My Soul Will Find Yours : The Fulfillment of the Promise

Was He Always This... Unusual?

The days passed slowly and painfully as I did my best to hide the fact that I wake up feeling bereft and awful every single day. During daytime, I plaster a smile on my face and force myself to act like I'm alright. In the evenings, I cry myself to sleep and exhaustion. Oftentimes, I find myself wishing that there was a drug I could purchase to numb the pain away...

It looked like my acting was pretty good because my mother never asked me anything. Suddenly, without my realizing it, it was time for me to go back to work. It was a Thursday and coincidentally was my parents' wedding anniversary. Seeing the date on my calendar, I tried extra hard to appear cheerful. Mum would never admit it but I know that her failed marriage still pains her.

"Good morning, mum!" I greeted her while kissing her cheek. "Want to go out and have dinner somewhere else later?"

She looked up from cutting the vegetables and shook her head. "I'm making chicken sopas[1] tonight."

"I see," I grabbed a chair and sat on it. "Do you want me to get something on my way home? I'm craving for some cake."

"Just your company will be fine," she told me with a smile. "Eat your breakfast. I made your favorite tapsilog[2]."

"What about you? Are you not joining me?"

"I still have to finish prepping the ingredients for tonight's dinner."

"Isn't it too early for that? Mum, let's eat together!" I pulled back the chair beside me and patted it.

Mum shook her head with a helpless smile, placed the knife on the chopping board, and joined me.

~~~

I arrived at work thirty minutes early. When I saw the ginormous fresh Christmas tree in the middle of the first floor, I remembered that it was almost December. It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year but it will be my husband's death month to me from now on. I shook my head in the hopes of banishing my depressing thoughts before hurrying to the elevator.

I placed the pasalubong I bought on my subordinates' respective cubicles before entering my office. While waiting for my work laptop to boot up, I took out my phone, snapped a photo of my table that was piled with documents, and posted it on Instagram. Minutes later, my phone rang.

"Hello," I answered while balancing my phone between my cheek and shoulder as my fingers were busy keying in my work email password.

"Hi, Hina. Welcome back," came Charles' voice.

"Thanks, Charles," I smiled.

"How was your trip?"

"It was..." I furrowed my brows as I searched for the word. Painful? Sad? Tragic?

"Let me guess, magical?" he offered. "It was magical wasn't it?"

"Yeah," I agreed, my voice shaking a bit. "It was indeed magical."

"You don't sound so convincing, did something bad happen?" Charles asked worriedly.

I took a deep breath and forced a fake smile on my lips. "No. It's not like that."

"Let me guess, you're sad because it's back to reality for you now. Am I right or am I right?"

"Uhuh." You have no idea how spot-on you are my dear friend. "Crap!"

"Huh?"

"Sorry, I got locked out of my email account. I forgot my password," I scratched my head irritably.

Charles laughed on the other line. "Did being transported back in time affect you so much?"

"What?" I sat up straight and nibbled on my thumb. "What do you mean transported back in time'?"