One Road, Six Ways

One Road, Six Ways - Part 40

For a while, there's no words spoken. They just hold hands above the table with both tears in their eyes. They could not deny it, they both really love each other.

"Luisa, Schat, please will you marry me?" Herman was asking Luisa to marry him.

Luisa did not answer. She thought about her situation, that she was married with Karel and that she has two daughters. For Luisa it was very clear that Herman was the father of Lindsey and Norma but legally the father is Karel. Yes, the marriage with Karel was a deal but legally Karel is her husband.

"Luisa?" the voice of Herman stop the thoughts of Luisa. "I am begging you, please marry me!"

Luisa could not understand herself. Herman was begging her to marry him but why seems she was not glad or happy? Why she keep thinking about her marriage with Karel?

"You're not answering me, you are still angry to me." Herman said it with sadness in her voice.

"Herman, I had forgiven you. How could I say this, you know, my love for you was so strong that all the mistakes, all the wrong doings you had done were all long gone." Luisa at last answered Herman. 

"Thank you, Luisa. You will marry me then?" Herman was glad to knew that Luisa had already forgiven him.

"But there are things that you must..." Luisa stop and did not finished what she was trying to say. Outside, she saw a man pushing a twin baby cart. Her eyes made no mistake. It was Karel strolling in the street with Lindsey and Norma. Luisa suddenly stood up.

"Luisa?" Herman was surprised and wondered.

"Moment!" Luisa rushed outside. She saw the back of Karel pushing the cart. "Karel!"

The man turned around to look, it was indeed Karel. "Luisa?"

Luisa was paralyzed for a moment when at the time that she called Karel, Herman was approaching her. Herman didn't understand why Luisa suddenly rushed out when they were still talking.

"Luisa, Schat, what happened?" Herman asked Luisa.

Luisa was rattled. She could not understand why Karel was with the babies when Thelma was the one babysitting in the apartment. Why Karel was where she and Herman were meeting each other.

Karel seeing Herman just stood where he was. He didn't moved.

"Herman, please go back inside." Luisa asked Herman to go back inside the Coffee Shop. Herman although did not understand why, reluctantly went back inside the Coffee Shop.

Luisa walked toward where Karel was standing.

"Why are you here. Why do you have the babies? Where is Thelma?" Luisa was firing Karel with questions.

Karel before answering Luisa heaved a deep sigh. He looked Luisa straight into the eyes and said, "I know you are meeting here with Herman!"

Luisa was surprised what she heard. Karel knew she was meeting Karel.

"Thelma told you?"

"Nobody told me. You know that I had an extension line of the telephone inside my room. I heard everything you and Herman were talking about." there's a sadness in Karel's voice but it did not yet penetrated Luisa.

"We have a deal! No minding each other business!" Luisa was bit angry.

"And I am honouring our deal, Luisa, although I had hope that maybe, maybe something will develop between us, yes, I had hope." Karel opened his heart to Luisa. "But my hope was blushed out, Herman was back and you two could be happy to each other."