Just To Have You Back Again

Everything Else is Minute

Beth was on the phone with Jake as she packed last minute clothes into her suitcase. He wanted desperately to go with her to Manila, but she said it wouldn't be worth it, that she would only be gone for a week for the hearing.

"Babe, what time do you leave tomorrow?"

"Our flight's at 10, and we have to be there at least three hours ahead, so 7."

"Can I see you tonight? Please? I haven't seen you and touched you for a while. I just need to hold you, please. You know I always get nervous when you're traveling," Jake pleaded with her.

"Okay, babe. Do you want to meet me at the beach?"

"I'll jog over. Give me 20 minutes."

"Okay, see you soon. I love you."

"I love you, too. I'll text you when I'm by your house."

She finished packing and slipped a hoodie over her flannel nightshirt. She slipped her phone in the kangaroo pocket and quietly crept to Lizzie's room to check on the little girl. Lizzie was sound asleep and she headed down to the kitchen to wait for Jake's text. As soon as she stepped into the kitchen, her phone buzzed with Jake's text. She slipped her feet into some canvas slip ons and headed down the stairs leading to the beach.

Jake stood by the foot of the stairs in sweatpants and a hoodie also. He enveloped her in his arms as soon as she reached him and kissed her softly on the lips. It was a quiet evening, the only lights were from the stars, the moon, and the sprinkling of porch lights still on from the houses on the cliffs. They walked hand in hand to the spot where Nick and Lizzie caught them kissing before. Jake sat down first and patted the spot next to him for her to sit. He drew her legs over his thighs as she rested her head on his chest, listening to the waves crashing to the shore.

"Sana pagbalik ko, malaya na ko."

"Sana nga. Mahal na mahal kita. I can't wait to marry you and express to the world that you are my wife."

"Nakapaghintay nga tayo ng five years...konting hintay na lang."

"I know, baby, I know," he said and kissed the top of her head. "What kind of wedding would you like?"

"It can be simple. It doesn't need to be like Jen's. Wala naman akong ganung klaseng pera," she chuckled.

"But I do. Kung yun ang gusto mo, pwede naman eh."

"No, babe. I'm okay with something simple, something that fits my personality. We don't need to invite a lot of people, just our families and our closest friends."

"Okay."

"Maybe a beach wedding? The beach has always been good to us. We first met on a beach, and we met again on a beach."

"A beach wedding sounds good, but we would have to wait for the warmer months to roll around again. Unless we get married in the Philippines."

"Can we do that? Please? My mom and brothers are there. I definitely want them present."

"Of course, babe."

"Ano ba yan, nagpaplano na tayo, wala pa nga. Baka ma-jinx tayo, babe," she joked.

"Kahit ano pa yan, I will find a way to marry you."

"We never really talked about it, but I'm glad you never looked for anyone else."

"I went on a handful of dates, just to get my mom off my back about living life again, but those girls couldn't hold a candle to you. I knew you were still alive, and as long as I felt that in my heart, I never felt the need to move on or look for anyone else. So I just focused on school and my business and good thing I did. I would've hated myself if I found you again and I hadn't waited."