Begin Again

Chapter 11

                 

"Hi!" Leah waved happily as Clark's tired face came on the screen.

"Hi wifey," he smiled. "Sorry I couldn't call earlier, we went straight to the hospital and then we talked to our lawyer to make sure the insurance papers are filed properly."

"Kamusta ang tauhan mo?"

"He's okay. It was a back and shoulder injury but the doctor said his spine wasn't affected so he should heal okay. He'll need some physical therapy for a few weeks but the insurance will cover that."

"Salamat naman at okay siya. Ikaw? Mukhang pagod ka, hubby."

"Jet lag lang siguro. I feel better now that I'm talking to you."

Leah blushed. "Sus!"

"Oh, Leah. I need a favor. There's a folder on my desk there in the apartment. It has the receipts from our supply shipments for the resort. Can you put it in my office downstairs?"

"Sandali lang." Leah got up from the couch to look for the folder but Clark's desk was a scattered mess of papers and folders. "Alin dito?"

"The grey folder. It should be near the top."

Leah pulled it out from beneath a pile of loose papers. "Ito?" She held it up in front of the iPad screen.

"Yeah, that one. If you leave it on my desk, Tita Jack should see it and she'll give it to our account manager."

"Tita Jack?" Leah asked. She made her way back to the couch. "Akala ko kasama mo siya?"

"No, she decided to stay there. We need someone to look after the shop while I'm gone. Marami kaming contract workers ngayon dahil sa resort project, baka mamaya yung nangyari dito, mangyari naman diyan. Mahirap na."

"Ah okay. Eh, kailan ka uuwi?" She asked, trying not to sound needy but she already missed him desperately.

"We just need to meet with our lawyer again and the labor union, but my flight is in three days."

Leah sighed, grateful that he would be coming home sooner than she expected. "Miss na miss na kita," she said.

"I miss you too, Leah," Clark said in a low voice. "So much."

"Sige, kailangan ko na mag-ayos para pumasok. Mag-ingat ka diyan, ha. Pahinga ka na."

Clark covered a yawn with his hand. "Kay. I'll call you again later. I love you, Leah."

"I love you too." She kissed the screen and couldn't help her kilig when Clark kissed the screen back.

"Ah wait!" She said, suddenly remembering.

"What is it?" Clark asked.

"Sa bag mo...may linagay ako doon."

"Ano 'yon?"

"Basta...makikita mo. Sige na, I have to go. I love you!"

"I love you."

~

Clark unzipped his suitcase, curious about what Leah had packed there. There was nothing out of the ordinary that he could see so far, just his clothes and his case for toiletries. He removed the piles of shirts and pants and there, at the bottom was the familiar flower patterned box , full of Leah's letters to him. He brought the box to the bed. Taped to the top of it was an envelope with his name on it.

Dear Clark,

            Noong sinulat ko ang mga liham na ito, wala akong balak na ipadala sa 'yo. Ito lang ang paraan ko para ma-express ang sarili ko. Para masabi ko sa iyo ang lahat ng hindi ko nasabi noon. This is almost two years worth of letters, Clark. Parang naging diary ko na ng dalawang taon na 'yon. Hindi ko naisip na kahit kailan mababasa mo 'to. Pero ngayon na nandito na tayo, handa nang sumugal ulit sa pag-ibig natin, sa tingin ko kailangan mo mabasa ang lahat ng ito. Dito malalaman mo ang lahat ng nasa loob ng isip at puso ko sa dalawang taon na magkahiwalay tayo.