Chapter 3: [REVISED]
1216 Words
[REVISED]
Seri's POV
"Who is it?" I asked curiously.
"Well, Papa told me not to tell anyone until Mr. Adams has officially announced it to everyone but since you're my best friend and all, I'll tell you" she giggled.
Annie leaned in to whisper in my ear again.
"You see, the important person coming tomorrow is---" Annie was about to tell me who when she was suddenly cut off.
"Seri!" one of the orphanage elders came and called for me.
"Mr. Adams is looking for you, kid" he said.
Annie and I glanced at each other.
"Let's go?" Annie said and I nodded.
Both Annie and I went back inside the orphanage.
Annie spent some time with the kids, and I went to Mr. Adams' office on my own.
I walked through the hallway and into Mr. Adams' office.
I knocked 3 times and waited for him to let me inside.
"Come in" he said from inside his office.
I opened the door and peeked inside.
"Mr. Adams?" I said as my head poked out from the door.
"You were looking for me" I asked.
Mr. Adams turned around with a smile on his face.
"Seri, come" he said.
I went inside and walked over to his table.
"Sit down for a moment, kiddo" he told me.
I nodded and sat down in front of his table.
Mr. Adams took something out from below his desk and put it on the table.
It was a rectangular box.
"Open it, kiddo" he encouraged me with a smile on his face.
I looked at Mr. Adams curiously.
"What is this, Mr. Adams?" I asked.
"You'll see. Open it" he said and pushed the box closer to me.
I bit my lower lip and reached for the box hesitantly.
What could this be?
I removed the ribbon on the box and slowly opened it with curiosity.
As soon as I opened the box, my jaw dropped in awe as I stared at the content of the box.
It was a ukulele made from mahogany wood.
"Mr. Adams this is..." I trailed off.
"It's for you. A gift from me for you this special day" he said.
"But this must have cost you a fortune. I can't possibly accept it, sir" I told him.
"You must. It’s a gift. My gift to you" he told me.
"I'd be upset if you don't accept my birthday gift" he said.
I bit my lower lip as I teared up.
I stared at the ukulele in complete awe and lightly touched it.
"You can try to play it, Seri. Go ahead, try." Mr. Adams encouraged.
I looked at Mr. Adams and he gave me an encouraging smile.
I carefully picked the ukulele up and out of the box.
I took a deep breath as I started playing.
Then, memories came flashing back.
I was 3 when I first held an instrument…
I remember very vividly how my parents were skilled with instruments too.
My dad would play the guitar, and my mom would play the piano.
Then, they would sing.
We...we would sing together.
My dad and mom taught me how to play the ukulele at an early age. It was a little bonding moment for the 3 of us.
I remember how we used to play together in the living room, and how we even played for the whole pack when I was about 6 years old.
It was such a fond moment. I felt happy. Ecstatic even.
I was the happiest when I was with my parents.
They were always the most loving, caring and understanding parents one could ever ask for.
My parents, they… they were everything to me.
As I played, a tear fell from my eye then another and another as I continued to play.
The specific song I was playing was my parents' favorite.
It was my favorite as well. It was OUR favorite.
It's a song we used to play together quite often.
I bit my lower lip as I stopped myself from sobbing uncontrollably while I played.
"Seri..." Mr. Adams muttered with a concerned tone.
I glanced at him as tears continued to stream down my face while I continued to play without stopping.
Mr. Adams knew that I played the ukulele because 2 years after I arrived at the orphanage, he accidentally caught me playing with his ukulele.
He has let me borrow his ever since and I played and practiced as much as I can when his ukulele was around and available to use.
I never wanted to forget playing because it was one of the few things that my parents left me with.
I finished playing after some time and I wiped my tears away then hugged the ukulele that Mr. Adams got me, and I looked up at him.
"Thank you, sir. Thank you so much" I told him.
Mr. Adams smiled, and he walked around his table to me.
Mr. Adams lightly pulled me, and he took the ukulele to place it back on the box before finally pulling me in for a warm hug.
I sobbed even more as I hugged Mr. Adams back.
I cried for a little more and then calmed down after a while.
I was so happy to receive such a precious gift.
I didn't believe that I deserved it. But still.
Mr. Adams strongly insisted that it was mine and that I deserved it more than anyone else.
It took some convincing, but I finally accepted the gift and brought it back to the sleeping quarters and to my bed.
I placed it safely below my bed with a bright smile on my face.
I can't wait to play my ukulele daily, I thought to myself.
I then went to find Annie and I found her on the playground with the kids.
"Annie!" I called for her with a cheerful tone.
Annie turned around to look at me with a smile, but her smile quickly faded when she looked at me approaching her.
"Ri, are you okay?" she asked me and held me by the shoulders as soon as I got to her.
"Of course I am" I said with a smile.
Annie then held my face and stared straight into my eyes.
"Then why does your eyes look like you've been crying? What happened, Seri?" she asked me.
"I'm okay, Annie. I just got a bit emotional, that's all" I assured her.
"Why? What happened with Mr. Adams?" she asked curiously.
"He gave me a gift" I told her.
Annie nodded in understanding as she sighed in relief.
"Thank goodness. I thought you got scolded or something" she said looking at me with a relieved expression on her face.
Annie smiled and she lightly squeezed my face.
"You must have been really happy to cry because of a gift" she said.
"Well… it was a gift that reminded me of my childhood" I told her with a small smile.
Annie bit her lower lip and quickly hugged me.
Without saying another word, she caressed my back, and I hugged her back for comfort.
Ghad.
I miss my parents so much.
I buried my face on her neck as I began to tear up again. Annie hugged me tighter.
It still hurts. So. Much.
- Writer
