Moment with God (Book 2 of With God Trilogy)

XVI

I can't drive away the thoughts that Mr. Kelly or Ooi could possibly be an orphan. Well, I'm not the Sherlock type in school so my initial thought could be wrong. But really, how could it be wrong?

I ran very determined to find evidences and my tornado transporter brought me to the exact place I thought to be in.

In Mr. Kelly's home.

I started in his bedroom drawer and the for the first time Luckily, the drawer was open. A Bible was in there. It was a brown leather Bible with something next to it. It was a picture of a woman carrying a baby. But sadly, her face was ripped of from the whole picture. I may not see her face but she has brown hair. Not really that kind of brown. But something like burgundy. This could be a clue.

The door opened and it was Mr. Kelly from work. He splashed himself to his bed and closed his eyes. "Good night Thursday!" he sighed. He must be sleepy all the way here. I walked outside to search for more clues and I saw a picture frame. I knelt closer and saw Mr. Kelly, Mum, and Pops. The picture was crumpled but at least he managed to place it in a frame and put it on his coffee table. By the way, I like his planner. He seems to put a lot of plans on a Friday. Sorry I just noticed because it was encircled in red ink. I lifted myself and saw a picture. Wait, no! It was a painting.

It was a great painting which looks like a photo taken from afar. Squinting my eyes, she was a beautiful lady with wavy maroon hair and fair skin. She looks like someone I know. Or maybe just an actress I saw before. I looked for any writings in the picture but I saw none. Only one thing. My dad's signature.

I wasn't that surprised knowing that my dad paints well and sometimes his clients knew of this secret talent of his, they pay him more in exchange for a painting. I couldn't be more prouder that my dad painted a beautiful lady. As I walk away but sticking my eyes on the painting, I noticed that she now looks more like grandma.

Grandma? Why would dad sell a picture of grandma to Mr. Kelly?

No way!

Grandma has a maroon color of hair with fair skin tone exactly how the painting depicted. Surprisingly, the ripped photo as well.

I stood there with my heart pounding. The vacuum tornado transported me to a place I've been before. I was in grandma's bedroom.

"Are you loking for your cute son's picture?" She handed the baby photo to grandma. Grandma just looked at it. "No! I was the one who found that earlier. I am looking for something with it."

Aunt Becca was also here. I think I know what they are looking for.

"Becca, okay. If you really want to help, find a birth certificate that has the name Jacob Melbourne." Grandma exclaimed.

Yeah, it was Jacob's birth certificate. 

When Grandma held his son's birth certificate, I read the date July 6, 1978.

"Are you going to visit him tomorrow?" Aunt Becca asked. "Of course, I would never miss my son's birthday." Grandma replied.

Grandma stood and looked at herself in the mirror. "How should I look Becca?" 

"Glenda, you know that you are beautiful in your own way, especially you have that hair of yours." Aunt Becca twirled grandma's hair with her finger. "That baby may not have your maroon hair but he may at least have your smile."

I stepped back to breathe. If Mr. Kelly is adopted, and my grandma has a lost son which we never heard of, and the baby did not grew up to have maroon hair, so can I conclude that...

No! I have few clues and evidence to support what I am saying. Besides, what am I saying? I never heard of grandma talking about her lost son. Maybe he is lost a long time or maybe he was not yet found. 

Grandma has lived years without saying a word to us. To daddy maybe but to mom and I, she never mentioned anything. Why?

"Do you still hope, Glenda?" Aunt Becca asked. "Always." Grandma nodded.

Grandma hopes. She hoped for a long time. I felt a sting of guilt that we haven't talked to her that much about her life. Grandma has suffered loneliness without grandpa. I feel bad that whenever we visit her, I usually go out and play. Dad was also busy in some days of visit and only mom usually talks to her. 

Wait! That's it!

Maybe mom has some clues I need to get this thing understood!

Again, I am transported back to our house. We were in the dining table with grandma, mom, and Aunt Helen. They were talking about dad's arrest.

"Please know that whatever happens, we are here for you Sania." Aunt Helen held my mom's hands and wiped her tears.

"Sania.."

Grandma? Grandma doesn't speak that much but when she does, dad and mom usually keeps quiet.

Mom wiped her face and faced grandma. "Yes, mom?"

"Have faith in God." Grandma said slowly.

Mom smiled, hugged her and replied, "Yes, mom. Always."

Grandma smiled and she took something in her purse. "Here, look. This is what my husband gave me on our wedding day." She handed mom a golden locket with the letter J. "Open it." grandma ordered.

"It was a baby, mom. Is this Joseph?" Mom asked.

Grandma laughed. "Do they look like each other?"

"They?" Mom asked again.

"Yes, Sania. Before your husband, I had a son, Jacob." Grandma smiled as she asked her helper to give her a glass of water. Aunt Helen stood up and assisted grandma's helper. "We both had a sad story. I think it's time to let you know. Joseph is really uncomfortable when I talk about him. For almost four decades, we haven't seen and heard him. That is why he doesn't believe his brother would come back, but me? Ask me? I will always hope one day I will see him or if not me, Joseph will meet him. I always pray that Joseph and Jacob would meet even in the time when I am gone."

Mom and I stood up. "Mom, don't say that! You have more years to hope for that to happen. Besides, I am hoping that Joseph will get out of this as soon as possible."

"Of course, my son is a tough guy." Grandma laughed. "His brother too. I hope that wherever they are, they are alive and kicking."