It Is Strange.

Joseline suddenly found something interesting in picking at her fingernails. She swallowed the sudden nervousness in her throat.

"Won't you answer me?"

Joseline shook her head in response. "No grandma" She chuckled, feeling awkward in discussing this with her grandmother.

"Haha! Don't tell me you're too shy to speak about it. Anyway, I don't blame you, you're still a virgin at 22. Hmm, too bad and rare."

Hearing this, the wave of what happened to her last two nights came crashing again. If only her Grandma knew about it, her eyes would have darkened with tears, but she decided not to speak about it. She shoved it off immediately.

Though she was keen to let her grandma know about it, her father's strict warning was enough to make her wise. She knew Dad never told Grandma most of the things. If she has to know what happened to her, it won't come from her.

"You have to take this tea and hurry up. I made it for you. It's your favorite right?"

Joseline nodded, smiling broadly.

"Good. That's why I made it so that it would be the first thing that you would taste. This is to wish you good luck."

"Grandma you're the sweetest. I really appreciate you." Joseline made to hug her again.

"Oh, grandchild, that's nothing. This is what I have missed so much about you, always appreciative."

"Where did you think I learned it from?" Joseline chuckled and slid out of the hug.

"Of course, it's from me," Grandma exclaimed, making Joseline give her wholehearted laughter again.

"Now go and brush your teeth, young lady." Grandma pulled her, urging her towards the bathroom. "You have to hurry, you know a lot will be happening today. I don't want you to look exhausted."

Joseline nodded to that.

"What time is the wedding?"

"It's in the evening. Dad and Raymond scheduled it in the evening."

"Why? Wedding ceremonies start in broad daylight."

"I don't know, Raymond preferred it that time. According to him, he loves to have it when the city is peaceful."

Grandma nodded thoughtfully. "I see, he is a lover of the night peace. Then I'm glad I still have time to spend with you before your makeup crew comes. Hurry and brush so you can have your tea and we have a little chit chat"

Just when she made it towards the bathroom, Lilian entered.

"How are you feeling, Josie?"

"Look at how pretty she looks this morning. So strong." Grandma answered for Joseline.

Lilian smiled at Joseline, surprised at how strong Joseline appeared she almost thought she had never been that weak girl with so many sicknesses.

Joseline checked her body, surprised at the new feeling she had. For once in her life, she felt alive. But she wondered if really it was the herb that Jefferson made or maybe because of the time she took to release her pain while having a special moment with Lilian and Jefferson last night. Whatever it was that made her feel like a living human, she wished it would continue to happen to her.

"We must thank Jefferson for the herb. It worked perfectly well on you." Lilian commended. Speaking of Jefferson, Joseline's cell phone rang, interrupting Lilian.

The moment Joseline picked up her calls, the voice of Jefferson beamed in her ears, "Hello Josie, I called to know how you are."

"I'm feeling better now," Joseline assured him.

"Are you getting ready already?"

"Yes, I'm on it." Joseline took a deep breath, feeling the air of determination around her.

"Alright, see you soon."

"Bye," Joseline responded and felt the gaze of the two young women on her.

"So tell me, did your husband-to-be call you last night? I'm sure you spent the whole night in romantic talks with him." Grandma suddenly asked.

Lilian and Joseline rolled their eyes towards Grandma like they had been reminded of something so important.

"No, Grandma." Joseline simply answered.

"And you didn't call him too?"

"I didn't want to bother him."

"Why?" Grandma asked.

"I guess he is not the romantic type." Lilian chuckled. "I believe he doesn't know how to..."

"Tease his woman." Joseline interrupted and added.

But wait, had she used the right word?

'Is it t—tease that they called it when a man is been romantic to his woman?' Joseline frowned at her thoughts only to hear the voice of her Grandma beam with laughter. "My Grandchild is so clueless. Hahaha!"

Lilian couldn't help her laughter.

To make her awkward moment less shameful, Joseline joined them and laughed until happy tears formed in her eyes.

When she saw the laughter would not die anytime soon, her brows still knotted. She walked into the bathroom, abashed. Just when she closed the door behind her, Joseline realized she didn't know how to be romantic herself.

She was clueless about everything. Taking her toothbrush into her mouth, she wondered how awkward the secret moments with her husband would be; since both of them were 'clueless'.

Evangeline, you look sad. "Lilian queried as she noticed the sober look on her Grandma's face as soon as Joseline went into the bathroom.

Grandma Evangeline faced Lilian, heaved a sigh and said, "It is strange."

"What is strange?" Lilian couldn't help but ask. Her curiosity-filled eyes followed her Grandma's gaze off the window as she noticed her gaze was on the empty sky.

Evangeline's gaze remained on the space and she spoke again, "It's very strange."

Lilian frowned wondering what it was in the sky that was strange to Grandma. The sky that its colour was bright and beautiful but Lilian couldn't identify the strange thing in it.

"To see Joseline smiling to the point of laughing like that is so rare and strange."

Lilian sighed. So it was about Joseline all along. But she was still confused about her Grandma's expression while saying this. She had that emptiness in her eyes that was yet filled with curiosity.

Yes, it was strange that Joseline never laughed in her life but shouldn't she be happy that Joseline was finally smiling and laughing, rather than being sad about it?

"Isn't it what we all wish for her?" Lilian asked stepping closer. Evangeline gaze was still on the sky while Lilian asked. But her mind was on something else.

Her mind was on the prophecy.

"What year is it?" Evangeline suddenly asked.

Lilian was filled with more curiosity. Surely her Grandmother is now truly a 'grandma' that she now forgets about the date and time.

"We are in the year 1988, Grandma," Lilian answered patiently.

"Which month?"

Lilian's brows wrinkled. "T—the third month." Was her Grandma losing her memory? "February to be precise." Lilian quickly added in case she asked her about that too. She was getting impatient with her to receive another question, yet it didn't end there, she forgot to add the one which she thought was last.

"What is today's date?"

"Grandma, is everything okay?" Lilian couldn't help but hiss, but because of the love Lilian has for her Grandma, she was patient enough to answer again, "Today is the 28th."

"Today is Sunday, right?" Out of sadness, Evangeline didn't realize she was asking so many questions.

'What the heck is wrong with Grandma?!!!' Lilian could feel her panicking shoe stamp on the floor.

"Yes, Sunday. Today is Sunday." Lilian decided to swallow her anger.

"So Evangeline, will you tell me now why you're asking all these questions?"

Evangeline's eyes darkened as she slowly turned to face Lilian.

Lilian could feel her palm sweat like her curiosity was cooking the blood in her veins. "What is it, Grandma?"

Evangeline faced the window and after a minute of gazing into space again, she went out of the room leaving Lilian's unanswered curiosity.