Man of Words

chapter four

I remember the first time I met Diana.

I wasn't looking for it and it just appear in front of me. I was in line for a cup coffee, suddenly she walks in the cafe and catches my attention. She appear like an angel just fell from the heaven. Like she was meant for me. But at first I thought of it stupid as the idea of love at first sigh. But more and more, I realize there's something between us. Something that I believe can be magical together. Since then, I believe in love at first sight.

8 weeks since I gone off the city, seems I won't be coming back to the city till next year. Why I need to go back there, anyway? I have no life to live there anymore there. I am just a divorced writer who spend his time drinking and write nothing on his typewriter. And now, it's like I'm living on my own heaven. I feel more free than living in the city that keep me worrying me about my future,

What if I don't publish a novel? Where can I get my money?

Am I gonna grow old in New York alone and just stare at my typewriter for the rest of my life and have nothing to write?

Am I gonna stay like this forever?

Losing is my biggest fear, and well I lose a lot of things. My father, my career, and the love of my life. But in the place my father called heaven, it's like heaven on earth. There's no other place I want to go but here. But before I deciding to stay here or not, I received a phone call that  bothering me the last 16 hours. Now, my ringtone are bothering me. That the reason I never decided to keep in touch with modern world. It's bothering as hell. "Hello."

"I'm look for Henry Lucas." A woman voice asks.

"Speaking."

"I'm Johanna Marie from San Francisco Social Service. I want to talk about your sister Gabriella daughter, Charlotte Louise?" I shock my head, I haven't seen my niece and Gabriella for 10 years.

"Yes, what's wrong?" I asks begin to be nervous and worry all of sudden.

"Your sister and her husband has been on a car accident 12 hours ago." she says and I froze for a moment. She kept talking all things I never want to hear about their accident and their death. And my mind didn't focus on words she's saying. "Hello Mister Lucas you there?" I shook my body.

"Yes, I hear you. How is Karlie?" I asks.

"She is fine. But she haven't say anything since she got to the hospital." I take a deep breath and let it go slowly, this can't happen.

I was the youngest from three. She was the oldest. My second brother is a lecture at Boston University, and Gabriella was the forgotten from all. When she graduated, she went away to San Francisco and never came back until the death of our father. I flew all the way from North Carolina to San Francisco after the funeral. The ticket were so expensive, I couldn't afford it. So when I arrived there, I take a taxi that drove two hours to my sister house.

house that long I haven't visited.

When I enter the front door, flashback came all over to me. I could remember Gabriela opening the front door and would flung her arms around me. Now, when I knock on the three times, Martha, the sister of Gabriela husband open the door. Who doesn't seems to be surprise for my visit and seems so anxious. "Hello." I greets and she just smile.