City M
Lake
"Ah! I see," murmured Gretta with a small nod of her head, understanding.
"How about you?" the man asked back.
"Me?" Gretta's parrot quickly pointed to her nose and looked at the man with a quick wink.
"Yeah, you. What do you like in this world?" he asked, explaining.
"Eum..." Gretta mumbled without replying immediately. Instead she turned her gaze up there, then smiled a little when her childhood memories flashed.
The man waited patiently for what answer Gretta would give, until finally the soft voice of the girl beside him made the man pause for a moment, frowning at her ambiguous words.
"In this world, what I like most is the sound of their laughter and also when they smile warmly for me," murmured Gretta and the man who heard it was confused.
"Does it mean?"
"Nothing. The point is, I like whatever God created for me, that's all," Gretta continued to explain without any clarity.
The man finally nodded, not wanting to interfere when Gretta looked like she didn't want to share with him. He only hoped that one day, as they got closer Gretta would open up to him.
"Not only like, you should be grateful for what God created, Gretta," he replied after deciding not to force it.
"Of course, that too. He-he… (Though I don't know what to be grateful for in my life)" Gretta said with a chuckle, then continued silently.
"You are…,," snorted the amused man.
The two of them are now silent again and enjoy the sunset with their own thoughts. Until it was not felt, the sunlight completely disappeared along with the rise of the ruler of the night.
"We'd better go home. Would you like to have dinner first?" asked the man offering, but Gretta shook her head and decided to go home.
"No, I have to go home," Gretta refused.
The man first got up from his chair and stood next to Gretta, then stretched out his hand which he immediately accepted.
"Thank you," Gretta continued as she stood opposite the man.
"No problem. Fine, I'll take you home," the man answered and broke off quickly.
"Okay!"
Again they walked the path with the lighting starting to come on, although it was only dim but it was enough for the man who happened to often visit where they were now.
Finally, a stop where they got off again in sight. However, Gretta decided to take a taxi and the man who heard her nodded in agreement.
"See you later. Thank you for accompanying me all day, next time I will take you there again. You must want it!" Gretta said cheerfully, it seemed that being with this strange man was more fun than having lunch with his family.
"Sure, you can take me any time," said the man with an unseen smile, when Gretta, who saw a taxi pass her, turned and stopped her.
"Taxi!" cried Gretta and when the taxi stopped in front of her she looked back at the man then smiled a little "Then I'm home. Thank you, um..."
"Alrescha, you can call me Al," the man said quickly. His face was bright when he introduced himself in front of Gretta, he didn't even realize he had said his name with enthusiasm.
Gretta couldn't help but smile widely when she heard that name, a name that the man who was a loyal customer at a stranger's café called him, had already considered his brother and family.
"Okay Al, thanks for today. See you later!" cried Gretta cheerfully as usual.
"See you!" replied Alrescha happily.
Alrescha opened the cab door for Gretta, treated her gently with a smile on her face.
brakh!
Vroom!
The car left the stop leaving her smiling "I can't wait to see you again, Gretta."
Alrescha was happy, of course. However, he does not know if this meeting may be their last meeting before later meeting in a different way.
***
In the taxi that Gretta was riding in, silence enveloped the car. Gretta was carried away by her daydreams, precisely daydreaming of her future after this.
After all, the grandmother's orders were absolute and she knew sooner or later she would surely marry a Master whose name she couldn't even remember. Then, what do you think she will get after she arrives at the mansion?
"Ah! I'm sure Grandma will be mad at me," Gretta thought sadly.
It took a long time for this taxi to pass through the streets and mix with other vehicles. Until finally, Gretta herself could see with her own eyes, a majestic building like a towering palace crowding not far from the taxi was stopped.
Ckitt!
"Here's the fare, keep the change, sir!"
"Thank you Miss!"
"No problem," Gretta replied and came out of there, then stood for a moment outside the high gates of her mansion.
Vroom!
There was no one in front of her at this time, the quiet atmosphere in front of the mansion grounds made him shudder in horror.
"Miss! Miss just got home?"
Gretta immediately turned her body, when a man's greeting asked her and found her mansion guard who opened the gate at the small pedestrian door.
"Yes, are Grandma and Mother inside?" Gretta asked as she entered through the door that was opened for her.
"It's been afternoon, Young Lady," explained the guard.
Gretta just nodded a little without answering it with a sentence and shook her head, when she got the offer of a ride to the terrace of the mansion which was far from the main gate.
"Want me to take you, Miss?"
"No, I want to walk and enjoy the evening in the yard, Sir!"
"Alright, good night Miss!"
"Um." Gretta mumbled again and began to turn around, walking slowly starting down her own yard.
Her head turned to all corners of the spacious courtyard of his mansion, with past memories suddenly bursting out and it made her speechless with tears in her eyes.
How long have I not looked around? Busy with business with Grandma dictating to me. Will one day I will be free, choose whatever according to my own will?
Gretta could only ask herself, looking at the sky above which now showed twinkling stars and a crescent moon there.
Gretta covered her face, wiping roughly the tears that were impertinently seeping from her father's ocean-bound eyelids. Then, having calmed down a little, she resumed her steps and climbed the stairs one by one to the terrace.
The door was opened by the maid who greeted her with a worried expression, but Gretta tried not to be afraid and walked in anyway.
Her footsteps echoed through the hall, adding to his terrifying effect. Even though her heart was rumbling with fear, she still continued her straight path through the door to the main hall.
However, her steps stopped when she heard the sound of someone screaming in anger, followed by a loud slap that made her face crash.
"How dare you!"
Plaque!