C11 Can You Play The Piano For Us?

"Good evening, everyone," a hoarse voice coming from a woman greeted them. Alice's attention darted to the old lady that was getting inside the dining room. She was being pushed in a wheelchair. Her curly short hair perfectly fit her small face, and even if her face was already wrinkled, she could say that the woman was a beauty during her younger years.

Her eyebrows were thick like those of Kendrick, and it was paired with long eyelashes that made her eyes expressive. The woman looked like a female version of Kendrick. Could this be the grandmother that he was actually talking about?

"Good evening, Mom," Nelson Villarama greeted the old woman as she joined the table. The old woman lifted her hands as if saying to the people at the table to continue whatever they were doing.

"Oh, Drake, you are here," she said, and her face was full of surprise as if she was not used to seeing the man joining them at the dinner table. "Good evening, grandma," Kendrick uttered.

"And, who is this beautiful young lady beside you?" The old woman said while she couldn't remove her gaze at Alice. She smiled, but before she could even answer to introduce herself, Kendrick spoke again.

"This is Alice Benson, grandma. She is the woman that I am talking about. She's my girlfriend," Kendrick said, and Alice could hear her heart beating so fast because of the introduction that Kendrick had made for her. She wanted to close her eyes because she didn't want to see the reaction of the people that were around them, but she knew that she couldn't.

"Relax, I got you..." Those words of Kendrick suddenly flashed inside her mind. So, she smiled. "It's nice meeting you," she finally uttered, and she was thankful that she didn't stammer.

"Good evening, dear. I am glad that you are here to join us for dinner. How are you so far? Is everyone treating you nice?" The old woman asked, which shocked her. What did she mean by her last question?

"Of course, mom," Kendrick's father said in a defensive tone. "Please feel at home," the woman said and smiled sweetly at her.

Alice felt like the needles that were buried in her body were removed because of the old woman. She felt that the pressure was suddenly gone because of what she had shown her. It seemed that the old woman was kind-hearted, and she was so far from the grandmother that she was already imagining inside her mind. She was more afraid of Kendrick's father and his Aunt. They seemed to measure someone's life status, and she hated that idea. But the old woman was just okay. She didn't ask anything else after the introduction.

They all ate quietly. She thought that probably that's how wealthy people were eating. They wouldn't talk until they were already finished with their food. Well, she couldn't agree more because that was also a sign of respect for food.

When everyone was finished with their meal, Aunt Carmela invited everyone to be in the living room. Kendrick guided her to stand up, and then they both walked together. Kendrick walked her to his grandmother. She smiled sweetly at the old woman and then gave her a light kiss on the cheeks as a formal greeting to her.

"I hope you are well, grandma," she said to the old woman. "I am fine, dear. I am happy that Drake finally had a good taste when it comes to women," she said and then turned to Kendrick. "Simple yet elegant and classy," she added while looking at her grandson.

She smiled timidly. The compliment made her heart swell in gladness. Because compared with the clothes of the whole family, which were all designer's brand, she felt like she was trash. So, she didn't know if the compliment was real or they were just saying it to her to make her feel better.

"I told you so," Kendrick said and then smiled at her. Alice felt like her heart had skipped a beat because of what the man had done. How could he smile like that? He looked like a model of toothpaste. His teeth were perfect and he could take any woman's breath away, and she must admit that she was one of those women.

"Thank you, grandma," she said and then they all walked towards the living room where the other members of the family were waiting for them. Alice felt at ease because of Kendrick's grandmother. It seemed that the woman was not difficult to get along with compared to Kendrick's father and Aunt. She felt that those two people were the ones that she would be having some problems with.

She felt Kendrick's hand pressing her palm as if he was saying that everything was fine. She didn't know, but she appreciated the way that the man was calming her down. She looked at him and then uttered thank you with no sound at all. She saw the man smile at her. They were all finally seated in the wide living room. She felt that it was already their whole house. She couldn't help but be amazed because of the mansion of Villarama. She was like an ordinary person who got lost and accidentally went into the palace of the royal family.

In every corner of the house, she could see the trace of their wealth. From the couch up into the figurines that were displayed in the cabinet in the living room and the paintings that were hung on the wall. She couldn't imagine the cost of each stuff that was in the living room, and even if she would be working twenty-four seven in her entire life, she knew that she wouldn't be able to afford to buy everything that she was seeing inside the mansion.

"Harmony, dear," Aunt Carmela called her attention. Her heart was pounding so fast again as if there were butterflies inside her stomach. "Can you play the piano for us?