Revelations
"Tell me about Joe," Mia said. "The exact way you described grandpa."
Clarisse smiled, her head bowed. "I guess I own you this, don't I?"
Mia didn't answer. She let her grandma bask in the silence. Her head lifted; her eyes found Mia's.
"Joseph is very similar and yet very different," Clarisse began again. "His eyes are brown with an occasional spark to them. His hair was always short and very similar to how it is now only there was more. He's not as tall as Rupert but he's taller than me and just as manly. He has the same broad shoulders and set chin. He always has his usual attire of black clothing but occasionally he wears lighter shirts.
"He was never a sportsman but when Rupert and the boys played soccer or football, he and a few other guards would join in. It was a warm sight to see. He's a very kind man with a big heart. It may not seem like it, but it's true. He can also be very stern and unrelenting when someone does something wrong or something they shouldn't."
Her voice trailed off, running out of things to say. She could go on and on about Joseph but she wasn't sure her granddaughter would want to hear it. It's not that it was too descriptive but would Mia really want to hear her talk about how much she loved the man?
"What makes him so different from grandpa?" Mia wondered. "I don't really see a difference."
Clarisse smiled. That was something she loved about Mia. She always had questions.
"Joseph made me actually feel loved. So did Rupert but it was different coming from Joseph. He made me stop thinking about the pressures of being a wife, a mother, and a queen and start thinking and being like a woman. I was able to forget everything when I was with him and simply focus on the present," the older explained. "It may seem wrong to you, Mia, and it is, but I loved who I became when I was with him. He allowed me the breath of fresh air I so desperately needed."
Mia had to admit, there did seem to be something different about her grandma when she spoke of Joe. Her eyes sparkled and a smile played on her lips. She got this far off look in her eyes, dreamy in a way. It made Mia wonder just how much she loved Joe.
"He helped me be a better person and I'll forever be thankful for him," Clarisse finished.
"Do you still love him?" she asked slowly.
"Yes, I do," Clarisse answered with no hesitation. "I always will."
Mia kept silent. Images, phrases, words—everything was running through her mind. On one hand, she couldn't understand the affair but on the other hand, when her grandma spoke of it, it made absolute sense.
Maybe she had to get Joe's side as well.