Film of Love

Vingt-Neuf

The moment the voices behind me went off for a long dramatic silence I decided to head in front of them surprisingly saying the line, “Do you want me to help you?”

The looks on their faces are mixed with surprise, amuse and confusion—it’s fun while it lasts. The man who looks like he came from some wealthy-ish family went serious while the…man who looks like he came out from some old newspaper with his “investigator” hat looked at me and back to the man.

“My bad! I am Dem Linton,” I introduced and kindly pull out my hand for a handshake. I did expect that he will not take it but I don’t expect that the man beside him take it. Like who the hell is he?

“Oh! Don’t mind him! I am Mr. Han Ramoz, this is my client, Mr. Martin,” he says as he shook my hands harder this time. What an aggressive man.

“Mr. Martin?” I repeated the name lowly—it feels like I heard the surname before. After some deep thinking and going back.

“Is Mr. Martin the-” I was interrupted by him and he said, “Ah yes! he is Mr. Martin the actor but please keep it to yourself. We want to be low-key first here.” The man glared at the 80s man and he just sheepishly smiled at him.

I stare at them, that’s not…what I am asking. I want to facepalm myself as he didn’t even let me finish. I sighed and the man who is named “Mr. Martin” spoke.

“so…you’re eavesdropping since earlier?”

“No…I mean yes…maybe?” I scratch my head for not knowing the answer. He looked at me like he doesn’t trust me—well, who could trust someone who just popped out of nowhere.

I felt like I need to change his mind and revoked what I had just said. “Well, you see I heard a name that is very familiar with me,” I told him emphasizing the word “Familiar” to point out the real reason why I suddenly appeared in front of them without notice.

“And that would be what?”

I fake coughed and responded, “January.”

“January Ashton,” I added. He shifts his eyes on me again while I turned somewhere. His eyes are very crazy to look at—very intimidating.

“what about her?” he continued to ask. I glanced to nowhere and sighed for the nth time—I think of an excuse to ready myself.

I looked at some café near the hospital and suggested, “I would like to tell you what I know about her…if you would like to have coffee in the near café.” I pointed to the modern café across the building.

He seems to understand the situation and stand up and walked to the said café with the confused investigator following him and I walked behind them.

Thankfully, the café is empty and this is the chance to have a private conversation to…I’d say a sensitive topic. Aryn’s situation right now is a mess and hopefully, I can help him.

Mr. Martin is such a gentleman to me but not to Mr. Ramoz who I find funny and weird. He looks…a bit dumb and looks like a lost child who doesn’t know anything about fashion. I can’t blame the man but he looks outstanding even though they want to be low-key for the meantime.

“Mr. Ramoz, isn’t it weird to wear the magician’s hat?” I asked on purpose as we seated at the back corner of the café. He looks at me like he is being offended.

“No, it’s not and it’s not a magician’s hat!” he snaps—Mr. Martin seems to enjoy the teasing as he laughed a bit.

“But he wants to stay low-key,” I commented with my low voice as possible but as the place is empty besides the crew it can be heard within us.

“Yeah, I know right!” Martin agreed. “I am glad he is an investigator and not a secret agent.” He savagely added and I laughed at it.

“So…”

“Wait!” I stop him from continuing. “Do you want to order first?”

“I am not that hungry,” he said. The man on the other side nodded also but said, “I am thirsty, though.” I nodded as I felt the same. I asked him what he wants and he just said that he wants Americano and I stand up and ordered it with my order too.

I came back with the drinks and I can see that they are talking. “There you are! That took so long!”

“So…What do you know about her?” he asked directly.

“A lot!”

“Well, how about you? Why do you want to get her medical record?”

“I am finding this girl that I know who disappeared suddenly and my investigator here said that there are some records from that hospital.”

“why do you want to?”

“I wish that I can be only to know this,” he said. It’s suspicious I don’t know if he is a good one or the bad one.

“I will promise that I will keep the records safely.” The atmosphere suddenly becomes heavy and serious even the investigator that looks funny was in his serious mode. I look at them and think if I am doing it right but I am the one who approached them. Am I a bad friend if I will give them the records? I asked myself. I will be regretting it my whole life and I would be sorry for the rest of my life but I will stake my life and decisions here.

“will you help me?” he asked with a much softer and pleasing voice this time. He looks desperate, his eyes now hold a lot of emotions—pleading to me to say yes.

A weighty silence surrounds us and even the crew went to see if we are all doing okay. The silence ease up as the barista served our drinks.

“Yes. I will do what you wish for,” I said.

“All right!” he sound devastated but then glance up quickly and said, “Can you repeat what did you say?”

“I said yes. I gladly help you.”

“Really? Thank you very much!” he thanked me and went back to his mode earlier. I will take this chance to see if he and Aryn are connected, and if not…then I lost it.

“Will you give me time to plan this out?” I asked finishing my coffee as they finished theirs. Mr. Martin nodded and gave me a piece of paper.

“If you are ready call this number and we will be there,” he says as he stands up and fixes his clothes and Mr. Ramoz did the same.

I felt a vibration in my pocket and picked it up and it came from my mom. I read it and realized that I spent a plentiful amount of time outside.

I bid farewell first as I was needed in the hospital right now and they did the same and we separate paths, holding into one thing—a trust from one another.

It’ll be my first time trusting people because of my guts. If they turned out bad them I will never trust my guts again. I maybe don’t know all the answers to my why’s but hopefully, I can finally see the answer. All I need to do now is to go back to the hospital and Honfleur.