Destined You & I (Completed)

Chapter 8

2013

The sheer curtains are pushed aside to let the bright light into the room. Every step shuffling around make a little creak that was muffled by the soft old music playing in the background. Books and trinkets were strewn all around. Boxes and boxes were being filled.

Kongpob opened his closet, and pulled out a blue suitcase. It's his grandpa's dusty old blue suitcase that have no wheels. The screws on the handles had already rusted. Kongpob looked around his room, and the chaos he has created. Pushing his glasses back, he eyed his empty bed as the only suitable space. The suitcase was heavy even when empty, but it's even heavier since it is not. Kongpob laid the suitcase down, and pushed on the tabs from both ends of the suitcase lock. It opened with two clicks.

Kongpob has seen the content inside many times throughout the years. It was a fully packed suitcase with his grandpa's clothes and two pairs of shoes from the 1950's. Kongpob has never seen his grandpa wear any of these clothes as it was clothes trending back when his grandpa was in his twenties. With a little smile, Kongpob reached his hand through the elastic band into the side pocket of the suitcase to pull out a little red pouch, and a sealed letter that had a returned stamp across the front of it. It's his grandpa's promise, and his promise.

Flashback

2002 (K8, A7)

"Heng, everyone should have a dream. You should have one too." Grandpa said as he cast his fishing line into the river.

"What about you grandpa? What's your dream?" Little Kongpob asked.

"My dream is far away. A broken promise that I wish everyday I could have kept."

Pulling on his fishing line, little Kongpob frowned. "I don't understand grandpa. Is it a dream or a promise?"

"It is both. My dream was to keep that promise. You will understand when you are older."

2006

"Heng, can I...ask..you..to do...something...for...me?" Grandpa spoke softly. Pausing almost after every word.

"Anything grandpa. Anything." Kongpob said with tears streaming down both cheeks. His mother told him the doctor said his grandpa will be leaving soon. Tonight may be his last night.

"Go inside...my room...closet. There's...an...old...blue...suitcase. Find a...letter...and...a pouch. Can you...help me...deliver...them...to the...person...for...me? I'm...afraid...I can't...deliver...them...myself."

"Yes grandpa. I will deliver them. I promise." Kongpob held his grandpa's hand tightly slouching in the plastic chair next to his grandpa's bed.

"My...dream...never...came...true, but...maybe...I can...still...keep...my...promise. Thank...you...Heng." Grandpa closed his eyes. His eyelids are getting too heavy.

"Grandpa, please don't leave me. I don't want you to go." Kongpob held his grandpa's hand against his tear soaked cheek.

"Heng, I...will...always...be...with...you. Take...care...of your...mother...for...me."

"I will grandpa. I will. You don't have to worry."

End of flashback

Kongpob picked up the handwritten letter, and the little red pouch to place inside his own suitcase that was open on the floor.

The address on the returned letter was all the way on the other side of the world. When he was twelve years old, he really didn't know how he was going to keep his grandpa's promise. He just knew he had to. So, he started saving all his money. He was ready to fly across the world to deliver his grandpa's letter and the pouch. Kongpob has not opened the pouch, or read the letter. They were both still sealed. They were not for him, so he didn't look. He searched online and all social media to try to locate the addressed person. It took him years to find the person, and now he can finally keep his promise.