This afternoon, Grace delivers lunch to Kyle's grandson's room. Just like this morning, the room seemed deserted. In fact, it's a little... scary.
Grace knew very well why the room was a little dark. It wasn't just the curtains that never opened. But also the color that dominates the room is dark grey. And it managed to make Grace grin.
"Oh my God!" she screamed. When she accidentally drops her handkerchief on the floor.
After she put down Kyle's grandson's lunch, she grabbed her handkerchief. Picking up the things she put down this morning along with...
Grace frowned. There was a small piece of paper on the table which she was sure wasn't there this morning—fresh yellow paper with black ink nicks in it.
'Thanks for the breakfast, Grace.'
Fill in the short message. Grace guessed if the message writer was the owner of the room. However, she did not dare to assume anything. Maybe Kyle likes her ... Grace thought she couldn't get her head down.
She immediately came out of Kyle's room, carrying a tray containing Kyle's breakfast plates. She'd have to get this done right away if she wanted to freshen up outside before the evening began to cover Kyle's house.
Evening in winter was the worst evening ever. And Grace didn't want to freeze to death just because she had been in that magnificent house all day.
"Where are you going, Miss Hester?" asked Gob as Grace started down the hall that led to the kitchen.
She tilted her face, her right hand slightly raised to reveal her flat white midriff.
"I want to get some fresh air, Gob... call me Grace, okay." answer and explain.
Gob was silent. He showed no expression other than flat and cold. As if the look on his face has always been that way. When Grace first met Gob. The older man was not this stiff.
"Be careful, Miss Hester . . . according to the forecast, there will be a blizzard."
"In this weather? Are you kidding me, Gob?"
Silence, Gob didn't reply to Grace's words anymore. He walked away carrying the old scythe that he had brought with him. Grace felt the Kyle family home was the strangest house ever.
After ignoring Gob, Grace hurried out of the house. Hugging her own body that was already wearing her favorite brown coat. Yes... it was the only coat Grace had. Even though the hem of her coat was torn, she didn't want to say that to Korvin. For Grace, Korvin's education costs are paramount. Much more important than a leather coat that would cost her 10 pounds.
"Excuse me, Miss... Grey?"
Grace turned her head as she was busy in the garden next to the Kyles house. She was having lunch there. And the thing Grace hates the most is... when someone interrupts her beautiful lunch. Whoever it is!
"Miss Grey?" asked the man again. Grace almost jumped because the figure suddenly came out from behind the bushes.
"Miss Grey?" shrieked Grace. She had absolutely no idea who the strange man with blue eyes like the ocean was referring to. The man Grace knew that his face was . . . handsome.
"Of course you are, Miss... who else around here has beautiful grey eyes like yours." the man smiled, his face smudged, and Grace was sure it was the oil or something.
"Oh..." Grace answered. She quickly finished her lunch by tossing in the fresh tomatoes she had just picked from the garden. After she cleaned her hands, she hastily stood up. I walked towards the blue-eyed man.
"Can I help you, sir-"
"Alex... call me Alex, Miss."
"I'm Grace."
Again, Alex smiled stiffly. After wiping his hands with his pants, he immediately reached out to Grace. Of course, Grace returned Alex's hand. However, she feels that Alex is a stranger she just met. But, there was no way Grace could be indifferent to a man who was so polite to her.
"Are you part of the Kyle family?"
"Oh, of course not, Alex. I work here . . . what are you doing here?" she asked.
The blonde-haired man smiled again, his eyes showing interest in Grace. Of course, what man doesn't like Grace. She is the type of woman who is easily loved by anyone regardless of her perfect physical appearance.
"My house is over there..." Alex said, pointing to the house to the right of Kyle's house, "and Dad told me to give some radishes to Mrs. Kyle. Since the front gate was locked, so... I decided to take it out. find a way in which I can pass."
Grace chuckled at Alex's explanation. This man had a penchant for being an adventurer. Can an ordinary man do that? Willing to go through the bushes until his body is dirty to get into the Kyle family's house.
"Are you a farmer, Alex?"
"Sure... do I look like that?"
"Oh... no, I mean... yes."
"And is a farmer like me your ideal man, Grace?"
Grace scratched the back of her neck uncomfortably. How could she possibly answer a question like that? She was not Leoni, her best friend, who would gladly answer the seduction of a man she didn't know with pleasure. Even talking to men, Grace is not that ordinary.
"Who is that shabby man?" Nicholas asked behind his bedroom window.
Marvin tilted his head, looking toward the side yard. There was a man who had a friendly conversation with Grace... his master's favorite toy.
"His name is Alex, Nick ... he is the grandson of Gisela, three years ago he moved to this area after his father divorced his mother."
Nicholas fell silent again. His eagle eyes stared intently at Grace and Alex. Without him realizing it, the crystal glass he had been carrying shattered in his hand.
"Tell me why he dared to enter my house."
"Gypsy often asks him to come here, Nick . . . he says the vegetables at Alex's house are the best."
Nicholas fell silent again. His eyes caught the garbage truck that happened to be passing in front of his house. Then, he glanced at the watch that wrapped nicely around his wrist. Throw away the shards of the crystal glass and let Marvin treat his wound.
"You know what you're going to do, Marvin?" asked Nicholas. He fixed his gaze only on the garbage truck. It was as if the car was the answer to the riddle that filled his brain.
*****
"Damn it!" Korvin snorted as he looked at his phone.
After he got the news that his older sister was accepted to work at the Kyle family's house, until now, Korvin could not contact his sister. He doesn't know what happened to Grace. Korvin knows very well... if Grace is a fragile woman, asocial, and really different from any other women. That was... enough to make Korvin very worried.
"Hey, Korvy... What are you thinking? Your expression, it's like you're in a breakup."
Korvin chuckled, glancing at his best friend, who was now sitting beside him. His name was Bobby, and of course, the blond man followed Korvin wherever he went.
"Could you please someone else, Mr. Bowman?" Korvin snapped. Bobby chuckled. He put his arm around Korvin's shoulder then banged his head on Korvin.
"Come on... I've known you for a long time, Korvy... and this is the first time you're looking so annoying. Is this about... Grace?" guess Bobby.
Korvin exhaled heavily. He looked up at the cloudy sky then sighed again. The white steam now also interfered with his vision.
"I miss Grace, and I don't know . . . what is she doing now, how is she, is she eating well? Sleeping well? And . . . is she all right?"