I Love You More - by Lizelle Tabaquero

CHAPTER 18 - Heartache

CHAPTER 18

 

After several years, through Vince courtship and hard work, Czarlize and Vince became official lovers and their relationship has been stable for years even after graduation. Vince was working as a Physicist on a semiconductor company while Czarlize was working as an engineer on a private electrical distribution firm. Their relationship goes well.

One day, Czarlize invited Vince for a dinner in a famous restaurant that serves pasta. Vince gladly accepted.

7:20PM, August 25, 1988.

Vince arrived firstly at the restaurant.

Waiter: Welcome sir!

Vince: Table for two, please.

The waiter assisted Vince to a particular dine-in table area in the restaurant.

Vince: I think this is good.

Waiter: Thank you, sir. May I have your orders please?

Vince knew Czarlize liked Pasta.

Vince: Uhhmm, two fettucini, two iced teas, and a glass of water.

The waiter repeated, murmurs on his voice while jotting down in a pad paper which seems like ¼ sheets.

Waiter: …two fettucini, two iced tea, and a glass of water.

Waiter: uhm, anything else sir?

Vince: No more.

Waiter: Sir, i’ll just repeat your orders, two fettucini, two iced teas, and a glass of water?

Vince nodded.

Vince speaks on his mind.

Vince: ...why waiter seems to repeat, is it a company protocol?

He looks at the company logo, famous Italian pasta.

Then suddenly, Vince mobile phone sounded.

 “…hanggang sa dulo ng walang hanggan …hanggang matapos ang kailan pa man

…

 …ikaw lamang ang mamahalin …ikaw lamang ang sasambahin …”

A tone that seems a popular hit song of Mr. Basil Valdez, Most Granny’s knows this.

He seems happy every time his mobile phone had sounded. While getting his phone in an excitement action, he then said.

Vince: I know its Czarlize... my beloved Czarlize.

He checks his mobile phone.

1 Message Received

He opened it. It’s Czarlize.

I’ll be late. I’m in the taxi right now, quite traffic

Vince replied.

Ok, i’m here in the restaurant already, i’ll be waiting, mwah (“,)

Then, Vince hit the enter button. Suddenly, a message appears.

Message Sent Failed: Check Operator

Vince can’t believe what he’s seeing. He began to panic.

Vince: Crap! What the...

He thinks to have just loaded a while ago.

While still trying sending thrice, he murmurs, complaining to the mobile operator.

Vince: …I just loaded this a while ago.

Vince then realizes he had loaded the other sim card and not the one he is trying to send with. His mobile phone is dual-sim.

Vince then re-sends the message to another sim card.

Message Sent

He seems glad on what he saw. He murmurs.

Vince: tsk, memory gap... I need memory vitamins...

After 20 minutes, Czarlize arrived in the restaurant.

Vince saw her, and waved her.

She seats opposite of Vince. Vince felt something unusual, a little strange to Czarlize, most often she normally kiss him and seats besides him.

However, he seems doesn’t mind. He murmurs.

Vince: …maybe she’s tired from work.

After a moment, Czarlize talks.

Czarlize: So, how’s work?

Vince: Well, same as usual... nothing’s new. We just have a meeting recently.

Czarlize: …about what?

Vince: …about ISO 9001:2008, some foreigners will come to visit the company for auditing, you know, quality ek-ek... the usual.

Czarlize smiled. Vince goes on.

Vince: …and how about you?

Czarlize: Well…

Czarlize inhales for a while.

Czarlize: I was accepted in the University of Queensland, in Australia.

Vince knew Czarlize dream and ambition was to become a successful writer someday, she applied for M.A. English in the University of Philippines last year but she was not accepted because of her undergraduate course was Electrical Engineering and not B.A. English. She then applied online at the University of Queensland website the following year, and she was accepted in the University with a full bright scholarship.

Vince: No Czarlize… you can’t leave.

Czarlize: I have to; you knew that I need this. It’s my dream. It’s my ambition to be a world renowned writer someday.

Vince: You can always have your dreams and ambitions, but if you leave, what about me? …us?

Suddenly, the waiter serves the food where Vince pre-ordered.

Czarlize was quiet for a while, she didn’t answer the question.

She looks on the fettucini pasta, quite hungry from traffic.

She begins to eat while Vince drinks the water.