Another First Love

f i v e

"Nathan," I replied, aware that my voice was thin. I choked down my tears, in the same manner, I'd done many times before. I knew he was worried and I missed hearing his voice so much.

"Pete? Oh God! Mom, Dad!" He yelled, I could hear the voice on the other end of the phone screaming at him. Someone picked up the phone, it was certainly mom.

               "Mom,"

"Peter, my boy, oh thank God," She giggled softly through the phone and my heart filled. She answered my first question before I even asked it. "We saw what happened on the tv. We tried to contact you many times but it wasn't reached. We are so worried about you. Are you alright?"

I looked down at my feet. I shook my head in disappointment, knowing that they couldn't see me. "Emily," I sobbed, my voice muffled. I didn't think I'd ever not been sad again.

"What happened to her? What happened to Emily?"

I cried out, then hastily muffled my mouth, "she's gone, mom. I lost her, and-and I don't know what to do now. I don't know where she is." I slowly fell to the floor with the phone in my hand as the awful truth sunk in. That realization made me cry more.

When my mother learned of this she cried and said, "oh honey, mom will be there. I'll come to bring you back, my son. I'll come, my dear. I-I know you're alone, I can't even sleep at night thinking about you. Oh Lord! Please save my son, oh God." Her voice cracked as she forced out the words. Over the phone, she sounded like she was fighting tears.

"Mom...", but at the moment, the words came, the response was automatic.

"I got to go, mom. I have to look for her. I'll be at the hotel waiting for you." I pressed the end button on the telephone before she could say her last words. It broke my heart that I had to do so because I had so many things to tell her, and I couldn't bear hearing the pain in her voice.

I wiped my tears from my face and took a deep breath. Everything looked almost unreal and I felt as if I was upside-down. Then I looked up, and saw her. That girl held my shoulder and looked straight into my eyes, she mumbled, "I know you will found her." She handed me a plain white shirt, looking at me with nothing but short trousers. "Here, you must be cold."

"Thank you." Just seeing her made the world seem right again, even if it were only for a little while. At least she stood there while I got dressed.

She smiled. She escorted me out of the office, but I paused at the door, without going any further I turned around and looked down at her, then I asked the one question I thought I'd never ask, "Sorry I haven't ask for your name."

She smiled with her mouth falling into laughter. "Anisa."

At the door, I shook her hand, thanked her again, "thank you for everything, Anisa." I continued, "I have nothing to repay you, but I'm glad that I met you. You have done more than enough for me, Anisa."

I looked out the window to see the bright sun and looked back at her. "I'm going to find my wife." I said, sighing.

"She's a lucky girl." Anisa patted my shoulder and left the patient's room, continue with her unfinished work.

               I left the building with high hopes that things might be okay. I had to walk all the way back to the hotel and Emily was probably looking for me in our suites. Along the road, I saw many people walking here and there, and hoped none would talk to me. Many objects and buildings were destroyed; some were completely washed away by the tsunami. In one town, ships, buildings and cars were tossed around together like a wasteland.

               I lost my slippers during the tsunami and I had to walk under the unusual warmth of the sun. Sometimes the wind blew downstream and my skin tingled. Blessedly my hotel wasn't that too far away from the shelter building. It was a large, 8-story building, vintage luxury style, the kind that honeymoon couples will choose for their marriage. The lobby was destroyed by the tsunami and a wall in the lobby failed, tearing a hole in the building.

               There weren't many people around the areas and the elevators weren't working; there were no communication lines. I still wasn't sure what I was going to do. I reached the top of the stairs of the building and made my way down to my suite. As I held the doorknob, there came into my mind the image of my suite keys. I had forgotten that I had it with me and reached into my pocket for the keys.

               I was extremely nervous when I pulled the door of my suite as I kept thinking if Emily was inside the room even though I knew she wasn't there because there was only one key. Opening that door, I stepped in and looked around. It was almost like the same smell as before, but different.

               I slowly walked frontwards towards the door and out onto the balcony. I opened the balcony door and stepped out into the warmth of daylight air. It was the feeling that the same happy feeling I had the first time I was here with Emily. Through the view, my eyes wide open to see the whole disaster of the city. I couldn't bear myself so I went back inside the house and found a camera on the table lamp. I sat quickly on the bed as I watched every video from the beginning of my wedding day.

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p\s: I don't know why but I think the story is getting sadder in every new chapter. I start questioning myself whether the story should have a happy ending.

Once again, thank you for your support and you know who you are. You may vote, comment good/bad feedback. It would mean the world to me.