazily only when John entered did they notice him.

"Oh, it's you, John," Mari called.

"Good morning." John said and turned to Wilrin, "Good day Mr. Jack."

Wilrin forced a smile, "Didn't I tell you to just call me Wilrin?"

"Oh, right." he scratched his head.

Mari went out from the counter and said, "See Mr. Jack here went to pass by early here just to give you something!" she said excitingly since she didn't dare to ask him about this.

Wilrin smiled and finally took the paper bag that he place on a chair, "Here. I saw you yesterday staring intensely at this."

John was surprised, "F-F-For me?" he pointed at himself.

Mari couldn't help but to rub her nose as she stared at Wilrin and then at John, she couldn't help but grin, "You're such a nice person Mr. Jack, how lucky it must be for John to have met you."

Wilrin smiled, "It's only a small thing, I just thought that he liked it." The truth is, he didn't buy it himself but it was the thing that he ordered for his driver to buy since he saw how intense John's stared at it yesterday so he only just got curious but when he read the content, he immediately regretted being curious, it was nothing but a nonsense story for children. It would be a waste of the book if not used so why not give it to the old man?

When John opened the paper bag, his eyes widened seeing the familiar cover. He opened the hardcover as Mari joined him.

"Oh? Is it now released?" Mari asked and John vigorously nodded.

Now it was Wilrin's time to get confused again, this wasn't the reaction he had expected to see.

"Why? What's on the book?" he asked again.

Mari raised her head and said, "Well, the author of this children's book was his friend. When that man was still in town for work, he usually visit the shop and take John's time to chit-chat, right?" she nudged John who was busy appreciating the artwork.

She added, "He even sent the manuscript exclusively to John before it was published."

And hearing it, Wilrin's expression somewhat stiffened, "So he was a close friend of John?"

"Nope, it was someone John took a night with."

As if struck by a lightning, Wilrin froze in his place as his smile became awkward, and cold sweat ran on his palms.

"Oh," Mari suddenly felt her phone vibrate, "Someone's calling, be right back," she said and excused herself for a moment. Now it only left him and the ignorant quail, him who was still yet to process things, and John who was still admiring the book, completely not listening to them.

But the usual confident figure he had seemed to have shattered knowing this fact from the old man. So the reason that Jillian kept talking about why this man is different, that reason why she would never get back to him again was actually because of this?

He even once saw the old man holding a men ultra intense magazine and the way he acted before when he first met him was already unusual. So he was like that?
Wilrin snapped back when John called him, "Wilrin, thank you for this. I was planning to buy one but you saved my wallet again." he said.

Wilrin forced a smile and didn't speak. He didn't know what to act now that he finally had the reason why Jillian wouldn't ever love him again. He braced himself, "Now that I've given you that, I think I must now take my leave, I still have my morning meetings."

"Okay, thank you for stopping by."

They sent back Wilrin to his car only when they completely left did Mari slap him lightly on the shoulder, "You've hooked it up with such a rich and handsome guy huh."

John exhaled, "Why are you so barbaric with your words? What if someone hears and misunderstands you?" he sighed frustratingly and turned around.

Mari shrugged, "What's there to misunderstand??"

On the other hand, Wilrin had deeply thought about this matter, Mari's statement ringing in his ear. Looks like he didn't see this coming.

"Mr. Mark," he called to his driver, "Who was the author of that children's book again?"

Mr. Mark looked at him in the mirror and replied, "I think it was David Kalman Sir."

Wilrin's eyes snapped open, "David Kalman?" he asked in disbelief.