A Night's Mistake

Part 20: A Sudden Goodbye

Keira wakes up to the sound of her phone ringing and as she sees the caller ID, her mood lightened up.

"Good morning" She happily said.

"Hey, good morning." Gian's voice didn't sound okay as he spoke. This caught Keira's attention and worriedly asked,

"Are you okay?"

"Uh.. there's something we need to talk about, Kei.." with the tone of his voice, it seems like Gian has something serious to say.

'Uhm.. okay.. what is it?" Keira nervously asked.

"I don't want to talk about it through phone. Can we meet later?" Gian asked.

"Yeah, sure.."

"Okay, I'll pick you up." Gian said.

"Gian.. I'm a little nervous with what you want to say.. is it something bad?" asked Keira.

"Let's talk about it later, okay? We'll figure it out." Gian reassured Keira.

"Okay.."

"I'll see you later." Gian said and the call ended.

Keira's anxiety started to creep in early morning. She could not stop thinking about what Gian is going to tell her and can't wait to see and ask him about it.

After a few hours, Gian finally came to pick her up. He was quiet the whole time as he drove the car, Keira didn't have the courage to ask what's wrong as she felt as if Gian wasn't going to give her the answers she wanted to know at that point.

They finally got into a cafe and found a place to seat. There were not much people, and the place had great seats for privacy. She sits down as Gian head to the counter to order her coffee and a slice of her favorite cheesecake.

"What's wrong?" Keira finally asked, as Gian took his seat across her.

"I've been thinking a lot about it since you called me this moring and I just can't keep my thoughts off it.." Keira explained.

'Can you please tell me now?'

Gian looked at her worriedly and held her hand, his eyes looking at her with sadness.

"I never wanted this to happen... but it seems like I really have no choice.."

With the words coming out of Gian's mouth, Keira's thought became more complicated. She imagined the worse cases in her head, practiced the words she would say, processed the whole thought in her mind but she still seems to be unprepared with whatever Gian is going to tell her.

"Yeah.. what is it?" Keira asked anxiously.

"My dad is in London, right?" He asked Keira.

"Yeah, what about your dad?"

"Well.. my dad.. is currently sick right now.."

"Oh.. is that so?" Keira's anxiety dropped a few levels down, as if it was a relief it wasn't one for the worse case scenarios she played in her head the whole day.

"How is he? Is it bad?" she continued.

"It is bad.. and... he wants me.. to go home to him.." Gian slowly answered, observing the reaction from Keira's face.

"Oh, is that it? You needed to come home to your dad?"

"Basically.." Gian answered.

"Yes, you need to go home and see your dad! That's a given. You don't need to feel bad about leaving me for a few weeks." Keira said, feeling relieved.

A long silence followed before Gian finally spoke.

"He wants me to stay."

"What do you mean?" Keira confusedly asked.

"I.. might not come back.." Gian slowly said as he looked at Keira with sadness.

"You won't come back? Why?"
"Why wouldn't you? How about school? How about your.. your friends here?.. how about.. me?"

With Gian's overwhelming words, Keira can't stand but to ask these things. It was too sudden and she wasn't prepared for this at all. Just when things are going great for them, they will suddenly have to part and won't see eachother? What is this? What the hell is going on?

"Kei.. I know, I know it's too sudden.. it's sudden for me too.. and.. and I also don't know what to do right now... I don't want to leave.. I don't want to leave you.."

"Wait.. wait.. let me just process this.." Keira's confusion is too much that she needed to take a break and sort out her thoughts. She wanted to talk to Gian with her mind all made up before saying anything. She wanted to understand the situation, and eventually find a solution for this.

She takes a deep breath as Gian waits for her to gather her thoughts. He knows it might have been a shock for her but he also knows that Keira is not the type of person to not understand situations.

After minutes of silence, Keira finally spoke.

"So,your father's sick and he wants you to go home to him, right?" Keira asked.

Gian nodded.

"What did you tell him?" Keira asked again.

"I told him I would come. He's my dad, I can't just ignore his requests, can I?"

"Ofcourse not! He's your dad! How hard would it be to make his wish come true? and I understand that your dad needs you right now." Keira explained.

"Was he the one who requested for you to stay there?" Keira continued.

"Yep. He said he wanted me to stay with him and finish my degree there.." Gian explained.

"I see.." Keira faintly said. "What did you think my reaction woudl be?"

"I knew you were going to be sad.. and you might actually be mad with this sudden decision.. but I also know you would understand.." Gian said as he held Keira's hand.

"Ofcourse, I would understand. If you need to go...then go. I will not stop you or be sulky about it. It's your father we're talking about, your family." Keira smiles at Gian, giving him an assurance that she understands the situation and that she's giving her his permission.

"I just didn't want you to feel resentment towards me and think that I am leaving you. I don't want to.. but.."

"I know. I know, Gian." Keira reassued him.
"We're at the time where technology is developed.. we'll cope up, we'll make way."

Gian looks at her and smiled.

"Thank you. Thank you for understanding me.." Gian said as he kissed Keira's hand.

Even though Keira is feeling pain in her heart, she didn't want Gian to see it. She didn't want him to worry about her and leave half-hearted. Besides, she didn't want to compete with Gian's father for affection. It is his father to begin with. Even though she knows she won't be with Gian physically, she believes that their feelings for each other will not change. 

How hard would it be to fly to London, right? Just a few hours away, she surely can see him when she can and she wants.

Holding onto the love that they have for eachother, trusting that their hearts will never falter. Believing that one day, they will, again, be together.