It's Always Been Us

18: Ghost From The Past

He's got it all planned today. Just like what he promised her, he's gonna bake Banana Walnut bread not just for her but for the whole team.

He's already baked the recipe so many times that he has already memorized the measurement of each ingredient. After mixing all the ingredients to create a batter, he poured the batter in the loaf pans, placed the loaf pans inside the pre-heated oven and set the timer to one hour and twenty minutes. He then proceeded to take a shower while the oven's baking.

He called her, but she was not able to answer his call. 'Probably she's still asleep,' he thought since they got home late the night before from their date night at the beach. So he sent a message to her, telling her that he's gonna pick her up when their rehearsals would start. She replied that she just woke up and that she's still lazy to get up but she'll wait for him anyway.

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He and his team had already done the final sound check for the concert, he had already rehearsed some of his solo performances. They will continue with rehearsals after lunch. He is so eager to rehearse with her.

As his team is now gathering for a late lunch, he approached his manager, "Panch, I'm going to pick Serah."

Everyone in his team was looking at him with knowing smiles.

"What?!" He asked clueless.

"Gagawin ko ang lahat upang, sa huli, sa huli, sa huli ay tayo.." His make up artist was singing.

He looked back. "I heard that!"

He joined his team in their laughter.

He wanted to surprise her so he didn't send her a message. 'Maybe we could sneak for a quick lunch date prior to rehearsal,' he was telling himself.

He can't hide his smile and excitement. "Ahh..I miss her already, I can't wait to see her!" He was feeling so giddy and thrilled.

He was about to pull over on her driveway when he saw them.

She was hugging another man, and  looking closely, it was no other than her husband. The time that he feared has come. There in front of his very own eyes, he is witnessing a husband and a wife in reconciliation. The husband's head was in the crook of her shoulder, both have closed eyes while smiling as if feeling the moment. He even saw her rubbing her husband's back as they hugged for like forever in his eyes.

He could not explain what he's feeling. He was trying to choke back his tears. The scene that he witnessed broke his heart into a thousand pieces. He tried his chance but in the end, he is still the loser. How cruel could time be, now that he is taking chances, it's as if time is telling him: 'no you can't', 'no, you don't have a chance'. "To hell with fate, to hell with destiny!" He was gritting his teeth in anger.

It was he who is supposed to surprise her but look at how the tables have turned, it was he who got the worst surprise of his life.

He stepped on the accelerator of his pickup and left her place. "Damn it!" He cursed. He stopped at a shoulder on the road and banged his steering wheel. "Why?!" He was asking. He doesn't know how to put into words what he's feeling, but one thing's for sure, he is deeply hurt, feels like a thousand knives had cut through his heart.

He felt jealous and insecure. "That is her husband, you are just a suitor. He is closer to her age, you are just an old man. He has all the right to own her." He was telling himself. He closed his eyes to prevent the tears that are threatening to fall.

That scenario is like a dejavu. How many times had he seen them together cuddling, holding hands and getting lovey dovey in the corridors of the ABS-CBN building? How many times had he seen her look at him like there's no other man in her world. How many times had he seen how smitten he is to his woman. How many times did he have to endure Lea teasing her about her fiance who eventually became her husband. How many times had he felt that pang of jealousy every time he sees him holding her hands, everytime he sees him kiss her in front of everybody. How many times had he wished that were him only to wake up from a dream and be struck with reality that she is not his, she was never his and never will.

Nobody knows how hard he put an effort to display a poker face every time the The Voice hosts and their fellow coaches would tease her about her love life. Nobody knows how much self control he exerted not to approach her and snatch her engagement ring and wedding ring from her finger every time that she proudly displays it to everyone. Nobody knows how much self restraint he needed not to hug her tightly, so he just resorts to shaking her hands while hugging their other fellow coaches. It took him a lot of grit and willpower to control himself. He had to remind himself over and over again that she is not his. All of these are hidden in his straight poker face and serious demeanor.

All the pain is coming back. He is at the losing end, just like before, he is at the losing end, again.

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Earlier that day, she was awakened by a notification on her phone. When she checked, it was a message from him telling her that he's gonna fetch her for their rehearsals. She replied prior to taking a shower.

She was already in her kitchen preparing a quick breakfast when she heard a knock from her door.

"Ang aga naman ni coach!" As she excitedly ran to her door to open it.

"Ang aga mo nam.." She stopped mid sentence and was surprised at the man standing in front of her.

She was about to close her door but he stopped her.

"Sarah, let's talk," he said in a calm tone.

"I don't think I can talk to you right now.." She was stammering at her unexpected visitor.

"Sarah please..I flew all the way here to talk to you," his tone was begging.

She was undecided, but her soft heart won over her determination not to talk to him. She opened her door and let him in.

"Upo ka, uhh..coffee?" It was the least she could offer her unexpected visitor.

"Sige," he answered.

She brought with her two cups of black coffee in her living room.

"Ayos 'tong lugar mo a, kumusta ka na?" He tried to start the conversation casually.

"Ok lang naman, eto nagpapatuloy pa din sa buhay. Nag-aaral. Ikaw kumusta?"

"Good for you. Ako, ayos lang din naman, sinusubukang magpakatino. Pagkatapos nung mga nangyari, nagparehab ako for anger management. Pakiramdam ko naman, I am a better man now."

She just nodded her head. "Paano mo nga pala nalaman ang address ko?" It was a puzzle to her.

"Ahmn..Hiningi ko kina tito at tita yung address mo dito, pero huwag kang magalit sa kanila. Ang sabi ko sa kanila gusto kitang makausap, gusto kong magka-ayos tayo."

She looked at him in silence.

"Sarah, gusto kong malaman mo na pinagsisisihan ko lahat ng mga maling nagawa ko. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me. I hope we could start over again."

She was dumbfounded. 'Why does it have to be now?' She was asking herself.

"Ah, oo nga pala," he took from his pocket two boxes that are so familiar to her. She automatically held her ring on her right hand as if getting strength from it.

"These belong to you," he opened the boxes and there in front of her are her engagement ring and wedding ring.

She swallowed involuntarily. She is at a loss of words. She doesn't know what to tell him.

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She was now walking him out of her apartment. How many hours did they spend just laughing, crying and talking about yesteryears. They shared laughter, tears and stories. She felt so good after their conversation.

"Ingat ka," she smiled at him.

"Salamat, see you soon," he smiled at her.

He hugged her tightly. He is thankful that all is well between him and her. She can feel his tears falling down and just like the old times, she was there to pacify him. She was rubbing his back with her gentle hands.

"Tahan na," she was repeatedly whispering to him.

He was taking everything that he could from this moment.

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A/N: Their ghost from the past came sooner than they had expected. How will our leading man take what he has witnessed? What happened between our leading lady's conversation with her husband? Btw, we are half way  through the story. :D