I decided to go out and buy some stuffs that I needed for my apartment. Luis is quite busy with his work as executive secretary with one of the famous company here in California, to accompany me to shop.
As I'm walking down the store aisle, I saw someone that was very familiar. Someone who's very close to me before, "Catherine?" I uttered and strode towards her.
"Catherine?" I called again before she could even leave, a cute baby in the stroller also caught my attention. Her physical appearance completely changed into a completely grown up woman, but her signature singkit eyes made me not forget about her.
"Ariella?" she says causing me to smile broadly. Gracious, I genuinely miss this woman!
"Ikaw nga!" she exclaimed and throw herself in me, ignoring the baby she was pushing in the stroller earlier. We embraced each other and after that, we decided to have a talk in the nearest bake shop in the cold street of California.
"Hay..grabe 'no, ang daming nagbago," she says and sip to her cup of hot chocolate coffee while I was staring to the busy baby playing with her toy. Her as she has a pink ponytail in her head. A lot of things already happened that we don't know where to start.
"Who is this baby?" I finally spoke and pointed the baby.
"Ay, oo! Susko, hindi ko pa pala nasasabi saiyo," she laughed, "anak ko nga pala si Bea,"I squinted my eyes and smiled sweetly, "I literally missed everything about you guys, my goodness," I giggled and tickled the baby in her neck.
"Her father is a Briton kind and loving man, we met in college university here Cali. And after we graduated, we decided to get married since stable naman lahat," Cath happily shared.
Everything's changed after so many years, indeed. I can't believe Catherine already has a daughter with a good husband, but I am happy for her though. I haven't heard about Margaret 'til now, and maybe Cath know something about her.
"Do you know where Margaret is?" I asked, careful not to turn this conversation from where they suddenly dissapeared when I woke up from the state of coma.
"Uh.." she paused and think for awhile, "she's also here," she said causing me to feel sad a little. Does they know that I am also here but didn't reach for me? What was really happened eight years ago?
"The moment I wake up after the accident, I look for you and Margaret, my mother told me you already flew abroad as well as Maggie but I still look for you guys- I still went to the place where I could find all of you only to see no one but to feel devastated," I sadly shared, breaking all the thoughts in my mind, "I needed you guys that moment of my life, a accompany of a friends and a presence that could ease my loneliness," I teared up a little, thingking about how vulnerable I was before.
"Didn't your mother tell you?" she asked, I look at her, "tell what?" I enthused.
"We went to the hospital where were you confined, God knows how we prayed for you to wake up already as all your love ones were very dispirited about your situation, and so we are your friends," she clasped her hands at the top of a table, "after a days, Margaret found out why you got into an accident and it's because of.."she sigh, "it is because of Ms. Marcos.." I narrowed my eyebrows when she mentioned her name. I could not agree, it was all my fault, it was because how reckless I was, not because of the woman I used to loved.
"You know how much Maggie was only thingking about your sake, she was worried that something might happen worst than what your situation before, so she told everything to your mom- about what relationship you have with Ms. Marcos. Tita Alona got furious, as a mother, she did everything she could to protect you. She was very mad to the both of us for tolerating you for having a secret relationship with Ms. Marcos, she thought that if we didn't do it, maybe you were not in that hospital bed fighting for your life," she confessed that gave a little light of my confusion all over the years. They didn't leave me, my mother just pushed them away, but I couldn't blame my mom for doing it. She was just being a mother to her child.
"Tita Alona asked us to stay away from you, and we got scared how furious she was so we chose to distance ourselves thingking that maybe it'll be good to your situation," she says.
"So that's the reason why you guys suddenly dissapeared, now I understand," I uttered and wiped the single tears fell from my gloomy eyes, Cath gently tapped my back for comfort.
"Kayo paba?" She inquired. Who's kayo? It's impossible that she was talking about me and my Luis, it's probably Ms. Marcos.
"Not at all.." I tightly smiled. There's no point of telling to anyone that she also dissapeared that time, that she left me when I needed her the most.
"Sorry to hear that," she said but I shook my head, "it's fine. That was a half decade ago," I assured even though there's like a knife stabbing my chest everytime my mind and heart uttering her name.
"How's Margaret?" I diverted the topic even when I wanna ask for more, "She's already an english teacher in middle school, she's doing fine. You want to see her?" Catherine happily asked and adjust the scarf around her baby's shoulder, "I want to see her," I smiled, she nodded.
"How about you?" she asked.
"Engaged with a Filipino man, and I am currently working in real state company here," I shared and showed her my ring.
"A fine Filipino man I bet," she giggled. She didn't change, still a goofy girl I've known. She took my hand and take a look in the ring in my hand, "bagay na bagay sa'yo," she uttered, "thank you."
After an hour of talking about what we missed, we already bid goodbye and exchange number to continue the communication.
As soon as I closed my front door, a familiar melancholy sprouted in my system. I look around my tiny cozy sala only to see how quiet and tranquil it was.
My phone buzzed indicating that someone is calling, "Mom," I smiled and strode to my couch.
"Congratulations to you, anak!" she says on the other line, "who told you?" I chuckled, removing my boots.
"Luis informed us, so kailan ang kasal?" I playfully rolled my eyes, "kasal kaagad, Mom? Hindi pa puwedeng sulitin ko muna ang buhay ng pagiging engaged?" I said and turned my gaze to the dark and freezing surroundings.
"Osya, siya. We would love to get you married with him, anak, as long as you're happy," I smiled, "thanks, Ma. Where's Paulo?" I asked referring to my youngest brother.
"He's here playing with his toy,"
"Ate, bring me a ball of snow ha!" I heard him shout causing me and mom to laugh.
"Of course! We'll make ice cream when you get here," I said while chuckling.
"I'll hang up the call na, anak, we'll go to your grandparents pa e," I nodded as if she could see it, "okay mom. Bye!" I sadly smiled before hanging up the phone.
A deafening silence crept in at the four wall of the room, reason for me to feel more sad and lonely. I stay in my couch for a moment before deciding to go to bed.
_____
To be continued...
