Vermillion of Beauty - part 2

"It is not a rift! Don't call it that!"

"But it caused a rift" I persisted.

"It didn't!" his voice mellowed and he put down his head. "It was rather a vermillion of love"

I looked at him, he was really old. Very old with heavy wrinkles masked on his face but his eyes still held a vigor and virility that made him seem stronger than his age. However, his limbs cracked while he walked, and he moaned as he sat down. If he was the one he would be almost eighty, ninety, or even a hundred years old!

He coughed and cleared his throat. "I made necklaces for the lady, or rather she bought my pieces without even knowing who I was. I gifted it. Yes."

"Now isn't that incredible Mr.…" I pulled the chair to sit.

"Thompson Cres" he added.

"Yes, Mr Thompson Cres so….."

"Papa!"

Someone interrupted walking into the shop. A young man.

"Henry, did you get the herbs I told you?" Mr Thompson asked the man who smiled.

"I did." he came in to drop the basket of green leaves. "And who is your acquaintance great grandfather?"

"Oh, him," he eyed at me. "He is just some curious stubborn boy"

He came forward to give his hand. "I'm his great-grandson, Tony Cres"

"Oh, nice to meet you, I'm Eugene Houston"

He looked at the old man and said. "I will be in the inner room to get the medicine ready, call on me if you need anything"

He nodded at him resting his jaw on the walking stick as he left.

"What are you still doing here young man?"

"We're not done talking, good sir" I turned to him with a charming smile.

"I have said more than was required, you can leave with the information and——I am not selling." He seemed resolved in his decision.

"Why?"

"I do not want to sell it, any of them, especially that one. I will only give it to someone worthy"

"Aren't I worthy?"

His eyes pierced into mine.

"You called it the rift of lovers, but do you know how many nights and days it took to craft the diamond into that shape Knowing I won't make any money from it? It took more than strength. Tell me, young boy what do you think kept me through all those days of crafting it?"

"Strength? Zeal? Passion? motivation?…..

"And…."

"What else?" I asked. "An artist only needs those to keep them in the act"

"Tsk tsk tsk" he clicked his tongue and shook his head. "You still know nothing after everything I've told you and you want to snatch it away from me."

"But you tell, what else motivated…."

"Love fool! Love!"

"Is everything okay, papa?" His grandson snuck his head out.

"Everything is fine"

He waved at him and he disappeared from the door.

I grew silent and he kept looking at me.

"You are not worthy to buy it off my hand, a handsome man like yourself is the type women call a rake! What do you know about love!"

"You can't say that grandpa"

"I'm not your grandpa"

"You are now" I smiled. "You've piqued my interest. As you said yourself you would surely give it away. You won't give it to your great grandson there neither any of your children. I'm very sure none of them knows of this. But here I am, you told me all without even knowing my name. I came here at one glance at it. Now," I leaned forward. "Isn't that fate, grandpa?"

Different kinds of emotions flashed in his eyes.

"I made it with so much love, have you ever loved before?"

"I have"

"And…"

I swallowed. "It didn't work out. Now I'm longing to buy it off your hand not because I want to love or have someone to love but because I am an artist and….."

"What happened?"

"What?"

"The girl"

"It didn't work out, she…. She wanted someone else"

How difficult it was to say this in front of the man. My chest was burning. I didn't know talking it out would surface all the heartaches.

"Now, that is what I'm saying. You might have loved her but she doesn't. There is something we call the two sides of a coin. Bring the necklace for me"

"Me?"

"Of course, you boy"

"Oh, my pleasure" I stood up and walked to the necklace removing the wrap. I held it like the treasure it was and offered it to him.

He dropped his walking stick and took the necklace in his hands and to my surprise he opened the stone like pages in a book. Inside the two flower-shape was an opening of two carved hearts.

"See, two sides of a coin, these hearts, when you close it back they jam together perfectly, they complete each other. That is what happens to people. There is always a heart to complete yours, another half-heart that would fit into yours whether it is damaged, broken, or rotten… it would surely fit no matter how and no other heart would be able to fit like it. That girl never loved you. Maybe she did but since she was never the one for you, it was bound to fall off one day or another.

People may be married, or even be in a good courtship, but if I tell you, how many people didn't marry or are even courting people who are not their perfect fit, you will be surprised." he closed back the pendant. "Love happens in the soul and spirit, not in the outer body. That is why it is bound to last forever."

I had no words.

"Young man,"

"Sir"

"You will find that person, but sometimes you should beware, it won't be a perfect kind of love. It may jar the logical sense as of the physical but bear in mind, that you will know when it finds you. And sometimes…. You may not end up with them because it will be hard. But they would change you and alter your soul. That is why they are called soulmates."

I was silent taking these words in.

"Take" he offered it to me surprisingly.

"I should take it?"

He nodded lazily. "Go on."

I collected it from him.

"Perhaps it is fate that we are meant to cross paths. I told you things even before I knew you. That is it, connection happens in the soul and spirit, and neither does it need permission from time."

"Thank you very much, sir"

He waved it off. "I hope you find love and perhaps it could turn out to be your vermillion of love instead of the heart of darkness or any of those ridiculous names it had been called."

"How much will I pay?"

He stalled looking at me with furious eyes. "Have you learned nothing?"

"You're not giving it to me for free, are you?"

"You're not as bright as your handsome face. Go, I give you for free." his backbones cracked when he wanted to stretch them and he moaned.

"Sorry, sir"

He waved again.

"I think it's high time I hand it over to a young capable heart that might perhaps have the love I never had"

"I'm forever grateful for this, I.…"

"Goodness Eugene! I have been searching for you!"