"Koko ni anatatowatashi."
It was the name of the painting.
"Why? Why was this painting here?" She muttered in her breath.
It was an oil painting on canvas about 48 by 60 inches in dimensions. A still painting of a corner post where a violin is placed on an angle on a wooden chair beside a closed sash window. A bright morning portrayed. There was a pot of gladiolus flowers painted on top of the side table with a stash of books and a lit firelamp. The painting itself emanates an air of spring, beauty and tranquility but Laurice was feeling restless instead.
She was rooted to the ground. She eyed the painting before her, hanging on that pristine beige wall. Her senses overdrive. Laurice moved her body, with unhurried steps inching closer to the painting and just as she was about to reach the end of the hall, she retreated a few steps back. Her eyes widened in shock.
So close. So real.
With bare hands slightly trembling, she extended her right hand and reached out to the painting, almost touching the canvas with the tip of her fingers but her hands suspended mid-air. It was a long pause before she decided to retrieved back her hand to rest on her sides.
"Here you and me." That was the essence of the painting.
Her own painting. It was the third amongst her artworks that were completed.
Daddy.
Laurice's clear eyes sunk into a deep well.
She remembered her father, her best friend, was the one who taught her how to paint. He taught her techniques and different styles and they even created art together. Painted together.
She remembered her dad who have always had high hopes and praises of her only daughter, inspires her to do whatever she desires, to reach an even larger medium for her art, was suddenly hinting his retirement from his career at that specific time.
"My liz, darling. If one day, dad would want to quit painting. Will you be able to forgive me?"
"Papa! Don't you dare! I will not accept that. You promised we're on this together, forever. And besides, I don't believe you could ever toss away you brushes and your leads. You hands will betray you papa, believe me." She scoffed.
It was almost her graduation day and her father was even saying something upsetting. How cruel!
She is finishing off her Degree in Fine Arts and Studio Arts majoring in Drawing and Painting in a prestigious university in the states back then. She even took up Creative Writing as another major since she loves to compose literary works and was doing excellent in all of her subjects. She was a candidate with the highest honors in their batch. Her parents must be so proud of her. Especially her father, who was an artist himself. But she must be hearing things from him.
That time ...
Her father chose to remain silent. He only looked at her daughter, something unreadable flashed his very eyes.
Was it regret? Laurice wondered. Drifting from her memories as if spell-bound.
Or was it fear? Despair? that she senses in his father's eyes back then. She could never guess. And she could never get her answers anyway. Never again will she be able to reach her own father who has abandoned not only his career but his very own daughter.
This painting was supposed to be her gift to her father on her graduation day. The very same day he choose to leave their own home, leaving his beloved wife and child behind.
Laurice retrieved her eyes from the dull painting. She balled her fist on one side, the other now clutching her chest. Tears begun looming on the side of her lifeless eyes.
Here you and me?! Rubbish!
She thought that she had already managed to dispose this painting, even suggested tearing and burning the entire canvas itself but it seems her agent have handled it on her own terms back then and now it has found it's way here in this particular home.
How unlucky!
Her emotions are getting unstable as of this moment. From fear to loneliness, then longing and now anger, while she was completely oblivious around her. She haven't realized that someone was intently watching her from the sidelines.
There, standing in the further top of the grand staircase, the man was looking down at the strange woman with a composed face devoid of any emotion and yet exuding an aura with a tinge of rage that could send chills to anyone surrounding it.
Laurice took a deep breath as if resigning from this momentary disturbance to her sanity and turn to the butler who was too anxious he couldn't muster to utter a word to her.
The look on his face brought her back to the present.
Laurice closed her eyes for one second and inhaled sharply before speaking.
"Butler Han, may i excuse myself for awhile? I need to use the restroom." She appeared to have regained composure looking at ease like she had not been bothered by the painting at all.
The butler wanted to ask her what was wrong but looking at her face as if sensing her reservation, he decided not to meddle anymore. He nods and led her to the wash room.
Louie tugged at the hem of her shirt and looked up to her with worried and curious eyes. She gently pats his head to reassure him as if telling him everything's alright, before going inside the wash room.
The little young master was left behind feeling listless.
Something is wrong with his mommy! He thought.
He was about to look for his father for help when a figure suddenly appeared to his side.
Sid lifted his son and held him with one hand while clutching his phone on the other. He understands what his son was feeling as he was quite troubled himself though he appears not affected by what he had just witnessed. This stranger is unknowingly stirring their emotions. It's odd and frustrating.
The father and son decided to wait for her at the living area. Time passed by slowly. Sid noticed something then frowned. They have already skipped lunch and Laurice has been on the washroom for almost an hour now.
What is she doing?
The frown never left his handsome face as he stare at that particular direction. He was getting impatient and restless by the minute. And just as he was about to stand, his son, who was seating opposite him at the sofa suddenly sprinted to his side and held his leg.
"Daddy, i have a bad feeling. Why is mommy not getting out yet?"
He was amused to find out his son was panicking. He didn't notice that while waiting, the both of them have been staring at the wall clock unblinking since they took their seats. Only the butler was aware of all this commotion.
"Come." He held his son's hand and went to the washroom.
The butler was in shock. What was happening? Both his masters are looking extremely worried about one woman?! They have only been waiting for about 45 minutes and yet they could no longer pretend not to care. He has no idea what they were feeling right now. Not that he didn't care as well but he was just curious.
What's with the painting?
And why the sudden visitor?
Why was his masters so drawn to the woman?
He will soon find the answers himself.
The moment they reached the washroom, Sid immediately knock on the door three times. No answer. Another three knocks. Still no answer.
"Laurice, open the door." Sid said in a deep voice with a warning.
Still no answer.
With a flicker of his finger, the servant beside them handed the key over to the young master. And just as he was about to hook the keys to the hole ...
Screech!
The door finally opened.
A sullen figure emerged from inside.