8

I was so confused by his behavior that I just stood there speechless.

Where he used to give me a disparaging look inside, he now stood in front of me with a worried look, looking me up and down. On the one hand it was uncomfortable for me, on the other hand it gave me the time to take a closer look at him.

He was tall, even taller than Chace. His black hair didn't need any gel or hairspray to lay perfectly and his style also perfectly matched his size and his beautiful face, which accommodated a three-day beard.

"Here.", he took off his black jacket and put it carefully around my shoulders. I would have liked to thank him, but I still remained rigid. "You should go home now." He said. "Just bring the jacket in tomorrow and leave it with Eddie."

With that, he took a few steps backwards and turned to leave me alone in the darkness. I was really grateful for the warming jacket that smelled pleasantly of him, but why didn't he offer to take me home? Am I asking too much? Like always.

I took a deep breath, looked at his back again and then turned back to the street, where suddenly Rudi appeared with his scrap car. Before I got in, I looked around again and noticed that Chace was now standing with the stranger and both were watching me while they whispered. I shook my head with a queasy feeling and walked around the car to get in and avoid the looks.

"Chace said you want to go home." Rudi said when I got in and I just nodded to him. Yes, Chace meant many things, but that he had simply ignored me and even advised me to stay away from others as if he were my guardian, he hadn't mentioned that.

We didn't speak to each other for the short drive. I was just busy smelling his jacket and staring into the darkness. The alcohol had little effect, so I felt nauseous when cornering and had to roll down the window to get some cool air, which luckily blew the nausea away.

Arrived in front of Lisbeth's house, I saw her talking to an elderly gentleman at the entrance. I looked over at Rudi and thanked him and then hesitantly got out. As soon as the car door slammed shut, the two of them stared at me happily. "Oh, Chiara. I didn't expect you so soon. Is everything alright?" my grandmother said when I approached them. I heard Rudi's car driving away and kept my eyes on the man next to Lili.

"I'll tell you later," I answered her and waited for an explanation as to who this man was. "Oh sorry. This is Erwin. Erwin, this is Chiara, my granddaughter." She introduced us with a smile and the man with the long gray coat and matching gray hair held out his hand politely.

I returned his handshake and looked back and forth between the two before disappearing into the house. "I'll be right there, too.", my grandmother told me and pulled the front door shut as if I shouldn't hear what they had to discuss.

It annoyed me that apparently my own grandma started withholding things from me too, but maybe the guy was just having a clandestine affair and she didn't want me to know.

Contritely, I sat down on the couch and put my cold hands in the pockets of the warm jacket, then I felt that he probably hadn't thought to empty them beforehand.

Curious, I took off my jacket and rummaged around in it. There were cigarettes, a lighter, a small bottle of his perfume and a crumpled piece of paper. I opened it and my eyes widened to find my name crossed out on it.

Out of sheer confusion, I had to calm down for a moment and took a deep breath. Still holding the piece of paper, I wondered how he knew my name and why it was crossed out on a piece of paper in his jacket.

"Whose jacket is that?" my grandma came straight at me from the hallway with a glass of red wine. I crumpled the note up frantically and put it back in my jacket pocket.

"I have no idea." I replied and she looked at me in surprise. I could understand her look completely, because I was more than just confused myself from the whole evening. I quickly tried to change the subject.

"Who was this Erwin?" I looked at her and she sat down on the other side of the couch. "Oh. He's just sorting out my finances. Your grandfather's pension is enough to keep the house, but nothing more." She avoided my gaze and stared at a photo on the living room wall of her and Grandpa standing in front of this house and smiling at each other.

"But that's what I'm here for. I'll try to find a job tomorrow. There are apparently enough bars and pubs where I could help out, even though it's only a small town in the middle of the forest." She smiled at me in thanks and sipped the red wine. "You don't have to do that. We can do it that way. I still have a few open deals and if one of them turns out well, then we've taken care of it.", she said with a wink and my face became thoughtful again.

"What business?" "I'm into art, Chiara. I have some really expensive works in the attic. I'm trying to sell them at the moment, but in this place it's proving difficult to put something so valuable in good hands," she laughed and I had to laugh. There really wasn't the kind of people here who would show an interest in art, except for one.

"I know someone who somehow doesn't seem as modern as the others. I can ask him if he's interested." I smiled at her and thought of Ludwig. She looked at me confused. "You don't mean Chace?" she asked and I shook my head in the negative. "I met other people.", I grinned and took the jacket and everything that was still on the couch, gave her a kiss on the cheek and said goodbye up to my room.