Under My Godfather's Wings

The wind howled gently as if in smooth singsong rhythm, the early spring smelled like a mixture of beautiful flower fragrance but this did nothing to soothe Theodore’s feelings.

He rested his back against a brick wall in a lazy form, one hand in his jacket pocket while the other held his half smoked cigarette as he stared at the group of people in front of him.

He saw the petite lady dressed in knee length gown moved in with a crowd who were immediately pulled into a conversation accompanied with loads of hugs. He quench the remaining cigarette with his foot and moved towards them, she was his only reason for being there and time isn't his friend at the moment.

Christina kept the rigid smile on her face while people shared their condolences, even though they all meant well, it did nothing to pacify her rage, she felt sorry for herself and her late grandmother. She doesn't want to say goodbye but she was well aware it was inevitable.

She felt drained of all emotions except anger, she was angry at the whole world, without her grandmother her future look so gloomy. The dreadful feeling of loneliness caught up with her immediately her grandmother passed. She was her only family, the only one she knew and had.

The few people who attended the funeral was her grandmother’s friends and neighbors, Pastor Ralph, the only pastor in town who did the honor of performing the funeral rites. All through their lives, her and her grandmother kept a low profile, Christiana isn't a social butterfly and the reason her grandmother did she never knew and didn't question either.

Christina Kept muttering a “thank you” as the people keeping drafting a sorry look towards her, suddenly she felt a touch on her shoulder which felt so cold and warm at the same time, she turned back and was faced with a middle aged man who looked breathtaking, she involuntary did a mental check on him. He was tall, boyishly handsome with a thick mane of black hair mixed with grey that made him look like the type of celebrities Christiana crushes on. Even with his ruggedlly attractive look, he gave off dangerous vibe which made her switched to a defensive position.

The handsome man spoke in low thick voice that turned her on for some unknown reason, she was mesmerized by him. It took a few seconds to get herself back and try to listen but she couldn’t catch up the full sentence.

“__For your loss, am an old friend and i will like to have few words with you” was what she could make out of his words.

She gave him a distraught look which made Theodore hesitate for a few seconds, he knew he sounded authoritatively since it was what he was used to, he usually gave orders without having to ask politely. It was hard on him but he didn't have much of a choice than to sound the most polite he could be but just as he was about to talk again, Christiana’s voice came out.

“Hmm, okay a few minutes please” she replied in a sweet melodic voice before responding to some sympathizers.

Even though Christiana was in the moment of despair, she couldn’t help but felt shivers run her spine when he spoke. It was her first time feeling that way towards a man which she found rather absurd pertaining to the situation she was in, growing up having nothing to do with other gender made her know less about men and the feelings associated to them.

After few minutes, she excused herself and moved towards him although she felt very uncomfortable with the idea.

“Hi once again, my name is Theodore,I’m a old friend of your grandmother” he spoke in a careful tone waiting for her reaction. Christina gave him a distrustful look, she eye scan him, wondering how her deserted grandmother could know someone like him.

“She never made mention of you” Christiana said with a straight face. Even if he was a handsome stranger, he was still a stranger afterall.

“Oh yeah, she mustn’t have__” Theo said and looked down at his shoe. He himself couldn’t believe he was short of words in front of a girl, just a girl, the one he had devoted his past Eighteen years in watching.

He dip his hand into his pocket and retrieves his wallet to bring out his card from it. Since the girl had no one else, he wanted to take up more on the role of being her godfather. He had gotten prepared, he had made a business card to give personally to Christiana. He stretched it forth to her and she collected it from him. She read the words inscribed on the small rectangular shaped paper and then look back up at Theo who was busy studying her face. No doubt that he found her attractive, with her rosy lips tilted up when she had her honey brown eyes focused on the small note and her nubian nose which Theo imagined to bite. He shook his head trying to take the obscene thoughts out of his mind but nevertheless, his attraction towards her was clear to him which made him contemplate on getting laid that very day.

“Mr Tumbler, can I ask you where it is you know my grandmother from” She said out of curiosity because she couldn’t keep it in any longer. Her grandmother’s death made her audible and bold unlike her usual days which was filled with silence except if she was spoken to.

“Not here in Texas, it was back in Chicago, she helped me out not thrice only, I hope she told you about Chicago?” He said hoping her grandmother would at least fill her in on the fact that they had once all lived in Chicago.

“Yes, she did but she never made mention of a lot from Chicago” Christiana said

‘Of course, she wouldn’t’ Theo thought to himself and a memory flashed through his mind. He recalled the moment when Christiana’s grandmother had sitted on a seat back weeping quietly inorder not to wake the little Christy sleeping soundly on the couch and he stood rigid, having little to say than to tighten his fist.

Theodore wasn’t going to tell her who he really was because he doesn’t want her getting any idea of knowing more about him so he kept the fact of him being her father’s best friend secret.

“I just wanted to repay her kindness, please, anything you might need, feel free to contact me” Theo said and Christiana flashed him a smile.

“I’m sure Nana wouldn’t want that but thank you” Christiana said which left Theo speechless.

“Thank you for coming” She said after seeing Theo mute and walks away from him to attend to other sympathizers.

Theo at the moment thinks it was a bad idea to approach her. He puts his hands into his pocket and looks ahead to the path he parked his car. He walks up to it and open the door. He looked back at Christiana from afar who was busy exchanging pleasantries to the sympathizers.

“It looks like you are better off without me” Theo said to himself and gets into his car. Right after he leaves, another car parked near the cemetery. The car door opened and a man in black suit emerges from the car. His blue eyes was covered up with the thick rim of the glasses he wore. A smile framed his thin lips as he adjusts his suit jacket.

“Stay in the car” he informed his right hand man who had came out of the car before but since his boss has spoken, he dare not go against him.

The man walks towards where Christiana was, the smile had already died down and he wore a pitiful face on.

“Oh dear Christiana, I finally found you” The man said as he approaches her. Christiana was taken aback as she wonders who it is he was to his grandmother to know her name.

“Are you also my grandmother’s friend” Christiana said assuming it to be just that, to her, it turned out her grandmother wasn’t always quiet as many people knew her.

“Well I do know your grandmother, may her soul bind in peace but I’m a friend of your father’s” The man said which made Christiana shaken. It was the first time of her seeing anyone who knows her father apart from her grandmother.

“My__my father?” She stuttered with her mouth agape.

“Yes, a very close one” The man said and Christiana’s face paled.