The Matchmaker

Un-welcome to Plain Meadows

Grace looked at her watch and saw the bus approaching, she felt uneasy and queasy at the same time, she thought about her older brother Lukas and the time they've spent time together when they were just kids. They were two years about but if feels like he has an old soul of a 70 year old. She couldn't believe that he was sick. She began to imagine the time she was bullied, when Lukas stuck up for her and even punched Echo Harrison's face, the jock and bully of her old school when he called her a Big Eyed wombat. She began looking at her face and tried to analyse if she really looked like a wombat.

"Are you sitting down or what?" One guy behind her ask

She went back to her senses and sat down to an old lady that slept soundly. She quickly apologised at the irate guy wearing a hoodie. She took a glimpse at the guy's back imagining what would his future wife say about his rude behavior but to her surprise she didn't see strings. Before she could say anything she heard a thud behind her, she looked down and saw the old lady's cellular phone

"Hi..excuse me" she says softly as she patted her shoulder

"Oh" the old lady's eyes opened, revealing her beautiful ocean green eyes "I'm sorry dear" she took the phone from Grace's hands and puts it back in her pocket "Are we in Plain Meadows?"

"Plain Meadows? I'm going there too" Grace says

the lady looked her, a bit saddened all of the sudden "Is one of your loved ones dying?"

there was silence "H-how did..."

"Young women like you go to Plain Meadows either to visit someone who is dying or to rest and wait for their time to come...when God takes them away" her eyes trailed off as she looks outside the window

Grace pondered a bit, she did understand what the old lady meant. Plain Meadows was a city full of old aged people or families with underlying sickness. Most of the healthy young ones were off to the military or left to have a career...some fled due to fear of their past. Like her.

"Are you planning to visit someone?"  she tried to lighten the mood 

"No my child, I live by myself. I just visited my grandson who lives in the city. I'm Judith Polt" her eyes were smiling "You are very beautiful...you look like a Wells?"

Grace swore this woman is psychic "Yes, Grace Wells"

"Ah!" she clasp her hands "You are from that family"

Yes from "that" family Grace thought, she hated being labeled as one of those aristocratic beings that seemed to bring forth condemnation on her part since she seemed  so different. Being blessed with wealth and fortune did not bring happiness and contentment to her, it only confused her and isolated her from reality. She knew reality now, worked hard to pay rent and making ends meet. Eating noodles instead of caviar, sleeping in a room with cramped space and cramped bathroom. Yes she was happy and contented with what she than the loneliness in a mansion surrounded by maids.

"I know about the accident my dear" Judith softly said " It was not your fault"

"Yes, thanks. It wasn't the reason why I left" she lied "I wanted freedom" that was truth

"Excellent, you were always the different one. I've seen you in the newspapers, you loved the outdoors and seem to enjoy the company of people outside your league. My grandson used to work for your Father that is why I know these things" she added

Grace still things she knows more than she says but let her off with it, she grew up in the public eye so it wasn't surprising. She remembered standing behind her Father while he was being interviewed by International Press. Her mother made her wear an expensive necklace  designed by an Arabian Royal jeweller. She remembered looking at it in disgust when she knew there were children dying around the world due to starvation and she gets to wear this sparkling necklace that won't even make a difference in the lives of the beneficiaries. She doesn't understand why there is a need to buy hundreds of shoes when they were uncomfortable. She smiled a bit as a she remembered wearing slippers during a charity ball because the Louboutins were killing her legs every time she takes her first step, her mother scolded her after but she already made headlines in the fashion community

"Of all the shoes you wore for comfort you took the one from Payless!" her mother exclaimed "Why can't you be like Beatrice Crass?" 

Ah Beatrice Crass, Grace thought, the lovely maiden who got pregnant at 15. Belonging to the Crass family that her parents are associated with but she must admit, the Winery they own was top of the line. Memories started to come back once more as she saw the Sign of Plain Meadows, it had a new design and there were more flowers. It was new to her eyes

"The old shed of Mr. Vilan...it's gone" she says 

"It was bought, poor man, he died peacefully" Judith says

"He's dead?...How?" 

"My dear Mr. Vilan was 99 years old. The land was bought"

"By who?"

"The Wells".

She was at loss for words again, they still have no regard of the first generation. Mr. Vilnan was the first generation national treasure of his time. He was there even before Plain Meadows  even became Plain Meadows. It was disheartening to know that he passed even at 99 years of age without proper respect to his own house

"This is unacceptable" she fumed "Where was he buried?" 

"In a small grave"

Grace made a point that she would visit his grave and plant flowers around his tomb to honor him. He had no family, he was a man of honor and dignity. She remembered visiting him and he would offer her cookies and milk, sometimes she would snuck out the mansion just to see him and his birds which I'm sure that he set free before he passed away.