29. Coincidental meeting
Today Martina decided to go shopping for groceries.
The house wasn’t stocked with cooking ingredients and today being Saturday, she decided to attend to that since her mother couldn’t do the same anymore.
” Mother, am going out to buy a few stuff, is there something you would like me to get fir you?” She asked her Mom.
” No dear, I don’t need anything. Today is Saturday, go and relax. You don’t have to worry about me now.” Her mom replied.
” Okay mother, I’ll be back soon.” She ignored her mother’s plea to go out and left for the grocery store.
Hailing a cab, she requested the driver to take her in a convenience store she could get kitchen supplies.
Ten minutes later, she was standing Infront of a mini supermarket. She payed the fee and stepped out then walked towards the store.
She had in mind getting her mother’s favourite grapes.
Mr Santos had woken up that morning missing his old lover. Whenever he thinks of her which happens frequently, he usually asks the maids to prepare some grapes for him. They were her favourites.
He still remembers the day they had almost fought because he had eaten her grapes to the last one. To placate her, he had taken her to the market and brought her plenty of them.
She had thanked him and even fed him some of the grapes. That still remains to be one of the sweetest memories they shared together apart from the day she has surrendered her soul and body to her.
Mr Santos blames himself for her premature death.
He still can’t believe that his ignorance led to their separation. If only he had investigated the truth behind his parents actions, maybe now they could be happily married and with their two daughters .
But life doesn’t embrace ifs, he has to accept reality that he was the sole cause of her death together with their other daughter’s.
He stood up from the sofa and walked towards the refrigerator, he wanted to eat some grapes and try to see whether the huge bitter lump in his throat could be cleared.
Opening the refrigerator, he didn’t find even a single grape. He couldn’t let it go so he picked his car keys and drove towards the mini supermarket he has been visiting for the last twenty years to purchase grapes.
He arrived at the store and parked his car, he only had in mind grabbing the grapes, paying for them and silently go back to enjoy their taste as he reminisces about his failed love.
Marina had finished picking everything she wanted, she only needed to go pick grapes for her mother.
Pushing the cart, she approached the fruit section and spotted the grapes.Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.
She was picking them when another hand picked them. The two of them were now holding them on each side.
Looking up, she saw a face that somewhat looked familiar. Trying to relate where she saw him, realization hit her hard.
It was Marina’s father.
Literally he was her father too although they had never met officially.
She felt her heart start racing but she was adamant on releasing this packet of grapes. It was the only remaining packet and she wanted to get them for her mother.
Mr Santos looked up to see who it is who dared take what was his only to be met by the face of his daughter.
He released the packet and smiled at his daughter.
” Marina, what a pleasant coincidence to see you here.” He said eyeing the contents of her cart.
” Why are you shopping again? Didn’t I send the maid yesterday to stock your refrigerator?” He asked surprised.
when he had learnt that his daughter had been busy commuting from one company to the other, he had figured out that she will be busy and forget to buy Kitchen supplies.
He had then instructed the head maid to purchase the things and restock her supplies, so what was she doing here buying more stuff?
Martina wondered what she was going to explain. She wasn’t Marina and it seems that her father did not see any difference between the two if them and had mistaken her as her twin sister.
” Oh! I just didn’t like the things she bought so I decided to buy others.” Martina lied smoothly.
She didn’t know what else to say.
” Oh, but when did you start eating grapes. I remember you never liked them?” He said eyeing the packet of grapes on her hands.
So just like her, Marina did not like grapes? It seems like they had that same taste.
Martina wondered which lie she will result to telling this time. She can’t ofcourse tell him that she was buying them for her mother.
” I just found them looking sweet so I wanted to try them today that’s why I picked them.” Martina lied yet again.
” I know you hate them the most, there’s no need trying them. Just give them to your father, in exchange I’ll buy you your favourite vanilla ice cream.” Her father said offering her daughter a sweet smile.
So just like her, Marina also loves vanilla ice cream? Interesting!
Just not to be exposed, Martina decided to let go of the grapes and give them to her father. Her heart pained to let go of what was meant for her mother but what to do? she couldn’t insist on keeping them.
” Come my dear, since you are such a good girl, am going to buy you the biggest ice cream so that you can devour it to your satsifaction.” Her father said circling her arms around her daughter’s shoulders while Martina pushed the cart to the snacks section.
The feeling of being close to her father was foreign to her. All her life, she had only been close to her mother. She never had a father figure in her life since her mother had remained single all her life.
She couldn’t control the excitement of receiving something from her father for the first time. That thought brought warmth to her heart.
‘ it doesn’t feel bad to be pampered by a father.’ Martina inwardly thought and smiled.