A/N: hello, everyone. There were certain names that you don't really need to remember here. They're basically not part of any important events. Such as the names of the ones in the collab project team of EP and Lion.
Chapter 2
"What do you think of her works?" Franco pointed the sketches that Lilac made out of a three minute time.
She hurriedly tried to create a new one, but it was as if she was born with a hand of God, her works was less messier than the actual sketches of a designer's draft work.
Melanie, his assistant, nod her head with amusement sparkling on her round eyes. Although she was just looking, her eyes were clapping with praises. "She was indeed good. As expected from Eminem Fashion Institute's number one student." She said, praising Lilac in a low voice.
Franco turn his head to her with a burrowed brows, his eyes squinted, and those curious eyes looked somehow domineering. "Mnn? Really? She's EFI's best student? Why do I don't know about that?"
"Boss, you studied abroad. But she stayed here. By the time you came back, her greatness was covered by another person's, and she was already in Paris to complete her degree." Melanie explained little by little, and then kept on shuffling the sketches that were done within two hours. As her eyes kept on seeing more, her brows relaxes and her smile kept on growing. "She's smart, knowing that Christmas was sometimes cold, and sometimes hot, she really created a pair that is cool and is paired with a long coat."
She stopped shuffling on a sketch that shows the description she stated. And then, she added, "It gives off the retro style of polka dot trend. It can even be used as a new year's outfit. Right, Sir?"
When she looked to her right, where Franco is sitting, he was already busy on fiddling on his phone. Just as a phone call flash on his screen, the only door on the room opened, and Lilac came back from the rest room.
Then, Franco stand up and told Melanie a few things before he left, answering the phone call.
Melanie was the one in charge of the meeting now. It was only twenty minutes left before the meeting ends, so it doesn't really matter if Franco leave now, Melanie will just fill in some things and wrap up the meeting.
Seeing that Franco was gone, Lilac look at Melanie, who introduced himself as Franco's secretary. "Where did your boss go?"
Melanie smiled sincerely, she lowered her head for a minute and arranged the papers. She selected three sketches, and then look up to Lilac, "Boss said that he wants to see the cleaner version. If he likes it, we will both improve it together on the next meeting." She handed the three sketches and started explaining. "Forgive our boss for his... Uh... Unprofessionalism. He has an emergency at home. He needs to hurry."
Lilac's brows shot up. "He has no one else to manage it for him? What? Did he get a useless wife?" Coming from the restroom, her mood seems to have dropped to a poor level. She doesn't look pleased, not even one bit.
As the people in the room heard her words, they suddenly stop, as if they were struck by lightning. Then, they look at her with a glare. She was really hasty, and her words are sharp enough to offend these people, but Melanie awkwardly chuckled.
She treated things this way ever since before. Five years, it has been five years ever since it happened. "No, his wife died. He has no one to handle things for him, but if you have a recommendation of woman, you can tell me so I can set him up on a blind date. That way, he can easily be in a relationship again." She said in a joking manner.
Lilac's frown suddenly stiffened. "Died? His wife died?" Her voice cracked after a short realization. When Melanie nod her head, Lilac was still stiffened.
The memory of a distant past flashed before her. It was a memory of a beautiful woman dancing with Franco. It was a time when she sneaked into the prom of the senior high schoolers. That Franco looked the happiest.
From the past years, the last news he have heard from his classmate about Franco is that... He got married.
And now that they met again, his wife was dead.
It made Lilac frown once more. But as he was in daze, Melanie already started to clean the table. "The next meeting will be scheduled and will be sent to you. If you agree with the schedule, then we'll proceed with it. If not, we can consider another date."
Lilac nod subconsciously but didn't actually heard anything, her eyes was casted downwards, starring blankly at the wooden table.
When Melanie noticed this, she sighed. "Miss Lilac, don't think about it. Boss Franco doesn't need pity." She said and pat Lilac who was sitting on the seat where Franco was sitting awhile ago.
Lilac snapped out with an "Ah?" She looked up to Melanie with a confused look in her eyes, brows still furrowed, but those brown eyes had a shadow of guilt and... Sadness.
Melanie repeated her words, "I said, no need to pity him. He doesn't need pity." Before she walked out of the room along with the rest of the team.
Lilac was left alone in the room after that. She nod her head, but her lips bent downwards, she's feeling troubled inside. Her heart was beating anxiously, as it felt like a knot was tied in her heart, slowly tightening, making her feel suffocated and uncomfortable.
"It's not like I pity him. I just feel like he must be really sad when his wife died." She murmured under her breathe, she sighed deeply. "I saw how he was so in love back then, I just think that he must be regretting some things. Does that count as pity?" She tilted her head as she asked herself, but in the end, she wasn't able to answer her own question.
***
Franco sit with his back straight in front of the monitor screen, checking things involving his business, while he was talking on the phone on his right hand. "Oh, yes, dear. Dad will come home tonight." He coaxed, followed with a nod that the child from the other line can't see.
On the other line, his children, Alastair and Alison were both sitting in front of their house's TV. It was Alison who's talking in the line, and her face was somehow gloomy. "You don't really need to, dad. We can manage at home."
Franco's heart was pinched by those words, he look down and let out a half-hearted laugh, "No, my meetings are all done for today. But for tomorrow's Halloween party..."
"It's alright. We understand. You can just not come. It's not like parents are really needed at the Halloween party." Alison said with an indifferent tone. The little girl was already on her teens, and in a few years, Franco will probably be seeing her off from the door, as she goes out on a date.
Or maybe who knows, she must be dating someone now. And is just not talking about it.
Noticing his silence, Alison changed her tone, and coaxed the man who kept on coaxing her, "It's really fine, dad. Finish your work, and clock out early, Alastair and I will cook for you."
When their mom was still alive, the audience of her frequent cooking show on the kitchen was the two. And most of the time, their mom also thought them how to cook. Now, even if she's gone, it doesn't matter, the kids already know how to take care of themselves.
After Franco let out a noise of agreement, the line was cut. He slumped his body on the swivel chair and let out a sigh.
It was his own kids that he can't take care of. The thing he was afraid of before, leaving his kids behind for work, and letting them grow up by themselves, it has already happened.
Five years after their mom died, his kids who were supposed to be still missing her, grieving from time to time, leans on him when the nightfall, were already acting like grownups. Cooking, attending themselves, doing their homeworks without being lazy, and doing things that should not be done by children.
One time, he had witness how the kids even throw out a garbage plastic outside the house. Some times, he spots some burnt marks on them, but they never complained. They stay silent and endure fever. They don't let out any complain, as if making one will make them a burden.
Franco can feel it, that his kids was feeling the exact same feeling that he had in his heart when he was a kid. The feeling of being a burden.
He closed his eyes as he recalled those glimpse of memories from the back of his mind, slowly falling asleep. As he fell on a dream, even the continuous knock on the door didn't awaken him.
Worried that something happened, Melanie, the person knocking, immediately went in. What her eyes see was the peacefully sleeping Franco, both of his arms are crossed, as he lean back on the swivel chair.
Melanie sighed, a trace of pity can be seen in her eyes. She took a step back an didn't bother waking up Franco.
Maybe her boss was too engrossed on working lately. Coming early, leaving early. Worrying about work and his children at the same time. Going back and forth, abandoning clients and possible investors for his private life emergency, for the fear of loosing his children after his wife.
Melanie has seen him go through worse and worse, that's why she just left a sticky note near the cellphone on the table, and left without making any noise. Letting her exhausted boss dream peacefully and have a clear mind after waking up.
***
Additional A/N:
Schedule of publishing.
Chapter 1- august 1
Chapter 2- august 8
Chapter 3- august 15
Chapter 4- august 22
Chapter 5- august 29
In short, 5 chapters a month. Really sorry, I've been formulating the chapters for September (chapter 6-10), and I really think 5 chapters a month was suitable for my slower-than-a-turtle novel.
See you next week.
-themist