The Space Between

One Long Epilogue

We all wished for a happy ending...

She has her back on me, her mind wandering listlessly outside the window.

I gripped hard on the bouquet of roses on my hand, just as I dropped my hold of the luggage on my other hand. I took a deep breath as I slowly walked towards her.

I know she heard me enter, but she did not even look back. Instead she bowed her head, and seemed to hold on to something...

A dream? A hope of reconciliation?

Our love?

I closed my eyes, willing my tears not to fall.

**************

When was the last time I felt alive?

I go back to the time when we got married. After 2 years of pure bliss and challenges, I took the chance of asking for her hand.

**************

She was just on a vacation, while I was chasing my dream in the US. It was a surprise, her on the airport, me running to meet her. She gave me her beautiful warm smile.. The one that I missed. The one that I only dream of.

The one reserved for me.

Every hurried beat of my heart matched with every willing muscle in my feet to run towards her. Every breath of my being tries to escape and go after her.

And just a few steps away, she looks at me with that pure innocence of longing.

"Hi," she mouthed out.

And I fell in love with her all over again.

Her hair in usual disarray after several hours of sitting in an airplane. Her eyes heavy with fatigue and sleeplessness. Yet her mouth tips up for a smile, dimples and all.

And I knew I will marry her.

Not someday.

But soon.

***********************

"Ravena, umayos ka," she nudged me when I tried to steal the brownie from the plate. It was piping hot, fresh from the oven.

It's almost Christmas eve, and everyone is busy preparing for Noche Buena. I looked at every familiar face that I loved- Mom's, Dad's, Thirdy's, Dani's...

And Alyssa's.

She has her lips pursed, trying to make the brownies fit in the platter. I walked my finger towards the brownies, and I saw her stop at what she's doing and gave me a glare. I hurriedly moved my fingers away from the brownies, and tapped her nose instead.

That made her move back a bit, but bit back a smile and wiped her hands on her jeans. "Ah... ganun...," she slowly moved towards me, in her panther-like grace and fluidity. I raised my hands up, as if surrendering, while I was slowly moving back, away from her, laughing at the same time.

She hurriedly pounced at me, and I was cornered at the wall. I grabbed her hands, as she was trying to smear some choco smudges on my face. She tried to move against me, but I was always larger and stronger than her, yet I have to use all my might just to make her turn around with her back on the wall instead of me on it, and pin her hands high above her head.

Chests heaving, we were smiling like crazy, like kids on Christmas Day. I could not help but stare at the beauty that is Alyssa, of her pure innocent soul, so transparent in her eyes. I dropped down to her lips that has always been beckoning me to taste them, and I dipped my head, closed my eyes...