Last Train Home

(Rhian's POV)

"When was the last time you felt at home?"

It was the winter season in Donegal. It wasn't a planned trip. I visited some relatives in London then I heard about G in the news so I decided to visit her. Actually, she called me. She called me on my last night in London. After not talking to me for a decade, she called me.

And she was crying.

Immediately after I landed, I left my luggage in the hotel room and went to meet her. I remember checking the weather forecast and it said the lowest temperature for the day would be 3 degrees. I was sitting on a bench waiting for her. It's so cold but I felt like I'm sweating.

"I'm confused, but I'm just so sure I wanted to be here for you. I've always wanted to be with you."

I was repeating that line over and over in my head. I was so nervous.

Then, I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Coffee? You must be freezing."

It was G. The moment our eyes met, I knew she needed me.

She sat next to me and we just talked.

"Thank you. I-- I just wanted to check in on you before I go back to Manila. I heard about the divorce?" My voice was shaking.

"We're working on it. Hindi naman biro yung 10 years. And we have kids."

It was heartbreaking to see her like that.

"I know. It sucks. You were happy. I mean, your family photos look adorable. Look at these cuties." I showed her a picture of her kids that I saved on my phone.

"Rhi, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I stopped calling."

I didn't know what to say. Instead, I changed the topic.

"Do you remember the last time we talked? I mean the casual kulitan?" I asked her.

"Kailan nga ba? Around May 2021 ata. Basta alam ko hindi pa ako kasal nun. Tinawagan mo ako kasi you saw that RaStro was trending. Actually, sabi mo it was Michelle Dee who told you na nakita niya yung photos natin all over Twitter."

Glaiza started teasing me.

"She was curious." I explained.

"And you were spending way too much time with her. Yieee!!" G was trying to be playful. Like she was comfortable.

"You were jealous of her. You would react to every IG story and would send me "tampo face" emojis. HAHAHA. You even forwarded tweets from Rebels shipping RhiMich. HAHAHAHA sobrang territorial, Wab?" I teased back.

"It was so epic that you were piggy-laughing!"

"I know. Hahaha! Aminado naman ako na topakin. Ano nga ba pinagtatalunan natin doon sa picture na yun?"

"If I remember it correctly, we're not fighting. You were not in the mood because you wanted me to nap with you in the car, but I had to entertain some press people. You were all busangot when you woke up. Hahahaha!"

G and I are just staring at each other smiling.

After a few moments, she looked away. Then, she let out a heavy sigh.

"Kami ni David, we are... we are trying. We are trying really hard for the kids." I can hear her voice breaking.

"I know. I know." I tried to hold her hand as gently as I could, but she pulled away.

"I want this marriage to work. Gusto ko lumaki yung mga anak ko na buo pamilya nila." She couldn't hold back her tears.

"Make it work then. Try harder."

I wanted to say I could be the family they need, but I just can't. Not when she's this vulnerable.

"That's the thing. Pakiramdam ko binigay ko na lahat ng kaya ko. I'm not happy, Rhi."

"How did we do it?" I asked.

"Ano ibig mong sabihin?" She looks confused.

"How did we maintain the connection?" I asked again.

Before she even attempted to answer, I talked again.

"I don't think we had to maintain it. It just stayed. All those years, it stayed. I mean, look at us now. We're in our 40s. But when I'm with you, I'm just... home."

"Ako ba ang reason why you didn't settle down? Kasi if ako, I'll feel bad." G looked at me with her misty eyes.

"It's not you, then." I smirked, poked her nose, and made a silly face trying to make her laugh.

"Salamat, Rhian." She pulled my hand and kissed it. Just like she used to.

"You'll get through this, G. We both know how stubborn the universe could get, but we fight anyway. Eventually, we'll win."

We stayed on that bench for another 30 minutes. I showed her photos I took of my family. We talked about music for a bit. We laughed at our inside jokes.

---

G's POV

"Alam mo ba kung nasaan na si G ngayon?"

Tinanong ko si Rhian hoping that she would recognize me. Kararating ko lang sa Nursing Home. Lumipad ako agad sa London when I heard about her condition.

Rhian has early onset Dementia. The last time we saw each other was 10 years ago.

We got updates about each other pero hindi directly.

"I'm not sure." sagot niya.

"But I hope she's happy." She added.

"Gusto mo ba malaman kung anong balita sa kanya?" Sabi ko.

"Hmmm... okay." She looks excited.

"Glaiza is divorced na. She's looking for you. She wants you to know that she wants to spend her remaining years with you." Hindi ko na mapigilan umiyak.

"Wait. Really? Where is she? How about her kids?"

Hindi mapakali si Rhian. Lingon siya ng lingon looking for me. She's excited. She's happy.

"Her kids will be okay. You can visit them if you want. Namiss ka nila."

Hinawakan ko ang mukha niya and she just looked at me. Her eyes were confused for a while, but then, out of nowhere, she poked my nose.

"Wabwab."

Niyakap niya ako ng sobrang higpit. And we cried.

We cried happy tears.

At that moment, my Rhian is back.

"Come on. We have to pack your things na if we want to catch that last train home."