Love Me Again

Chapter 11 - Puzzled Hearts

Niccolo went back in the office with a heavy heart, what he witnessed today is something he'd rather forget, the sadness in Richard's eyes, his hope to see a glimpse of the person he's longing for. He wanted the two broken hearts to be mended. But how?
Both are still hurting? Maybe time doesn't heal all wounds. Maybe, it's love that heals all wounds.
He loves Nicomaine very much. He, Greg and Marciano made a promise to her Mother's grave that they will take care of her, that they will shower her with love and affection, they will protect her in anyway they can.

Greg: Oh napaano ka? Gwapo ba yung customer? Pwede bang ireto kay Nicomaine?
Marciano: Huy Niccolo namatanda ka ba?
Niccolo: Si Richard...
Marciano: Sinong Richard?
Niccolo: Richard de Gracia, yung customer na gustong bilhin yung painting ni Elsie.
Marciano: Maryosep, nandyan pa ba sya?
Niccolo: Umalis na...
Greg: Eh bakit ang lungkot mo? Nakilala ka ba nya? Teka eh hindi pa naman kayo magkakilala ha?
Niccolo: No Greg, naawa ako dun sa bata..
Greg: Oh, umiiyak ka na, ano bang sinabi nya?
Marciano: Sinabi mo bang nandito si Elsie sa NY?
Niccolo: Wala akong sinabi maliban sa hindi for sale yung painting na nakita nya?
He kept Elsie's picture in his wallet, he wanted the painter who painted My Man at the beach to paint Elsie's picture?
Greg: What? He wanted Elsie to paint her own face? What, ang gulo....
Niccolo: Since the painting is not for sale, he asked me if the painter takes requests from customers to paint for them, then he took out Elsie's picture from his wallet. I didn't tell him who the painter was... gusto nyang makita at makausap si Elsie..

(Note: Nicomaine and Elsie are one - Nicomaine Elsa full name- Elsie, Else are her nicknames)

Marciano: Bakit affected ka yata Mare?
Niccolo: He's hurt as much as our Goddaughter is...There's too much sadness in his eyes, I wanted to comfort him but ayoko rin namang makahalata sya.
Greg: Obviously, nagsisisi na sya sa mga ginawa nya.
Niccolo: She loves Nicomaine...
Greg: What? When? Nang nawala na si Nicomaine sa buhay nya...too late, nakasakit na nga sya...sya itong paulit-ulit sinasabi na hindi nya mahal ang inaanak natin. Niccolo, hwag padala sa drama ng lalaking yun...
Marciano: Greg, hwag kang judgemental, baka naman mahal nya talaga si Nicomaine natin, ngayon lang nya na-realized.. Ganun naman palagi di ba.. kapag nandyan, di mo pansin, kapag wala na hinahanap mo na...
Greg: Hinanap ka ba ng ex boy toy mo?
Marciano: Hindi, wala na akong pera pang tustus sa dance lessons nya...
Niccolo: Kayong dalawa, ano ba? We should help them. We all know that our Nicomaine is still very much in love with this young man.
Marciano: Paano...paiiyakin nanaman natin si Nicomaine. Natatandaan nyo pa ba? When we all flew here in NY, gabi at araw syang iyak ng iyak, ayaw kumain...paulit-ulit pinanonood yung the Notebook, tapos iyak ulit. Tapos isang kanta lang ang pinakikinggan- If I Should love again ni Barry Manilow...tapos paulit-ulit pinanonood yung TS Destined to be Yours...para syang lukaret...ayoko nang maulit yun....
Niccolo: Marcia, maghunus dili ka nga dyan...if I know, enjoy ka rin sa panonood ng DTBY...may paraan...
Greg: Teka muna, hindi naman natin alam kung saan tumutuloy si Richard, hanggang kailan sya rito sa NY?
Marciano: Nung nagkita kami sa kapihan parang sabi nya dun sa kaibigan nya, 2 weeks sya rito at may seminar nga raw..
Niccolo: Okay, ganito na lang...

Richard back in his hotel room..
He googled Niccolo's gallery, he couldn't believe what he discovered...a picture of Niccolo with Nicomaine, as he was scrolling down the article, he found out that he is one of Nicomaine's godfather. What he is not sure of is if Nicomaine is in New York too?

At the Gallery..

Greg: Sino ba susundo kay Martino?
Marciano: Ako na lang...
Niccolo: Kanino ba tutuloy yung batang yun? Kay Nicomaine ba?
Greg: Well, wala namang masama dun magkababata naman sila, di ba kaya nandito yan dahil dadalawin yung GF nyang Tisay...hay naku, maghahanap lang GF, yung malayo pa..
Marciano: Puntahan ko muna si Nicomaine...
Greg: Ok...go na rin ako...