Michael’s mind drifted back to the present with Jenna’s voice “Daddy it’s raining, close the windows”
“No baby girl, never close the windows when it’s raining. The number of rainfalls assigned to each person in a lifetime is very limited. Do not miss even one of them. Now come on, grab a plate, the pasta is almost done”
“Okie” Jenna hops grabbing three plates and setting them down on the table
“So, how was first day of college. I want to know everything” Michael wipes his hands on the apron and sits down at the table while the pasta simmers away slowly
“it was okay”
“No uncle J, don’t believe her, it was wonderful, I love college, we have to read the classics, poems, novels, plays and no (a + b)2 stuff”
“The class were fun Dad, we got in almost as the bell was about to ring. we had to sit in the first row, but that’s okay, and we met Hera”
“Hera?” Michael asks getting up to check on the boiling pot as a scorching sound of water spilling over the hot flame is heard
“Yes, Hera” Jessie sighs “Hera, the light of my life, the fire of my loins”
“Jessie! You have to stop stealing other people’s words, or at least give them credit for it”
“Hera…Hera” Jessie sings ignoring Jenna
“if she’s captured Jessie’s attention in one day then she must be a pretty girl”
“oh Daddy pretty is an understatement, she is, she is…so beautiful that even the deities pause to look at her”
“hmm that’s by, wait, I know, Amelie Zhao. Literature students not finding words to express how she looks, wow, Hera must be truly beautiful”
“yes, you should get to know her Daddy, she’s amazing”
“Yes Uncle J, she’s even better than your special MJ French toast”
Michael drops the wooden ladle on the kitchen stand, rushes to the table, sits down and looks at Jessie in disbelief “better than my French toast Jessie?”
“hmm”
“okay now I have to meet her. She sounds exactly like her name…Hera, the goddess of marriage, the queen of heaven”
They enjoyed their meal while Jenna and Jessie continued to tell Michael about their day. They discussed writers and poets and beauty and romance in between sipping on the strands of cheesy tomatoey noodles.
“thank you for dinner Uncle J, it was delicious”
“you don’t have to thank me Jessie, but you do have to do the dishes, it’s your's and Jenna’s turn today”
“ugh…Daddy I’m really tired today, can Jessie do it alone, please”
“no princess, it’ll be unfair to have Jessie do the dishes alone”
“okay” Jenna grumbled and went to the kitchen to help Jessie
Michael made himself a drink, whisky – on the rocks, held the cold class against his warm palm and made his way to the living room with his favorite book. Every night after dinner, Michael would spend some time with himself. Jenna could often hear him reading in whispers and his soft voice speaking out the dialogues but she would never disturb him.
“Has Uncle J’s reading session started?”
“yup, Daddy loves to read, that’s the only time he takes out for himself, I don’t mind”
“hmm”
“let’s finish off the dishes quickly, we have to do prep reading for tomorrow”
“Already done!” Jessie boasted “sorted the notes, written down basic ideas, even started off with the history of women’s literature in America”
“What? please tell me you’re joking”
“nope” he smiled evilly
“I haven’t even started”
“aww, to bad”
“Jess you have to let me borrow your notes”
“haha, not in my dreams”
“hey, I used to help you with math in school, it’s only fair that you return the favor now” Jenna warned pointing the ladle at him, a wooden weapon, signifying she was serious
“okay, okay” he raised his arms in surrender “you can borrow my notes for today, but, only today, don’t make this a habit”
With all the dishes washed, they made their way back up to Jenna’s room but paused as they passed by the living room and heard a faint voice
“shh, quiet, daddy’s reading, you can hear him if you’re really quiet”
They stood outside the door and listened intently. Michael’s soft voice came through, it was barely audible but beautifully soothing.
I love you not like salt rose or Topaz,
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved
Between the shadow and the soul
“Pablo Neruda!” Jenna and Jessie whisper in unison. The voice became softer and inaudible as they couldn’t hear any more, they went upstairs.
YOU ARE READING
Michael
Fanfic"I loved you before you were born, and I will love you after you've died, life and death are mere transitions" Michael whispered as he leaned down to kiss her forehead for one last time before Mae's body was forever locked in the wodden coffin and b...
