The Fifth Star Of Ophiuchus (COMPLETED)

Chapter 5

"Wait. Hold up. Sandali lang. Are you telling me that you are Celestine's dad?" She gasped.

Richard slowly nodded his head, his eyes never leaving hers.

"No. Wait. Paano? One night lang tayo nagkasama di ba? Did you know all along? Bakit ngayon ka lang nagpakita? After all these years, did you know who we were? Why the hell can't I remember you and yet I have this strong feeling na parang kilalang kilala kita? Was I that drunk? Ilang taon ka na ba? 24? 25? Bakit ang bata mo? How old were you nung magchuk-chakan tayo? 16? 17? Jusko po! Am I a criminal now?" Maine ranted then buried her face in her hands. "Lord! What have I done with my life?"

Richard chuckled. He always found her tireless tirades adorable. How she switches from shy and demure to bold and passionate never ceased to amaze him. She was still the same. They may have erased her memory but they can never change who his Maine was.

"Oh God! You're laughing at me? I'm stupid and you're laughing at me." Maine groaned.

He stopped laughing and his voice went back to a serious tone when he spoke. "You are not stupid, Maine."

He then gently held her wrists and removed her hands from her face. "Look at me." He whispered.

And she did.

"What you think you know, may not be true. It will be difficult to understand if I just tell you, it will all make sense with Celestine. She is the key. And if you let me, we will have all the answers for you. You know I will never harm our child. Do you trust me, Maine?"

Maine looked into his eyes and found sincerity in his words. Although she just met him, his words, his touch, his stares felt like they have always been there and she believed him.

"Yes. I trust you." She said.

"I can prove that she's my child with just one touch and we can start our story from there."

He smiled.

And somehow that smile was enough to tame the wild tempest of confusion and emotions that stormed within her.

//

As Maine wished, they waited until Celestine was fast asleep for Richard to show her his proof. They took the car from her coffee shop's parking then she drove to their house which was only fifteen minutes away.

An hour later and the little girl was tucked in bed. A few minute after that and she was peacefully sleeping on her bed with yellow sun and moon sheets in her sky and space themed room. Richard looked around his daughter's room with appreciation as he sat on a chair at the foot of the bed while Maine sat beside Celestine on the bed.

"Richard..." Maine called softly.

He carefully walked over to them as he carried the chair with him. He set it beside the bed and sat down.

"Are you ready?" Richard asked.
She slowly nodded her head. "I am. Will it hurt her?"

"Not at all." He assured Maine as he gently turned Celestine's left palm up and touched his left hand over it.

A few seconds later a bright yellow light glowed from within their hands. It slowly expanded to form a ball-like shield around the three of them. Maine could not believe her eyes. She has never seen something so magical, so out of this world, so amazing and it she was excited and scared at the same time.

The glow lasted for what seemed like a minute before it gradually faded. When it did, Richard turned his hand so their palms laid side by side.

Maine gasped at what she saw on her little girl's hand. The light left a red mark on her palm in a shape of serpent that was curved in what looked to her as a G clef.

Shock and fear, poured over her. She took her daughter's and looked at Richard with piercing eyes.

"What are you? What is this? What have you done to my daughter? You promised you wouldn't hurt her. I trusted you, you jerk!" She snarled.

"I did not hurt her. I just gave our daughter her birth right. She has had that all along, a father needs to touch his child's palm to recognize that child's rights and claims and bring out the mark. The serpent is the symbol of a Zeihronian. The red serpent indicates the royal bloodline, the House of Frewoex. The shape also speaks of a child's destiny. Mine told of my path to be a medical engineer and Celestine's mark tells of a future in music and the arts."

"What are you talking about? You said you had answers Richard but so far all I have are more questions."

He smiled. "Your eyes are telling me you understand but are afraid of the truth. Don't fear the truth, Maine. Ask."

"Zeihronian... Zeihron? The fifth star of Ophiuchus?"

He nodded. "Ophiuchus is our galaxy and Zeihron is not really a star but a planet. Our planet."

Maine suddenly burst into a sarcastic laugh. "Is this a joke? May camera ba dito?" She said, looking around. "You're telling me that I hooked up with an alien, a very handsome alien, I'll give you that, and that I have a daughter who is actually an alien princess?"

She paused to let the ridiculousness of what she just said set in and laughed louder. "Tama naman ako? Did I miss anything?"

Richard chuckled. "You still haven't changed, my realistic bella. Always the skeptic... Yes, without the laughter, you have understood correctly." He looked at her and the sincerity in his eyes made her stop laughing. "And it was not a hook up. We met, we fell in love, got married and had a daughter. Two years. We were together for two years."

"Two years... All those time I always thought I was missing something from those two years before I had Celestine but I wasn't sure what... I don't understand."

"I told you. Hindi madaling intindihin but if you let me, I can show you. Maine, I need you to trust me again. After this, you will remember everything and you will have all your answers."

"Show me." She whispered, her eyes unfaltering and determined. "But... But not here. Let's go to the living room para makapag-usap ng maayos." She said and lead the way to the room downstairs.

They sat on the couch and faced each other.

"Okay. I'm ready." She said.

"You have to trust me completely. You may not remember but I am your husband and as the wife of a Zeihronian, you also bear hidden marks in your body that holds a memory, each one matching one on mine. Our story. Our love is etched in our skin." Richard said as he looked deep in her eyes and very slowly reached his hand out to touch her cheek with the back of his hand.

As soon as their skin touched, a yellow mark glowed on her cheek and on his hand which ushered her first memory, from when they first met.