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"When did they meet?" Juliet asked as she took out another picture and stared at it.. they looked inseparable like Gladys had said, and this picture was taken outside the very same house that she and Alex were in. "They met when they were seventeen. Your mother had just moved here with her mother and father, with her sister Claudia, I can't forget her because Claudia was a menace always causing trouble wherever she went, but your mother was different" Gladys reached into the box and picked out another picture from the dozens of pictures that were in the box and a warm smile appeared on her face as she stared at this particular picture. "Your mother was very calm and introverted, unlike Gerald. he was much more hyper and outgoing, and it didn't take long for him to fall for her. I don't blame him. She was stunning..." "And then it was time for them to go off to college, but Gerald got into some trouble... he had to go to jail for a while and this broke your mother... but she waited for two years for him to get out, but I was furious at him... furious that he would do such a thing when he knew the kind of life his father had lived and how it led to his death" Gladys paused for a moment and took a deep breath... "So I asked him to leave and he did... he left with your mother, but I didn't know he would be gone for this long. I waited for him, but he never showed up, and I was devastated. Afraid that something might have happened to him. I tried looking for him but I couldn't find him" Juliet felt her heart break as she watched Gladys wipe away the tears in her eyes... Alex took out his hankerchief from his jacket and handed it to her and she smiled at him... "I didn't touch a single thing in his room for years. I always hoped that one day he would finally return and we could be a family once again, but the longer I waited, the more I wondered if he would return when I'm alive... sometimes, I wonder where he might be right now or what he is doing. here, this is the key to the room. you can check it out if you want, " Gladys said and handed the key that was in the box to juliet. juliet looked at Alex, who smiled and nodded at her... "his room is over there." Gladys pointed, and juliet up got up... her heart raced in her chest as she walked to the room and when she was finally standing in front of the door... she just stood there silently for a few seconds hesitating. was he really her father? or was he just her mother's first love that hadn't ended well. she wondered. her hand travelled to the door knob but stopped midair... she took a deep breath and steadied herself before she finally opened the door, not sure what she was expecting to see.. juliet walked into the room. her eyes scanning every inch of it as she walked it in. everything was neatly arranged. the bed was made, and she could still see a few of his things placed on his table... she walked to the table and picked up a book, and grazed her hand over it. there was not even a speck of dust. her heart felt heavy as she walked to the wardrobe and opened it to see that his clothes were still there. some where folded. while the rest were hanged, it felt like he was still living there even though the room had been empty for over twenty years. she could tell that Gladys was hoping for him to return one day, but juliet wasn't sure about that. she barely had any memories of him and her mother, who seemed to be the only one who knew where he had just passed away. it made her wonder if her mother wanted her to find her grandmother or her father. she wasn't even sure what to say to Gladys now, this was the first time they met. Juliet walked back to the table and picked up a picture frame of her father... He had a bright smile on his face, and even though she knew nothing about him, she could tell he was very happy in the picture... "Are you dead or alive?" She muttered as she stared at the picture. "I wonder that too." Juliet turned to see Gladys standing by the entrance of the room, Alex standing behind her... "You look just like him. you have the same eyes, " Gladys said. A sad smile appeared on her face, and juliet felt her heartbreak for her grandmother. she had been living alone for so long and didn't even know that she had a grandchild. this brought tears to her eyes, and she had to look away so Alex and Gladys wouldn't see her cry, but it was too late. Alex walked into the room and immediately walked straight to where juliet was standing. he took her hand, and juliet wiped her tears away with the back of her sleeves. "Don't worry, we will find him, I promise," he said to her and drew her into his arms while she sobbed silently... Gladys stood there watching as Alex embraced her granddaughter in his arms. some moments ago she had no idea she had a granddaughter and now here she was feeling glad that juliet had someone to rely on unlike her. she had been unlucky with her marriage and had become a widow at a very young age, then her son who she wanted to rely on had left after a misunderstanding between then and she had not seen him for so long. her life felt like a punishment, and each day was harder for her to live. But now that she was staring at juliet, she felt like she had a responsibility to carry out... she wanted to be the best grandmother ever, if she was ever given the chance. this brought tears to her eyes...