Un-Arranged Love

Chapter 58

 3 YEARS LATER

Alex inspected himself in the tall mirror in front of him, making sure he was dressed appropriately for the funeral today. He wore an all-black suit with a black shirt, black tie, and black shoes. His hair was combed back and he appeared presentable, exactly as his grandmother would have wished, since he wanted to make her proud on her final send off.

Alex sat on his bed, recalling his graduation day and how delighted his grandmother had been to see him up on the platform shaking hands with the Lord Mayor and being congratulated on his degree completion. He was recalling the cheers from the audience chairs, as well as the whistle noises coming from his grandmother. This made him laugh since his grandmother was a powerful character who didn't care what anybody thought of her. There was also the sense of loss, which hit Alex once again deeply. He was never going to see his grandmother again. His grandmother had become somewhat of a best friend to him since Alaya left him. He relied on her a bit too much. He thought about how much he was going to miss her advice and guidance.

Alex chose to return home after graduation and stayed with his family. He was able to reconnect with his mother, stepfather, and grandmother while he was there. He enjoyed the family dynamic and was grateful to have had the opportunity to do so before his grandmother's untimely death. He was grateful to her for instilling wisdom in him. She was always there to lift him up when he was down. He knew this void would never be filled because his grandma held such a special place in his heart, but he also realised that death was something that couldn't be avoided and that he was grateful for the time he had with her.

Alex's phone vibrated, jolting him out of his reverie. There was no caller ID when he went to see who it was. He assumed it was a salesperson, so he disregarded it by pressing the reject button on his phone and putting it in his pocket. It was time for them to head to the church for the funeral procession, so he went downstairs.

Alex had presented a moving eulogy in honour of his grandmother, which had brought tears to his mother's eyes. There wasn't a single person in the congregation who didn't cry as he talked so affectionately of her. Before his grandmother was placed into the ground, he said his farewell privately. He knew she'd always be a significant part of his life.

Alex had gotten five missed calls from an unknown caller that morning. It irritated him every time he declined the call because he wanted to concentrate on the day. He walked upstairs to shower and change after his grandmother's wake, when the phone rang again.

He picked up the phone, irritated. "For fucks sake! What do you want? I'm not interested in whatever you're selling or offering! Stop calling me!"

"Alex..... I'm sorry. It appears I've caught you at a bad time."  Despite the fact that the voice was one he would never fail to recognise, it felt like a distant memory. It was her. Alaya.

For a brief moment, Alex felt as if his heart had stopped beating and closed his eyes to savour the pleasure of hearing his favourite voice. He returned to reality and asked, "Alaya?"

"Hi. Yes it's me Alex. I'm sorry. I'll..... call back.... another time", she added, her voice quivering and breaking in places. She hoped she hadn't made a mistake, and she was beginning to regret calling him.

"No.... no.... It's fine, I'm sorry..... I thought you were from a sales company. They have..... been calling me all morning", Alex attempted to explain himself, completely taken aback by her voice. His nerves were getting the better of him as well. He wanted to hear her voice. He hadn't felt flutters in his stomach in years and was relieved to feel them again. He was thrilled that she still had such an effect on him.

"That was me. I'm sorry. I was saddened to learn of your nana's death and wanted to express my condolences. I know you loved her very much. I hope this is all right with you." Alaya questioned him, as if she was seeking his approval. She did it because she believed she had lost the right to care for him. Despite this, something within her made her feel brave enough to call. Regardless of how she had left things with him, she needed to make sure he was alright.