Never Grasp Hard Enough

Chapter 3

Unedited.

Few weeks later

Benjamin

"Ben, where should I put this vase?" Sean shouted from downstairs.

I jogged down the stairs.

"Put it-," I made a rectangle gesture, act it as a camera while closing my left eye and zooming in and out at right area of the gallery, when you come into the gallery from the front door, it would be on the left, "-right there. A classic vase for a special area."

I smirked at Sean. "Yeah. You got the point fella." Sean replied.

After putting the vase at the area I wanted it to be, Sean went to sit on one of the wooden chairs that was placed near to me.

"So, when will you start the exhibition of these paintings? It's all done here. The renovation has been done. The decorations all perfect. The strategic area for the special painting, has too been found. What's next?" Sean asked all in sweaty and exhausted voice. He has helped me out this whole day.

I took my cup of coffee and sip it while looking at a mini garden outside the gallery.

There's a kid running around the garden, chasing after a flock of birds on the tiles. She looked so happy running in her creamy polka dot dress. Her smile was contagious. You see, even I could feel the genuine in her smile, making I smile as well.

Then I felt an approaching presence of someone towards me. I knew it was Sean. So I said nothing at all.

"I hope, I can be a good father one day. Not only a good husband to my wife and a good son to my parents." I looked at his reflection on the mirror. He put both of his hands inside his pockets with a calm smile on his face.

"What a topic you bring to the table, Sean, but I hope we both can be a good father. Though I'm quite scared actually. I know nothing about this parenthood. I even quarrel with my mom every time we met." I snorted.

Sean looked at me, unwavering, and as if thinking on something or more to evaluate in my point of view. So, I looked at him back, wondering why he looked at me in such a way.

"Why did you look at me like that? That's creepy, man." I took a sip of my coffee again still looking at him.

"Hurm. After looking at you and thinking of your behavior, I think you are nowhere close to be a good father." He said jokingly while laughing.

I hit his shoulder. "If I'm nowhere close, then you are so far away that even a sight of you can't even be a good father." And we both laughed.

When both of our laughter came to an end, he then said, "Look at that little girl out there." He pointed at a little girl that I saw earlier.

A sight of her swinging in the air with her father's hands as a tool for her to hold onto has brought a feeling of equilibrium to me. Plus, she looked like she had a lot of fun with her father.

"Can't I have a cute little princess as such?" Sean asked an abrupt question to me, where I found that was quite weird because he never even wanted to discuss what he truly felt of this family things.

To my surprise, he was still waiting for my answer. I was still surprised but quickly recover because I didn't want Sean to notice my careless reaction.

I replied, "Sean, there's no such thing that you can't have one. You'll have one, one day, or maybe two even or maybe more! Who knows. Don't worry about the future bud, live the fullest in this present so you won't regret it in the future."

His eyes were staring at me unyielding, I stared at him too without blinking. I was in my serious mode when he abruptly suppressed a loud laugh straight to my face. I was dumbfounded.

"What a preach. That's grossed hearing you to say those words to me." He laughed non-stop. My face was showing how unbelievable I was right now because I got fooled by this guy.

"Fuck. I got fooled? By Sean Leonard? Well, congratulations Mr. Leonard. You finally fooled this smart man over here or precisely, Mr. Beier. Congrats." I hold out my hand to him. He played along by grabbing my hand and shook it.

"Let's get going. I need to clean up a few stuff upstairs. Then, we can rest." I rose from the wooden chair walking towards the stairs to go upstairs.

A few steps away from the stairs, I heard Sean shouted, "Remember tonight, Sean. At same place. Same time." I twisted my chin to his way, "I'll definitely come, as always. Unlike that guy who never comes even though he is actually the one who makes the promise." I smiled.

"Oh shit. Is that me? Cause I think, yes it is. I'm sorry, Ben. I will come tonight. Really!" He looked at me with his hopeful eyes.

"Yeah. I know. I know. Though I think the possibilities are very thin for you to come tonight but I will still wait." I smiled at him.

I already climbed up the stairs when I heard he said, "Tonight is my treat! Promise!"

***

I entered the bar at same time when I entered it few weeks ago.

My head was moving from left to right, slowly, scanning the area to find Sean. To my disappointment he was not even in my sight.

Then, someone tap my shoulder from behind. I looked at my back quickly and saw Sean.

"Hye! I thought you will not come, Ben." He said and led us towards the counter.

"I always come, Sean." Taking a seat on one of the stools. Sean placed an order of two glasses of Old Fashioned.

I saw his upset face. "What's wrong? Is it your crush again?" I asked.

He tilted his head, watching at the center of the bar, seeing people drunk in dancing. "Yeah. It's about her again. Few weeks ago, I got to know that she already has a boyfriend."

This crush matter was the only thing that always made Sean restless. It's all about this one lady. But I never meet with her. Not even seeing her picture. I didn't know why Sean never showed them to me.

He never opened up way too much with me. Thus, I respected his privacy. I never come too close to his personal matter because he didn't like it. I just let him to tell me by himself whenever he's ready.

"Where did you hear that news? You can't simply believe it if she didn't say so."

"I got a friend who is befriending her boyfriend. She told me that Cara is meeting someone she knows. At first, I'm just trying to be optimistic about the news, thinking that maybe he is Cara's long lost friend. That they just catch up with everything. That's what I'd thought. But then, Cara herself told me that she already has someone. And that someone is a person that my friend had told me. Tell me, how to not believe this?" He snorted.

"Are you still in contact with her?" I asked while taking my whiskey, gulping a bit down my throat.

"Yes. Still am. How can I distant myself from her? I don't think I can do that." He pinched the bridge of his nose then continued, "You know, few weeks ago when I couldn't come to meet you was the day I found out that she has someone. A day before that was the day I fetched her up because her friend's car has broke down. She is my priority all this time. Even now. Guess I'm the fool one."

"Bro, look at that crowd. Find a girl there. Forget everything tonight. Want to join me?" Rising from the stool, I placed my whiskey on table. Sean smiled at me and rose from his stool as well, joining me.

Both of us just danced that whole night. Few hours after that, we both went back to home.

***CHAPTER3***

Lots of love, lovelies. 😘 Enjoy your day!!