Chances

V. Longing

It was the middle of the day and James was still lying in bed and bored.  His father just left the house for some errands. His phone beeped, somebody texted him.  He grabbed the cellphone and saw a text message from Devon.

“I’m on my way. Will cook lunch for you. See you!”

James threw the cellphone and slipped out of the bed. He has to make himself decent since  his “fiancée” visiting.  He was looking for a change of clothes when he saw a stack of photo albums in his cabinet.  He took one and started to look at the pictures. They were baby pictures of him and his sister, Laura.  He grabbed another photo album and saw high school classmates in Australia.   He grabbed another album and saw pictures of Bren and Ryan. He was laughing so hard at Ryan’s pictures, he did not hear Devon coming in.

“Hi,” greeted Devon. “Having fun?”

James was smiling at Devon, “Yeah, Ryan is a crazy guy. Why does he have to wear his shorts the other way around?”

For a moment, Devon felt she was talking to the old James.  The one who remembered. He was smiling at her and gesturing her to come closer and look at the pictures with him.  Devon felt as if there was no accident that erased her from the guy he loved most.

Devon was watching James, when she noticed that he was no longer laughing. He was  looking intently at a group photo and he gently touched it. 

“I remember her,” James thought aloud. “That’s Allie.”

Devon felt she was doused with cold water upon hearing that name.  Allie, Devon thought as she looked at the chinita beauty who was smiling at the photo along with James, Bren and Ryan.

“I know her,” James said intently. 

He was not talking to Devon but rather to himself. He closed his eyes and he remembered Allie’s smile, both of them going to college, going to Tagaytay.  Images flashed in his mind, he saw both of them in a fancy restaurant talking about their future.  He saw his own hand holding a ring and Allie exclaiming in delight.

He opened his eyes and looked at Devon incredulously.  Was Devon lying to her all the time, he thought.  Devon felt cold when she saw James looking at her. 

“We were engaged.  Allie and I were engaged,” James said in disbelief.  “How could you say that I am engaged to you, when it was me and Allie who was supposed to get married?”

Devon opened her mouth.  He remembered her, Devon thought in panic.  She was unable to answer and she felt her heart skipped a beat. James got unto his feet and threw the photo album on the bed. He was pacing around the room angrily.  D a m n this, d a m n this, James said angrily.

“You lied,” James accused Devon.

Devon stood up and faced James. “No, I didn’t.”

James looked at her and saw that she was on the verge of tears but courageously fighting them.