Flickering Memories

Chapter 34

A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

Kimmon's POV

"Let me go and pick up some brunch for you and me from the breakfast buffet room downstairs," Newwie offered.

He had said brunch because it was now almost noontime.

"Good idea," I said, "while you're doing that, I'm gonna go take my shower."

Newwie had barely left the room when his phone sounded with a notification.

Once again, I scolded myself for looking into someone else's phone, just as I had scolded myself for listening in on Newwie's and Tay's conversation that evening of our engagement party. If I had not done so, I would have saved myself a lot of heartache.

It was like deja vu. The same or similar thing was happening all over again to me.

Tay: I have already booked our room at the tourist cottage in Sulawesi. Make sure your excuse to that dumb idiot is airtight.

The whole room started to spin around. It took a while and several deep breaths before I felt strong enough to put my shoes and clothes on.

I grabbed my phone and wallet and quickly ran down before Newwie could make his way up to our room.

I told the receptionist at the lobby that I was just going out for a smoke.

I ran as fast as I could to wherever my feet could take me.

There was a long stretch of empty road ahead of me and I slowed down to a walk when I started to get breathless. I clutched at my chest, willing the pain to go away.

I had to keep looking back to see if there was any car coming my way, making sure that it wasn't Newwie's car.

It was close to an hour when I finally came upon a small wayside store.

I stopped to buy myself a pack of cheese sprinkled muffins and a bottle of water.

My phone started to ring as I ate the last crumb of muffin and drank the last quantity of water.

It was Newwie calling. I ignored the call and did not bother to check the voicemail message that he left on my phone.

I tried calling for a taxi from my phone but was unsuccessful.

I started walking slowly again in the direction back to the city.

After another hour of walking, I heard a car coming my way.

Shit, it was Newwie's car.

I quickly ducked behind a thick bush that was growing in the wayside before he could see me.

Thankfully, the car kept going.

I kept walking even though I was tired and breathless.

I looked at the time on my phone. It was now past three in the afternoon. I had been walking for more than three hours now.

I was tired and breathless and sweaty. I felt that I could not take another step.

Suddenly, I saw a police car and several other vans with the logos of different television stations approaching.

I looked around me. There was nothing unusual around me happening so I wondered what was going on.

Suddenly the police car swerved toward me and stopped.

"Mr. Kimmon Varodom?" the officer asked as he approached me.

"Yes, sir," I said, "what's going on?"

"We have received a missing person report. It has been reported that you have been missing."

Shit, Newwie had already reported me as missing. There was no way that I was going back to him.

Suddenly I noticed our company van. It was parked right behind the officer's patrol car. Then I saw Earth coming out of our company van.

And wait, Dr. K, no, my Copter!  My very own Copter was walking right beside him!

They both came running towards me.

"Was it Newwie who kidnapped you? Was it Newwie?" Earth was asking me.

The officer spoke up, "If that person kidnapped you, we are going to arrest that person."

I could not look Copter in the eye when I replied, "No, I willingly went with him." Then I hastened to say, "But it was all a misunderstanding." when I saw the grim expression that took over Copter's face.

As soon as Copter heard me say to the office that I had gone willingly with Newwie,  he turned and started walking away.

"Wait!" I cried, running after him, "you heard what I said to the officer! It was all a misunderstanding!"

He kept walking away and broke into a run when he saw me getting closer to him.

I ran after him and grabbed him by the wrist when I caught up with him.

"Copter, please, listen to me," I begged, "Newwie made me go with him to explain to me that the conversation that I had heard between him and Tay at the hotel during the evening of our engagement party was all a misunderstanding."

"Why, why did you listen to him when you knew all this time that he had just been making a fool out of you?" he asked, not looking at me. He had turned his face in the opposite direction, his voice full of hurt and accusation.

"Because, Copter..." my voice was shaking now and my tears were flowing freely, staining my cheeks because my face was full of dust from all the walking that I had done, "because... I am one stupid brainless fool who has not realized until just now that it is only one person that I truly love... No! Copter, please! Don't go, pleeeaaassseee!!!"

Copter had broken free from my grasp and was running away again.

I quickly caught up with him and grabbed him and held him tight in my arms.

He tried to break free but I was holding him so tightly that he could hardly move.

"Kimmon... P'Kim... I cannot... I cannot... P'Kim... let me breathe... loosen up, please..."

Oh, shit, I let him break away from me. I grabbed his wrist tightly in case he tried to run away again. He looked up at me, his eyes shining with tears that were threatening to fall any second.

He placed his other hand lightly on the side of my face.

I looked down at his face, his eyes, his nose, his mouth, trying to memorize every detail.

I inched my face very, very slowly close to his.

I tasted his tears when our lips met. We held each other tightly, neither one of us wanting to let go any time soon.

Suddenly there was a burst of applause from the crowd of onlookers, the police officers and the field reporters.

I happened to look at Earth who was also standing there watching us.

A stab of guilt went through my chest as I observed the look of utter sadness and loneliness on his face.

I had to do something quickly in the days ahead to help him find someone else to love.