Chapter 13 Seven Years Later... (2/2)
”You should really eat healthier Mimi, instant noodles aren't good for someone who's still growing.” Alec lectures.
Mimi holds back a scoff, already use to her brother's critics in her life choices. Ever since she decided to live by herself that's all he ever seemed to do.
”How about you take me out to eat and then we can discuss it?” Mimi grins ear to ear. ”I'm sure you and Jean have a lot to talk with me about.”
Alec sighs on the other end before agreeing to provide the wicked girl.
Ending the call Mimi hops towards her room to get dressed. Putting on a brown jacket, a black T-shirt, dirty white sneakers and blue jeans, Mimi makes her way out of the house to meet Alec.
On her way out of her apartment, she meets her elderly sixty-eight-year-old neighbor Grace Waters.
The old woman lived with her sick husband Glen Waters who mostly stayed inside. He would occasionally come out to collect the mail or place plants out for the apartment.
Glen Waters owned a small well-established flower shop with his wife but was bedridden from an old illness.
That left Grace and her twenty-three-year-old niece, Perry to run the shop. Seeing Mimi exiting her apartment, the old woman nods her head towards Mimi acknowledging her.
”Good evening, Mimi,” Grace says raising her thin silver eyebrows. ”Where are you off to?”
Mimi smiles at the nosy old woman. Grace was a calm old woman who mostly kept to herself...unless it involved Mimi.
Grace became quite acquainted with the young teenage girl after two years after her move.
Mimi would occasionally visit her shop to purchase a set of white roses monthly.
The old woman soon became curious after recognizing the little girl who she soon figured out was her neighbor enter her shop once every month.
Grace had not once seen the girl's parents and could merely assume that the young girl's family were busy people.
But after years of noticing the young girl shopping for herself and always coming home alone, Grace started to secretly worry.
Glen would consistently notify her to mind her own business and ignore it since it was Mimi's problem but Grace, stubborn from the beginning continued to watch Mimi from a distance.
After giving the young girl a basket full of vegetables and fruits the two soon became acquainted where Grace then figured out Mimi's mischievous teasing personality that she herself found amusing.
”I'm out to meet Alec,” Mimi chirps. ”He's treating me out to eat!”
”Greedy girl!” Grace scolds. ”Go easy on that brother of yours, I swear you go out to eat more than my husband used to.”
”Grace, when have you ever heard of someone giving up a free meal?” Mimi pouts. ”If a person is given the opportunity to a meal that they themselves don't need to pay for do you think they should simply decline it?”
Hearing Mimi's shameless words, Grace scoffs at the young girl.
It appeared to Grace that after knowing Mimi for so long, the girl passionately enjoyed money but not as much as food.
”Not unless that person is a stranger,” Grace said knocking Mimi on the head. ”Foolish girl! Be careful alright? Come home early don't want your parents to worry do you?”
Mimi strokes her head before nodding her head obediently with a bubbly grin.
Despite the two being close, Grace never knew of Mimi's living situation and that she lived independently, she had assumed her parents were workaholics who rarely appeared home.
Who knew the truth truly was brutal and unpleasant.