Fragmented Rhapsody

Remnant 03

Hello, blue2_15 here. I have written a narrative about Natalia's parents—Alejandro and Alexandrine. This is not your usual sweet narrative; I apologize. It's a bit bitter, showing how Alejandro dealt with grief. 

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

He lets it

Alejandro no longer saw the flowers bloom after Alexandrine left.

He always waited in front of their porch, with his strong Americano on his right. His knuckles are almost white as he keeps clutching and gripping hope on his left because it's where his heart is—where it beats. It's where he feels he's still alive after she left. 

How grand their love was that Alejandro kept waiting for someone who was not returning. Someone whose shadow will never be seen on the lands and whose laughter will never be heard again. He, daily, kept replaying the warm films of her smiles and voice in his mind.

He was a prisoner of his own heart. Aren't we all prisoners of our desires and the things we hope for?

He had hoped so hard that her voice wouldn't ever waver and fade, that her laughter wouldn't ever be locked down in a treasure box deep in the sea. Because he knew...he couldn't dive again that deep. That maybe...the heartbreak of losing her made him afraid of such depth.

Alexandrine was his agape; she was his north star.

She occupied his life like a tenant in a home. She decided what colors adorned their walls, what flowers to buy for their vintage vases, and what goods to buy every 6th day of the week. She had been everywhere.

She was in the paintings that hung in their hallways, lingering in their vibrant colors.

She was in every line of choice for each of their bedrooms.

She was in their cupboard display.

She carefully chose which shade of white their walls would be—mortar, sun-bleached, lime-washed, gypsum, or white sand.

She was everywhere...and oh god, his heart shattered wherever his eyes led him.

He's at home, but his heart hurts. Because she's not there, the one he built home for...and the one he built home with...was just not there. How could this happen? How could Alejandro's life shift just like that?

Just...how fast could he lose the love of his life?

"This world is cruel, amore mio," she softly said with her sweet Italian accent. "But I have learned to love this world because you are in it."

He remembered the night they lay side by side on his king-size bed. In front of them was a glass wall overlooking the expanse of Baguio City. Alejandro wanted a queen-size bed because he liked to be closer to her. He had always liked her weight pressed to him, her skin close to him, her hair sprawled all over his pillow like silken threads of midnight.

But Alexandrine wanted a king-size bed, because she always said she'd like their daughter to sleep beside them.

Ah, yes. They were expecting.

She and he had a love that exceeded all realities and dreams...they were expecting a daughter. They have both loved their daughter even before she was due. They had planned how they were gonna help her grow to become the person she wanted. They talked about how they would show her the world and keep Italy close to her heart, alongside the city they had fallen in love with, Baguio.

They even bet on who she's gonna take after. Alexandrine wanted their baby to have Alejandro's eyes. She hoped their daughter would take after his nose, skin, hair, kindness, and fervor. She wanted her to take after her husband's ardor, humility, and brilliance.