Granny’s Home

Granny’s Home
“Stop the car!” 

Evans ordered, his voice loud and trembling.

The driver who heard his choked voice instinctively stepped on the break. He turned around and was about to scold Evans when he was met with a few dollar bills and before he could understand what was going on, Evans had opened the car door and hopped out.

Evans stood on the spot and looked around blankly, he felt so confused and the excited words of his mother still rang in his ears.

“Your brother, Jesse is coming back!” 

Jesse is coming back. 

Though he could understand those words and know what they meant, he just didn't know how to react to the news. 

He closed his eyes tightly, his breathing heavy, and his hands which held his phone tightened. Without him knowing, his body had begun to tremble hard and his heart was in shambles.

He didn't know what he was thinking about, he couldn't remember where he was or where he was supposed to be, but one thing he knew is that—His peaceful life was about to be shattered and the fantasy world he had built around himself was about to be broken.

“Why did you have to come back..” He muttered, then opened his eyes as he looked around the busy street where people moved about doing their routine and he could even see some lovers holding hands and children holding the hands of their parents as they jumped and laughed excitedly.

He couldn't help but feel that touch of envy.

Evans has never experienced the process of being loved by his parents, they had never taken him to the amusement park, never held his hands to play and never rubbed his head and told him words of encouragement. 

The only time they had taken him out was when Jesse had requested and thrown a tantrum to go to the mall. They had taken him along but he felt more like an outsider as he watched them give in to his elder brother while he held on to the little toy they had brought for him and watched the back of the family of three with yearning.

But… 

He wasn't requesting that, he had never fought for their parents' love, he had grown used to the treatment but one thing he couldn't let go was that one man—Nathan.

Even if he had been arguing with Nathan during their union, he still doesn't want it to end. He loves this man to the point of insanity. 

“My heart hurt…” Evans bent over and clamped his chest, he could feel his heart pounding against his chest, not because of anything but fear, because he knew that as long as Jesse came back, he, Evans, wouldn't have a place next to Nathan anymore.

After a while, Evans stood up, then looked around and realised he wasn't far from where his nanny stayed, so he decided to check on her as it had been a long time since he had seen her. 

They had only been talking on the phone he had brought her. 

After walking for about twenty minutes, he opened the gate of a building and walked into the compound, inside that compound was a little, dilapidated house.  It was so small and old and looked like a house that could fall anytime.

Evans looked at the house his nanny-granny lives in and felt annoyed at himself. He was so useless, he couldn't even gather enough money to rebuild the house for the only woman who had shown him love.

He walked to the cranky door and pulled off his sanders outside before opening the door with a shout.

“Granny! I’m home! Evan’s home!” 

He walked in after his announcement, and that was when he saw his granny looking out from the kitchen with curiosity.

“Is that you, Evans?! Oh my boy!” He smiled brightly and happily as she walked out of the kitchen with some flour stain on her clothes and wrinkled face.

Without minding her dirty clothes, Evans rushed to hug his Granny and both stayed that way for a long time before separating. 

Granny looked him up and down and only let out a sigh of relief after seeing he wasn't injured and he was perfectly fine. 

“How have you been? I was nearby and decided to come see you.” Evans said, holding her hand and walking her back to the kitchen. His eyes lit up when he saw her baking.

“It's good you came! Granny was baking some snacks and sweets to set up the stall tomorrow and I was planning to send you some. Since you’re here, then bring some along.” She said as she went back to her seat to continue mixing her flour.

Evans bites his lips and a light flashes past his eyes but he says nothing other than stooping down to assist her. 

He was used to doing this as this had been what his granny was good at and since she left the Hart family, she had survived on her craft by setting up stalls in the nearby high schools. 

The house was filled with the chatter of both Grandmother and grandchild until it was interrupted by the sound of Evans’ phone ringing. 

He picked it up and placed it between his ear and head, then said hello.

“Evans…” A low growl was heard which startled Evans into almost jumping, “Where are you? I’ve been waiting for you to come home. Have you forgotten the plan?” 

Evans was speechless as he heard the questions. Should he tell Nathan he had forgotten they had that plan after he lost his temper in the taxi, and had even forgotten he wasn’t living alone when he got to his granny’s place? 

He knew if he said it, Nathan would kill him. 

“Hmm…” He began but became speechless after. He sighed tiredly, then pinched the middle of his brow with his flour-covered fingers, “Sorry about that, Nathan. I’m at my granny’s place.” He apologised in a serious tone.

Nathan was silent on the other line, then his voice came out again. 

“Send me the address!”