Bus Stop (Short Story)

Here's to all mother who did the greatest sacrifice and to all children that loves their parents whom they never met. 

For the first time in a loooong time, I wrote an english short once again. I know I'm not equipped with a deep vocabulary and I admit that my english is not the best in town, but hey, I did my best and I really hope this story would reach your heart today. :)

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August 20, 1993. The pain I felt went from so much to nothing when the nurse showed me my little angel. I gasped and felt something pinch my heart. My mouth can’t stop shaking and my voice broke. Oh God, I finally saw my precious baby. I smiled at the nurse and thanked him before she left us.

I carressed her little face. She got her father’s eyes. I can feel tears forming in my eyes and I wiped them away but they keep from coming back. A bitter smile escaped my lips as I realized that I am alone in that little white room. Of course, the father of my child disappeared when I said I won’t do abortion and my parents never want to see me again for being such a disgrace. My friend Macy though, is with me.

I looked at my baby once more and I wondered how long I could keep her in my arms? A month? A week? Or it could be for a few days. Macy entered my room and her face glowed when she saw my baby.

“Aww, your baby girl is so cute.” she cooed. She sat at the bed and played with it. “How are you feeling?”

“Feeling better.” She made faces to make the baby laugh, but it made me laugh instead. “Angelique can’t see you. She has no vision yet.”

She raised a brow. “How’d you know?”

“I read.”

She returned the baby to my arms. “Fine, nerd momma. Angelique is a nice name. Anyway, the papers are good. I just need your signature.”

Tears. “I don’t think I can do it. Now that I saw my baby.” Macy let out a deep breath and tapped my shoulders. I can see pity in her eyes. “But I know it’s for the best. For the both of us. I’m doing the right thing, ain’t I?”

“Nothing is right in this world. You can only choose the best option. You can continue with your life and give your baby a good life. The Maravilla’s are nice so you have nothing to worry about.” Macy looked at the baby saw it smiled. “Angelique will understand. See? They will pick her up tomorrow.”

“Do me a favor.” I took the dog tag her father gave me on our first date. I handed it to Macy. “Give it to the Maravilla’s. Tell them to give it to Angelique.”

I held my baby close to me for as long as I can. When the nurse took her back, I felt like she took my everything for I know this is the first and the last time I’ll get to see her.

***

Eighteen years had passed and between those years, I fixed my life. My family accepted me again, I finished college, I worked in the same university as a Psychology professor, and I built my own family. But there was never a day when I never think of Angelique. I always wonder, how is she now?

My car broke so now, I’m sitting on a bench at the bus stop as I wait. A young lady sat next to me and she is crying. I heard someone whispher to me that I should talk to the young lady and ask her what is wrong. I looked at my side, no one is there. My urge to talk to the young lady beside me never left. I was never the one to talk to strangers but the more the she cried, the urge growed.

“What’s wrong, dear?” she looked up at me. Though her eyes where swollen from crying, she looked so familiar to me. She looked like someone I know but I can’t remember who. I handed her a handkerchief seeing she doesn’t have one.

She looked as if she’s having second thoughts to open up to a stranger. Why, she would probably react the same. “I-It’s my boyfriend.”

“Did he cheated on you?”

“Worse. He got another girl pregnant and now he has to marry her. We’re just eighteen! I never thought he could do it.” She used my handkerchief to wipe her tears. “Maybe we’re just not meant to be together.”

“You will surely find someone else. You are beautiful.” I didn’t say it just for the heck of it. It was the truth. And I can also sense she has a beautiful soul.

“Thank you. My name is Angelique, by the way.”

“Oh,” I was shocked to find that she has the same name as my daughter. “I’m Lora. Lora Perez. Are you somehow related to Maravilla’s?” It’s probably a stupid question. This is too much of a coincidence.

“Yes.” Her brows raised. “My surname is Maravilla. Why’d you ask?”

“Y-You look like someone I know who is a Maravilla. Is your mother named Janette?” It was the name of the lady who adopted her.

“Yes. Wow, you know her?”

“Highschool classmates.” I lied. The moment felt surreal. Am I really sitting beside my daughter? Oh, can I hug her? Can I tell her how much I love her? Tear welled up in my eyes. I looked away and calmed myself.

“Small world!” Yes it is, my daughter. “But you’re the first person to tell me that I look like my mother. I was adopted. My real mother gave me away when I was only a few days old. She gave me this tag, though.” She showed me her dog tag necklace.

I closed my eyes, tight. God, it is really her. I love you, my duaghter. So much. “Do you... Do you hate her?”

“Hate?” she answered as if I asked a ridiculous question. “Why would I? I think giving me away is the bravest thing she could ever done. She gave me my life, you know? My parents told me her situation and I would probably do the same if I’m in her shoes. She didn’t put me up for abortion, instead she chose to give me away. I always think, would she be proud of what I become?”

Tears won’t stop flowing. I faced her and said, “She is very proud of you.” She stopped for a second to look at me. Probably shocked to see me crying over what she think is nothing.

She smiled softly. “I really hope she does. Don’t cry, ma’am.”

“I-I was just touched by your story.”

“It’s not my thing to open up to people I don’t know but there’s just something in you that makes me feel safe. Maybe because you’re my mom’s fomer classmate.”

“Maybe.”

“You should go to our house sometime. We’ll be flying to Austrailia in a few months to live there. I’ll ask my mom to held a get-together for her former classmates so you could come.”

“I’d love that.”

She handed me back my handkerchief. “You need this now. Sorry if my story made you cry. I just get into the conversation when my real mom is the subject. I don’t want anyone to think she’s a bad mother.”

I touched her hand and sqeezed it. “She’s lucky to have a daughter like you. I’m sure the thinks of you everyday and she loves you more than all the love the world can give you.”

The bus came and I should go. I bid goodbye and she hugged me. The hug went longer than it should be. Maybe, she felt what I felt as well. We both had tears on our eyes as we parted.

I get on the bus and took my seat. We stared at each other until the trees and the people blocked her from my sight.

Angelique was left in the bus stop thinking, “Would she be proud of what I will become?”

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This story was inspired by a comment from the video at the right. Check it out! It's a wonderful song :)