Where I belong.

Part 8- Mystery guy revealed

"Sorry, I haven't had the time to clean properly yet." I said as I tried to dust off chocolate bits.
"No it's very neat and clean don't worry." he said.
He took his hat off and sat down at the kitchen table.

"Excuse me for a bit, I need to check if grandmama is okay. She hasn't seen me the whole day." I put my handbag on the table.
"Sure, don't worry about it."

I slowly and quietly walked into my grandmother's room.
"Grandmama?"
"Gwendolyn dear?"
"I'm sorry I couldn't make it home on time."
"Don't worry about it. I managed to bath. There were leftovers from yesterday so I ate that. I'm just really tired so I came to bed early today."
"I'm sorry grandmama." My heart sank.
"Did you come home with a guest?"
"Uhm.. Yes... It was dark so the young gentleman gave me a ride home." I tried to explain.
"God bless him. May I see him?"
"I don't think he will be comfortable with that but let me see." I pulled my face.

I went back to the kitchen.
"Come with me." I said to him.
He stood up and followed me. I opened the door and grandmama sat up on her bed.

"My son. Thank you. Come closer." She said to him.

He slowly walked closer to the bed and knelt down on one knee to show respect and to be  on eye level with my grandmother.

"It wasn't a problem. It was dark and she had to get to safety as soon as possible." He said.

My grandmother paused to look at him. I became uncomfortable.

"Uhm.. Grandmama, maybe you should get some rest." I said.
"No. Wait. There is something awfully familiar about this young man."
"Of course not. You probably just met him once on your pension day."
"No, child. If it were on a pension day I would have not remembered him this well."

I became really uncomfortable this time.

"What's your name , dear child?"
"Grandmama that's enough,you need rest." I walked to them and helped him get up.
"If you say so, dear, but a grandmother knows."

He showed so much respect to my grandmother it gave me goosebumps.

We went back to the kitchen and the water had already boiled. I fixed us both cups of tea and then joined him at the table.

"Crazy huh? My grandmama thinks you're a familiar face." I chuckled.
He kept quiet and stared at the floor.
After his first sip, he started. "Well you never know, maybe she does really know me from somewhere. So are you feeling better?"
"A bit."
"Really?"
"Yeah." I lied.
"You're lying Gwendolyn. I know you." He said.

I looked up with the greatest shock on my face.
"My name...how do you know it?" I asked nervously.
"Should I remind you?"
"Please."
He became silent for a moment and then the words came out of his mouth.
"Out the Babel was Bandz and..."
"Was Bandz and Gwen..." My eyes became round with amazement. I held my breath and for a second could not believe it. It was Bandz, my first and only true love. We met at 5 just before mom and dad died. We grew to love each other and at 10 I knew I wanted to spend my life with him. I saw it in the way we played as kids when we played "house house". We were together for 12 years before I thought he died.I believed he was dead. It was a stormy dark night and he was walking from work. He called me from a public line but it got struck by lightning and I never heard from him since. Search parties couldn't trace or find him. He was gone. I was broken.
Now here he is,sitting infront of me.

Tears filled my eyes. Tears filled his too.

"Bandz...Where have you been? Things have not been the same since I thought you had died." I cried.
"I had a minor shock and I tried to nurse myself by hiding in a mining area. I got trapped there for about a week. The only source of water I had was really contaminated. Rats started eating at my clothes during my sleep. It was terrible. When I was found, I tried to go back and find you but was told you had already moved. The neighbors didn't know to where exactly. Gwendolyn, I was lost without you. When I saw you walking on that Monday morning I couldn't let that pass me by. I thought you'd remember me but you didn't so I had to play my cards right."
"I needed you so much." I whispered in tears.
"I needed you back baby."
"It was so hard. Having to deal with everything going on. I got a job on a farm. Mr. Smith isn't the nicest of employers. Grandmama as you can see is ill. All I needed was for you to be back in my arms and tell me it will be okay."
"I'm here now, Gwen. I'm never leaving your side ever again."