Love Me Again

Chapter 12 - Love Me Again

Martino is getting ready to leave for New Jersey to meet his Girlfriend and then he will be flying to Canada.
Nicomaine: Mag-ingat ka. Sana pag balik mo kasama mo na si Yaya Pining, sya naman ipasyal natin sa NY.
Martino: Alam mo namang ayaw nya sa lamig. Ikaw naman, be strong, kaya mo yan.
Nicomaine: I'm scared Mart, I don't know...
Martino: Just listen to your heart..(gave her a tight hug)

At the Gallery..
Niccolo is opening the gallery, he saw Richard waiting outside...
Niccolo: Richard, ang aga mo naman, pasok ka at ang lamig dyan sa labas.
Richard: Sir Nicco, salamat po..
N: Tito Nicco na lang.
R: Nagkausap na po ba kayo ni Elsie?
N: Oo naman, pumayag naman sya..kunin ko na lang number mo at sya ang tatawag sayo...
R: Heto po number ko. I'm staying at the Plaza po...
N: Kailan ba balik mo sa Pinas?
R: Next week po.
N: Nakapasyal ka na ba sa NY?
R: Hindi pa po. Sana, kung maayos kaming makapag- usap ni Elsie, gusto ko sya ang makasama kong mamasyal. Sige po Sir...Tito Nicco, alis na po ako, thank you po ulit.
N: Hintayin mo na lang tawag nya...

Nicomaine was strolling around Central Park.. watching people. It's been awhile since she's been out. On her way to the subway, she saw Richard at the opposite side of the street, she followed him. He went into a restaurant. She waited outside, and after half an hour, she saw him with a bag of food take out. Richard sat in one of benches at Central Park and started eating his take out food. Nicomaine was watching him from a far and felt sadness while watching him having his dinner alone.  Richard was about to leave when he felt someone standing right next to him. He looked up...and it was Nicomaine.
Nicomaine: If you have something important to say, say it now, before you ran out of time.
Richard: I'm sorry Nicomaine....
Nicomaine: (Her eyes are red) Is that it?
Richard: No, please let's talk this out..there's so many things I wanted to say..
Nicomaine: I have nothing to say to you. What do you want Richard? What. Is. It. You. Want.From.Me?(she's crying this time)
Richard stopped her and kissed her tenderly on the lips with so much longing, tears in his eyes, embraced her ever so tightly, didn't want to let go of her and whispers "I'm so sorry, I really am, please Love me Again, Love me Again"
Nicomaine:(hugged him back then pulled away) It's not going to be easy Richard Damian.
Richard: Hinanap Kita, I tried to talk to your Dad..pumupunta ako palagi sa opisina nya, sa bahay nyo. Si Yaya Pining, si Martino, ayaw nila lahat magsalita. Hinanap ko rin si Manang Juling, nagbabakasakali ako na baka nandon ka lang sa Batangas...
Nicomaine: Why you won't sign our Annulment papers?
Richard: Your Lola already threatened me that if I don't sign the papers, she will pull out the money she invested in our company. Honestly Else, I don't care anymore. I want to stay married to you...
Nicomaine: You will lose everything...
Richard: I already lost everything, when I lost you.
Nicomaine: You don't love me, you're just consumed by your own guilt...
Richard: Aaminin ko.. Ang gulo-gulo ng isip ko noon, I couldn't hear my heart until that night, the night we made love, and that night made it all clear to me that I am falling in love with you.
Nicomaine: It's too late Richard, it's too late. Kalimutan mo na ko, kalimutan na natin lahat ng ito.
Richard: Paano? Hindi ko kaya, sinubukan ko, pero hindi ko kaya..
Please don't tell me to forget you, patayin mo na lang ako...
Nicomaine: Kayanin mo.
Richard: Ayaw mo na ba? Tell me, ayaw mo na sakin?
Nicomaine: Ayoko nang masaktan and please sign the Annulment papers.
Richard: Is that what you want?
N: Yes. Goodbye Richard.
Richard: I love you Nicomaine Elsa, I really do love you..
Both were in tears when they left Central Park.

Three months later...
Marciano: How long are you staying here in a Toronto?
Nicomaine: Well, not sure yet. Just want to keep Lola company. Yo can rent out my Penthouse Ninong...
Marciano: Dumating na yung Annulment papers mo, he signed it.
N: That's good, I'm finally single again..I don't know how Mama endured the pain, yung ang tagal ding panahon nyang hinintay si Papa na mahalin sya...
M: Your mother loved your father so much that she refused to feel pain, she chose Love, she listened to her heart,  mas madali daw gawin yun (smiled at Nicomaine).
Nicomaine: I chose to be free of pain, Ninong..
Marciano: Did you listen to your heart? Nicomaine?
Nicomaine's didn't know how to answer to Marciano's question.
Marciano: It's your life hija, you do what you think is right, if you think in the end you made the wrong decision, accept it and just try to correct it.

Manila...
Carmen was on the phone when Richard came in...
Richard: Potential investor ba yang kausap mo Ma?
Carmen: Well, crossing my fingers...how's your day?
Richard: Hectic.
Carmen: Martino dropped off the painting, saan mo ba gustong ilagay yun?
Richard: Let's auction it, then yung pagkakakitaan, bigay natin sa Adopted Senior of Mary (fictional place-housing for abandoned Elderly)
Carmen: Sure ka ba dyan. It's one of Nicomaine's master piece..
R: Ma, it's me in that painting, she doesn't want it kaya binigay na nya sakin.
C: What happened in New York Anak?
R: Not what I have expected, closure siguro Ma. (wiped a tear in his eyes)
C: I'm really sorry Richard.
R: I'm just not sure how am I going to put back the broken pieces of my heart Ma?

Toronto...
At Il Fornello Restaurant where Donya Mathilda and Nicomaine is having dinner , a tall, model looking gentleman walked in and sat beside Nicomaine.
Donya Mathilda: When are you two planned to visit the resort we just acquired...
Nicomaine: Maybe around August, Lola.
Brent: August is fine..
Brent Woods is the guy Nicomaine is currently dating, they met in her speaking engagement in LA. His family owns a Food Chain in Canada.
DM: I was thinking, as a Marketing strategy, let's have a soft pre-opening of the Resort and invite our business partners and investors.
N: That's a good idea, Lola and maybe ask my three Ninongs to come with us and help us prepare for the event.
Brent: And maybe I could ask our Company to sponsor the event and get our PR department to write an article aboutit, it will be a good exposure for the Resort.
N: That's very generous of you Brent...

New York..
Greg: Have you seen the new guy our Goddaughter is dating now?
Niccolo: Oo naman, they're all over Facebook, facebook nung lalaki, puro mukha ng inaanak natin ang nasa FB nung company nila...
Marciano: Hindi kaya nalaman nila kung gaano kayaman si Nicomaine natin?
Niccolo: Marcia, Donya Mathilda is not stupid para ipagsigawan sa mundo na si Nicomaine Elsa is the sole heir of the families wealth. She will never disclose anything about Nicomaine's true stature, eh di na kidnap yan.
Greg: Mukhang happy sya sa picture.
Niccolo: Hindi ko rin masabi, I caught her crying one time, I want to ask her pero hinayaan ko na lang...
Greg: Maybe she's crying about the painting? Why did you decided to give it to Richard?
Niccolo: Nicomaine's decision yun...it's been lingering here at the Gallery, she didn't want to remember any of the memories written all over in that painting.
Marciano: Do you honestly believe that she doesn't think about Richard once in a while?
Greg: She never got over him, that I know.
Marciano: Paano?
Greg: One night that I stayed at her Penthouse, I saw her crying, looking at something, out  of curiosity, I searched for the pictures while she was asleep, and guess who's pictures she's looking at? Richard Damian mga sisters....

de Gracia Resident...
Richard is looking at Nicomaine's pictures, then he pull out the one from his wallet then start talking to it...I miss you, it's almost a little over 3 months since I last saw you, I hope you're well...and happy. I wish to see you again.