Chapter 47
On the 21st
"Are the ingredients all ready?" I asked Chef Yul over the phone. "I'll pick it up on Saturday morning at your house before you go to ABF. I'll go to his condo and prep everything. Tayong dalawa, we'll attend his birthday party at Dugout as if we don't have this secret business going on," pagpapaalala ko sa kanya sa plano namin sa darating na Sabado.
It was all set. Napagdesisyunan ko na. I was definitely going to do it. While I appreciate how Paolo wanted to take everything slow so he could give me the proper start, I also think I'd be just fine without any of it. After all, we were never really the "normal" couple. I guess that's what makes our love story unique and all the obstacles that came with it made us thrive together.
It's long overdue. Ang dami na naming napagdaanan para patagalin pa namin 'to... para magkaroon pa ng mga stop-over.
Paolo has always been the one taking the leap for me. Kaya ngayon, ako naman.
After I spent the Valentine's day working at ABF Café, I realized that with him, I didn't need anything grand. I didn't need the fancy courting. Na okay na ako basta kasama ko siya.
Since it's going to be Paolo's birthday on Saturday, I planned to to say yes to him even if he has never directly popped the question. It's my gift. Kaya nga kinausap ko na si Chef Yul noong Lunes para gumawa ng cake. This cake shall have "it's a yes!" in it. Natawa nga ako sa request ko. But Chef Yul was kind enough to gladly accept it... and do it for free! I insisted I'll pay but he said it's his and Linds' gift for Paolo and me.
Napangiti nga ako noong sabihin niya 'yun. I love how he always says "we" when he's pertaining to himself and Lindsay. It's never "Lindsay and I" but always "we" and "us".
At first I thought about celebrating Paolo's birthday in our apartment in San Vicente. It's private and it's a place we hold dearly... But I eventually decided against it. Our unit in San Vicente hold so many memories. Maraming masasaya... pero marami ring malulungkot. I don't think it would be a good venue to start anew.
Isa pa, mayroon din kaming hinandang birthday party para sa kanya. Actually it was Riyu and Evo's plan pero parang nakasanayan naman na nila iyong pagpapa-party sa The Dungeon tuwing may birthday sa kanilang tatlo.
Kaya naman iyong celebration ko kasama si Paolo... I plan to do that after his birthday party at Dugout. I'll trespass in his condo on Saturday morning to prepare everything. Balita ko kasi tuwing February 20 ay nakay Tita Carissa siya. 'Pag 21 naman ay sa ABF at sa Dugout. After his party... I'll tell him what my heart says.
I was looking forward to Saturday. Simula noong Sunday ay iyon na ang laman ng isip ko. I thought everything would go on smoothly with my life until Saturday comes.
I was wrong.
It was Wednesday when Lance asked me to have dinner together. Susunduin sana ako ni Paolo dahil coding ang sasakyan ko pero nagprisinta si Lance na siya na lang ang maghahatid sa akin pauwi. He said he need to tell me something important.
"After the wedding, Kim and I... decided we'll just live in the States," nag-aalangang sambit sa akin ni Lance habang kumakain ng dessert. "We want to build our family there."
Parang huminto 'yung mundo ko. It took me a full minute to comprehend what he said.
"You're leaving..."
It wasn't a question. It was a realization.
"And you don't intend to come back," dugtong ko. "Why? What's so great about the States, Lance? We've been there. You love it better here."
BINABASA MO ANG
He Was My Cousin
General Fiction[He's My Cousin Book 2] They say time heals all the wounds. But what comes after healed wounds? A chance for a new beginning? Finally a happy ever after? Or just another broken heart?
