Romance with the Cursed Siren

CHAPTER 18. Finding Grandpa

Crystal felt so exhausted swimming non-stop from Caro island to Creekwood City. Yet, she is still miles away from the city and decided to have a rest at the bottom part of the ocean. However, being alone underwater with a swamped body made her remember her parents and how her father fought for her. She is crying alone underwater, feeling heartbroken as she never imagined her life without her parents. She may become lonely the day after Gabriel left, but this experience brought fear into her entire soul. Fear of being alone forever.

The sunlight directly touched her from above through the water, indicating that it is already noon and it’s time for her to continue before her tail transforms into a pair of feet and loses her ability to breathe underwater. She moves her large tail with her fin up and down in the water with a full-body wave motion, speeding up her pace as much as she could. After hours of flapping, finally, she already has a tiny sight of the city. Her body was badly worn out already, yet she didn’t give up and continued to reach the city. Until she was almost there. She decided to go to the same place where almost no people walk around, but she is still a bit of a distance from the coastal area. A few moments later, she already can feel her body is about to change, but numbness overwhelmed.

‘Why can't I feel the pain?’ she thought as she let the water pull her down to the bottom. 

‘Mom, dad.’ Until she succumbed to darkness.

*****

“Ma, how is she?” Crystal overheard a familiar angelic voice of a girl.

“She’s fine, don’t worry. We just have to wait until she wakes up.”

Slowly, Crystal tried to open her heavy eyes, until she had a glimpse of blurry surroundings. Again, she fluttered her eyelids to get a clearer vision and looked around until she saw Roxanne, the little girl who helped her the first time she went to the city alone.

“Roxanne,” she muttered as she was trying to move to sit up.

“Ouch,” she winced in pain when suddenly she felt a sting on her lower back. 

“Careful, Crystal,” Roxanne said, trying to support the body.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in our house. My mom and I saw you when you drowned, so we pulled you out of the water. Luckily my mother was a diver, so she managed to rescue you.” Roxanne explained.

“Why are you always in the water, by the way? You look drained when we got you. Are you cleaning up underwater again?” The little girl couldn't help inquiring until a beautiful lady went inside the room.

“Oh! Thank goodness you’re awake! How are you feeling now?” she inquired, sitting beside her on the bed.

“I feel better. Thank you for your help.” Crystal responded.

“By the way, I’m Pearl, Roxanne’s mother, and you’re Crystal, right? Roxanne told me.” she sweetly announced with a smile glued on her face and Crystal only nodded in response.

“What exactly happened to you? We were currently sailing on the shallow part of the sea for roving when suddenly Roxanne saw you. She told me you might be cleaning underwater again. Yeah, she told me about you before but I don’t think that’s the reason you drowned today.” And then she leaned closer in her ear.

“Also, why don’t you have underwear?” she whispers, but Crystal did not answer the question and just frowns, as she doesn’t have the energy to explain or to make up some excuses. Besides, her mind was occupied by her parents, who she left on the island, and thinking of it made her tears roll down again. 

“Oh, no! Why are you crying?” Pearl cried worriedly.

“Ma! You make her cry!” her daughter scolded her.

“No, I mean, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” she apologized, reaching for the box of tissue placed on the bedside table and pulled some.

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to, please stop crying.”

“Crystal, what’s the matter?” Roxanne asked, caressing her curly hair as her eyes also started welling up. A moment later, she can’t resist anymore and embrace Crystal.

They cried together like they were both feeling the same pain while Pearl couldn't stand the view and let Crystal release her emotions first.

“What time is it already?” Crystal asked, pulling away from the girl who is wiping her face.

“It is already ten in the evening. Why?” she answered between her hiccups.

“I need to go to my grandfather,” she said, putting her both feet on the floor and slowly standing up. Now she noticed that she is already wearing a dry white sundress. Crystal steps closer to the door and opens it, revealing a long hallway. She looks in each direction but hesitant to step out since the ambiance felt unfamiliar to her. She froze.

‘I can’t waste any seconds,’ she thought, remembering her parents and about to take a step out of the room when suddenly Pearl appeared.

“Crystal, where are you going? You have to take a rest first, you are not fully recovered yet.”

“No, I can’t stay here. I need to go to my grandfather’s. My parents need his help.” She said as she continued walking in the direction where Pearl came from and saw a staircase.

“Why? What happened to your parents?” Pearl inquired, following her from behind. But Crystal didn’t answer and just continued her pace through a simple interior of the house covered with blue floral wallpaper. The front windows show a yellowish light from the post outside and that’s what told Crystal that the door between the windows is the way to go out and she did, with no hesitation. But again, another unfamiliar place.

“Crystal, wait!” Pearl stops her by grabbing her arm.

“Let me come with you. I have a car, I can take you to your grandfather.” she offers.

 “But you already did so much by helping me,” Crystal politely refused.

“No, it’s alright.” Pearl pulls Crystal towards the parking area and picks something in storage.

“First, you have to wear this, your feet might get hurt.” offering Crystal a pair of flip-flops.

“Thank you.”

“And this, maintain your sugar, or else might pass out again,” she added, giving Crystal an energy snack bar.

“Thank you,”

“Alright, get in!” Pearl ordered without vanishing her wide grin.

“What about Roxanne?” Crystal was worried about the little girl being alone in the house.

“Don’t worry, my sister will look after her,” Pearl answered as she started the engine and steered away, while Crystal nodded in response.

“So, where are we going to see your grandfather?” and that’s the question that made Crystal worry because she can’t remember the place where her father brought her. Biting her lips, she covered her face with her full palms with so much frustration.

“Why? Don’t tell me you don’t know where to go?” Pearl worriedly asked while manipulating the steering wheel.

“A Construction and Design, that’s the only place I remember.”

“So, it’s a company name, right?” she made sure and started searching on the internet. 

But after driving for more than half an hour and arriving at the nearest company building with the same name, Crystal said it wasn’t.

“You sure?”

“Yes, it was a bigger building than this,” she said, staring up at the twelve-story building.

“Alright, let’s try another one.” and again they started their journey. Until finally, Crystal and Pearl arrived at the major branch of the said company.

“So, this is it?” 

“Yes.” Crystal stepped out of the car, followed by Pearl. They walk through the huge and luxurious lobby, straight to where the elevators are located. The security didn’t notice they entered since he is busy scrolling on his phone while sitting on the wide, elegant couch.

“Are you sure that your grandfather stays here?” Pearl asked with uncertainty. They are currently inside the lift, going to the fiftieth floor.

“No,”

“What!?” seriously? Then what are we doing here?”

“We used to come here to meet my grandfather before, but the last time, my father brought me to a place out of the city. The thing is, I don’t know the name of the place.” Crystal explained as anxiousness overwhelmed her while Pearl also noticed how she squeezes her fingers.

“Oh, well, let’s just hope that he is here.”  

Unfortunately, no one answers Crystal’s doorbell. They are standing in front of a wooden double door painted with white and silver. 

“Crystal, I don’t think your grandfather is here,” Pearl said, looking around the spacious area with nobody around except the elegant stuff, especially the set of a couch placed in the middle with an enormous sparkling chandelier on the ceiling, but Crystal didn’t speak, instead her lips curled again trying to resist another batch of tears.

“Why am I so useless?” suddenly Crystal muttered, looking up at the immense door in front of her.

“Who exactly is your grandfather, by the way? How on earth could he be in this palace like-” Pearl getting curious but interrupted when suddenly housekeeping appeared when the elevator opened.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?” The maid is wearing a white pair of uniforms while her hair is fixed in a low bun.

“Hi! I was looking for my grandfather, Teofilo Alonzo. Could please tell me where we can find him? My father brought me into a courtyard outside the city just a day ago, but I just can’t remember how to get there. Please.”

“How come that Mr. Alonzo is your grandfather? He doesn’t have any granddaughter aside from Miss Rachel.” she bluntly said while Crystal walks closer to her.

“Yes, Rachel! She is my cousin. Do you know where she is? Please, I’m begging you, my parents need his help, they are in danger.” Crystal rubbed both palms in front of the lady as she begged.

“I’m sorry Miss, but you cannot fool me and I will not disclose any information with you, so leave now before I call the securities and drag you outside the building.” but Pearl can’t stand watching Crystal pleading anymore and pulls her away from the lady.