Secrets and Things (MxM)

Chapter 58 - So how can you leave alone this evening?

POV: Aiden

Come with me
And don't you fall asleep
Because you're all I see
Oh this is evergreen

...

(Summer night with a glass of red wine
Dressed up, dressed to the nines
We'll take it slow and take in this moment)

(A/N This ISN'T a thought. The above is singing out loud. I had no other methods of differentiating so I had to go with italics. The song will be linked with the chapter)

With the last strum of the acoustic guitar, I was met with a couple of seconds of silence before the small, appreciative audience gave a round of applause. I smiled gratefully before getting my water bottle from under my chair, finally quenching my thirst.

Today was the favourite day of every month. It's the day I visit the only other person I trust (minus Nero) and the only person I would ever consider family. It was the day I catch up with George Hendrix Troph, previous CEO of Troph International (now retired) and my biological grandpa. He was the only ever person to treat me like a person during my childhood and he showered me with just as much love as he did with my other siblings, even though I'm technically a mistress's child. I can guarantee that I'm the favourite child and was showered with most of the love since I was the only one who put time and effort into visiting him without ill intent.

Gramps was staying at a nice retirement village, which had the best care and facilities that anyone could ask for and it was located on the outskirts of the city, making it relatively close by. George said that he liked the place a lot and he had a lot of friends but you could tell he was feeling lonely without his wife, who was residing in the afterlife. He kept a happy exterior for me and even when I called him out on it, he denied it, so I just played ignorant for his sake. 

The place was funded by some mystery donor (only the higher-ups of the place know who it was) and apparently, the person came to visit the place every once in a while, which was sweet of him. Most just do it for the sake of appearance and don't bother to check what they're being charitable for. Gramps said he met him once and even knew of him before retirement but when I asked for the identity, he remained loyal to the secrecy. 

What a sore loser.

Anyhow, every single time I visited, I always sang a couple of songs for the residents in the village in their community hall before meeting gramps (he usually came to me). It was a good way to destress for myself as well as bring new forms of music, that being more modern songs. I must say, however, after coming here for so long, it seemed that I'd made quite the fanbase and even though they were all above the age of sixty, they could be just as rowdy as teens when I sang one of their favourite songs. It was definitely a sight to see.

My eyes locked with gramps, who was chilling at the back of the audience in his wheelchair and a childlike smile formed on my face.

"Oh no, I know that smile," said one of the elderly.

"It's the I-found-my-grandpa smile!" said another.

"Which means he's not going to sing for us anymore," finished off Mr. Roth (I think).

Are they all telepathic?

The entire crowd awed and groaned in disappointment, well except for George and I, where we burst out laughing. Once the laughter died down, I got the microphone again and commented, "you guys know me too well. But you gotta cut me some slack. I only get to see my beloved once a month, obviously I'm going to ditch you guys for him."

A couple of people chuckled, some sulked out loud and I heard a couple of "I wish he was my grandchild" throughout the crowd. Most, however, demanded for one more song and as much as I wanted to run to gramps and tell him how much I missed him, I was a notorious crowd pleaser and I couldn't leave a crowd disappointed. It's against my morals.