The Fifth Star Of Ophiuchus (COMPLETED)

Chapter 4

"Are you feeling alright, sweetheart? Okay ka na, Sey-sey ko?" Maine asked with her sweet melodious voice and a little frown on her forehead a few minutes later as they sat on a bench in the park when Celestine woke up from her nap.

"I'm okay, Mama." The little girl smiled. "I'm sorry I made you cry." She said as she wiped a tear that flowed from Maine's eye.

Richard could not help but admire his daughter's courage and love for her mother. He smiled as he watched how lovingly Maine touched their child's cheek and stroke her raven hair, mustering all his composure and resilience to keep himself from pulling them both into his arms and holding them tight.

He didn't want to terrify them by such actions. Maine doesn't remember him and Celestine never knew him. As far as they were concerned, he never existed in their lives until now. Richard understood that he must be strong and not do anything careless. He waited too long to be with them just to scare them away so he just sat quietly beside them.

Maine... His beloved Maine. A few lines may have lined her forehead, a few inches may have layered her once tiny waist, years may have aged her face and body but she was still as beautiful as he remembered maybe even more because the wisdom, kindness and love she gained over the years radiated from within her soul.

Maine kissed the little girl's forehead and smiled. "That's okay, sweetheart. The important thing is you're here at safe ka. Wag mo nang uulitin yun ha? Don't wander off like that again. Promise?"

"Promise, Mama." Celestine answered and stuck out her pinky finger to which Maine hooked her little finger around too.

Maine suddenly closed her eyes shut as another blinding flash of light ushered a vision of two hands her own and a man's doing a pinky a promise with his voice saying the words. "Ikaw at Ako."

"Ikaw at Ako". The voice echoed and when she opened her eyes. She couldn't not shake off the feeling that the man sitting beside them had the same distinct voice.

"Are you okay? May masakit ba sa'yo?" Richard asked, reaching his hand out to touch her but decided against it so he just let it land on his lap.

"Wala. Don't worry about me." Maine answered with a little smile. "Thank you ulit for saving my daughter. Sey, baby, say Thank you to Mister Richard. He was the one who saved you."

Celestine gingerly went down from her mother's lap and walker over to Richard. "Thank you, Mister Richard. Para ka pong super hero." She beamed as she looked up at his face.

Richard bit his lip and help back his tears. He took a deep breath and smiled. "You're welcome. Always, welcome, little one." With a trembling hesitant hand he reached out and tucked some stray hair behind her ear. "Pwede ba... Can I have hug?" He asked almost choking from a sob he tried so hard to hold back.

The little girl's face lit up when she nodded her head yes and launched to his chest as her tiny hands sprawled on his back. Richard closed his eyes and sighed as he carefully wrapped his arms around his little girl. At that moment, he was no longer able to hold back the silent tears that fell as he finally held his daughter.

Maine wondered why the man was so emotional but somehow she understood and once again voices from a past she can't remember echoed in her mind.

"Iyakin ka kasi." She said.

"Ano? Ako? Iyakin? Pareho lang tayo." He answered.

"Ikaw kaya. Pinagtimpla lang kita ng kape, umiyak ka na." She giggled.

"Sobrang sarap kasi ng kapeng gawa mo at..."

"At?"

"Mahal na mahal kita, Maine. I will wake each morning with a smile for you and the coffee you make for me everyday."

"Mahal din kita. Don't ever lose that smile again."

Maine shook her head and shrugged. She must be imagining these things again. She was used to having visions and conversations once in a while like a dream that come out of nowhere but not this often. They have only been with this man for an hour and already she has had three.

Maine, you've gone mad. Dahil sa kakapuyat mo sa panonood ng Korea novelas yan.

"Coffee?" She suddenly asked. "Would you like some coffee, Richard? My shop is just two blocks from here."

Richard smiled widely making the dimple on his left cheek deepen. "Yes, please, I love coffee." He said.

"Look, Mama! He has a dimple too! Like me!" Celestine excitedly observed poking her tiny finger on his cheek and then on her own.

"That's right. You do have the same dimple." Maine smiled.

And the same deep-set eyes, same high bridged nose, same fair complexion, same dark hair, same pink lips, same everything.

Oh my God, Maine! Siya nga ata pero paano? Ang bata talaga niya para sa'yo. And if Celestine's father was just a one-night stand, how come this man is making me feel all sorts of crazy like I've known him forever?

//

Richard closed his eyes as he inhaled the aroma of the steaming cup of coffee in his hands before taking one hearty sip. He moaned softly and licked his lips. "Foubom... This is heaven." He sighed.

Maine covered her lips with her hand as she stifled a giggle as she watched him drink his coffee.

They were sitting in one of the umbrella table set lined up on the sidewalk just outside her café while Celestine ate dinner inside with Coleen, her shop's manager.

"Is my coffee really that good?" She asked and he slowly opened his eyes to look at her as if he has just been awakened from a trance.

"It is. And I haven't had a real cup of coffee for so long. We don't have coffee from where I'm from so I had to live with substitute during those years that I am away."

"How long have you been away? Where are you from?" She asked casually.

She didn't expect that her simple questions would make him stop and would wipe the smile off his face. He suddenly looked at her with an expression of sadness and pain in his eyes.

"Too long. Too far away." He answered sullenly and Maine couldn't understand why her eyes brimmed with tears.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude." She said and looked down.

"That's okay, Maine. You have every right to ask. Ask me anything and I will answer. I will not hold anything back." He told her and laid a hand on hers.

With that single touch, a surge of electricity suddenly flowed from her hand to her entire body which filled her with overwhelming feelings warmth and joy and longing and passion and pain all at the same time and for the fourth time she was confronted by the familiarity of the man she just met.

"Who are you? Sino ka ba talaga sa buhay ko?" She couldn't take it anymore. She had to ask.

"You know, Maine. Your heart knows who I am but your mind does not remember." He told her as he lovingly gazed deep into her eyes.

He then turned to look inside the café where they can see Celestine through the glass window. "If you really want to know the answer, Maine. She is the key."

Maine watched as her daughter laughed while Coleen made puppet impression out of spoon and forks until she reached a realization from what he just told her.

Holy freaking moly! Maine! Tangina! Cradle snatcher ka!