A Million Heartbeats

Saturday Night

Saturday morning the doorbell rang at the Graham’s house. Caroline came to answer the door.

As she opened, there was Tess smiling with a little fruit basket on her hands. At first, Caroline thought that maybe she was selling them.

”Hello, my name is Tess and I live in the house next door, I just wanted to come by and welcome you to the neighborhood”. Tess told Caroline as she smiled.

Caroline didn’t really know what to say, she was not used to people welcoming her like this. Especially on a strange country.

“Is very kind of you, I’m Caroline Graham by the way”. She replied as she extended her hand to shake hers. “Come on in please”. Caroline opened the door for Tess.

As Tess stepped inside she looked up at the beautiful ceiling and big windows the living room had. It was a very old house, but it had been recently remodeled and it looked just like new.

“I never thought this house could look this beautiful from the inside”. Tess said.

“Yeah is very nice, it’s the one they gave us, my husband is in the military”. Caroline replied.

“What a coincidence, my son is on the military too”. Tess said with surprise raising her voice and laughing so high and sudden that she woke up Robert who was still on the couch.

He opened his eyes and glanced to the kitchen to see his mother talking to someone he didn’t recognize, so he turned the other way and covered his head with the blanket.

Then Caroline asked Tess to take a seat and as she did she noticed someone was sleeping in the large couch next to her.

“Oh that’s my son but that’s fine, he can sleep even if a train is passing right next to him”. Caroline whispered.

“I think I met him the other day, he found my daughter’s lost cat, and there was a cute little girl with him too”. Tess said.

“Yes that’s my little girl Claudine, I’m glad they found him, well maybe Claudine did, but I don’t think Robert did, he hates animals”.

Robert was under the blanket but he was listening to every word they said, he couldn’t believe his mother was talking about him like he was seven years old, and what was more, he couldn’t believe she was talking about one of his secrets with a complete stranger. He felt his face hot and red as a tomato that he didn’t dare to move so they couldn’t know he was already awake.

“Anyway Caroline, I wanted to invite you and your family to my house tomorrow afternoon, I’ll make you a delicious welcome dinner and we can get to know better”. Tess said hoping that Caroline’s answer would be yes. After thinking for a minute Caroline accepted Tess invitation.

As Robert heard that, he felt a big hole forming down his stomach. Just the thought of being at the girl’s house, having dinner with her, it was just bad and good at the same time.

“Of course, we will be there tomorrow afternoon, do you want me to bring something?”.

“No, don’t worry about anything really, me and my daughter will be more than happy to have you over, and maybe once I meet your husband I can ask him about my son he may know him”. Tess said.

“Yes maybe, well thanks a lot for the kind welcoming and the fruit basket, it is really nice of you Tess”. Caroline said as Tess stand up getting ready to leave.

“So I’ll see you tomorrow then, it was nice to meet you, good bye”. Tess said shaking Caroline’s hand.

“Pleasure to meet you too, bye”.