From Grief We grew (Only On Wattpad)

Chapter 50 Teagan

“Were you able to find anything?” I ask peeking over Fiona's shoulders.
 
   ”Nanda.”
 
   I sigh and go back to searching on Instagram. “Ugh, there are so many damn Pierre Jean Why such a generic name,” I grumble scrolling through the profiles in hopes to find Mira's boyfriend. Hayden managed to get the guy's name, photo and phone number yesterday by beating up some guy at the art exhibition who spilled the beans. It has been 3 days now since the child has gone missing. No news from the cops or calls from Mira. Hayden has been searching high and low for the child.
 
   As for me, I’ve been going to work at the academy. Hanging out with some friends from college for a group project. Therapy. I managed to pack Zayden's clothes in a box. I even got rid of the eulogy I had kept so dearly. Hayden prohibited me from going to the river so Fiona and I met up at the ice rink today after work. That’s when she told me that her brother has subscribed to apps that you can feed in information and it can find you the person( like the ones they use on the Catfish show). So here we are trying to track him.
 
   “T! T! T! Look!” she turns the laptop and I see a picture of him and a lady. They both are holding a cake together. Amelié Baker I read the display name of the Facebook post.
 
   “Who is that?”
 
  “I think it’s his mom. The caption says, my baby boy. This is him right?”
 
   I nod. “Looks like it but the name.”
 
   She shows me her finger and proceeds to scroll doing a little more digging. “Okay, the last name is probably because of this.” She shows me the lady's Instagram page. She has 100 posts. Most of which are cakes and biscuits. “She only has one picture of them though.”
 
   “Maybe she has an alternate account?”
 
    She keeps typing on her laptop. “F*ck. Private accounts. Both His and hers.”
 
   “Give him a follow request.”
 
   She nods and does as I say. I take the laptop from her and go through her feed again until something catches my eye. There is a hand holding a gingerbread cookie in their palm. On his wrist, the words L'espoir fait vivre is tattooed in cursive. “Fiona this is our man!” I exclaim throwing my hands around her.
 
   “Alright. Imma text her then.” She takes the laptop back.
 
   “No! What?-“
 
   “I'll tell her I want a cake and try to fix a meeting with her, dumbass.” She rolls her eyes.
 
   I hug her. “Thank you.”
 
   When I get home, I ask Bea and Hayden if we can hang out. Because If things go as planned, we'll be able to meet Amelié tomorrow but I don’t tell them that. Hayden suggests completing the adventure Zay set for us. “You can start by finishing this game of yours. It might help you come to terms with his death.” My therapist's words ring in my ears. I tell myself, do it for Lucah and agree.
 
   My phone lights up with a notification. LucahKrum26 wants to follow you. I accept his request. Only this morning did I enable my Instagram account and I immediately gave him a follow request. LucahKrum26 liked your post. It’s my recent post I posted this morning at 6. A painting of the sunrise with the actual thing in the background. I captioned it: A New Day. Another step forward.
 
   Barely opening this account, I saw Lucah. In the afternoon when I came out from work, Lucah was in the bakery opposite my workplace. Without him noticing, I got into my car and left. As much as I wanted to talk to him, I couldn’t face him just yet.
 
   I stare at a post in his account. It’s of him holding Lassie. She’s licking his face and he’s laughing. I notice the tiny dimple of his popping on the right side of his cheek. My heart yearns for him. I turn off my phone and fall into bed as I sigh. A little longer, please wait for me.

***

On our way to the final destination, I listen to the playlist Lucah had made. As much as it makes me miss him, it also helps me stay determined to finish this adventure I started. It helps me process my thoughts to accept that this is where I'll be saying goodbye. I squeeze the paper bag in my hand.
 
   The car comes to an alt. I dunk my head out and look at the grassland with big. I open the door and get out to have a better look. I see high walls that aren’t enclosed with each other but rather randomly placed here and there standing like Domino bricks. It’s further away but not hard to see because of the height. I sprint off eager to discover what these walls hold. As I get closer, I realize they are for murals. Some are white. Some have beautiful artwork on them. I look around in Awe.
 
   “He says to ask for wall 2 mmm but who do we ask?” I look at Hayden who has the envelope. That’s my favourite number I think to myself. “Look!” Bea points to our right and we see a cottage further down to our right. We see a small silhouette by the house.
 
    “Uhm sir which is wall 2?” Hayden asks the bald, tall old man who is watering the flowers near the window. He drops the hose and asks us to follow him
 
   “Did you make all of this?” Bea asks.
 
   “The walls yes. Paintings are done by people. Every day people come with paints and I allow them to select a wall and paint on it.”
 
   “Why are some white?” I ask.
 
   “Haven’t you heard about this place?” he stops and asks.
 
I shake my head. “My friend did a painting here I guess. He told us to come see it.”
 
   “When did he do it?”
 
   “Uhm a year ago.”
 
   “People pay for letting their mural stay on the wall. The maximum time however is a week. Then I whitewash the wall for someone new to use. This is wall two,” he points at a white wall. My heart sinks. “If it was a year ago. It’s definitely gone. I’m sorry.”
 
   “Oh.” I sadly look around in disappointment and squeeze the bag feeling the contents of it.  
 
   “Why are you coming here only now?” he asks. Not this again... I stay silent. Hayden explains to him and the guy tells us his condolences.
 
   “I do have a photo album, however. I take a picture of every artist with their mural. Maybe you’ll find your friend there.” My face lights up again.
 
   We follow him back into the house and he takes us to a room. He takes two thick books and places them on the bed. “Help yourself.” I nod and start flipping through the pages. Hayden searches through the other book. “Wow. For how long have you been doing this?” Hayden asks.
 
   “Around 10 years. I made these in memory of my son. He was a street artist. He loved graphite. But one day he touched a wall he shouldn’t and got shot.” He pauses and frowns. We immediately tell him our condolences. He points at a photo on the wall. A young chap with bright brown eyes smiles widely at us. His afro hair is tied with a bandana. His dark skin radiated with the light. “I made this place for artists like my Marky. A safe place.”
 
   “This is a lovely idea, sir.”
 
   “Oh call me Mario.”
 
   “Here’s he!” Hayden exclaims. My attention goes to the photo he is pointing at. With Mario's permission, Hayden takes it out from the plastic. He hands it to me and I study it. Zayden stands by the wall wearing a black t-shirt and pink joggers. The painting behind him is rather small so it’s hard to tell. “I see figures but can’t make it out,” I whisper looking closely.
 
   Hayden takes it from me and tries to look at it. Then takes out his phone and snaps a picture. He zooms in on it and goes, “Aweee.” Then shows it to me. Three little figures are standing holding hands. Two have white heads. One has blonde. There is a birthday cake in front of the table. Behind them, blurry blobs of people stand. Only the there kids are clear and highlighted. In this world, it’s just us is painted on top. Tears roll down my cheeks as I read it.
by  “Can we have this please?” Hayden asks.
 
    “Sorry son but this is a collection. A memory.”
 
   Hayden tries to explain how much it means to me. He even says he will pay the guy. But he refuses. “Sorry Son. It isn’t for sale. You can take a picture of it if you want.”
 
   “But-"
 
   “It’s okay,” I sadly tell him.
 
   I use Microsoft lens and scan the picture. I excuse myself to be alone for some time. I go back to the wall and look at it. I trace my fingers over it. “I guess it’s for the good. I’ll have one less thing I need to let go of,” I whisper. I get on my knees and take out the contents of the paper bag. A shovel; Zayden's perfume bottle, the one he used and the last one that I had bought of the same brand; Likewise the Shampoo bottles, the one I took from his house after his death and the last one I bought. The ones I bought still have content in them because I ended up replacing them a while ago with the shampoo and perfume of my choice. I look at them and sigh. This is the final place. I’ll leave a piece of you here.
 
   After burying the items, I dust myself and stand up. I start walking back to the house when a painting catches my attention. I freeze as I gape at it. A pair of blue orbs stare at me almost looking too realistic. Sapphire blue with green circles and white strokes like the ocean. I feel a pang in my heart as the eyes suddenly become a person. Lucah. I kinda zone out until someone touches my shoulder. “Your eyes are my home because in it I am beautiful, in it I am the real me, the boy you love,” Bea reads the words painted below the eyes.
 
   I don’t say anything. I just stand there staring at the wall. “You should talk to him-“ she doesn’t finish. I look at her and she grabs my hand. “We need to go.”
 
   “What happened?” she drags me ignoring my question. I run trying to keep up. She opens the car door and hurries me to get in, following behind. I notice Mario running towards us. “Go! Go! Go!”
 
   What the heck is happening?! Hayden drives off at full speed and Bea starts laughing, “Oh my gosh we did it!”
 
   “Did what?”
 
   She smirks looking at me. “A tiny little crime.”

   Hayden hands her something and she gives it to me. It's the photograph. I gasp, “You didn’t!” Bea nods grinning proudly. “Oh gosh thank you so much!” I exclaim and hug her. Right then my phone rings. By the time I can take my phone, it ends. Missed call from Fiona. There is also a message. Amelié is ready to bake cake!