Lumanti (Memory)

Dilemma

"Yes, of course I do." Aaron reassured.

"Then, what is the meaning of that question? After all of this, why do you sound like you want to give up?"

"I want you to trust me when I say this. I don't want to give up at all. I am just worried... actually I am scared that I would end up hurting you."

"How many times I have told you don't act like you are the only one in this relationship. We are both involved in this one. Both of us have to work on this together. You cannot just get up and leave because you think that's for the best of us." Lumanti was getting irritated with each conversation she had with him.

"Ray, would you just get off your phone once and come back to us?" Rianne said from the other end of the park. Lumanti was on the phone for a while now. Sara and Rianne were ecstatic at the moment but they also wanted Lumanti to be present. Rianne was now getting annoyed that her best friend was too busy on her phone during her life's greatest moments. Little did she know that her best friend was trying to mend her own relation while she took a leap in her relationship.

"Sorry Ri, I am coming," Lumanti hastily addressed her friend and responded back to Aaron saying, "Sorry B, I gotta go. Talk to you later?"

"Ya of course. Definitely. We will talk later." 

Lumanti and Aaron put down their phone taking a long breath while doing so. Lumanti put her phone inside her pocket and walked towards her best friend Rianne and Sara with wide smile, looking sincerely happy for them. They discussed a bit about dinner plans and moved towards their car to go home first.

When they reach Rianne and Sara's place, Sara went to get fresh and Rianne directed her concerned look at best friend who was most of the time lost and disoriented the entire ride home.

"Aren't you happy that I am now engaged?" Rianne nudged Lumanti, knowing perfectly that something is gnawing at her best friend.

Lumanti, as if suddenly brought out from her reverie, said, "Of course, I am happy, I am very happy for you. You have no idea. It is just that I got a call from the place I applied for internship and then Aaron. So lot going on my head."

"Tell me about it. I am listening."

"No, Ri, today is yours and Sara's day. We will catch up later on this. I will take my car now and leave."

"What? So you came all the way just to drop us off and go to your own den. Not happening, we are going to that dinner together, but first, Ray, tell me, please. What's going on?"

Lumanti told Rianne about her recent conversation with Aaron and a call she received before Aaron called. Rianne was both happy and concerned for her friend. She gave her a tight hug and told her that everything will be alright.

After a while Rianne spoke, "Focus on your career first, love. Don't worry too much about what is going on. It is time for Aaron to take some action and decision about where he wants to take it and while he makes that decision, you cannot forsake the dream that you have been holding onto for so long."

"I guess you are right." Lumanti agreed.

Aaron was walking towards kitchen lost in his own thought when Lumanti called him. He opened the fridge looking for some food while holding phone between his ear and neck. He took out bread and juice while they both catch up and continued their conversation from where the last one ended.

"I am sorry." Aaron said again.

Lumanti protested and said, "No don't. Please, if you are planning to make me part of your life, you need to make sure that you involve me in your decision, especially when it involves our love and this relationship."

"I will not let you out of it ever. I promise. I am sorry." He said while he put down items he got out from freezer to dining table and sat down on chair.

"Well, you should be." Both of them left a suppressed laughter. After a few seconds of silence, Lumanti cleared her throat to break another news to Aaron, "um, B, I got an offer for Film Media internship."

"Wow, that's amazing. Congratulations."

Lumanti further added, "I might have to go there for a year to stay and work."

Surprised B said, "What do you mean? Where do you have to go?"

"Melbourne." 

A bit shaken by the news, Aaron tried to hide his emotions and asked, "Oh, yeah, you told me you applied there, so when will you be leaving, then?"

"Umm, I might have to start the internship by the end of next month. So I will probably have to go by the end of this month to settle down and find a place to move."

"Oh Okay." He responded with not much words leaving from his mouth.

"It might give us some time to work out things between us." Lumanti said reassuringly.

"What is there left to work out?" He replied with some agitation seeping from his mouth.

"Well, a lot. So much have happened within last year and these past few weeks."

"And you think this distance between us will help?"

"It will be hard but it might help us see things in clearer perspective."

"No, no. I am coming with you."

"What? And leave your work behind?" Lumanti said surprisingly.

"I will be fine. I will manage. I can get the similar role there."

"B, I am just going to another state. Not entirely different country. I can come back here once in a while to see you. And I think if we can work this out, we will be able to make things bit better for both of us."

"I don't want to be away from you anymore. A year away was enough for me."

"I understand. But this time we will be talking with each other despite the distance."

"You will be by yourself. There is no one you know."

"Should I not go then?"

"No, no. I didn't mean that. I know how much it means to you. We will figure it out. I just wish it was not this soon."

"Don't worry I will make new friends and we will be fine, as long as we communicate well."

"Of course. Let me come with you."

"B, listen, I understand that lot is happening here between us and this distance might complicate things but we will get through this and you have recently landed a job that you have working so hard on. I don't want you leave that behind for me. Mine is internship, I will be back after a year and like I said, I can always visit during weekends, holidays."

"Ok, we will see about that, but you will meet me before you go right?"

"Well, of course, I am still here but the thing is you are not. If you are back here by next week, then yes we will get to meet, otherwise, take a flight to Melbourne." She joked.

"I will try." He said in a serious tone with lots of thought in his mind taunting him.

"B, are you okay?" She asked with her voice full of concern.

"Yes, I am fine."

Aaron put down his phone and looked down at his food, then a hand pressed gently at his shoulder. And he looked up to meet his eyes with his Dad.