Moonlight Lovers

Twenty-six

DAHLIA stared at the resignation letter Selene handed her that morning when her employee approached her favorite spot in the café with the coffee she ordered and a piece of bagel. She glanced back at the young woman in great disbelief.

“Tell me you’re joking,” she said disappointedly.

Selene smiled shyly. “I’m really sorry if I didn’t put in an earlier notice, Dahlia. Everything happened so quickly. And I just didn’t want to waste this opportunity.”

Dahlia dropped her shoulders. “But you and Caleb were my best employees,” she said.

Selene tucked her hair behind her ear. She glanced over her shoulder, at Caleb, who was mopping the floor near the counter. “Well, you still have Caleb here. And I’m sure you’ll find a replacement for me right away.”

Dahlia sighed. “Well, I guess there’s nothing I can do about it since it looks like you’re already decided. I’m just really sad that you’re leaving, but I’m also very happy for you at the same time,” she said. “Where will you be working now?”

“I’ll be an assistant to Godric Octavius,” Selene proudly said.

Dahlia’s brows creased. “Godric Octavius. That name sounds familiar.”

“You probably heard his name somewhere. He’s the CEO of The Orchid,” Selene explained.

Dahlia hummed in acknowledgement. That’s probably where she heard it. “I’m sure you will be happy wherever you want to go from here, Selene. Just know that if you want to come back to check in on us or talk to us, you can do so anytime.”

Selene smiled. “Thank you again, Dahlia.” She grabbed her boss’s hand and squeezed them tightly. “For everything.”

CALEB feels more alone than when he first came to Clairhill a year ago. With Selene gone, he had a lot of work at the café to help keep his mind occupied. But whenever he stops and thinks about Selene, something sharp and painful seems to poke at his heart.

He knew that Selene assured him that her leaving had nothing to do with what happened in the photo booth, but he could not help but think about it as a possible motivation for her decision. The timing was just so unusual. And if it really wasn’t the case, then he just happened to have messed up at the worst possible time.

And that’s even worse because Selene’s gone now. He’ll have no chance to fix it. Not that there’s any way to fix the feelings he has for her. But he just can’t barge in on that filthy rich bastard’s super rich mansion and demand to talk to Selene. It would only make him more of a loser in comparison to the accomplishment and wealth of that guy.

Caleb sighed. By and by, going to work becomes more and more of a challenge than a delight like it used to be when Selene was still working with him, when they were still on better terms. That’s why he had decided that it’s probably time to leave Clairhill. He will just go back to Clessau like his parents had always wanted him to do. He had already drafted a resignation letter and he plans to give it to Dahlia today.

When his boss arrives in his beautiful spring clothing today, Caleb wasted no time and immediately talked to the young café owner.

“You’re quitting too?” She asked, very surprised. “What is going on here?”

“Don’t worry, Dahlia. I promise to stay until you can find two people to replace me and Selene. I will train the new employees too and make sure the café is operating smoothly before I leave,” Caleb elaborated.

Dahlia sat down on the chair. “This is too soon. Can you not just stay? I already lost Selene. I can’t lose you, too.”

Caleb politely refused her offer. “I’ve loved working here, too and I’m grateful to you Dahlia, but I’m afraid I really must go back to my hometown in Clessau.”

Dahlia sighed. “I wish I can change your mind. But fine, I will accept this if you promise to find and train two new employees to replace you and Selene?”

Caleb nodded.

He kept his promise to Dahlia. The following morning, he posted a simple ad on the café’s window saying they are hiring part-timers. He got on social media and made an announcement, too. Caleb stayed for two more weeks while he trained the new employees that Dahlia hired. When he was confident that the newbies were going to be fine on their own, he said goodbye to Dahlia and packed his bags to move out of his apartment the following day.

CALEB stepped out of the cab when the vehicle reached the rusty gates of 112 Apple Orchard Drive in Clessau, with a backpack and a carry-on valise. The cab driver had already driven off but Caleb remained where he stood as he stared at the house he grew up in. He didn’t tell anyone in his family that he’s coming back home. He’s not exactly sure how they would react if they see him now after telling them just last month that he’s never gonna return to Clessau.

He sighed. He really ate his words.

Caleb tried to convince himself that this move is for his benefit above all. Firstly, Selene had already accepted Godric Octavius’s job offer. The last he heard, she’s even moved in as a stay-in employee at his house. Clairhill is a big city, but they may still bump into each other. And if they do, he’d probably appear desperate around her. He missed her. He wanted to see her. And if he sees her living happily in her new life, of course, he’d be happy for her, but at the same time, he’d feel sad. And he can’t deal with his emotions just yet. He didn’t want to ruin the good fortune that Selene was given just because he cannot let go of his feelings for her. And with Selene gone, there’s no reason for him to work at the café. Thus, he has no reason to stay in Clairhill right now, too.

Secondly, even if he had sternly implied his desire never to go back to Clessau, he could not help but notice the fear in his parent’s voices when they called him last time, but about what, he has absolutely no idea. He hasn’t been in Clessau for a few years, and he has stopped asking his family what is going on in their small town. Even if they were the ones who would initiate the conversation, he would appear very uninterested. So, he has no idea what could have provoked such anxiety in his parents. After all, Martin and Patricia Ludresh were not vulnerable average people. In fact, they will probably be the strongest personality anyone will ever meet in their life.

Caleb warily pushed the gates and was not so surprised when he found out it was not locked. They never locked their gates nor the doors to their house, especially in the daytime. When he was younger, his parents used to tell him it’s so their neighbors or anyone who needs their help can easily come in and get what they need. Growing up in the small quiet town of Clessau, that logic never really made sense to him. Their neighborhood was very quiet and organized. He could not remember any of their neighbors needing to rush to his parent’s house for anything.

Oh, well, it’s not like there were not at least a handful of people gossiping about his family and how his parents apparently are not in the right state of mind most of the time. There were not a lot of those people, but to a few that did, Caleb had gotten himself used to just not listening to them and ignoring whatever they were saying about his family behind their backs.

As he pushed the front door of the house, Caleb dropped his bags and called, “Mom?”

From the kitchen, Patricia Ludresh came running out to the living room, both of her hands and a part of her shirt that was not covered by the apron she was wearing was covered in white powder. Her grayish hair was twisted in a bun with a pencil.

Caleb smiled. She was baking. Her mom had always loved baking, even though she was never really good at cooking. He believed he got his sense of pushing himself to the limit from her. His mom never gives up on anything she’s trying to do and would always try her best.

“Caleb! Oh, my God, honey! What are you doing here? Why didn’t you call us?” His mom looked surprised to see his face. She reached for his face and tenderly kissed his cheeks before pulling him to a tight hug. “Oh, Caleb, we missed you!”

His younger sister, Amelia—who probably heard the commotion downstairs—suddenly showed up at the top of the stairs from the second floor of the house. Her smile grew wider by the second as she recognized who had arrived. She shrieked, “Caleb!” And she rushed down the stairs to throw a big hug at him.

“Hey, Ames. How are you, troublemaker?”

When his father came into the house from the back door, his mother and sister both stepped aside to give them a little space, watching as their father and son moment slowly unfold.

“Dad,” he simply said.

His dad dropped the tools he was holding down on the sofa to hug him. He was probably in his workshop being a little creative as he always does. He hugged him back tightly, feeling very happy. Caleb never realized how much he actually missed his family until he’s finally with them again. And he’s very happy that they are glad he’s back, too.

That night, her mom prepared a little welcome party for him. She had somehow told some of their neighbors that he’s back, that their son is back and they were really happy, and they were throwing a little barbeque party to celebrate his return. Their neighbors, who attended the small get-together, brought a little something—food or wine—and asked him questions about his life in Clairhill and what made him decide to finally return to Clessau.

Caleb doesn’t remember some of the faces of their neighbors and figures they must be new in the neighborhood. Nevertheless, he tried to entertain all of them and answered their questions with the safest responses he could give. They didn’t have to know about Selene or his recent heartbreak.

Later, Ames approached him, pulling a girl around her age by her arm. The girl looked shy and could not even look him in the eye.

“Caleb, you remember Alisha, right?”

He stared at the girl for a few seconds, before snapping a finger. “Oh, yeah, you were friends, right? You’re the niece of Ames’s math tutor in seventh grade.”

The girl’s eyes lit up when he said he remembers her. “I thought you didn’t know me.”

He shrugged. “I was only gone for about a year.”

“No, I meant that you never really looked at me bef—”

“Caleb! Come here!” His mom appeared from behind him, holding his shoulder and turning him around to introduce her to someone who just came, eventually cutting off Alisha. “Your Aunt Yolanda is here. She came all the way from Wobrium when I told your Uncle Cervano that you are back in Clessau. Your uncle is gonna follow and will be here in a few days. He’s just a little busy right now.”

Caleb forced a smile. “How are you doing, Aunt Yolanda?”

“Good. Really glad that you’re back. Your family’s been waiting for you. It’s about time.”

Caleb failed to hide the knot that formed on his forehead this time. It’s about time?