Whisper of the Heart (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER IV

Edward buried himself in his swivel chair, facing the window, the blinds drawn to the side. There was not so much to be seen outside, except buildings and distant buildings and distant roads. Buildings at the horizon. Roads at the horizon. But Edward wasn't seeing them at the moment. His both elbows were resting on the arms of the chair, his one hand holding his pen, which endcap he absentmindedly presses for like every 30 seconds.

Click.

The door opened, and Cha, the secretary carefully closed it behind her. If it had been one of the normal, happy days, Cha would look smart, relax and comfortable. Edward, as a boss, maybe exacting, but overall, he was the nicest of all the bosses and she knew everyone was envy of her. Especially the girls. She had to admit she was very fortunate herself.

"Hays! If we really could switch bossess. " Amy her friend dreamily told her one time. "Cha! You got to see him everyday! Face to face! How was it like? Seeing him everyday?"

She would teasingly answer, "Heaven!"

"And when he looks at you in the eye! Waaahhh, i really envy you girl! How i wish i were you. Will you take a one month leave and have me as a substitute?" And they would giggle like highschool kids thrown a glance by the school crush.

But she sensed it the moment he heard her boss' voice on the telephone ushering her to come over to his office that this day isn't going to become one of those normal, happy days. Her heatbeat she could hear was competing with the tic tac of the clock on the wall. Her feet were closely tied together. Stressfully. She could not help but reflect her performance last week. Where have i gone wrong? She asked herself.

On the other hand, Edward was far from being disagreeable that morning. Only he was fully absorbed in his thoughts, particularly about the happenings the past few days. He had been dreaming weird dreams lately. In one, a voice called his name. In that particular dream it was like music to his ears, like waves of joy rushin. It felt so real, he woke up in the middle of the night smiling. And made him look forward to sleeping. On some days he dreamt of himself looking for a face in a crowd. One time he dreamt of that girl crossing the street. And finally, he realized that all these weird dreams had one effect on him, the same effect his adventures to Cavite had on him. And it wasn't really comforting.

Cha for a moment couldn't decide whether she would pronounce her presence, for Edward must have heard her come in.

"Come closer."

Cha stepped closer, aiming for the seat that faces Edward's table, but she didn't dare sit.

"Sit."

She did. Every passing second, her tension was growing.

"I have a question, Cha." The voice was still monotone, and Cha's heart skipped a beat when she heard the click.

She was wondering what question it might be. She remembered Mr. Agoncillo turned down their business proposal early last week but that couldn't be helped.

"Do you think, the heart remembers what the mind forgets?"

Ohh. Just why in the world, does one Edward Barber ask that question? He's not into romantic movies, does he?

For a moment Cha was taken aback by his unexpected question, her brows went up quizzically, half disbelief, half relief . She didn't know if she were to answer the question like a beauty queen, or like an applicant in an interview, or like Cha. If she were a beauty queen she would answer like this.. Oh never mind. She decided to answer as Cha.

"Well, sir. I.. I.. When my great grandma was still alive, she had alzheimers'. She practically forgets everything, her sons, daughters. Us. Sometimes her name. Sometimes her husband, our great lolo, who was long dead at the time. Where she lives. Practically everything. For days she would just stay in bed, but she loved to talk, so we visit her as frequent as we could, talk to her even if we were strangers to her. One time, our grandma, not our real grandma. But the sister of our real grandma, Lola Toyang, the youngest of the siblings (whom she had forgotten too), hummed a song. I was there, the song was not at all familiar to me. Maybe  a song in their youth. I was there. Our great grandma was looking at the window. And i saw it. She slowly looked at Lola Toyang, and she started humming the song, too."

Cha was crying. Edward turned around and was a little perplexed at the moment. A little guilty for being the reason a woman was crying. He didn't know what to do at the moment but to offer tissue to crying Cha, which she gladly accepted with which she started to blow her nose.

"I'm sorry sir for crying, it was just that i remember the scene too well and i was so touched at that time all of us in the room were crying."

Edward remained silent. Waiting for Cha to continue.

"And then, she embraces Lola Toyang, and she said..." Cha began crying helplessly again the moment she started talking and finished her tale inbetween sobs.. "Anak.. She called lola toyang anak.. "

Edward was closed to tears himself. In fact, He already forgot about his question.

"And so." Cha continued, composing herself. "I believe.." Wait. That sounded like a beauty queen. Cha shook her head. "I believe Lola might have forgotten her sons, daughters, but she still remembers her feelings, the moment she heard the hum,her feelings as a mother to her child. And so i thought, alzheimer could erase only memories, not feelings."

Cha was long gone. Edward was left alone to himself, musing. Still pressing the pen's endcap from time to time. His other hand felt his chest. If Cha was right, it could be that his heart was remembering feelings. Feelings he once felt. Feelings for who?

If he was only able to see her face clearly. Darn that hair. Well, he wasn't sure if the girl, or the place was somewhat connected to his lost memories, but he'll find out about that.