Lost Daughter of Imee Marcos

Chapter 14

Imee's POV

"What are you doing? Why are you sending flowers?" I gaped at him.

He looks up at me, trying to act relaxed as he fidgeted slowly. "Because you love peonies and you deserve a bouquet on Christmas for being the best person ever."

"Yeah, like decades ago? It wasn't my favorite anymore." I shook my head and smiled. "Noelle, come on. Remember when I went to college in Princeton you said you are going to wait for me tapos pag uwi ko dito sa Pilipinas, I told you to meet me at our spot. I chose that night to tell you I love you but you chose that night to break my heart." I raise my voice a little bit.

"Imee, I was young and naive. I didn't mean to hurt you and it wasn't my fault, gusto ng grandparents ko na siya ang maging girlfriend ko and pakasalan ko pero I wasn't in love with her. I am not even with her anymore." He tilted his head to the side, looking at me like a sad lovesick puppy. "Please forgive me?" He whispered.

"Oh my God! Don't do that." I say, feeling uncomfortable. "Hey listen, I thought you were the blueprint to my future, a long time I loved you and believed that the feelings that we shared were mutual. With you, I felt like I could read you, maybe not in the sense that you were overly open, but in a sense that we shared a similar past, shared similar interests and hobbies that aligned. I was fussy in picking what I enjoyed to read, my genres were specific and categories had to fit my interests almost perfectly. You sparked my desires, so when I lost you, I felt as though I was in the middle of a book and it had been torn from my hands. We never finished our chapter. We never get our happy ever after. When I cried in your arms on that night, I honestly thought you were my protector. But times have changed now, and you are no longer a book that I'd want to read. You were my genre."

"I am sorry for hurting you. We will finish our chapter and we will get our happy ever after. Call me a fool but I still believe there is more for us. Somewhere, there exists an us with lips like ripe strawberries and a love sticky sweet. When they ask why I hold on, I will smile. Some things are just worth believing in; you will always be one Imee."

I tilted my head, smiling at him. "Okay fool, I'll go out with you but Tina's going to come with us. Thursday, 6 in the evening." I grin and close the door.

Chigidig my heart! I can't believe I just said yes. This is crazy, Noelle was my first love and if it works out- I hope he'll be the last. I was nice to him at the party because I thought that would be our last conversation but when he asked me out, I had a flashback and annoyed the heck out of me, they are not good.

"Oh, sorry for eavesdropping but what he said was so soft. You are blushing! Momma is in love again with her first love. But why am I going to come with you?" Tina heard everything I said at for sure sasabihin niya kay Irene ito.

"Honey, don't start, please. Come on, let's make more hot chocolates!" The doorbell rang again. I opened it and it was Irene. "Irene! Hello, what are you doing here?" Irene was about to speak but Tina gasp and ran to us.

"Auntie Irene! Omg, you won't believe this! Noelle was just here a few minutes ago, he gave mom a bouquet and asked her out. She said yes! Yes!" She said with excitement on her face while holding Irene's hand.

"What?! Oh my God! Manang Imee is going out with a guy! With her first love!" Irene has the same expression as Tina.

"Hello? I am here and can hear both of you loud and clear. I knew it! Cut it out, Tina is a chismosa! It's Christmas, would you give me a break?" I raised one eyebrow and laugh at them.

Ever since Tina started hanging out with Irene, a day won't even pass by without Tina teasing me with random stuff but surprisingly enough, it kinda makes my day because she's my serotonin booster. My world spins around her & I don't know what life would be like without her.

Valentina's POV

I didn't mean to eavesdrop but Noelle is a keeper! It's all in the way he looks at mom and the words he says. All I want for mom is to be happy before I leave for America; she loathes being alone, which is why she keeps herself busy with work; if I leave, Noelle could be here with her. They don't get any younger; she deserves to live her life to the fullest and go bananas.

"Anyway, I am here because I forgot to give Vale my gift. My beautiful darling this is for you." Auntie Irene hand me her gift. I gave her mine last night, it's also a Cartier bracelet like mom's. I thanked Auntie Irene and hug her tight.

"Irene, dito ka na mag lunch. And do you guys want to go to the lake after?" Mom urges and let auntie Irene inside the house.

"Yes sure, or what if we eat there at the lake?! That would be fun right? I'll drive because I know you two cannot drive" Auntie Irene suggested.

"Yes, sure! Let's do that. Help me prepare the food and the stuff we are going to bring." Mom and auntie Irene went to the kitchen while I open my gift.

Auntie Irene gave me a painting- a portrait of me with her signature. I am deeply madly in love with this painting and the fact that she took time to make this, means the world to me and I feel so special. This is now my favorite painting from her works because it was me lol. How do I get so lucky to have them in my life? I literally won in life.

"All done! Let's go, Tina!" Auntie Irene calls and saw me grab Lola. "Lola is coming with us? Yay!"

"Yes! Thank you auntie for the gift, means so much to me and I'll hang this on my wall! you are the coolest, I love you!" Auntie Irene kissed my forehead.

I'll never get tired of their forehead kisses, it's therapeutic even though forehead kisses are overrated. We are sitting in silence in the car, it made me uncomfortable so I connected my phone to the car speaker and blast Penny Lane by The Beatles. I thought they are going to be mad because the music is loud but they sang along with me and we are singing at the top of our lungs! Endless love for these endless beauties.
At the lake, we set up a picnic-fort with blankets on the floor, where we're now eating lunch & talking about random stuff.

"Why are you leaving so soon, Vale?" Auntie Irene asked as she and mom sip their red wine. Mom gaped at me and can see her sadness through her eyes.

"I have to go to work. It's heartbreaking leaving everyone who loves you more than anything, you know I got too attached to your wonderful family. I don't want to leave but my work is the only thing that is keeping my life afloat." I said while playing Lola's hands.

"Nevertheless, you have me?" Was it not my obligation as your mom to look after you? To take care of you? To love you dearly? You can stay with me and I'll make you the happiest! You are too young to be living alone." Mom tried to persuade me not to return to America.

"You already did! You already made me the happiest. I have Nona, she's been taking care of me since I lost papa and abuela. I'll come back after I've finished my work. Anyway, in honor of Jesus' birthday, we have to be happy! Please don't be sad, I'll be back." I held their hand and smiled at them.

We sang until our throats are raw and danced until we couldn't feel our feet. We've laughed uproariously & cried tears happy & sad. We watched the sky lit with a magical sunset while talking to my beloved mommas was a sublime way to end the day.

Author's Note:
This chapter is full of love<33 Getting bored with my story... I'll prolly end this soon hehe. Have you heard about the Vogue Philippines? Omg pag nakita ko mukha ni manang Imee doon, I am going to sob my eyes out I swear sjnddndjeje