Secrets of Lakefront House
CHAPTERS 16. FAMILY DINNER
They sit down for dinner. The chatter around the dining table sounded only Jilena's inaudible voice, she sat glued still not making a sound, her mind fixed on Jonathan and her son. He wanted to know all about them, he was curious. Especially after knowing that Jonathan has a son.
"The salmon are delicious, Ramira," praised Aunt Dewi. "Didn't you, Jilena?"
Hearing his name is called making his attention back to the table. "What?"
“Salmonya.” Aunt Goddess raised her fish fork. “Enak, yes?”
"Oh yeah. Tasty. Good job, Ramira, ”Jilena awake.
“Special seasoning?” Sarah asked.
“Rep your mother,” Ramira replied. “Risotto's recipe belongs to him as well.”
“I'm glad you learned to cook from mom, because the recipe will be wasted, not used by me and my sister, ” Sarah said.
Jilena nodded her sign in agreement. Their attention and interest always seems to lie elsewhere.
“Maybe now that we are adults, you can teach us some recipes of cooking, Ramira.”
“Males are always impressed with good food,” said Aunt Dewi. "I can't believe I have three beautiful single girls here, but there's no one with you guys.” He grimaced and shook his head.
"OK, move on to another topic," cut Jilena, glancing around the table. “Do any of you mind if I use Dad's car for a while? My old Toyota was in the garage, and I, honestly, don't have the money to fix it now."
"I want to know to whom papa left it in his will," said Sarah, biting the risotto. The last thing Jilena wants is to fight with her sister over cars and other possessions. “Until we find that, do you guys mind if I drive it? I need a reliable vehicle for my new job.”
"As long as you don't ruin it" Sarah warns. “Maybe papa handed it to me."
"Maybe not" replied Jilena.
Sarah frowned. “Then we can sell it and divide the result, after we—save papa's treasure. Home also.”
"Home?" Jilena's voice is rising. "You want to sell our house?" When she finally started feeling at home somewhere, feeling part of the family again, and now her sister is talking about selling her house.
“Too big to live by one person only,” replied Sarah, wagging her fork at Jilena. Sarah lives in a comfortable two-bedroom house a few blocks from their parents' house, Aunt Dewi, who helps her decorate Sarah's house.
“No! If one of you gets married and starts a family.” The Aunt Goddess looked at Sarah and Jilena with hope in her eyes. “The house will belong to one of you.”
“Better we discuss about it another time,” said Jilena. "Everyone agrees?.”
"Aye," shouted the three younger women. The expression of the Aunt Goddess changed. “Alright, girls. I know that I lost the vote.”
Jilena looked at her tant. “I brought my laptop to work on an obituary for papa after dinner. Does aunt already know the details of the show?”
Aunt Dewi told her that the funeral would be held on Friday at ten in the morning at the Capel Monte Vista down the street. From their father's written instructions, that's where he wanted his funeral to be held.
"After we clean the dishes, I'll do the obituary" Jilena said. “How about we swim?”
"I don't have any clothes?" ramira asked, looking a little hesitant, as if—dia was hoping for an excuse not to go swimming.
"Don't worry, honey, I have a full box upstairs" Auntie Dewi said.
“You what model? There's bikinis, one-pieces, all sizes there are. Towel also.”
"I thought you were serious about swimming." Jilena grinned at Ramira.
...*******...
After sending the obituary to the newspaper via email, the girls spent some time swimming and playing in the pool, while their aunt lay in the recliner, under the big blue umbrella on the terrace, sipping iced tea. If it wasn't for the fact that her father had just died suddenly, Jilena would have considered this one of the happiest nights she'd spent after such a long time. The saddest truth about his life so far.
Around nine o'clock, as the night wore on and the namesake lights started flashing, Jilena said she had had enough swimming and it was time to take a break. He climbed up the pool stairs, came out of the water, and grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his waist like a sheath. "I'll be right back" he told the others.
"I'll see you two tomorrow morning for breakfast" said Jilena, pointing to her brother and Ramira, she knew one of them would be at The Upper Spot Cafe tomorrow morning. "Save me a cinnamon roll."
"Take that car, '" Sarah ordered.
Jennysa stuck her hand out into the air and waved at them casually as she—walked out of the side gate. Drive the Roadster home to a very nice house. He lowered the window, enjoying the pleasant night breeze flowing flapping his hair. A car with a sleek and powerful model, without the slightest sound, the car felt like it was made for him. Although there was little objection from his family, he decided to assume this car belonged to him, at least for now.
As soon as he got home and lay on the bed alone in his room, he thought back to today—especially the trip to the lake. Maybe it's not a good idea. It had awakened old memories that he had tried so hard to forget yet today those memories were so stifling and painful to him. If only he could avoid not going to the green lake, but with the story he was investigating, it was—it was impossible for him to dodge.
He pulls the top closet, opens it up taking his pajamas, and there are— worn prom photos that he kept there the night before, memories of a wrong romance story with Noah, it was the beginning of the end of his life at that time. He took the pitiful photo and tore it in half, then threw it into the trash basket next to the closet.
There would be no dreams about what might happen between them. That is the true reality of what exists. His father's sudden death was ironic, but it gave him a second chance at a happy life, and he would not ruin his life again by remembering about Noah Arsyanendra. Now, there is another present in his life, Jonathan Benedictus is a new story. Still distrustful of what Ramira has to say about him, it makes him curious to know more about Jonathan. Maybe it was time for Jilena to accept the offer to have dinner together.
...*********...
The next morning, Jilena woke up to the sound of the phone ringing on the bedside table. He rolled over and checked the clock beside him. It was read at seventy-thirty-five (7:35).
"Hello" he answered groggily.
“Jilena? Jilena Margaretha?” a man's voice asked.
"Yes." Yeah."
"Sorry, did I wake you up?"
He took a deep breath and tried to force his eyes to stay open. "It's too early" he grumbled. "Who is this?"
“This Keenan.”
“Keenan?”
“Yes, Keenan Hadinata. Are you sure I didn't wake you?”
"No, not at all." He rolled by her side.
“I want to let you know that we have received the funeral news that you emailed us last night. It will be in the newspaper tomorrow.”
"Thank you."
"I saw his funeral Friday morning."
"Yes that's right." Jilena pulled herself into a sitting position and rubbed her face with her hands.
"It may be a little overdone, but please let me know if you don't want to do it, would you like to make a short story about your father and his funeral? We know your father well, as you know, your father is quite famous in the community. We want to give her honor and—”
"Of course, I'll be happy to do it" he replied flatly. He covered his mouth as he yawned. What else could he say? This guy was good enough to hire him. And he's right his father deserves that honor. "Is there anything else?"
“We have published your story about the murder case in the newspaper this morning, and I have already gotten a lot of response about it.”
“Respo what?” ask Jilena.
“Phone calls, emails, people talk about that story at The Upper Spot Cafe in the morning when I stop by for coffee and breakfast. ”
So fast is this news into the conversation and attract attention not only in small towns even in other cities? Perhaps this is because, the peaceful small town that is known to have no crime, suddenly horrendous with the discovery of the skeleton of a murdered woman?
...**...
When Jilena arrived at The Upper Spot Cafe, the early morning crowd of customers had reduced. He parked the sports car right in front of the store. His stomach was rumbling at the thought of a cinnamon roll waiting to be devoured. He grabbed the cafe door handle at the same time another hand grabbed him. Surprised, he looked up. The hand belonged to Noah.