Secrets and Half-Truths

Forgiveness

New Jersey

She just finished her surgery and was about to change her clothes when her phone rang. She smiled when she saw who is calling her.

"Hey mom. What's up?"

"Raffy", her mom said and she instantly noticed that worried tone in her voice.

"What's wrong?", she asked as she took a sit on the bench near her locker. Dawn then told her what happened. Truth is, she was not really shocked that this news came out. She was always expecting for this news years before. Ever since, her mom and dad's team up was revived, she was expecting for a phone call from a Philippine press already but thankfully, she didn't get any until now.

"Mom, I'm okay with everything. Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. So, whatever your decision is. I am all up for it. I am 25 now and I think I can pretty much handle it. I am more worried about you. Are you okay? About all of this? How about Daddy Rob?", she asked her.

"I am a bit better now anak. Now that I have this talk with you. Ang inaalala ko lang talaga is ang feelings mo. And your Daddy Rob already knows about this.", she heard her Mom say and then she heard someone talk in the background.

"Rachel, here's your coffee" It's a man's voice. "Oh, thank you Chard." he heard her mom replied. Chard. It's him. Her father. The guy who she has been wanting to meet since he learned about his existence. Truth is, she really wanted to meet him but just like her mother, she's afraid what his reaction will be. Of course, she has Googled him before and she saw the news of his love affairs and his reputation as a womanizer so she decided to focus on her studies and career rather than meet her father. But hearing his voice on the other end of the line makes her yearn to see him.

"Is that her?", she heard him ask her mom. "Can I talk to her?"

"Anak, is it oka..." Dawn asked and she cut her off.

"It's okay Mom. Better to get this over now.", she said coolly but her heart is beating so fast. She is nervous as hell. She heard some shuffling on the other end and then she heard him say.

"Hello? Ra...raffy?", and with that tears fell down her face and she can't breathe.

"Hi...hi", she sighed, trying to hold back tears. "Finally, we got to talk and ..." She doesn't know what to say. She feels awkward. There are so many things she wants to say but she can't utter a single word and then her pager beeped. Code Red. She needs to go.

"I am sorry but I need to go. Duty calls." she said as she hung up. She let out a big sigh, wipe her tears, brought her game face on and run to the ER.

Ormoc, Leyte

"Raffy?", he said as Raffy cut the call off. He frowned and then smiled. Well, at least she talked to her and she was not mad. He returned the phone to Dawn. She is hugging her self as it is getting colder. The breeze from the sea is making her shiver.

"Do you want to get inside? It's getting cold here."

"Am I a bad person, Chard?", she said as she stared in the horizon. He looked at her. She is so beautiful. Everything about her is perfect. Bakit ko ba to ginago before? She already is perfect and he still looked at someone less than perfect. Stupid right? He then felt her shift and out of habit, he took her in his arms.

"No. You are the most kind-hearted person I know, Dawn. You are a good person, you just made some bad decisions in life.", he said as he felt her crying once again. He held her tighter and kissed her hair. "I am sorry Dawn. If it wasn't for my mistake, we wouldn't have this problem. I hurt you before and because of that, you made those decisions."

She stopped crying, withdrew from his embrace and sat up straight. "We both made bad decisions in life. I'm sorry naging selfish ako Chard. Nadala ako sa galit ko sayo. I hope you can forgive me. ", she said as she tried to wipe her tears. He looked at her and he felt helpless. He wants to get mad at her but seeing her in this state and with everything that happened, his anger is slowly melting.

"Dawn, hindi mo man hingin yun. Napatawad na kita. And I know that you know na hindi kita matitiis. Kaya please, stop crying. I don't want to see a woman cry especially you.", he uttered as he wiped her tears. " What we need to do now is to figure out what to do with this issue. The media will not just let this go."

They spent the next few hours talking about how to handle the issue. They decided to tell the press about the truth. Yes, that will be a media ruckus but they know after they tell them everything, the issue will die down eventually and they will go back to their normal lives or so they thought.