Lumanti (Memory)

Reality Check

Rianne thinking, she will return with Aaron replied ok and simply waited for her. Lumanti asked Aaron to leave the room while she changed. He walked around the corridor for a while, thinking about their recent conversation. When Aaron returned to the room, he couldn't find her in the room along with her bag. He hurriedly went to ask nurse about her, she told him that she just left saying that someone was picking her up downstairs. As she was adult, they let her go.

He assumed Rianne must have come to pick her up but he realized that it would be too early for her to arrive, so he rushed downstairs to look for her. He frantically started calling her and to his surprise she picked up.

"Aaron, I am fine. I will call you later," she said as soon as she picked up the call.

"I understand. I will wait for your call. But please tell me where you are right now?" he asked relieved to hear her voice.

"I have taken cab so don't worry I am not going to crash into anything, and I am not going to drink either."

"Please take care T and call me soon." Aaron didn't add anything further, worried that she might get more angry and not meet him ever again. He called Rianne immediately, instead.

Lumanti hung up her phone and walked to the park and sat on the bench. The same bench where they were talking last year on his birthday. She was reminiscing the conversation of that day and other days. Maybe he was trying to say something, but the moment never arrived. She was tired of asking questions to be left unanswered and let the time do its thing but not this time. This time she wanted answers and no matter how harsh the conversation can get, she wanted the whole truth. She will have to face the consequences and talk about it. So, she texted him to come see her at the place she was at.

But Aaron was already on his way there. When Aaron called Rianne earlier, he told her that she left and tried to contact her. When she found out that she left on her own, she was furious and concerned at same time. But this time Rianne was not angry with Aaron but with Lumanti for being reckless and misleading her. Lumanti allowed Rianne to track her when she went to visit Aaron recently for a date night. That tracking was still working, not that she was spying her, but she forgot to switch it off. In this case, it was helpful so as soon as Rianne mentioned the name of the place, she is at, Aaron knew exactly at which spot Lumanti will be at. Aaron assured Rianne that he will talk with Lumanti and bring her home safe. Rianne agreed but with a warning that he better take care of the situation well this time over. He assured her that he will take care of it. As he was parking his car outside the park, he got Lumanti's message.

He replied that he was on his way. He saw Lumanti, sitting on the bench as the wind slowly blew against her hair. She looked beautiful staring towards the horizon lost in her thoughts. She was wearing her white dress with floral prints that Rianne brought for her. Her jacket was placed beside her along with her backpack on the bench. He wondered what she might have been thinking.

He made his way towards her and said, "T?"

Lumanti was surprised to see him arrive so soon. She asked, "That was fast. Did you already know I was here?"

"I guessed. I was on the way to here when I got your text." He told the half-truth.

She nodded and said, "I remember now. I remember how we met."

He was delighted to hear that but the very next thing from her mouth altered his mood completely. She said, "and how we parted."

"T, Please let me explain," he said sitting beside her

But she continued speaking slowly and calmly looking in front of her and never at him, "You know part of me, feels I should have stayed and talked with you about it. Rather than rushing out of the door, I should have just talked about it, communicated before getting angry. Listened to your side before acting crazy. I think we should have sat down and talked long time ago before letting all of this to happen and going through these painful moments which could have been easily avoided."

"I didn't know how to say. I should have told you everything from the beginning itself but I was too happy with you that I blinded myself from the reality. I tried to explain as well but something would come up and.."

"And it helped you with your lies or may I say your half-truth? But let's forget about that and let's address the issue that we should have then and there, shall we?", she said and turned towards him, continuing to speak, her voice rising slowly, "I asked you so many times what was happening, what's wrong, talk to me but you never said a thing to me, but you were comfortable sharing your woes and trouble with Samantha about potential problem in our relationship. You had the audacity of talking with her about how you could not tell me that your parents would not approve me rather than coming out and telling me? What were you planning then? Were you going to break up with me? What was your plan exactly Aaron? And the weird thing is, why didn't you tell me even when I asked you most recently. Why didn't you?"

Aaron was hurt by the venom in her voice coming calmly out of her mouth. He knew she was not wrong either; he should have communicated with her better. Not knowing what to say, he tried to defend himself by saying, "T, I am sorry. I understand your anger completely. It was not my intention to tell her anything before I talked to you, but she came around asking.."

"And I didn't come around asking enough? You were sharing our personal problems with her? What is she now, our personal relationship therapist that I didn't have any clue of?" Lumanti was losing her patience, and having hard being calm that she maintained for so long.

"No, no T, listen to me first. None of it is true. I should have told you what happened when I went to Nepal and the reason that led me to go to Nepal in first place."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't want to lose you. I was looking for a way to convince my parents."

"And Sam was going to help you in that plan of yours than your own girlfriend."

"No, T. I was talking with my parents one day about trip to Nepal and she overheard my conversation with them. Then she started pushing me for answers. Somehow it felt easier to tell someone about it."

Aaron's choice of words were not helping him that day at all. As soon as he said those words, Lumanti stood up and looked directly in his eyes and said pointing finger at herself, "It was supposed to be me, B. I was right there asking you all the time, what is wrong? I was right there for you B. I was in this relationship too, why only you get to decide to fight for this- this thing we both share."

"I am sorry T. I am sorry to hurt you like this. I didn't mean to tell her at all. I was scared that she will come around and tell you what she heard before I could tell you so I had to tell her. On my birthday as well she just came out of nowhere asking me if I told my parents about us. So, I was just telling her that I don't think they are ever going to approve of you and me, when you came in and overheard the conversation." 

"And thank goodness for that, isn't it? Otherwise I would have never find out that there was no future at all and I was just a.."

"I was too scared to lose you."

"But you did lose me, didn't you? What made you think, not telling me what was going on is going to strengthen whatever that is that we had."

"Please don't say that, T.  For once, hear me out. This time, I promise, I will tell you the whole truth, nothing to hide and after what I say, if you still don't want to see me anymore, I will not force you to stay. I am terribly sorry for not trying hard enough. Not realizing sooner that you were the best thing that happened to me and for being a coward. But I need you and I need you by my side to fight for us. Please hear me out."

Lumanti stared at him speechless, waiting to hear his side of reality.