'Til I Found You (COMPLETED)

30

"Here's your key, Sir. Enjoy your stay", the lady at her early thirties handed over it to him.

Stephen reached for it and paced his direction to the reserved room. Heart is full of inexplicable bursting of emotions. It entails a smidgen of hope to see his first love after such a long time. His greatest love that nobody else fills in her space. It's been years of hunting through, and no one clues him in of Lea's domicile. Not even her workplace. Upon reading Eli's message, he nearly jumps out of his chair. He misses her a lot. Stephen asked Emma and Jason of Lea's whereabouts but they kept mum. Though doubts flooded his thoughts, he understood that Lea wanted a restart away from them. That day Lea left was his down-and-out. And though his wedding is near to date, he doesn't want to relinquish this slight chance.

With a driblet of info, he led off his day hunting through Lea.

○ ○ ○

The two haven't been talking to each other the rest of their night. Eli locked up herself in the bedroom. With driblets drifting down her face, she curled up in her bed. She longs to know her dad. Though Lea told her a countless time that he lives far away with his family, she hides that longingness from her mom. She calls to mind her younger days wishing for his appearance. Every birthday wish was for him to show up. Each Christmas eve, she's that usual kid who believes that Santa exists, and that when she wakes up the next morning his dad awaits her downstairs.

But it all crash down into pieces.

Hindi ka nga niya kilala at wala yung pakialam kahit makilala ka pa niya! Why do you keep on bringing this up?! Stop asking about your dad! Hindi ka non gugustuhin na makilala!

It crumbled her heart, and cried her heart out to sleep. At that juncture she presumed that seeing her dad is an impossible dream come true.

When morning comes Lea bustled around the kitchen while Eli takes a seat in solitary. It's their usual setup less the deafening silence settled their dining area. Downcast eyes of her daughter caught Lea's attention. It clenched her heart for she knew it's her fault.

"Eat a lot. You skipped your dinner last night", she fills in an empty plate of Eli's usual fry-up.

Eli gazed up to her mom with apologetic eyes on, "Mommy ...."

The waterworks begun.

"... I'm sorry, Mommy", she rose to her feet and hugs her mom. "I swear to never ask about daddy again. I won't bother you anything about him. I understand it now, Mommy"

Lea holds herself from bursting into tears, "Just forget it, Eli. I know you want to see him". Lea lifts her chin up and meets gaze of Eli, "I'm sorry. Baby, it's just you and me. I can't introduce you to him because that would make things complicated. I am doing this for you. Someday when you're old enough to understand things in life, I'd lay it out to you"

Eli nods to her mom as Lea wipes off the tears falling down her face. She kisses her forehead, hugging her tightly. She feels pity for her young one. Her tears leave mark in Lea's ventricle.

Invisible scars are way painful than the visible ones.

○ ○ ○

"So, you're not joining?", Candyce asks Eli. She tells her best friend, Candyce, of yesterday's revelation.

With crestfallen countenance, she nods her head. "It's fine. I'll just ask Ms. Alba for a special project. Besides, I'd still be around on that event. My club brainstormed for the activities eh. Maybe Ms. Alba would give me points for it"