Lacking Fragments: A Novel (Completed)

Chapter II: A Trip to the Mainland

2. A Trip to the Mainland

I searched for a pen and a piece of paper in the living room. In five minutes or so, all I wanted for Annalise to read was done written on the paper. What I wrote is like a letter, a message sent in an envelope by mail processed by mailmen; the thing lovers and friends often used way back before the Internet and the Divorce bill in the Philippines had come to surface. However, this written note I made, its content couldn't be identified as piece of an actual letter. It was only a note, although, I wrote it like how I used to write letters way back in high school; in ways I remember a few things from the past now, like, how I acted as if a romantic coming-of-age man to girls I adored. I placed the note I made, the envelope, on the flat surface of the refrigerator.

     Unhesitant I jumped into bath and had washed myself, as I listened to the song Take on Me by a-ha through my daughter's android phone (that, of course, her mother told her not to take it to school). By 11 o'clock I was fresh and done cleansing my body. As to make sure, double sure even, I tried contacting my wife in her office— I had telephoned the number of the famous firm she's under; I asked if I could have a word with her, but then got immediately denied by the person behind the other line, by the receptionist.

     The receptionist said, as per the usual reason of my wife being Senior Architect, at the moment she couldn't be reached. In the end I asked for a favor to just leave a word from me for her, that I'd be out to the mainland, along with our daughter. That I magnetized a note on the refrigerator.

     "Alright, sir, no problem. I'll tell her right away after she's done with the meeting. As of now they're in the conference room, all of them Senior Architects, as well as the Junior Marketing team. They're planning on how to put the firm's new house design into the market. Hmmm. As for what I hear from here at my desk, it's like they sound so serious in planning their next move. I just can't comprehend."

     I didn't say anything after. Instead I waited for, at least, half a minute, hoping she'd tell me more about what's happening.

     But, "Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I realize I've been giving you TMI. I'm not allowed to do that, no."

     "TMI?"

     "Too much information."

     After that I commuted early to Kiki's elementary school, where Annalise and I enrolled her since kindergarten.

     At the school's gateway I noticed no parents waiting by the exit, yet. Almost zero people other than myself and one guard, guarding the gate, were on the site. Guess I was too early, obviously. 12:30's when all the students and Kiki's classes end; at the moment, it was only past 11 in accordance to my wristwatch. But I cannot wait longer anymore, I thought. Heat coming from the sun above had been igniting my body, especially my grey of hair.

     So I decided to come closer to the guard. I talked to him, as he was sitting on monobloc chair, nearby the school's closed gate.

     "Yes, sir?" began the guard, the time he saw me walking toward him. "Can I help you?"

     "Excuse me," I said, "but I have to enter the school's premise, if you'd be so kind."

     "What did you say?"

     "I have to look for my daughter inside," I clarified. "Her name's Kiki. So please, let me enter now."

     "Do you have a permit or something?"

     "No, not at all. I got nothing. I just have to get in the school, that's all. Now if you will, please let me to enter. I have to get my daughter from right there."