The Art of Letting Go

Chapter 60

"Fine," I say. "I forgive myself."

She laughs. "And I forgive myself." She brings her hands up to my hair and runs her fingers through it, smiling up at me. My eyes fall to a bandage on her left wrist and she notices. "Oh. I almost forgot the most important part. It's why I'm so late." She begins to unwrap the bandage from around her wrist. "I got a tattoo." She holds up her wrist, and there's a small tattoo of an open book. On each of the two open pages lie a comedy and tragedy mask. "Books and theater," she says, explaining the tattoo. "My two favorite things. I just got it about two hours ago when I realized how selflessly in love with you I am." She looks back up at me, her eyes glistening.

I blow out a quick breath, taking her wrist in my hand. I pick it up and I kiss it.

"Fallon," I say. "Come home with me. I want to make love to you and fall asleep with you. And then in the morning, I want to cook you the breakfast I promised you last year. Well-done bacon and over-easy eggs."

She smiles, but doesn't agree to the breakfast. "Actually, I'm having breakfast with my father tomorrow."

Hearing her say that she's having breakfast with her father makes me even happier than if she would have agreed to have breakfast with me. I know her father isn't the ideal parent, but he's still her father. And I've felt so much guilt over the fact that I'm responsible for a lot of the strain in their relationship.

"But I'll still come home with you," she says.

"Good," I tell her. "Tonight you're mine. I'll just wait to cook you breakfast until the day after tomorrow. And every day after that, until next November 9th when I get down on one knee and give you the most book-worthy marriage proposal in history."

She slaps me in the chest. "That was a huge spoiler, Ben! Did you not learn about spoiler alerts during your reading binge?"

I grin as I lower my mouth to hers. "Spoiler alert. They lived happily ever after."

And then I kiss her.
And it's a twelve.

Napangiti si Bea sa nabasa niya at saka sinara ang libro. Actually, pangalawang libro na yun na natapos niya for the whole flight. Lumingon siya sa may bintana at napabuntong hininga. Ilang minuto na lang, lalapag na ang eroplanong sinasakyan nila. Ilang minuto na lang nasa Pilipinas na siya.

"Psst." Narinig niya sa gilid niya. Lumingon siya sa kabilang aisle kung saan nakaupo si Liam. Magkalayo ang upuan nila dahil na rin hindi sila sabay nakapagbook ng flight. Nakatingin nga ito sa kaniya at itinuturo ang phone niya.

Tila na-gets naman ni Bea ang sinasabi nito at kinuha rin niya ang phone niya. Nakita nga niyang may text ang binata.

[Few more minutes, nasa Pinas na tayo. Ready ka na?]

She smiled. And typed a message.

[Ready na. Wala ng atrasan.]

[Good :)]
[Tandaan mo lang lahat ng sinabi ko.]

[Thanks Liam :)]

Napangiti din siya nang maalala ang mga tinutukoy ng binata. Actually, thankful talaga siya kay Liam dahil sa maikling panahon na magkakilala sila, marami na talaga naitulong sa kaniya ang binata. At masaya siya na mayroon siyang nakatuwang na kaibigan sa pamamalagi niya sa US.

Samantala, ilang minuto pa, lumapag na din ang eroplanong sinasakyan nila. Agad tinawagan ni Bea ang mama niya tulad ng bilin nito sa kaniya.

"Yes Mom."