The Illuminant

Chapter 2

Jet black strands of hair whip across my face as I try in vain to pin them behind my ear.

The tears flow and I clutch the large bouquet of flowers tighter. 
I can't help but remember his caramel coloured hair and how they always fell across his eyes.
I got my black hair from my mom.

"I can't believe it. It's been twenty years since you died and I can still remember exactly how you looked."

I sniff and wipe my tears with the back of my palm giggling a little bit at the thought.

"Funny, right"?

No answer.

Of course he can't hear you dummy. He's dead.

I know, but somehow I just expect him to, you know. It always just used to be me and him all the time.

But it can't be like that anymore.

Even though the voice in my head is definitely correct, I still go ahead because talking to him somehow brings me some sort of comfort. If you know what I mean.

"I've finished from college dad. Can you believe it? Mom said you'd be so proud. Guess what too? I pursued my dream and went into medicine. More specifically , surgery. I'm a surgeon dad. Mom said you also wanted to practice medicine but you couldn't. Well, your little girl did it."

Silence.

More silence.

Even more silence, and a dejected sigh escapes my lips. 
In a slightly sad smile, I say,

"I love you."

Gently placing the bouquet of his favourite flowers, daisies, a hundred of them or maybe less wrapped neatly into that bouquet on his grave, I lean foward and place my lips in a kiss on the cold stone marking his grave and get up to leave.

Almost immediaty, I feel a gentle vibration in my pocket and I fish out my phone to check the identity of the caller.

It's Tomi.

I wipe my eyes, swipe the answering button and press the phone to my ear.
"Hey, how did the exhibition go?" I ask, immediately concealing my emotions that were just running wild a few minutes ago.

"Guess what, Guess what, Guess what!!!"

I roll my eyes.

"What?"

"Just guess, silly."

"You won the lottery?" I say dryly.

"No."

"Sorry, I'm out of guesses". I rake a hand through my hair.

"You're a headache."

"You too. So spill. What's the news?"

"I'll tell you at lunch."

"Where?"

"Burger king?"

"Okay." I hear the click at the other end which shows that Tomi has ended the call. Trust Tomi to end a call so quickly.

Tomi, after college, went into sculpture and after a series of works, she decided to open a studio.
Today is the launch and unfortunately I couldn't attend.
But we agreed on her displaying her previous works at the launch.
So, now I'm waiting for the news.
By the way she sounded over the phone, it seems good.

Right now I'm not at work. I was given a day off because my boss thought I overwork my self so I chose to spend my off day with my dad.

I push open the heavy doors to the restaurant that read THE BURGER KING and I can't help but salivate at the thought of food.
It's been so long since I've been this free even to have lunch with my best friend. Tomi really knows how to plan a treat.