Pahimakas

II

To my greatest love,

I’ve been composing letters for you up until this point. I’m hoping that once we meet, you’ll be able to read them. When will that happen? How long will I hope, wishing for an impossibility to become real? If you’re wondering about her condition, she’s slowly getting better. You two are truly siblings; maybe not by blood, but you are both courageous.

Still, you had many differences; I am with Christia, not with Aris—not with my beautiful flower who blooms in her own way. You bloom the way you want. How are you, my beautiful flower? Did you manage to read the letters I put in your bag? Too bad we couldn’t read them together. I haven’t read yours yet. I keep asking myself, “Why do we have to experience this? Why do the two of us have to go through all of this, love?”

Nagmamahal at patuloy kang mamahalin,
Colin

***

"

Colin Isaac," tawag niya sa'kin. We are here in Baguio. We both want a new ambiance, and this place is the best.

How can a girl be this brave? She’s really one of a kind. I never thought I would meet someone like her. She came at a time when I was weak, when I was in pieces. She’s the one who fixed me.

Meeting her isn’t something I regret.

"Anong pangarap mo? Maliban sa pangarap mong kurso. In your practical living, what’s your dream?" She asked while looking at me directly.

We are both standing on the terrace of this resort with coffee in our hands.

Ano nga bang pangarap ko?

"I still don’t know, Lopez," I replied honestly.

She laughed at my response. "Oh, akala ko ako lang. By the way, same."

She stared at the beautiful sight in front of us and smiled.

"Ngunit ngayon lang, alam ko na kung ano ang gusto ko. I want a simple life. Maybe one day I’ll build a house here. I’ll be an engineer, and I’ll be the one to manage when I build my own house here." A woman with a dream. "And I want to help those kids who live in a world full of cruelty. I’ll adopt a child when I find a man who truly loves me—the man that God will give me at the right time. I don’t want my kids to experience having a broken family. I don’t want them to go through what I overcame because I know how difficult it is, how painful that experience can be."

"Then let’s adopt a kid in the future," I said to her. She was stunned for a moment and then snickered.

I’m not bluffing with my remark.

"Seryoso kasi ako, Tongco."

Do I look like I’m telling lies here, Aris?

She struck me playfully and grinned as she glanced at me. You assume that anything I say in relation to this is a joke.

It’s okay, I’m willing to wait, Aris.

"Anong gusto mong ipangalan sa kanya?" tanong ko, curious about what name she might have in mind.

"Reves," she answered softly. Reves—such a beautiful name. "I want to name her that because I want her to remember that she's someone's dream. Reves is the French word for 'dreams.'"

As I listened to her explanation, I couldn’t help but be captivated. Who wouldn’t fall for this woman? Her thoughts, her depth, everything about her was enchanting. I couldn’t help but fall in love with her more and more.