Arrange Marriage: Destined?

26: Mr. Richards

(Maine)

"You?!" I said. This is kind of surprising and at the same time irritating. Why is he here?

"What are you doing here? Why are you here?! Had it occur to you that I may not want to see nor talk to you?!" I snarled. This is not who I expected to be here right now, not tomorrow, not ever.

"I'm sorry but I have to check on you.  We haven't heard anything from you. You have deactivated your FB, Twitter, IG and even your SC. You even change your number, you change your name... what's next? Change your appearance? Get a plastic surgeon to make you look like another person since you want to escape from everything? What are you trying run from? Who are trying to avoid that you have to go to these extent? No explanations, no say, no whatever. Nothing!" He said in a non stop mode. Who the hell he think he is?

"Who the hell are you to tell me and ask me all these questions, when in fact, you were the one who left me in the first place! Or maybe you have forgotten that you dumped me, broke my heart and left without any explanation! You didn't even send a letter to just we're through. Now tell me, Mr. Samaniego, who the hell you think you are?!" I asked, furrowed brows, fiery eyes and arms crossed across my chest. I got to get back my dignity.

"I didn't come here for me. I know I had hurt you and I know there is no redemption there. I know I have no right to ask or tell you anything. All I know is he does." I was taken back by his word but did not show it. "He has the right to know where he stands. He needs to know how you feel about him. He has the right to know why are you running away. Why are you doing this? Who are you avoiding? For all I know your parents are good people. Straight forward people, yeah, but good." He said. He's got a point. But I don't want to listen to it. He's Tony! Why would I.

"Tony, why are you even here. Does your wife knows you're here?! And why are pounding me with all this questions that don't matter to you" I annoyingly asked.

"Maine, look! It matters to me because he is my bestfriend. I am not here for me and yes, my wife knows I am here. She's the one who ask me to knock sense in your head. Unlike you, which we know where you are, but Alden...  He is missing. We couldn't find him.  He just got up and left. We don't know where he's at! Now, tell me. Why are you running away, Maine? With Alden, we know why he left. Why he took off. And Maine, may I please come in?" He uttered with so much concern.

I can feel the concern from him but not the old way. I thought I would go weak on the knee seeing him in person this close but no, I don't feel anything. I felt a load lifted up and all the pain are gone. Zero dash of sadness, zero pinch of sorrow. Nothing.

"I'm sorry, where's my manners. Please, come in." I softly told him.

"Thank you. I won't stay long. My wife is waiting for me at the hotel. I just came because------"

"Wait! Did you say Alden is missing? How? When? Ugh! Tony! Tell me more!" I said in a panic. It has at sank in to me what was said.

"Okay! Okay! He tendered his resignation last month, got up and left. Sold this house, took Ivy's personal car and now, he's gone. We were hoping you'd know where he could be." He said but for some reason I felt like he's sizing me up. My heart sank to my feet.

I started pacing back and forth. Where could he be? Oh, God, Alden. Why do you have to join the pack of runaway people. I should have just told him what happen. I was startled when Tony started to speak up again.

"Maine, I just want to know one thing. One thing only, and if you want to explain it, go right ahead. If you don't, that's fine by me. I just wanted to know if your dad made an arrangement again like he did before and that's why you took off." I look down in embarrassment. I covered my face with both my hands and made a motion like I'm washing it.