Destination XYZ

Two

Third Person

"Happy Birthday to you!" Imelda and Imee finished the song as Irene blew the candles of her cake.

"Happy 36th Birthday, Riny." Imelda kissed her daughter's cheek.

"Ma! Let's keep our age to ourselves." Irene laughed. "Ay, nako! Kelan pa kaya yan mag-aasawa!" Imee tutted her tongue as she held little Borgy in her arms.

"Hello, my little baby Borgy... Come to tita..." Irene walked towards Imee to carry Borgy. "Gwapo-gwapo talaga ng pamangkin ko!" She pinched his arm.

"Syempre! Manang-mana sa'ken!" Tommy joined the conversation, Imee rolled her eyes and stroked her bump. "Ang dali nyo maka buo." Irene shook her head and chuckled.

It was quite a notice that Patricia, Greggy's sister, wanted Irene to nurse her as her daughter will be having a tumor removal. Patricia not only wanted the best pediatric surgeon, but she wanted someone who she could trust too. Her daughter is only 7 years old, she couldn't trust her in the hands of unfamiliarity.

So she begged Irene to go back home.

And she did. She might not know what trouble she'll encounter, but she went home. To the Philippines. Not to him. She guesses.

It was a siren call. An instinct. A gut-feeling. Or whatever you may call it.

"Are you staying here for good, love?" Her father kissed the side of her head. "Babalik rin naman ako sa London, Pa... After taking care of ate Pat's daughter." Irene said in a small voice. She doesn't want to give her family false hope.

"Whatever makes you happy..." Ferdinand smiled. Irene was now holding a sleeping Borgy. Imee went to her to take her son and put him in his crib.

༻✧༺

She drove to Patricia's house since it was their first meeting (with her daughter, of course). She felt sure that it was only Patricia and her family as her siblings lived separately.

She was about to ring the doorbell but a handsome man pulled out the door. And she stood there, frozen. And it was as if there were no other people in that place, in that time.

Just her and him.

He looked into her eyes, it was her, right? He wasn't dreaming. Surely he wasn't hallucinating? For a minute or two, they stared at each other. Just looking into each other's brown orbs of beauty. Their breaths grew heavy as they realized that it was him. That it was her.

It was like a staring game not until a young, bright woman looped her arms with his. "Gre-"

Irene's eyes focused on their arms entangled. Her jaw hardened, Tadhana nga naman... She thought. Her eyes went back to Greggy's who were still locked on her. She forced a smile,

"Hi."
"Hey."

They simultaneously said. The young woman beside him looked at them in amusement and a hint of realization.

Greggy cleared his throat and smiled, "Hey... You're back?" He bit his lower lip, he felt a tug on his arm, he looked at her and widened his eyes. "A...ah! Si Lorraine pala... Girlfriend ko..." He introduced the woman beside him to the woman of his past.

Irene felt like the world dropped on her shoulders. Girlfriend? She looked at the woman and smiled, "Hi, I'm Irene, nice to meet you..." She accepted Lorraine's invitation by shaking her hand.