A Twist Of Time

thirty five

I kept the box hidden throughout the whole trip and whenever anyone asked what it was or if a guard suspiciously looked at me like I stole something, I would raise an eyebrow and say that it's mine. They would leave right after.

I opened the door to my house and drifted up the stairs, closing the door shut and opening the box.

I gasped.

Memories were flashing back in the blink of an eye.

It was something more than a flashback. It was like the seven minutes of life events that come rushing back to you when you die, the feeling that everything was coming back when you thought you've lost them.

I was the First Lady.

And I loved him; the ghost that I told to go away, the ghost I never cared about, the man of history that I have only perceived as a "cool guy" and never brought justice to what he has done.

The same man who was the love of my life.

I was there, with him, in a room, fighting, going against each other, as if we were in a debate team. Almost like I hated him.

And another came back of me with a Japanese kid. It looked like we had a family, that Hisako was our child.

Wait, Hisako.

Tragic.

Hisako was now on the floor, bleeding, and so was I.

Back to normal I went.

"I was Valerie Helfon, the First Lady of the Philippines," I muttered in delight, surprise, and every other emotion rather than sadness.

There was something in that box—wait, no, some things. Like parchment folded poorly and a velvet box in the middle, dust and all.

I took one of the papers first.

Dear Valerie,
     It's foolish that I even wrote this. You're gone, what more can I do to make myself believe you're not? What more can I imagine to take myself out of the state you left me in, all sad and upset, all confused and tired. I guess that's what love does to you.
     But what else can I do? I actually loved you but fate disagreed with destiny. The stars shined but the shooting stars just passed. My eyes are red from the storm you've made them feel.
     I could blame you, but I can't. Why? I just can't. I could blame Jane, Margaux, Elpidio, Manuel, or anyone, but not you. There's something about you that I can't hate you.
     I will forever miss you, Valerie, so here I am, it's approximately four am and I'm still awake, writing this. Margaux's screaming for me to sleep but I can't. Seems like something normal she'd do.
     The palace has been sad and down without you wanting to escape or to fight anyone. It's like the light bulb broke and it could never be fixed. I haven't laughed in a month.
     But take no guilt for what you've done to me. I loved the way you hated me with blistering flames in your eyes and the way you would fall asleep in my arms like you didn't want to murder me five minutes ago.
     Enough of me. How is it there in 2016? I should've believed you from the start. That you were actually from 2016. Because if I did, then I wouldn't be crying my sockets out because of how much I miss you. But either way, whether I believed you or not, I would still love you. Why? I don't know. You have this certain charm.
     Hisako's funeral was saddening. She was only buried in the wet mud of the palace, with no wake or anything to commemorate her.
     I miss you, Valerie Margaret Helfon. I should've done what I had to way before I did something stupid and put you in harm's way. I should've never brought you with me to the camp. It's my fault, and I'm sorry.
     People say I'm going crazy and insane but I can't let that affect me. I have a country to run that needs me and my brain.
     But in what little time I have left, let me say this; I love you. You probably know that by how much I've said it but you know, I'm going insane. I need to sign off now, duty calls.
     Until my next letter,
                              Sergio.

There was something about everything. Every word in it was perfect, like a puzzle piece, and everything was calm. Like a picture that said a thousand words, but these were a thousand words painting a picture for me to admire and place in the collection of pictures I had in my head, all gathered up to complete one another.

The velvet box had what you would expect it to be; an engagement ring. He was supposed to propose to me on the same day Hisako and I left him. The velvet felt just fine, but the ring was something different. It was a perfect fit. But the shine of it, the stunning beauty of it, or the words nunc scio quid sit amor engraved on the back of the ring were not what mattered.

It was the feeling of it, the love it made me feel. From a man of which I loved in another life and from the man who fate had to separate from me.

It got me wondering, why him? There were many who I could love that would stay, that wouldn't make me suffer the agony of separation in a split second. But destiny decided that it was him, and life came along to put it to plan.

I guess I could say that I miss him. But I don't need to, when I know that he will forever be within my heart, within my soul, and under the same stars of which we fell in love in.

It wasn't magic. It wasn't a dream. And it certainly wasn't fate.

It was something more to that, something I could cherish, like an eternal child, a long-lived love, an artwork in my mind.

It was a twist of time, and we were two old souls that destiny spoke of, and a puzzle put together.