10:45

PART 26

Claudine and Geraldine finally had a chance to talk. Geraldine noticed that Claudine was staring at her, deep in thought, which made her feel a bit uneasy. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Geraldine asked, her voice slightly confused.

Claudine took a deep breath. "I’ve been meaning to ask you something. Why wasn’t I allowed to see Rico’s body when you all returned from Palawan? Why couldn’t I meet him one last time?"

Geraldine paused for a moment, unsure how to respond. She finally spoke, her tone hesitant. "We were under the impression that you were spending all your time with someone else while you were in Subic. We kept receiving pictures from your friends... pictures of you looking really happy with this guy. We thought he was your new boyfriend."

Claudine looked shocked, struggling to process what she had just heard. "What? Are you saying that Rico thought I had a new boyfriend? That’s not true!" Her heart pounded as confusion and guilt mixed within her.

"Yes," Geraldine replied softly. "Rico was deeply hurt by those pictures. He cried to Dom many times while they were in Palawan, telling him how much it pained him to think that you were moving on."

Claudine’s voice trembled. "I... I didn’t know he felt that way. I wasn’t with anyone else. I didn’t even know that guy had feelings for me!" Tears started to well up in her eyes as the weight of the misunderstanding hit her.

"I’m sorry, Claudine. We just thought... Well, Rico really believed you were happy with someone else. He couldn’t understand why you didn’t answer his calls," Geraldine explained, her own voice filled with regret.

Claudine felt her heart break even more. "I wasn’t aware of those missed calls. I had blocked that guy from my phones. I didn’t know someone was sending pictures to Rico."

Geraldine nodded slowly. "It was the guy himself and some of your friends who were sending the photos. Just hours before Rico died, he tried calling you again. When you didn’t answer, he called one of your friends, and they told him you were with this man."

Claudine’s hands trembled as she wiped away her tears. "I didn’t know... I didn’t know any of this." Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper. "I wasn’t interested in that guy. Rico is the only one I loved, and I thought he knew that."

Geraldine reached into her bag and pulled out a letter. "We found this when we were packing Rico’s things after he passed. Dom found it in his room." She handed the letter to Claudine.

Claudine’s hands shook as she took the letter and unfolded it carefully. Her eyes scanned the words, written in Rico’s familiar handwriting:

"03.29.2002
Hunny,
I know I’m the one who started all of this, and I’ve caused you so much pain. I admit that what happened wasn’t just once or twice. I was drunk, and I’m sorry. Now you’re happy with someone else, and I guess in another lifetime, I hope it’ll still be you. I love you so much, hunny. This will be the last letter I write for you, and it won’t be followed by any more."

Claudine’s tears fell uncontrollably as she read the words over and over again. "No... Rico, no," she whispered, clutching the letter to her chest. "I love you, Rico. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry." Her voice broke as she sobbed, pressing the letter close to her heart.

Geraldine watched as Claudine’s emotions poured out. "Claudine," she said softly, "we all miss him. I just hope that knowing the truth can bring you some peace. Rico loved you so much."

Claudine nodded through her tears, still holding onto the letter. "I’ll never stop loving him," she whispered, her voice full of pain and longing. "I’ll always love him."