Her Choices - Greyson Chance, Levi Miller Fanfic

Chapter 6: Black and White Portrait

"A family is a gift that lasts forever."

-Terri Burritt

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James and Beth tried all kinds of sitting positions on the couch that whole Thursday afternoon. After Sally went to take Oreo cookies and milk for their snack, the youngsters told her to settle down and enjoy the shows with them. 

In the middle of the Star Wars show, Beth suddenly glanced at the old, black and white portrait hanging on the corner of the room. It always and never had failed to catch her attention every time she passes by across the room and it kept bothering her that she could no longer stop herself from asking about it. 

"Sally?" 

The woman,  busy munching on some cookies, snapped her head towards Beth's direction and gave her a curious glance.

"Do you have any idea who that man is?" she asked, pointing her index finger on the portrait's direction. 

"Ahhh, I didn't know him personally but I asked your dad in his first visit here. After placing it on the wall, I couldn't help asking. He said nothing about it." 

She brushed the sense off and decided to confirm it later to her dad. 

🌀

That evening, they devoured the mouth-watering foods placed in front of them. James sneaked out a packet of M&M's under the table and stepped on his sister's toe, intentionally. Beth groaned for the twentieth time. James secretly pointed his index finger under the table. 

Her eyes widened after seeing James shook the life out of the marvelous packet of her favorite candy. He grinned and she hit her head on the table when she heard her dad mention her name. 

"Is there something wrong, Beth?" her dad asked sternly. 

"No, dad."

"Finish your meal quickly," he replied with a smile.

She spared her brother a glance and he winked at her. She playfully rolled her eyes at him and a small smile escaped her lips. 

After dinner, she found her dad, sitting in one of the chairs of the veranda, with a single smoke on his fingers. He puffed lightly and the smoke escaped as he breathed out. 

"Dad?" she gently asked, sitting beside him.

He moved, replacing the small gap between them with his presence. He killed his cigarette and threw it on the glass chamber. 

Are you doing fine here, child?" he inquired, ruffling her hair. She grinned at him and hugged his arm. 

"Yeah, dad. It's not that bad in here. Sally's pretty great, too."

"Yes, she is," he smiled with a glint on his eyes. 

"She's like a mom to me, dad."

They didn't spoke for a while, the silence enveloping them. The night crickets never sounds so beautiful 'til this moment. 

He placed his arms around her petite figure and kissed her forehead. She hasn't seen this side of him after a few years of keeping himself at work. They rarely have conversations like this and she misses him a lot. She reminisced a moment when she was still a little girl, her dad would carry her into his arms and plant a kiss on her cheeks. 

"I miss your mommy, darling," he signed. "Too bad she's far away, never be able to see you grow up so fast."

His confession registered on her head slowly.

Too bad she's far away.

"What, dad? What do you mean far away?"

She felt him tensed. He seemed uneasy.

"She's somewhere away, watching us."

It seems like a reliable answer. Beth must have thought her dad used some other words to describe that her mom is gone, in a way that won't hurt them both. 

"Dad?" she began. "Do you know the man on the portrait placed on the living room?"

He straightened up and removed his arms around her. She looked up at him, expecting an answer eagerly. 

"He's your grandfather, on your mother's side."

Now, it makes sense. Of course, it's her grandfather. She haven't meet her extended family yet since her dad told her that they live far away from them."

"Okay," her mind soaking the information. "Is he still alive?"

"Yes," he stood up from the chair and picked the glass containing his cigar. 

"Oh."

"I got to sign some papers tonight, Beth," he explained, pushing a sad smile. "Goodnight, dear."

"Goodnight, dad," she muttered, though he's far away to hear it. 

🌀

He observed the fancy piano positioned in the middle of the big room. He stroke the keys which enlightened him through the darkest depths of his unknown memories buried along with the pictures his mind is trying to display.  

According to his grandfather, he played the piano for as long as he can remember. But he seemed to forgot. 

He forgotten his past. Every single piece of it. 

And now, there he is, sitting across the room, hands on keys, preparing to play something. Something that could make him remember. He closed his eyes and his eyebrows twitches. His shoulders hunched as he pressed his fingers down. 

A sound escaped the instrument with no known melody. But after a while he knew he wasn't playing it with his heart. He was just simply pressing it with his hands. And even though his old folks said that he loved it before, he knew he had it wavered away from his mind. 

He stood up, contemplating his thoughts. In this world full of strangers, why is he the one chosen to forget everything he loved? 

Maybe it was destined. Maybe his past wasn't that crucial. 

But damn. He longed for the truth. 

He walked out of the room, only coming to meet his sweet grandmother, looking at him full of concern, evident on her pale, wrinkled skin. He smiled at her and continued on his way towards the door. 

"Jacob."

The name sounded foreign to him. He didn't know if he will turn to the one calling his name, or to remain rooted to his spot.

"Remembered anything yet?" the old woman asked, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. 

"No. Nothing at all."

His grandmother sighed and placed another hand on his other shoulder. She made him turn to her, staring at his eyes with sympathy. 

"Soon, Jacob. You'll remember it soon."

Author's Note-----

Hey! Jacob (Greyson) is introduced here in this chappie. Missing Levi? He'll come around soon. 

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-Fluffy