His Conundrums

Chapter 34

Capturing the Past

She never enjoyed the scenery of this town. She wished to leave this place, but unexpected things happened. She remembered every memory she shared with this cursed town, a solemn place hiding the noisiest crimes.

“Sorry if I made you wait,” said the man she wished to see.

“It’s okay, Nate. It’s not too long since I arrived,” she said.

“Should we order?” he asked.

She nodded her head, and Nate raised his hand to call someone’s attention. A lady wearing a uniform went on their way carrying a small pad and a pen. Reverie looked at her. She’s too young compared to the other waitress. She’s wearing light makeup, and seeing how the makeup is applied, it seems like she did it herself.

“We’ll order your lunch special menu for two,” Nate told the waitress.

“Right away, sir,” she said.

She went to the kitchen counter and gave the order slip.

“So, how is he?” she asked Nate.

“He’s doing fine,” Nate answered.

“I wish I could see him right now,” she said.

“I’ve heard your last proposal with a businessman went well.”

“Yeah, he was a schoolmate I met during high school.”

They talked a lot about the things they missed out on with each other. They enjoyed the food and the time they spent like they have nothing to worry about when they went back to their own world. It’s like they were a family looking out for each other’s back and trying to remind each other that everything would be okay.

“It’s nice having this lunch with you once in a while, Reverie.”

“Same goes for me as well.” She smiled.

The waitress came back with the bill, and Reverie took out her card.

“It’s a treat, Nate. Thank you for being with us all this time,” she said.

“I received a lot of gifts from your family, Ms. Welsch,” he said.

“Still not enough for all of your hard work,” Reverie told him.

The waitress came back and gave Reverie back her card.

“Wait,” she said to the waitress.

Reverie read the nameplate the waitress is wearing.

“Siera?” She took some cash and gave it to her.

The waitress was a bit surprised to receive so much tips from a customer.

“You know you’ll get kicked out when your school knew you were doing a part-time job, don’t you?” Reverie whispered.

The waitress looked at her but chose to bow down her head, biting her lips.

“Here,” Reverie also handed her business card.

“If you’re really in need of a job, work for me. I’ll have you covered,” she said.

Siera thanked her a couple of times before leaving their table.

“Is that how you scout an employee?” Nate asked her.

“Not really, but I knew someone before who almost got expelled from working a part-time job. I just want to help,” she said.

“You’re still weird,” Nate told her.

“The Welsch's are,” she corrected.

-0-0-0-

Joe drove slowly while looking out for a house.

“What does it look like?” Sirius asked him.

“I don’t know, but if we’re talking about Draco, it’s a house screaming his obsession with photography,” he answered.

Sirius furrowed his eyebrows and didn’t quite catch the logic in that sentence, but he stayed quiet and let Joe look for it.

“Draco!” Joe called someone.

They stopped in front of someone’s backyard. Sirius saw a man in his late 50’s watering his plants. His backyard looks like a mini version of the field of flowers they passed by before entering the City, but his house looks different from all the neighboring houses.

“Is that it?” Sirius asked Joe.

“What?”

“The house screaming its owner’s taste?”

Joe smirked and went down the car. Draco seemed to remember Joe and smiled widely as they hugged each other.

“It’s been a long time, Joe. Why you came here?” Draco asked him.

Sirius looked at him when he heard Draco speaking in a funny accent.

“You have a really unique taste when it comes to your belongings,” Joe told Draco.

His house looks run down and old, and one blow away from the wind, unlike the other houses around made out of pure concrete and painted with fancy colors.

“It’s picture-perfect. Are you getting the irony of it? A rundown house in a field of colorful flowers,” he said as he tried to capture the image with his hands.

“Woah, you’re really amazing,” Joe complimented him.

“Anyway, I bought a friend.” Joe went closer to him and whispered, “He’s pretty arrogant and unpredictable. Don’t make him feel indifferent nor act like you’re familiar with him—“

“Whispering too loud doesn’t make it a whisper,” Sirius told him and walk towards them.

“I’m Sirius. He said, you may be able to help me with this,” Sirius showed Draco the film roll.

“It’s nice seeing this kind of thing. It’s been a while. Come on, iced coffee or tea?” Draco asked them.

“Coffee,” Sirius said.

“Oh, wait.” Joe went back to their car and picked something. He went back carrying a paper bag.

“It’s nice to pair it up with some precious bagel from Hallray,” Joe told them.

“Wow, how thoughtful? You even brought me some Hallray goodies?” Draco asked with excitement.

“Of course!” Joe laughed meaningfully that lightning would strike him in the middle of a sunny day.

-0-0-0-

“Luckily, I have a darkroom in this house,” Draco told them while rummaging through his things.

“Your house is a dark room itself,” Sirius told him.

Draco looked at him, confused.

Joe laughed it off. “You’re so silly, Sirius,” he said, tapping Sirius’s shoulder with pressure.

“He has a unique sense of humor,” Joe told Draco.

Draco went back to what he was doing.

“You’ve come a long way just for this? I bet it is really important, huh? Well, you went to the right place. I can help you with everything related to photography. You can even contact me as your photographer for special occasions. I remember Joe asked me to capture a picture of this woman he saw at a park. I think you have her number. How’s it going with her, Joe? She was photogenic in every angle, and even in person, she looks stunning,” Draco told them.

“Well, hmm. I never call her,” Joe said in a low tone.

Draco looked at him.

“You never did?” Draco laughed really hard.

“I struggled and almost stumbled on my feet just to get at least three photos of her, but you never called her? I never knew you’re such a loser,” Draco said.

“He is,” Sirius agreed.

“What’s her name again? Laura? Lesley? Lorraine?”

“Lori,” Joe said.

“Yes, Lori.”

There was a long silence after that conversation as Draco focused on setting up his darkroom.

“I think I’m out of developing solution,” he said.