Maybe This Time

Shock

Alden was in a rush to go to work today. He had a very big client that was heading to the café to discuss a possible long term partnership, and he had to be there before the supposed meeting time which was 12 noon.

Unfortunately, today was one of those days where Alden had slept through his alarm which probably explains why he was running for dear life from his condo to the café.

As he was running, he wasn't able to notice a lady that was walking opposite his direction and accidentally bumped into her. He stopped dead in his tracks when the lady gasped. The coffee she was holding spilled all over her clothes.

"Miss, nako! Sorry talaga." Alden apologized. He glanced at his watch and it read 11:50 am.

Though he wanted to excuse himself from the situation and continue running, he couldn't just leave the lady standing there, especially when he was the reason why she had coffee all over her clothes.

"Sandali lang.." The lady said. "You look really familiar." She paused for a few seconds before speaking again. "Alden?"

The lady took off her sunglasses and almost instantly, Alden recognized her.

"Julie Ann?"

The lady smiled. "Akalain mo, kailangan pa talagang mangyari to sa akin para lang magkita tayo ulit."

Alden scratched the back of his head and gave her an apologetic smile. "Pasensiya ka na talaga ha. Nagmamadali kasi ako eh." He said.

"Sandali lang ha. May tatawagan lang ako." Alden excused himself from her as he took his phone out from his pocket. He called Mari just to ask if the client was already in the cafe, and thankfully, time seemed to be on his side now, for the client had decided to postpone the meeting to later this afternoon.

"Thanks, Mari. At saka, ipaghanda mo ako ng damit. Para sa babae. Basta, pupunta ako diyan." Alden said, looking at Julie Ann, who looked so busy wiping her coffee-soaked clothes with a bunch of table napkins.

When Alden put his phone away, he approached her. "Sorry talaga ha. Nagpahanda na ako ng mga damit pambabae sa cafe para makabihis ka dun." He added.

"Nako, nakakahiya naman sa'yo. Uuwi nalang ako sa condo ko. Malapit lang din naman dito eh." Julie Ann said, trying to hide the fact that she was blushing.

"No, I insist." Alden said. "Kasalanan ko naman kung bakit ka nabuhusan ng kape, kaya sana hayaan mo nalang akong makabawi sa'yo."

Julie Ann knew that whatever she and Alden had in the past was over, but how she hoped that the last line he said, was about him making it up to her for all the times he'd let her down when they were together; the forgotten monthsaries, the lack of time they'd spend because of his being busy with other commitments and just the lack of love that seemed to have torn them apart.

Though she knew that it was more of her fault that they broke up, Julie Ann still hoped for the best, because even after so many years, she was and still is in love with him.

"O, sige. Nagpupumilit ka eh." Julie Ann smiled. "O, eto. Bitbitin mo muna yung bag ko." She joked, handing him her bag. "Sabi mo babawi ka di ba?"

Alden and Julie Ann both laughed.

"Hindi ka pa rin talaga nagbabago no?" Alden said as they started walking towards the cafe.

The latter looked him in the eye and said, "Hinding hindi. Kahit kailan, hindi ako nagbago."

After a 10 minute walk, Alden and Julie Ann both arrived at the cafe. They were welcomed by the staff who seemed to be intrigued by Julie Ann's identity. This was the first time that they saw her visit the cafe, and they were puzzled as to why her clothes were soaked in coffee and that she was being accompanied by Alden.