***Please note that this is a work in progress. Here's Chapter 1. I hope you like it.
Chapter 1: Lola Lives
“Am I being pranked?”
I raised an eyebrow as I examined the envelope that the man in black, as he was literally in an all-black suit, gave me. It wasn’t the usual formal suit though that most would find on businessmen or those in government offices. It was more modern. Trendy, like the ones actors or K-pop artists would wear during a movie premiere. Black but in-style and with texture that could only be noticed when one looked closer. Hidden depth. That was it. Something that wasn’t what it seemed, much like the wearer.
All in all, he looked the part of an accomplished modern lawyer, as was my assumption based on the fact that he came here with a formal letter for me so early in the morning.
Just a few minutes ago, we were sitting in my small outdoor breakfast nook as he did come early enough to catch me having my breakfast of kimchi fried rice, eggs sunny side up, slices of Spam, and a generous supply of hot aromatic and delicious brewed coffee. After a brief introduction, I asked him if he wanted to join me for breakfast because I did not want to make my hot rice wait, to which he replied with a deep murmur, “I’d appreciate some coffee. Thanks.”
He then added in a deep baritone, “Is someone else here?”
“No,” I replied with a slight frown on my forehead. “Why?”
“Ah, nothing,” he said with a small forced smile as though I caught him off guard. Then he quickly looked down and began to shuffle inside his black leather bag that could easily fit a thin laptop, but not before I caught him looking at my food and then at me as though confused about how such a tiny person like me could have such a huge appetite so early in the morning. Well, that’s just how I do it. My grandmother used to say, ‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,’ and I took that to heart.
The rice was getting cold, so I wanted to get this over with. But I couldn’t just start shoveling food inside my mouth with him sitting across from me with what I perceived was a judgmental look on his face. I restrained a huge irate sigh that almost left my lips and instead asked politely, “What brings you here, Mr. Lei?”
“I’m here to deliver a message,” he paused when he saw my eyebrow raised in question. “From your grandmother,” he added as though that explained everything.
“My grandmother?” I asked. My earlier irritation was now suddenly replaced by confusion. Then, a sudden realization as I blurted out with brows furrowed, “You must have mistaken me for someone else. My grandmother is dead.”
Mr. Lei slightly shook his head and hesitatingly said, “Ah... That.”
He paused and took a deep breath with this expression of concession as though he already lost an argument that has yet to begin before adding, “You were misinformed.”
I felt incredulous as I spouted the first thing that came into my head, “Excuse me?”
How could I be misinformed about my grandmother's death when I buried her all those years ago? The nerve of this man! I thought while the rest of my mind was blank as I tried to figure out what was the angle of this guy. Quickly enough, this idea was forming in my head, and what I realized then angered me.
“Is this some sort of prank?” I asked heatedly. “Am I being pranked?” I asked again as I looked around the small garden as though any minute, my friend, Jiro, would jump out of the woodwork while declaring, ‘Gotcha!’
He was the only one who would dare pull a malicious prank like this. But then, even though Jiro was naughty, I didn’t think that he could actually do this type of hurtful prank. Besides, I doubt if he knew about my grandmother. Perhaps I might have mentioned her once or twice. But I never talked about her, or my family, at length. There was nothing to say anyway.
Mr. Lei tilted his head and focused his light gray eyes on me that radiated intelligence and not malice. Either he was a good actor or he was being sincere. I did not know him enough and the topic that arose was just improbable, so I voted for the former.
“No,” he answered in a serious tone. “This is not a prank, Miss Luna.”
“Look, Mr. Lei,” I said, not believing a word he was saying no matter how honest he appeared to be. Something indeed seemed off here. He was hiding something. I could sense it.
At first glance, he seemed legit, like the letter that he had given me.The envelope looked official enough, but I couldn’t help the smirk on my face as I looked at the added touch of a wax seal on it like it was some sort of medieval correspondence.
“Using my grandmother’s name just to get a kick out of me is not funny,” I declared firmly while giving a small laugh of disbelief. I pinned him with a direct glare, which was hard to do because he was a formidable presence in the room. Without any effort of his, he just commanded attention.
I swallowed a breath and stood up, stopping myself from putting my arms on my hips like what my grandmother used to do when she scolded me for being naughty. I straightened my body to my full height, which wasn’t much as I was on the short side. My five-foot-three-inches height would need more than a pair of 5-inch platform heels just to look him in the eyes. I’d likely need a booster step or something. If I were to guess, I believe he was six feet tall, give or take an inch or two. Or three, more like. But for now, I towered over him while he was still sitting down.
I was not normally self-conscious about my height, but he was making me feel not only tiny but defensive as well. Now I could relate why chihuahuas are more aggressive than, say, a large bully dog, I thought. There’s just something about being overshadowed that makes people put their guard up whether consciously or unconsciously.
With as much confidence as I could muster, I declared with mock bravado, “Even the dead have rights. I could sue you for this - you!” I paused, forgetting what to say next and desperately trying to think of a legal jargon or term that might be the slightest bit applicable to the situation at hand.
It was a challenge to think of something or anything for that matter because his eyes made me uncomfortable. He seemed to have overcome his small faux pas about judging me for my huge breakfast because his gray eyes were giving me this intense look as though he was trying to read what’s on my mind, which made me feel awkward. So I shifted my weight from one leg to another just for something to do, which didn’t help at all as I looked like a fidgety teenager waiting to be reprimanded.
Then, while feeling all uneasy at his intense gaze, which I proudly held albeit it created this tangle of somersaulting spiders inside my stomach, I thought of something and exclaimed it triumphantly and with all the confidence that I could muster, “You inheritance scammers!”
My breathing was heavy and my nostrils flared in defiance as if this small victory could be likened to finishing first at a championship track and field tournament. I felt awkward yet triumphant as I surreptitiously blew back the locks of dark hair that had come undone from my ponytail. I did my best to not look flustered though my knees were more wobbly than usual. I knew I did not look near my best at all as I was still in my favorite pink Hello Kitty sweatpants. I also had on a comfy nude camisole underneath the matching loose pink hoodie. To top it off, my feet were encased in the most comfy white fluffy slippers that had pink bunny ears.
So, no. Not in the very least did I appear professional. In my defense, I did not need to look anything but comfy when I worked at home.
Ah, I thought as I took a mental note. This could be a cute scene for my next book.
All the while, however, I felt his intense gaze examining me as though I was an interesting creature that he had just uncovered. It made me fidget even more because as much as I didn’t want to admit it, he was really a very good-looking ‘scammer.’ I hated to admit it, but I was a sucker for guys with extraordinary eyes, and his were, to say the least, quite extraordinary.
Too bad. I thought while trying my darned best to glare at him. I consciously raised my eyebrow to show my irritation and waved the document in front of him.
“I think you need to go, Mr. Lei. And bring this letter with you,” I mockingly said as I took a step towards him, meaning to give the letter back with some forced bravado to let him know that I meant business. But then, of all the stupid things to happen, I tripped on one of those bunny ears. I felt myself falling forward, and all I could hear in my head was my own voice yelling, ‘Timber!’ as if I was a falling tree in a forest. How absurd! I could kick myself!
I expected my face to hit the floor, but I found myself in Mr. Lei’s arms instead.
Damn! Damn! Damn! I thought as I felt my ears and cheeks get warm with the rush of blood borne out of embarrassment.
“Are you alright?” he asked as he helped me to regain my balance.
I detected a hint of amusement in his tone, but I couldn’t look him in the eye to confirm my suspicion. Instead, with as much dignity as I could muster, I mumbled into Mr. Lei’s chest, “I’m fine.”
But I wasn’t. I really wasn’t.
Not only did I want to high kick these bunny slippers to the high heavens, but I also couldn’t control the way my body reacted to this scent emanating from him. He did not reek of some cheap cologne. Instead, he smelled of soap and the outdoors - crisp with a hint of woodsy, like the start of spring when the wind begins to lose the harsh chill of winter and the air becomes slightly perfumed by all sorts of flowers that have been awakened.
It was a struggle to not snuggle into his chest to get more of this wonderful smell. I had to mentally shake this compelling feeling and, so as not to embarrass myself further, I pushed myself away. But I pushed too forcefully and too quickly that I would have lost my balance again and fell on my bum if it hadn’t been for his firm grip that helped me to steady myself.
Oh my God! I exclaimed in my head.
In the book Alice in Wonderland, someone said, ‘Sometimes, I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast.’
Yup. Impossible. Not embarrassing, which was what I was doing.
I wasn’t usually overly clumsy, but I seem to be doing embarrassing things one after the other. And I haven’t even had breakfast yet!
If I could only see where my confidence was, it was probably in smithereens all over the floor. But I held on to what dignity I had left in the same way that I gripped his steel-like forearms because to fall on my ass would not be the most ideal thing.
As for the letter, it fell from my hand during the ruckus. As soon as Mr. Lei had steadied me, he bent to pick it up.
In that few seconds that I was out of his sight, I hurriedly attempted to straighten myself. I patted my ponytail, which was still miraculously holding although there was hair all over my face that I quickly finger-combed behind my ears. I took a deep breath and straightened to my full height and stood as still and calm as possible with a plan to appear firm but hospitable as I asked him to go yet again because the embarrassment was consuming me. All I wanted to do was hide, but I had to keep a serious face. I no longer cared if he was a scammer or not. I just wanted him gone.
Mr. Lei then straightened and handed me the letter. He tilted his head and looked at me with a hint of humor in his eyes that I decided to ignore.
I felt my nostrils flare as I exhaled my irritation and again told him with a resigned sigh, “Mr. Lei, you should go. If you’re thinking that scamming me will get you something, you’re wrong. My grandmother’s been dead for twenty-one years. There’s nothing here for you.”
He continued to look at me with a curious intensity building in his eyes. Then he said in a crisp and impersonal manner, “Be more cautious next time, Miss Luna. Calling out a ‘scammer’ could be dangerous. Lucky for you, I’m not one.”
“What are you then, Mr. Lei?” I asked, my voice laced with impatience. “If you’re not a scammer, then why are you here telling me that my grandmother is alive? How can I take you seriously with that statement?"
“Because it’s the truth,” he replied with calm sincerity.
“I don’t get it!” I fumed.
He was smart enough to sense that my patience was running on low because he handed me the letter once again and gently said, “Please. Just read it.”
I scoffed and snatched the letter from his hand. With much disregard, I tore open the red wax that sealed the envelope and unceremoniously took out the letter. It had the texture of thick parchment with a letterhead that echoed the image on the seal, which was of the moon and stars, with what looked like a small dog.
It would’ve looked better with a wolf or lion, I thought inanely.
My eyes darted towards the lower left-hand corner of the letter, and I couldn’t help the gasp that escaped from my lips.
“Lola’s signature!” I exclaimed softly as my eyes began to devour the letter.
I read the letter not once but three or perhaps even four times. Disbelief, anger, betrayal, relief - I felt all of this. But mostly, I felt this cloud of confusion engulfing me.
“What does this mean?” I whispered to Mr. Lei as I looked up at him, seeking clarification from him.
My pulse pounded against my temples. The shock coupled with confusion was giving me a huge headache.
“Perhaps you should sit down,” Mr. Lei coaxed me in a quiet tone that carried some concern.
“Sit down?! How could I sit down after knowing this?” I choked as waves of emotions I couldn’t identify crashed into me one after the other. They ebbed and flowed through me so fast that I couldn’t keep up.
I gasped and spread my arms to take hold of something solid.
The document in my hand now felt alien. Not because it looked unusual, but because its contents were like a jolt - a jolt of a truth that had been hidden from me for more than two decades.
The letter fell from my hand, lightweight. Yet it left this heavy cloud around me that strangled every breath I took. Around me, things seemed to blur and swirl. Again, I felt myself going down. But before darkness overcame me, I whispered, “Lola is alive.”
