The wind was strong and cold this afternoon. The trees shook and leaves fell as Autumn and Winter clashed with the weather. It was cold but not Massachusetts cold. I never knew my grandfather, nor did my mother. He passed when my father was thirteen.
As we are finishing prayer, scratches on the grave above my grandfathers catch my attention. There are three and they, together, look like claw marks. All roughly the size of my forearm.
Though I might not know this Fergo Garcia, I know that this disturbs his memory.
“Guys,” I got my family’s attention, “you get the car started I am going to alert the worker about the scratches.” I pointed to Fergos grave.
Iliana stared at me confused and pushed my arm down so it was pointing to my grandfathers. She has always been capturing, being the only one who inherited my mother’s kaleidoscope eyes. Only in the 6th grade and always loved the sunshine of California, plus she has the look with her light brown almost blond hair.
“It’s just a tiny scratch,” Reina rolled her eyes “but knock yourself out weirdo.” She grabbed Iliana’s hand, who pulled it away and started off to the car.
Iliana shot an unsure glance at me, that I saw out of the corner of my eye, then trailed behind our older sister.
I took off to the nearest worker in jeans and the “Assumption Catholic Cemetery” work shirt. He looked a year older than me so maybe 18 or 17. But you never know with these California folks.
“Um, hello” I saw sneaking up behind him.
He turned around quickly and I studied him for a second. He had a shocked expression on his pale face. He had striking eyes and messy black hair. He stared for a second then smiled.
“May I help you, Miss”
“Yes” I stared at his name tag for a name but all it said was ”C.B.G.”
He laughed then replied “Caleb Garcia”
I let my curiosity get the best of me and said “What’s the B for”
He laughed once again and it mesmerized me like flowing water. “Don’t tell but it stands for Basil”
“Basil”
“Basil was the name of the doctor who delivered me. My parents thought he was very special”
“That’s sweet”
He stared at me for a couple of seconds before I remembered why I was there. His stare made me melt and block out the world around me. I probably will never see him after this but his handsomeness was swooning, grey eyes piercing.
“Oh yeah. There is this grave that has some scratches on a grave”
“Can you please show me”
Polite I thought.
I started to walk when I got a family group chats text. Reina took the family to Starbucks because I was taking too long.
get me hot choc plz, I texted
not ur servant, she responded.
When I had led Caleb Basil to to the grave, he looked like someone kicked his dog.
“Something wrong mister,” I asked. Why am I calling him mister, hes my age?
“This is my father’s grave” he replied quietly.
“Oh my- I am sorry, I didn’t make the connection. Garcia is a common last name my Tia got married to a Garcia”
“No it is okay Miss-” he gave me a blank stare.
“Oh really I am sorry. I have to go Garcia. I hope you can fix the stone.”
I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction to know my name. I realized I couldn’t stray away from his eyes, stormy and mesmerizing. He was smirking, he knew he was doing this to me. How?
“Miss Navarro, don’t you have to go”
“Yes, I do,” and with all my might I turned away.
“And you see them” he whispered.
“What?”
He gave me a black stare. We were like that for a half a minute.
“See what?” I asked.
“The claw marks, Adalia” he gestured to the grave.
“Ye-es, yes I d-do” he turned away from me as I stutter “ Why do you-”
Fear rises in me a tugging sensation. GO, loud and clear rang in my mind. He didn’t say it, I know he didn’t but after stealing a glance at him I ran to the curbside.
My family picked me up 5 minutes after, and not until then. I realized. He called me my name. Although I never told him.
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