“Would you mind a drink?” a delicate sweet voice interrupted a man of sixties from his deep thoughts.
The old man’s gaze drifted from the outsides of the coffee shop to the woman who’s in front of him. She stood five feet and a half and was wearing a floral dress – the one which his wife loves to have.
“No dear, thanks,” he responded and trying to dismiss the woman who’s trying to start a conversation with him. If there’s one thing he wanted to do that very moment, that is to be with himself and endure the pain alone.
“Can I sit here instead?” she insisted. He sighed. Women these days. He shrugged. “Sure.”
“Are you okay?”
He looked at her intently. Can’t she just keep quiet? She sounded like his own daughter Cattleya. Never gets tired of inquiring his all abouts.
“I’m fine. If you don’t mind woman, I’m too tired to talk. I need silence please,” he emphasized then looked at the food she brought with her. “Focus on your waffles and chocolate drink. You can leave after.”
“You’re rude,” the woman commented. “I’m Mary by the way and it is my nature to help lost souls.” She then displayed her sweetest and most alluring smile.
He tried not minding her. He looked back outside the glass walls of the coffee shop. It’s started to rain already. ‘Why didn’t it rain that day? Should’ve save her life,’ he thought.
The sound emitted by his phone brought him back to reality.
“Hello.”
“Dad, where are you?” he replied.
He paused.
“Dad.” It was his daughter, Cattleya.
“Somewhere.”
“Come on Dad, you can’t do this forever! In two months, it will be August’s wedding. He needed you.”
He tried his best not to sigh. “It will still be in two months. I will go. Don’t worry.”
“But we don’t know where you are,” she sounded frustrated.
“I promise. I’ll be there.” Of course, it was his son’s wedding. He’ll be there. He just needed some time to be alone. “I’ll contact you from time to time. I’m safe. Nothing wrong will happen to me. Should there be, you’ll be the first one to know.”
“Dad…” He heard her sobbing over the line.
“Catt… I’m kidding. I’ll attend August’s wedding. I’ve called him already. I’m taking my vitamins. I’m taking care of myself.”
He heard no response. “Catt…”
“Please be back in a month Dad. Please?” she sounded desperate.
He looked again outside the glass walls. “Okay. I’ll be back home. I promise.”
“Thank you Dad. I love you.”
“Same here baby. I love you too.” He then went off the line. He noticed the woman seated in front of him was far long gone.
“Good thing nobody will ruin my solitude anymore.”
But he was up for something more. On the table where he was, was an envelope left purposely for him. He looked around and found no other person who would have left it, aside from the woman who tried talking to him few moments ago.
The envelope was unsealed and it was truly tempting to open it.
Catt, my love,
By the time that you are reading this letter, I must have been gone. As much as I wanted to stay and grow old with you, I can’t. We both know what a traitor this sickness is. And we were both oriented that a year would be a miracle for me to last. Yet with the time given for both of us, I wanted to tell you that I am very happy and never did I regretted loving you. I believed I have lived my life to its fullest because of you. Please do not spend the rest of your life worrying over me. Worse, do not ever think of ending your life. We’ll see each other soon, in God’s perfect time. Find ways to be happy. You’re a happy kind of person the first time I met you. Please be happy. I love you always. Remember that.
Love always,
Readth
Tears freely fell from his eyes. He rested his head on the table and sobbed there. Some costumers gave him odd gazes while the others tried dismissing him. Least he cared at all. It sounded like her. It sounded so much like his wife. Moments later, from his sobbing position, a smile crept into his lips. He slipped his hand and picked up his phone.
“August,” he mustered.
“Dad?” his groggy voice’s still the same. He realized he missed him so much.
“I’m at the coffee shop where your mom and I met. Pick me up here.”
“Yes dad. I’ll be there in a moment. Don’t leave. I’m coming.” Then he hung up.
Several minutes after, an overwhelmed and superbly happy August came. He hugged his dad and immediately assisted him to his car. He, on the other hand slipped the letter from his hand. He gave the seat, where the woman who attempted to talk to him, a one last glance. He smiled and left the letter there.
“Let’s go?”
“Sure dear.”
Then they sped up leaving the letter behind. He had no regrets of leaving it. It was no letter of his wife. He couldn’t explain how the woman knew, she must be an angel. It was not his wife’s letter. He’s name’s not Williard and he didn’t know who Bernadeth is. But the letter did help him so much.
