Chasing an Angel

C11.5

"Dad I need to talk with you and mom," said Alden seriously while they are having breakfast.

"Are we not already talking," teased Mr. Faulkerson in furrowed eyebrows but smiling.

"I mean a very serious talk dad after our breakfast for I'll be leaving this afternoon."

"About what son," her mother asked.

"Meng and me," his short reply.

"OMG! you're getting married. I'm so excited, I will be hearing small voices and I mean VOICES again in this house," Mrs. Faulkerson said excitedly stressing on voices to imply to her son what she meant.

"Mom it's not what you think, however I wish with all my heart that it should be that."

The couple looked at each other and, for the first time noted the deep sadness in his eyes that could not be hidden by the smile plastered on his face while they are talking.

"Ok let's proceed to the library after our breakfast," declared his father.

********

"What happened between you two?" Mr. Faulkerson asked Alden after they were conveniently settled inside the library.

"Did you broke up?" seconded Mrs. Faulkerson.

Alden shook his head in reply to his mother's question which puzzled his parents even more.

"What happened then son?" asked his mother in a voice full of compassion.

"She left more than four months ago without any word for me. I was working on our current project then and communication is really difficult. It was a month later when I learned that she resigned from her job when I called her office. I lost contact with her totally. No cellphone or social media to trace her whereabouts for she deactivated all her accounts. I tried contacting her parents but their numbers could not be reached too so I already realized that they don't want to hear from me anymore."

"How about Leo, why did you not ask him?" asked Mrs. Faulkerson

Alden's face became gloomier and his parents saw the deep pain mirrored in his eyes.

"He was neither answering my calls nor replying to my loads of test messages. This was very unusual as you both know how close we are all through these years. I know then that something is seriously not right. I was so miserable by that time for as much as I wanted to come home I could not leave my job then for it would put the project in jeopardy. A month after when I was able to come home, a very different and distant Leo faced me when I went to their home. His youngest cousin Bing who was very close to me refused to talk to me too. Their rejection of my presence in their house is very evident. Nevertheless, despite his unmistakable antagonism towards me, I pressed Leo for information relating to her cousin's decision but got none for he disclosed that Meng refused to tell them too but that she was very distraught."

Alden stopped for a moment to take a deep breath but no longer able to control his emotions, he started to cry. His mother immediately rose from her chair, almost run to him and hugged him tightly and she too started crying. Mr. Faulkerson just remain seated looking at his wife and their only child crouched together.

He knows that their son is a very strong and independent person. He's one not to burden people with his problems so he could sense how his son is suffering now and as a father he is deeply affected. If only he could claim even a part of this misery to ease his pains.

"How could we help you son? I will hire the best detective agency to look for her if you wish," voiced out Mr. Faulkerson.

"I've already done it dad and was also able to locate her. Fact is, I now know where she works, where she live and, the people close to her. I also saw her in person at a safe distance but, this made me long for her more for I missed her so much. And all these is beyond her knowledge."

"And why did you not approach and talk to her then?" His parents asked in unison.

"It's not that simple, mom, dad. I may lose any chance I may still have if I'll rush doing things. I may scare her and drive her into hiding again.  What I'm thankful for is I have already accomplished the most vital stage and that is finding her. My plans into having her back is already in the implementation stage which I need to execute step by step carefully. She is the only girl who made my life more meaningful and I am determined to get her back."

His parents just listened aptly to Alden's narrative without interrupting him and at times nodding their heads in agreement.

"Actually, I even resorted to coercing people to be able to get to her," he confessed.

"Son, di na ata tama yan," said Mrs. Faulkerson.

"No mom, I did it gentleman's way without stepping on someone's right and sensitivities," Alden assured her mother.

"I only have two reasons why I decided to involve you in this quest. One is, I've been bearing this too much pain for months now which is almost beyond my endurance that I need to unload some from my chest to people who care for me and would understand me unselfishly. Mom, dad you are these persons. Second, I have to let go for the meantime of my commitments with our company to gain more time in achieving what I want to."

"Do what you want son and we will be behind you all the way and don't worry about the company, you will always have time for it later. Since you introduce Meng to us, your mom and I both felt that she is not just an ordinary girl to you. And we are aware too that though she is oblivious of it, Meng is one reason why you suddenly took interest in handling our business and your mom and me is grateful to her for that."

"I won't deny that dad for it is true but later I learned to love the company and the people who helped you attained it's status now."

"Thank you so much mom, dad. I am so much blessed to have you as my parents."

And, they three gathered together for a very tight group hug.

(Salamat sa patuloy na pagsubaybay at pagboto. Thank you ChardMaine4EVER & SunriseAquino for the appreciation. My motivation to keep on)