But soon light would shine on them and their lives would turn for the better it seems as Anna found a small, worn address book while cleaning. She flipped through the book and found that it included the numbers of various people as well as the names.
She remembered her mother often talking about her father, a stubborn but kind man who ran a noodle shop in a faraway town. The memory sparked an idea. She flipped through the book until she found his number and dialled it on an old phone with worn-out buttons. When the voice on the other end answered, Anna's heart raced.
"Hello, who is this"
Her heart tightened as she tried to say something but came out breathless.
"Hmm, did I not press it correctly"
"How to do this..."
"Hello, is this Grandpa?"
"Grandpa...oh is it Anna"
"Yes"
"Dear, how are you"
"I didn't expect the day where I would get a call from my own grandaughter"
Anna's smile turned bright at those words as she heard a hearty laughter from the other side.
"How is your mother, she hasn't called me for a while"
"She used to call me, uhh maybe once a week"
"I don't even remember with my old age and I don't even know how to use this phone to call her"
"Dear, can you tell your mother to call me"
Her voice started to choke a bit when she thought about her mother as she told her grandfather about what happened.
"Mom...mom passed away"
There was a small silence before her grandfather answered from the other side.
"Are you fine, my dear"
"How about your father"
She talked about what she was doing these days and how her father was doing as well as what she thought. She felt that her father was becoming a little skinnier these days.
"Grandpa will come visit you"
"I'll be there as soon as I can, my dear"
__ __ __
Every morning from then, Anna always took time to glance toward the entrance of the building from the window of their rented apartment. For three days, she did this with her heart beating just a little faster as she saw a few cars stopping from time to time near the place, expecting someone to arrive. But no one came.
On the fourth day, Anna stood at the window, her eyes scanning the quiet street below. She saw nothing unusual. She was then startled by the sharp sound of the doorbell.
Her heart leaped as she froze in place for a moment, a mix of anxiety and fear settling in her chest. Who could it be? Her father wasn't home, and they weren't expecting visitors. Slowly, she approached the door, her hand trembling slightly as she reached for the latch. Peering through the peephole, her breath caught.
It was him.
Anna recognized the familiar figure immediately. his warm yet weathered face, framed by white hair which was present due to his age. Her grandfather. Relief and joy washed over her, and she quickly unlocked the door. She had already seen him before at the pictures that her mother showed at her time of presence. The only thing would be that he looked a bit more older.
"Grandpa!"
She exclaimed, throwing the door open and throwing herself to him. Her grandfather smiled, his eyes softening as he looked at her accepting her warm hug.
"Anna"
After the hug, she led him into the house.
"Dad's not home right now"
"But there's someone I want you to meet"
She led him toward the crib in the corner. Her grandfather's face softened with a smile as he looked at the small figure in the crib.
"This is Sofia"
She said softly as if to not disturb the small figure that was in the crib, looking around curiously towards the new figure who looked at her with a gentle smile.
"Do you want me to show you how to hold her"
"No need dear"
Anna saw her grandfather knelt down, his movements slow and deliberate. Carefully, he lifted Sofia into his arms, holding her as if she were the most fragile and precious thing in the world. Seeing Anna looking at him curiously, he answered.
"I took care of your mother when she was this small"
Sofia cooed and squirmed in his arms.
As the evening sun cast a golden hue over the apartment, Anna's grandfather gently rocked Sofia in his arms before glancing at the clock on the wall.
"It's about time for dinner"
"How about we have some noodles?"
Anna's eyes lit up thinking it would be handmade noodles which were often made by her mother when she was around.
"Do you need me to help cook, Grandpa?"
He chuckled, shaking his head.
"No need for that. I've got it covered."
Reaching into the bag he had brought, he pulled out fresh ingredients plump vegetables, handmade noodles, fragrant herbs, and spices.
Anna watched in interest as he set up in their kitchen. He moved with practiced ease, humming softly to himself as he prepared the meal. Just as the aroma of simmering broth began to fill the air, the sound of keys jingling at the door signalled Dante's return.
Dante stepped inside, he saw her daughter who threw herself to him.
"Anna, my little star"
"How are you, my dear"
She gigged and told him that she was fine.
"Dad, there is someone visiting us"
"A visitor?"
The moment he caught sight of the old man stepping out of the kitchen, his eyes widened. A lump formed in his throat, and he looked down, his emotions threatening to spill over.
"You finally arrived," the grandfather said, his tone filled with quiet understanding.
"Father-in-law…" Dante began, his voice breaking.
The old man walked up to him, placing a firm yet gentle hand on his shoulder.
"You were a good husband and a good father. Don't doubt that for a second. You've done your best, and now this old man is here to help. After all, we're family."
Unable to hold back anymore, Dante embraced him tightly, tears streaming down his face. The guilt, and exhaustion poured out as the old man held him, patting his back in silent reassurance. One of reason why he didn't try to even find the old man was due to guilt. He didn't want to face him since he felt that he failed to protect his own wife.
After a few moments, the grandfather gently pulled back and wiped Dante's face with a handkerchief.
"Look at you. So skinny"
He said touching Dante's arms with his big hands.
"Have you not been eating properly?"
"No wonder you look like this"
"Come! I already prepared dinner"
A short while later, he emerged with three large bowls of steaming noodles. He set them down on the table, the tantalizing aroma making Anna's stomach growl audibly.
"Haha, hungry already, dear"
The old man looked as his granddaughter as he brought out a pot of the remaining noodles.
"If you want more, you can take it from here"
He said as he put it down in the middle of the table. Anna stared at her own noodle bowl in wonder. The presentation was perfect, the noodles glistened in a golden broth, topped with slices of tender meat, vibrant vegetables, and a sprinkle of fresh herbs. The smell alone was enough to make her mouth water.
Curious and eager, she took a small bite, letting the flavours dance on her tongue. Her eyes widened in delight as the taste transported her to a distant memory of her mother's cooking. It wasn't the same, even a little better than her mother's in term of taste but it carried the same warmth and love.
She glanced toward her father, who was quietly eating. Tears trickled down his face as he savoured each bite, his expression a mix of joy and nostalgia. He almost choked, causing the old man to laugh heartily and slap his back.
"Eat slowly! It's not going anywhere" the grandfather teased, his laughter filling the room.
For the first time in a long while, Anna saw her father smile... a genuine, unguarded smile, untainted by grief or worry. She looked back at the bowl of noodles and felt as if they were magical.