32.

-HER-

I was relieved that Mr Toles didn’t question much about my yesterday’s absence. I also happened to have finished work early and Theodore didn’t bother me much too. I was secretly disappointed at the latter but I didn’t show it.

I stopped at the medical store while my way back home to get some contraceptive pills. I was already taking them because of cysts but I didn’t feel like taking any chances after yesterday’s event. After I bought some bottles, I found myself driving to the gift shop.

It was still open but empty. The door chimed as soon as I opened it and walked inside. I found that same black Himalayan cat resting on the counter. Although she soon jumped and disappeared behind the doors behind the counter.

“Glad to see that you are back,” Levanna chirped as she walked into the shop in the next moment.

“Don’t you ever have customers?” I asked her. I have been to her shop thrice now and I haven’t spotted a single person here. At my question, she smiled gently and answered, “My customers are very different. They come when I tell them to come,”

That was all she told me before she asked me to take a seat. I did as she had said before she asked me, “So what brought you to my gift shop today?”

I pressed my lips in a thin line while I racked my brain for an answer. She noticed my lack of answer before she placed her hand on the counter and spoke, “Let me see your hand again,”

I gave her my hand this time without any protest and let her examine it. I generally didn’t believe in things like these but lately, I was starting to find myself inclined to it. It was due to my thirst for answers. I was ready to do anything now.

“So… you have been busy lately,” She commented while she gave me a suggestive look. I flushed and sunk deeper into my seat.

“What else can you tell?” I asked her.

“About what?” She teased, “Why don’t you tell me what you are thinking and I will tell you what I have seen,” Her offer seemed fair enough to me so I started speaking, “Um… I have been seeing… nah, that wouldn’t be the right word for it. Er…I recently slept with a guy with horns,”

“Is he a minotaur?” She asked grimly all of a sudden. I remembered that Theodore had said something like that to me after our love-making. I simply nodded at her. She narrowed her eyes at me and spoke, “Those beasts… they are very unfair and nasty,”

Her reply suddenly made me very anxious.

“Can you tell me more about them?” I asked her. She stared at me momentarily before she started speaking, “They are the children of the sea and devotees of Poseidon. They are ruthless and cunning. Backstabbing is in their nature and… their sexual appetite… it’s unmatchable,” She spoke the last line with her eyes trained heatedly on me.

“Last time I checked, you had this particular trait too so it’s quite understandable why you might have slept with one,” She remarked again. I flushed even more but she continued, “But I must warn you about their abandoning tendencies,”

Her words somewhat matched Theodore.

“What else?” I asked her.

“What else do you want to know?” She questioned me instead, “I cannot tell you much in this case except to listen to your Nana,” Her words struck me like thunder. I ended up leaving soon after that.

When I reached home, Nana wasn’t home. I didn’t feel like staying home tonight so I left with a note on the dining table. I drove to one of the posh restaurants to give myself a treat. Even though I wasn’t dressed accordingly but I couldn’t care less at that moment.

Fortunately, the place happened to be empty tonight so I ended up having a corner to myself. While I ordered, I heard the server bring in a couple just a few tables away from me. I froze when I heard Derek’s familiar voice.

I peeked behind my menu card to find Derek with a woman whom I have only seen in pictures with him till then. It was Amanda. Derek took a seat facing me while Amanda sat with her back at me.

I remained hidden behind the menu card for as long as the server allowed me. I occasionally peeked from behind it to check on them. From where I was sitting, I could hear them faintly over the light classical music playing in the restaurant.

A part of my heart ached when I saw them together. Although I was surprised that I didn’t feel anything for Derek anymore. I was simply jealous to see him happy with another woman while I was still struggling with my love life.

I ground my teeth as I heard them laugh. I decided that it was not worth spending the night like that. I doped the menu on the table and rose from my chair. This slight moment had attracted Derrek’s attention.

His eyes locked with mine, as I walked past his table. He visibly froze as he saw me walk by. I heard Amanda ask him about me as I walked away. I didn’t wait for him to reply and simply left.

I drove to a small pizzeria and ended up eating there instead. I drove home alone after that. Nana was back when I reached home. I found her reading a book in the living room with the lights off and only with the reading lamp on.

I decided not to disturb her so I didn’t bother switching the rest of the lights on and headed to my bedroom in the darkness instead. As I passed her, I happened to look at her. I froze in my steps when I was able to see her face properly in the reading light.

At first, I thought that it really wasn’t Nana but upon staring at her for several more moments, I realized that it was, in fact, Nana but she looked young. Way young. She was too absorbed in the book to even notice me standing in the darkness and staring at her in shock.

I blinked several times to see if what I was seeing was true. When it got too much for me to take, I finally broke the silence, “Nana,” I croaked in the silence of my apartment.

She lifted her head slowly and looked at me. My heart was palpitating in my chest. I knew she was drop-dead beautiful in her youth but the way she looked then- it was out worldly.

“Yes,” She spoke.

“Nana,” My voice came out as a whisper, “What happened to you?” I asked weekly. I could feel my limbs growing colder while beads of sweat decorated my forehead.

“I am fine, Anna. You care about you,” She spoke very stiffly. Her words sent a shiver down my spine. I ran for the switch in the living room before lighting the whole room. When I turned to face her next, she was again her old self.

“You’re early tonight. I thought you were out drinking again. Thank god you chose not to do so tonight,” She commented, rolling her eyes before she went into her bedroom. I was left standing there, questioning everything about my Nana.

Should I continue to trust her?

**...
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