Chapter 45
“He looked even cuter when he was young,” Smiles said, changing the topic. Grandma nods with a proud smile on her face.
“You know when he was way younger…little girls couldn’t get away from him…sometimes, we had to shove them away,” Grandma Shiley said, reminiscing on how she always chased the children away.
“But it was different with him…he had no time for any, even a smile was hard to get from him” Grandma continues. It wasn’t strange to Smiles, she’s seen it and she needs no one to tell her. The only person she’s seen him smile with is Lisa, and she wishes she was the one.
“Always the lone and cold type,” Grandma Shiley says.
“Does that mean he had no friends?” Smiles asked curiously. Grandma chuckles.
“He has Derrick and Bruice…those are the only people he’s got himself acquainted with”Grandma Shiley informs. Smiles nod.
They kept on discussing Keane and her childhood and how funny he was when he tried to imitate his favorite superhero ‘Batman’. It was funny and Smiles couldn’t stop herself from laughing out loud. Imagine his cute little self in a Batman suit was funny and Grandma Shiley was good at narrating his childhood fun parts to her making it even funnier.
Smiles could not take it anymore when Grandma Shiley showed her a picture of little Keane in Grandpa Jimmy’s dress, he was even putting on his shoes too. Just looking at him with the big glasses on made Smiles laugh even more, she didn’t know someone like Keane could be this cute and funny in his childhood.
Her eyes caught sight of a portrait of a beautiful lady. She wasn’t Lily, she was different and even more beautiful than her. She couldn’t help but stare back at the amber-blue eyes that didn’t stop staring at her and she was no fool to notice the similarities between them. Her cherry brown hair, her eyes, nose, and even lips…everything was the same except Smiles’s hair was curly while hers was straight.
Grandma noticed the silence and when she followed her line of sight, she saw the portrait.
“S-she looks just like me!” Smiles said surprise and disbelief written all over her face.
“Who is she?” Question Smiles, staring at Grandma Shiley with pleading eyes silently begging for an answer.
“Fiona…” Grandma Shiley replies shortly.
“And yes she looks like you…for a second there when I saw you, I thought it was her” Grandma Shiley confesses.
Smiles couldn’t believe her eyes. They can’t possibly be lookalikes because she’s way older than her except…she, Smiles is her child.
Smiles grew wide at the realization, that it can’t be, right?
She was conflicted about what to believe.
“Where is she now?” Smiles asked, moving closer, reaching out to the portrait.
“S-she’s…dead” Grandma Shiley said in a sad yet cracked voice.
Tears roll down her cheeks as she stares at the portrait in her hands.
If she’s truly her mother, what happened to her? How did she die?
“Any idea on how she died?” She turns to Grandma Shiley, who just shakes her head. Smiles were broken by her response, how was she to get clues now? Just how?
All her life, she grew up as an orphan, no one to call mom and now that she’s found something related to her, there was no way she could get answers.
Maybe she can ask Keane to help her out with the search…that’s if he will agree to help.
Grandpa Jimmy walks in, breaking the silence between both ladies.
“Come on now ladies, it’s dancing time” He stood between them and they wrapped their hands around him as he walked. Then out we’re handed Smiles over to Keane turning his attention to his wife as they started dancing.
Keane pulled her to the stage but Smiles was a bit hesitant.
“Don’t want to dance?” He asked, and she was quick to deny.
“Just…don’t know how to,” she explains, feeling embarrassed.
“Never danced before?” He asked and she nodded.
“Well, it’s simple…just follow my lead” his right hand wraps around her tiny waist, pulling her closer leaving only an inch of space between them.
Out of instinct, she placed her hand on his firm shoulder intertwining the other with his.
Gently, he swayed her around, with each counting step.
She was a quick learner and in no time, she was dancing like someone who’s been dancing for a long time now.
Her gaze was on his hard chest, gulping every now and then.
Untangling their hands, his other hand moved to her waist, trailing on her spine line.
Even though she was putting on close, she could feel his fingers playing with her.
As a teaser that he was, he pulls on the rip, and out of instinct, she flinches, raising her head to meet his gaze but is welcomed with his soft lips on hers. Her eyes grew wide upon realizing she was…kissing him.
There was a spark in her eyes that said a lot more than him just wanting to tease her.
It was like time stopped for a second, all she could see was him and all she could hear was her heart beating.
She pulls away covering her face on his shoulder praying no one saw that. It was just too embarrassing and good, that she had to admit.
“Shy?” He asked but she didn’t respond.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.
“You know…we’ve done more than just kiss,” he tells her shamelessly.
She didn’t know he could be this shameless in a place like this, just how shameless can he be after this? She blushes knowing what the answer is.
“No…no, I am not shy,” she denied. A mischievous smile flashes in his eyes, wanting to tease her more.
“Really?” He asked and she nodded confidently but inside, she was shivering.
Lowering his head, he captures her lips, not minding they were in a public place. Staying strong, she met him and kissed her silently enjoying it.
“Shy!” He concluded by pulling away. She frowned, not happy with his conclusion.
“No, I’m not” she interjected with a face that spoke so much of her bravery. A smile appeared on the side of his lips but was quick to wipe it off.
“You didn’t return the kiss,” he tells her, and she gulps.
Did he want her to return the kiss? She asked herself, staring at him.
“You didn’t ask me to,” she said, pointing out his mistake.
“Kiss me then” he had no time to beat around the bush.
Smiles didn’t know if she should laugh or cry, but after a long contemplation, she kissed him.