Love Deferred

chapter 4: Cia's birthday

The  Roxas family home in LC RTesidences was decorated festively for Cia's birthday. Balloons, streamers, and a large "Happy Birthday" banner fill the space. The atmosphere is lively with laughter and chatter. The dining table is laden with food and a beautiful birthday cake. Family members and friends are scattered around, enjoying the celebration.

Cia: (excitedly) Thank you, everyone, for coming! This is the best birthday ever!

Atty. Xandra, her mom: (smiling) We're so happy to see you enjoying your special day, sweetheart.

Andrei (Drei): (hugging Cia) Happy birthday, Cia. You deserve all the happiness in the world, sweetheart.

Nickolai: (looking around) It's a great party, Cia! But Raphael, brudie, where's Fides? She hasn't been around for a while.

Storm: (nodding) Yeah, I was hoping to catch up with her. It's been ages since we last saw her.

Thunder: (joining in) Do you know when she's coming back, Raphael?

Raphael: (sighing) Fides is still in the U.S. She hasn't come home since she left... We were the ones who visited her...often.

Orlan: (concerned) Is she okay? We miss her around here.

Brixx: (agreeing) Yeah, it's not the same without her.

Aldrixx: (curious) What's keeping her so long?

Ching: (to Raphael) She might be enjoying the U.S.

Paul: (sympathetically) It must be tough for her to be away from home for so long.

Light: (thoughtfully) She always loved family gatherings. I'm sure she misses us too.

Marco: (seriously) Do you think she'll come back anytime soon?

Vince: (adding) I hope she will find time to go home.

Raphael: (sighing deeply) Fides is doing okay, but she's been busy with her studies and work in the U.S. It's been tough for her to come back, especially with everything she's trying to achieve there.

Nickolai: (understanding) That makes sense. But still, we miss her.

Storm: (nodding) Yeah, I hope she knows we're thinking of her.

Raphael: (reassuringly) She does. I spoke to her recently. She misses everyone a lot, but she's focused on her goals right now. 

Thunder: (supportively) We just hope she comes home soon.

Orlan: (smiling) And when she does, we'll give her the biggest welcome-back party ever.

Brixx: (grinning) She deserves it.

Aldrixx: (raising his glass) To Fides, wherever she is. We're all rooting for her.

As the laughter and chatter of the birthday celebration continued, Andrei found himself drifting away from the group, his thoughts wandering.

Andrei (Drei): (standing silently, lifting his eyes towards the horizon)

From a distance, he listened to his family and friends discussing Fides, their words mingling with the evening breeze. He felt a pang of longing, not just for Fides, but for the clarity and certainty that the horizon seemed to promise.

Andrei (Drei): (thinking) Fides... I hope you're doing well, wherever you are. We're both on our paths, but I know we'll see each other again someday.

The sky, painted with shades of orange and pink, seemed to hold endless possibilities. As he gazed beyond the horizon, Andrei felt a renewed sense of determination. His journey through law school was just beginning, and he knew that sacrifices were part of the process.