Let Go

III

"And that same girl from 6 years ago, she was at Robert's din the other day. She was in the al fresco area and we talked until before you came back from the washroom. Later that night, you thought that I was back into smoking cigs 'di ba? That was her, Rhi. She was smoking when I approached her. I was too dumb to realize that she was the same woman that I'd been looking for, kasi recently ko lang din naalala the name that I heard the barista called her."

What a coincidence.

But why is she telling me all about this? It piqued my interest as I intently listened to her. And so I asked her, "What's her name then?"

"Glaiza."

I squared my shoulders the second I heard her name. I could feel my muscles stiffened into knots as a sudden coldness hit my core. My mouth dropped open, not really being quite sure what I just heard. Is this real? I was becoming aware of my own heartbeat and the jittery feeling of shock consumed me, making me feel light headed.

She's here. The vague memories of that night came flooding through and things started to make sense. It was indeed Glaiza. There was a part of me that felt it was her but I was just too skeptical to take pleasure in that thought.

But why? All I knew was she hated me for leaving her, and I couldn't blame her. My mind was overwhelmed by thousands of rampant thoughts, rendering me immobile.

"Riri, let's go? Baka naghihintay na siya."

What? I gave her a dazed look of bewilderment, lines were forming between my eyebrows.

I nervously played with the chain on my necklace, and when my fingertips reached the heart pendant, it finally dawned on me.

"Why are you doing this, Mich?"

She squeezed her eyes shut as she took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before letting it out in a hard sigh. I could see she was struggling to hold back the tears brimming in her eyes. Oh my Deedee. I didn't know what to feel anymore.

She got out of the car; my eyes followed her as she walked around the passenger's side and opened my door. A flicker of pain passed over her eyes as she smiled weakly.

"Lika na Rhi." She gestured to pull me by the arm but I stopped her; instead, I faced her and snaked my arms around her waist, still, refusing to get out of the car.

Her arms were tight around my back and her lips pressed against my head as I buried my face beneath her ribs. I held her for a long time because I knew if our bodies parted, it would be for the last time.

She cupped my face with both hands and drew me backwards, looking down at me while she wiped away fresh tears from my cheeks.

"I love you so much, Riri. Hush now, please stop crying. Don't worry about me, magiging okay rin ako. And I'll be the happiest, knowing na nandito na 'yung taong makapagpapasaya talaga sa'yo."

She bent over and kissed me on the forehead. I closed my eyes as her lips lingered before she stepped back, quickly wiping away a single tear that she shed with the back of her hand.

I jumped out of the car and stood before her. I reached up to cup her cheek, tracing the delicate outline of her face with my thumb, memorizing every inch of the woman that would forever hold a place in my heart.

"I love you, too, Deedee, please always remember that."

I pulled her face and let myself kiss her tenderly, hoping to ease the pain inside her.

We slowly pulled back as we heard a thud, like the sound of something that hit the ground. I gasped, my eyes widened as I saw Glaiza standing behind Michelle, looking at me. A bouquet of dark red carnations was on the floor at her feet.