Chapter 3 (New guy from St Peters)

"Grandma D, this meal tastes very delicious." "I know, my child. Your grandma has been a fantastic cook from the 1900s till date. I make only the best meal you can ever think of," Grandma D responded. "Hahahahaha, Grandma, Grandma, the only one chef Grandma in Florida. She's so lovely and blessed." "That's it, my baby girl, I make good meals," Grandma D said. Lucia went to the kitchen to dish another meal because she was loving her grandmother's delicacy. She dished her meal and came to the dining room to stay with her grandma.

Grandma cleared her throat and whispered, "Why did you take forever to respond to that handsome child that came around?" "You mean Jason?" Grandma, in shock, replied in awe, "You even memorized his name? That is so fast, my child!" Lucia burst out laughing. "Grandma D, I didn't know. You know it hasn't been up to 10 mins since he left this premises." "I know, but it's unlike you to remember a visitor's name." Lucia kept quiet and thought of what her grandma had just said. "That's true though, but I just had to remember because I have seen him in school before. It was surprising that he came to my school. So I had to know his name just in case, Mama."

"Okay, my dear, hurry up and clear the table so we can go sleep, my dear.". "Okay, Grandma!" replied Lucia, who was feeling happy and better after the whole thing that happened in school today. She went to the restroom to take her bath. When she was done, she came inside the room. She saw her grandma already sleeping on her reading desk beside the bed. She walked to her and tapped her. "Grandma, wake up and lay on the bed. I need to use my reading desk tonight." With sleep still in her granny's eyes, she said, "Have you arranged the bed so I can lay down?" "Yes ma, go lay on the bed."

Grandma D stood up and went to lay down on the bed. Her grandma was already asleep before 11:00 pm. Lucia was awake and sat on her reading chair. She brought out her books to study what the teacher taught them for that day. When she was bringing her book out, something fell out from her book. She kept the books she brought out on the desk first, then bent down to find the little paper. She struggled to find it at first, then had to stand up to search for it properly. She ended up seeing it, got back to her reading chair, opened the paper, and saw: "Dear Lucia"

Immediately, a loud knock came from outside. She wondered who must be knocking by this time of the day. She thought aloud. The person knocked again, this time calling her name.

"Lucia!!!" It was a female's voice, her mum's voice, and she unconsciously answered,

"Yes ma, I am coming." She rushed and went to open the door for her mum. When she got there, it wasn't her mum but rather her mum's cousin, Aunty Dorathy. "Aunty? You came to our house this late? What happened?"

Fear in the aunty's eyes, she hugged Lucia, but Lucia wasn't comfortable with her presence, and she had to ask her to stay outside so she could call her Grandma D that she was home. (Aunty Dorathy and Miss Theresa are distant cousins who have tried staying together, but it has always been impossible for them to stay together as siblings. Aunty Dorathy is no good news. She's fond of looking down on people and saying harsh things to them. She just came out from rehab after she almost died of excessive intake of cocaine).

Aunty Dorathy is a drug addict and a no-good-news someone. When Lucia told her to go call Grandma D, she refused and insisted on coming inside, that she can't stay outside waiting for Grandma D before she can be allowed to come inside the house. Lucia reluctantly agreed and brought her inside the house. When she got in, she asked for Miss Theresa, and Lucia replied that she's not home yet. Aunty Dorathy asked, "Why? By this time of the day?" "Yes."

Lucia left her and went straight to their room and didn't bother to disturb her granny anymore. She locked their room and kitchen so her aunty wouldn't have access to those places. She entered the room and continued what she was doing before someone knocked on her door. She brought out the paper to read:

"Dear Lucia, it's me Patricia. I am very sorry about what happened in school today. It was never intentional. I really wanted to help you, but when I heard the teacher coming, I had to run back to my seat before the whole issue would be on me, whereas I was only trying to help you. I'm very sorry for causing more harm to you than you already had. Find a place in your beautiful heart to forgive me, my dear." After reading it, Lucia wrapped it back and threw it away.

"Mtcheeeew!!! They are all the same bunch of losers." She started studying what they learnt in science class. After an hour plus, she began dozing off and laid her head on her desk and started sleeping. Immediately it was 5:00 am in the morning, her alarm clock rang. She woke up immediately to go start preparing for school. When she woke up, she saw her grandma saying her morning prayers and went to join her in the morning devotion. After they had said their prayers, Lucia greeted her grandma: "Good morning, Grandma? "I am very fine, my child. How was your night?"

"My night was short and creepy, but at the same time, it was very lovely." "Okay, my child." Grandma left the room. Lucia forgot to mention about Aunty Dorathy. When Grandma D was going to the kitchen to get something that Lucia would eat before leaving for school, she saw someone sleeping on the couch and thought it was her daughter and said out loud:

"Theresa, you came back very early or you came back last night?"

Aunty Dorathy, hearing Grandma D's voice, stretched her body while yawning.

"Good morning, ma." Grandma D was surprised on hearing a voice that's not her daughter's voice, and she asked, "Who are you?". While walking to where the power switch is so she can turn on the light and see who it is, she turned it on and saw a stranger in her house."Dorathy, when did you come down here? Who gave you our house address? Why are you here?" Grandma D asked curiously. "All these questions for just one person? How do you expect me to answer this many questions at once? Give me some time to freshen up before you start asking me questions, please. "Grandma shook her head and said,

"Hope your family are aware you're here?"

"Nobody knows about my whereabouts. "They were still talking when Lucia came down to know what the whole problem was about. When her Grandma D sighted her coming, she asked Lucia,"When did she come to the house?"

"She came yesternight when you were already sleeping. I thought it was my mum when she knocked."Grandma D didn't say anything anymore and just went to the kitchen to get things done, and Lucia followed her to the kitchen too.