The Travel Buddy

Chapter 18 - The Toast

"Beatrice! Come home this instant or I'll send the whole security team to pick you up wherever you are!" Dad's voice boomed out over the phone.

"D-dad?" I looked at the screen of my phone. He was using an unfamiliar number. I felt panicky. Dad had never been so angry with me as how he sounded right now.

"Your mom was rushed to the hospital yesterday. This is too much, Beatrice!

          "W-what?! M-mom?" I began to sob. "What happened to her?"

          "Just come home, Bea. We'll talk about it." His voice began to soften.

"O-okay, Daddy. I... I'm sorry..."

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          The flashing of lights and the reverberating sound of the music made me feel dizzy.  I've had too much drinks tonight.

          "Girl, you've gone MIA on us. Don't you dare pass out on us. Nah ah! Not tonight, Bea!"  Micah hollered over the music. Lois was dancing in front of our table.

Micah's already on her second year in law school. We could have been together in the Rockwell campus of Ateneo had I pursued my post-graduate studies right after graduation. But life messed up.

          "No, I'm just a little tipsy." I hollered back. "I'm going to the restroom." I pointed to the club's comfort room and stood up. I wobbled. Damn these stilletos.

We were in this posh club right at the top of our newly-opened 30-storey hotel in Iloilo. My friends came when they learned that I'm already back home.

Two years... I was gone for two years. Nobody dared to follow me nor compel me to come back home. Not even dad. They knew I was shattered. Infuriated is a word too gentle to describe me that time.

I had successfully evaded Enzo in Singapore. We never crossed paths. I stayed in Johor Bahru, a city and capital of the state of Johor in the southernmost part of Malaysia. If they have had the security checked the movement of my travel documents, they would have thought I was in Kuala Lumpur. But no. After all those years of trying to stay clear from anything and everything about him, I have mastered the art of escaping when situation gets complicated.  I had a Malaysian friend booked a hotel for me while I was dodging Enzo's presence in Singapore.  It took me five days before I have ensured that he had gone back to the States and for me to go back to work.

          Now, the situation took Mom's health before it made me go back home.  My mother, though we often bicker over petty things, got sick of being worried for me. She had tried convincing me to go home but I was too adamant to stand my ground.

          I went out of the club's comfort room and headed to the balcony overlooking the resplendent lights of the other buildings and moving cars below.  This is what I need... a breath of fresh air.  After two years, I still could not fathom the unthinkable revelations that I had accidentally discovered. I could still vividly recall those days.  I signaled the waiter for my preferred drink which he already knew.

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Graduation Day...

          Finally! I got my diploma! I was so excited that I rushed to Daddy's arms right after the ceremony.

"Congratulations, baby!" He was beaming in happiness.

"Thank you, Daddy!" I hugged him tight. I could never thank him enough for being a supportive father.