The Mysterious Alpha

Chapter 3: The Old Man

❤ Isabella’s POV ❤

WHEN I woke up, my body was aching all over. We cleaned the house yesterday. I’ve never had to work as hard as I did yesterday. My mom always took care of the house cleaning and other chores before. I knew that she needed help right now, so I did what I could to help her.

I went inside the bathroom to do my morning routine before going downstairs for breakfast. It was almost 1o in the morning, and I was surprised to find my mom and Angelica already at work.

Erlinda: “Good morning.”

Isabella: “Good morning. Sorry, I woke up late. I’ll just get something to eat and help you guys.”

Erlinda: “It’s okay, hon. Take your time.”

I went to the dining area and found food on the table. I ate some toast and eggs and had some coffee. I was still holding my coffee when I walked into my mom and sister.

Angelica is sitting on the couch and is holding her tablet. I think she’s playing a game. My mom is painting the window panes.

My mom put the brush down and turned to look at me before saying “The glass people are coming this afternoon to change the glass.”

Isabella: “How long have you been awake?”

Erlinda: “I got up at five and cleaned the spare bedroom. I still need to do some organization and separate what to keep and what to throw away.”

Isabella: “I can do that. Let me just finish my coffee.”

Erlinda: “Thanks, honey. Oh, and I have good news. I got a job!”

Isabella: “What? Where? How did you manage to get a job so soon?”

Erlinda: “Well, I went to the hardware store this morning with your sister to get some supplies. They’re looking for a shop assistant s***h cashier, so I applied. I got the job! I’ll start next week.”

Isabella: “Wow, congratulations, mom. But do you know anything about hardware?”

Erlinda: “Well, I’m sure it’s not that hard to learn.”

Isabella: “Okay.”

I headed to the spare room upstairs to start organizing. My mom had boxes lined up and I looked at what was inside them. They look like personal things that my mom and her parents must have owned.

I swept the floor first because I planned to sit on the floor. When I was confident that the floor was clean enough to sit on, I started working on the first box. Most of what’s on it are old and tattered clothes. Most of it went on the throw-away pile.

I found a bunch of pictures in another box, and I couldn’t help but smile as I saw old pictures of my mom and who I assume is her mother. My mom was so cute, and Angelica looked so much like her.

Most of the pictures I saw only had my mom and my grandmother on them. There are some pictures that included a man, whom I assumed was my mom’s stepfather. Most of the pictures are faded so I couldn’t really see his face clearly. I found a picture that had a close-up shot of the man, and I gasped when I saw his face.

It’s the old man in my dream. How did I dream of this man whom I haven’t seen before in my life? I don’t really believe in ghosts because I haven’t seen one before, but is it possible that my mom’s dead stepfather actually visited me in my dream?

I decided to go downstairs holding the man’s picture in my hand. My mom was sitting on the couch taking a break, and my sister was sitting right next to her. I walked toward my mom and said “I found this picture in one of the boxes upstairs. Is this your stepfather?”

My mom smiled when she saw the picture and said “Oh yeah, that’s Papa Mingan.”

My heart beat faster when I realized that I had actually dreamed about my mom’s dead stepfather. I know that there are a lot of things that can’t be explained in this world. Could it be possible that his spirit persists in this house, and he somehow managed to visit me in my dreams?

My mom already had a lot on her plate, so I decided not to tell her about my weird dream. I decided not to think about it again and returned upstairs to finish organizing. I was done by lunchtime. I put the trash in a black bag and took it outside.

I went back upstairs to wash up before joining my mom and sister at the table. I washed the dishes after we were done eating. My sister went back to her room and I stayed with my mom to help out with the painting and some more cleaning.

The window people arrived not long after to change the glass. There are two of them, and they look very much alike. One of them looks about my age.

Erlinda: “Hi, I’m Erlinda. Please come in. Thank you so much for coming on short notice.”

Window Man 1: “We don’t have anything scheduled today, so you’re in luck. I’m Armando, and this is my son, Arwind.”

Erlinda: “Hello, Armando. I’m Erlinda, and this is my daughter Isabella.”

Armando and Arwind shook our hands. Arwind smiled as he did, and said “Nice to meet you, Isabella.”

Despite feeling a little uncomfortable, I smiled and said “Thanks.”

The father and son started working on the windows. There are four windows that had to be replaced downstairs. Arwind went around the house to check on the other windows while his father was measuring the windows in the living area. I went with Arwind as he went around the house.

Arwind started making small talk as we went around the room.

Arwind: “Wow, this house is really dated.”

Isabella: “Everything in this town is dated.”

Arwind chuckled before saying “You got that right.”

Arwind checked more than just the windows, and I found out that they do more than just window repairs. He noted all of the repairs that needed to be done downstairs and headed upstairs.

While we were in my room, he said “So, this is your room, huh?”

Isabella: “Uhm, yeah. We just moved in yesterday. It needs a lot of work.”

Arwind: “Yeah.”

When Arwind was done checking upstairs, he asked “So, are you guys staying in town?”

Isabella: “It looks like it.”

Arwind: “How old are you?”

Isabella: “I’m 16.”

Arwind: “Me too. We’ll probably be in the same class in school.”

Isabella: “Probably.”

Arwind and I went back downstairs and he helped his father fix the window. I helped my mom prepare some snacks for them. They were done not long after, and my mom invited them to have snacks with us.

My sister came downstairs to have snacks as well, and Armando and my mom had small talk as we ate.

Armando: “Coming to this house takes me back. Mingan used to hire me to do some repairs on this house.”

My mom smiled and said “He’s my stepfather. I haven’t been back since I left years ago.”

Armando: “He mostly kept to himself in his final years. I tried to check on him every now and then, but he didn’t even open his door for me when I came to visit.”

My mom got sad all of a sudden. She must have remembered her stepfather. I know for a fact she has wanted to visit her stepfather many times before, but I’m not sure why she hasn’t. I have a feeling that it might be because of my father.

Armando and Arwind left not long after. There are still some things that need fixing in the house, so they will be coming back in a few days.

Arwind said goodbye to me by saying “I’ll see you around, Isabella.” I smiled and waved goodbye to him.

My mom and I resumed cleaning the house once the father and son are gone.