It was a housekeeping staff.
“Miss, may I help you?” she asked politely.
“Um … Do you know where Franco is, I mean the guy staying in here?” Crystal asked in
puzzlement. The lady muted for quite a while.
“As far as I know, miss, there hasn’t been anyone taking this room for a week. Have you
mistaken something?” she spluttered.
Nobody.
No Franco.
Did she hear it wrong?
“No! I mean Franco! The traveller who took me back when I had a heatstroke some days ago!”
Crystal could not believe it.
“Nah, you are the lady. I remember now. That day you returned by yourself, and our staff
assisted you to the sofa for a rest. Are you sure you were with somebody?” The housekeeper
recalled.
“Well… maybe I didn’t remember right. Sorry….” Crystal backed away, startled.
In bed, still dressed for a stroll, Crystal flipped the book over and over until she paused,
staring at the last page attached to the back cover. There was a signature. Franco.
Crystal’s face went as white as a sheet. She fumbled for her mobile phone and made a call to
her mum.
“Mum, it’s me. Do you know anyone called Franco in our family?” she asked with a
shaking voice.
“What’re you talking about? Don’t you remember? It’s your dear grandpa! He used this English
name when he travelled overseas. Why asking??” Her mom’s voice was calm but Crystal was
trembling hard as if she had been struck by lightning.
“Um… nothing serious … talk later, mom!” Crystal hung up, with grandpa’s greetings echoing
faintly in the room.
“Happy Birthday, Crystal!”
