Filed to story: Seventeen Heartbreaks: When Love Has No Voice
Just as Leila was heading out, the servant who had brought her the coffee hurried over and stood in her path.
“Miss,” the servant said.
Leila eyed the servant obstructing her path and frowned, becoming more cautious.
“Is there something else? Why are you preventing me from leaving?”
The servant nodded.
“Madam would like to meet you now that you’ve rested for a bit.”
“Meet me?” Leila’s eyes widened with surprise. She became even more wary.
After a while, Leila asked cautiously, “Why does she want to see me? Does she know who I am?”
The servant shook her head, trying to put Leila at ease.
“Relax. We mean no harm. If we did, you wouldn’t be standing here, safe and sound.”
Leila acknowledged the logic in the servant’s words. If they had any ill intentions toward her, they could have easily drugged her coffee. Instead, they were having a conversation with her. Considering she had entered their property, it seemed only right to meet the owner and express her thanks personally.
Leila nodded in agreement.
The servant promptly led the way.
The two of them walked out of the mansion to a small room set in the garden.
The servant knocked on the door.
Someone immediately opened it, motioning for Leila to come in.
Leila paused, taking a peek inside. It was dimly lit, and candles flickered softly in the shadows. She was confused. Why would someone set up a meeting here?
As Leila stood unsure, the servant moved aside, giving her a clearer view.
Inside, there appeared to be something resembling an altar. At its center knelt an elderly woman with white hair. The servant who opened the door also looked aged. They both appeared frail and harmless. Leila understood that the servant’s actions were meant to show they posed no threat. She let out a dry laugh and explained, “I didn’t mean it that way. I just thought maybe this elderly lady was doing something important and didn’t want to disturb her.”
The servant replied, “It’s alright. Mrs. White has been expecting you for quite a while. Would you mind going in to speak with her?” Hearing this, Leila felt compelled to go inside. She inhaled deeply and walked through the doorway.
Once Leila entered, both servants, the one inside the room and the one at the door, left. They shut the door, leaving only Leila and the elderly woman alone in the room.
The elderly woman said nothing and appeared to be deeply engrossed in prayer.
Though confused, Leila chose to wait quietly.
However, as the minutes ticked by with no words from the elderly woman, Leila became increasingly restless. It wasn’t that she lacked patience, but her thoughts were consumed with the urgency of locating Landon as quickly as possible. She couldn’t afford to spend time on anything else.
Just as Leila was about to fumble for an excuse to leave, the elderly woman said softly, “Leila, you’ve blossomed into a mature and elegant woman. Do you not remember me?”
Gracelyn, the elderly woman, turned around as she spoke. Her movement was awkward due to her frail legs. She nearly lost her balance and fell on the floor.
Leila quickly reached out to support Gracelyn.
Since this elderly woman seemed to know her, Leila reasoned she couldn’t merely stand by and watch her fall.
After helping Gracelyn, Leila grew even more puzzled.
“Ma’am, I don’t seem to recognize you. Perhaps we’ve met somewhere before, but I don’t remember.”
Gracelyn offered a gentle smile.
“You can call me Gracelyn. Does that name sound familiar?”
Old memories surged, and Leila’s eyes lit up with recognition. She stared in astonishment.
“Gracelyn? Are you Mrs. Gracelyn White who used to live next door when I was a child?”
Gracelyn’s smile widened warmly. She looked tender and kind.
Leila was speechless, struggling to articulate her feelings. She felt a mix of joy and bewilderment. Gracelyn had lived next door to her when she was very young.
At that time, both her parents and grandparents were still alive, and she hadn’t lost her voice. Those days were the happiest of her childhood. However, later on, the sudden car crash changed everything and mercilessly took all her family away, leaving her struggling alone ever since.
Leila recalled how close her family had been to the Whites before the car crash. In the White family, there had been a boy a few years older than she was. He was kind to her. They spent a lot of time together, causing their parents to worry.
After the crash, Leila was left without anyone to look after her. So, she moved in with the Kensington family and lost contact with the Whites. Her memories of them ended there. She had never thought she’d see Gracelyn again. Reflecting on the past, Leila sighed and then asked, “Mrs. White, where is your grandson?”
Leila was a bit embarrassed as she couldn’t recall the boy’s name. She only remembered how she used to tag along with him during their adventures.
Gracelyn smiled sadly and replied, “You won’t see him anymore. He passed away.”
“What?” Leila gasped in disbelief. He was about her age. She hadn’t seen this coming.
Leila’s mood turned somber as she expressed her condolences, “I’m sorry, Mrs. White. I had no idea.”
Leila’s heart sank. She recalled that the Whites traditionally only had one child per generation, and that boy had been the only child. He was cherished immensely by his family. With his loss, Leila knew the entire White family must be heartbroken.
Gracelyn continued sadly, “It’s not just him. My son and my daughter-in-law have also passed away.”
Leila felt an even deeper sorrow.
“Mrs. White, are you here all by yourself? I’m so sorry. I didn’t know any of this. After I moved away, I lost all contact with you and couldn’t find you.”
The car incident had robbed Leila of her ability to speak, and she faced profound psychological hurdles afterward. Roderick had dedicated much time and effort to helping her recover. During that period, aside from Landon and Roderick, no other member of the Kensington family had taken to her.
At that time, burdened by her own struggles, Leila couldn’t afford to be concerned with others.
Gracelyn gently shook her head and took Leila’s hand in a warm grip.
“It’s alright. It wasn’t your fault. You were unaware of these events. Besides, so much time has gone by, and we need to look ahead. Look at me. I’m doing alright now. However, sometimes my husband and I feel quite lonely, as it’s just us here. That’s why I asked for you to be brought here. I just wanted to have a meaningful conversation with you. I hope I’m not disturbing you.”
As Gracelyn spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.
Leila gazed at Gracelyn, and her thoughts drifted to Roderick and the old times.
With a gentle tone, Leila suggested, “Mrs. White, don’t worry. Let’s exchange our contact details. Now that I know where you are, I’ll make sure to visit whenever I can. Would that be alright?”
At these words, Gracelyn could no longer contain her emotions. Tears began to stream down her face, catching Leila off guard.
It took some time for Leila to calm Gracelyn down.
They shared memories, but Leila consciously avoided bringing up Landon. She still wanted to keep Landon’s incident under wraps. Plus, she didn’t think mentioning this to Gracelyn would help. It might only lead Gracelyn to worry unnecessarily about Leila’s current situation. Choosing not to discuss it was perhaps the kindest option for Gracelyn’s peace of mind.
However, thoughts of Landon lingered with Leila. She came up with an excuse to leave.
“Mrs. White, I should take my leave. I’ll be back here some other time to see you. My children are waiting, and they’ll start to worry if I don’t show up soon.”
Gracelyn looked at Leila and sighed.
“You’ve grown up so much, and you’re already a mother.”
Leila offered a comforting smile.
“Next time, I’ll bring the kids over. They’ll surely brighten your day.”