Back in Time [Completed]

EPILOGUE

Aga Muhlach /Cody Aquino

Two years later...

Isang linggo na mula ng mailibing si Papa pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa ako handang bumalik kay Lea.

My life's journey has many wrong turns... I was thrown up and down... pushed sideways... And always left behind.

Blaming people for all the misfortunes and getting revenge doesn't so appealing to me now. Ever since my mom died, all I wanted to have is a peaceful life, with no trace of bitterness and regrets.

Being rebellious goes against what I am aiming for. A teenage boy who lost a mother can never accept the fruit of his father's infidelity which has caused the early demise of his mom.

That's what happened to me.

Angelo.

I hated him. I also hated my father. And most of all, I hated myself because I couldn't do anything.

So I ran away...

Everything was in turmoil. I was so messed up that thinking about having a fresh start somewhere is something so impossible. Though I was able to cope and tried to be successful in my career, my past always caught up on me and hinder me from doing good.

Until I met my wife...

Lea..

My beautiful wife, Lea.

I smiled inwardly at the thought of her. She was like a breath of fresh air.

My anchor.

She was my everything. My life.

But all I gave her in return for all the good things she has done in my life were lies.

My love for her is true, for that I am very certain. But considering the amount of lies I fed her, my feelings are now doubtful...even to me.

After that confrontation two years ago, I started from scratch. I made peace with my past. I learned to listen to my dad, to his explanation and tried my best to understand.

And though I missed my family so much, I fought the urge to visit them because all of us will not heal properly if I show my face to them again with a broken soul.

Every now and then, I came here in our old house. This is no longer occupied but my wife didn't sell it for sentimental reasons, I guess.

I tried to reminisce the good times I had here.

I remember how happy I was when I was invited to come here although everybody knew me as Cody Aquino.

Those sleepless nights when I had to cradle the twins back to sleep, wishing that it would last forever.

...The flirtation between my wife and I..

...those moments when I teased her and she always gets furious...

The list goes on....

The twins will be turning ten? Or eleven? Yeah... Twelve!

My goodness! time flies so quickly. My kids are almost teenagers and here I am... Still finding myself...or...in the process of healing and forgiving myself.

"Aga?" a voice from behind me.

For a moment, I thought I heard Lea.

Then it came again... That gentle voice...

"Aga..ikaw ba yan?" she asked for a second time.

And I turned slowly... Wishing that my suspicion is true.

I blink for several times with my heart hammering inside my chest. Maybe I am just being fooled by my eyes or by the desire and longing I am feeling right now.

"L--Le.." Suddenly there's this big lump on my throat, choking me.

"Hi." She said simply and give me a small smile.

I swallowed hard and rub my palms at the back of my pants and lick my drying lips before making a small steps towards her.

"Hi.." I said tentatively.

"What brought you here?" Lea asked casually.

I stopped dead on my tracks and looked at her intently.

Her face is so serene. Like everything in life is at its rightful place, like she is finally found her inner peace, that nothing torments her soul.

"I was on the area and I thought I could look around.. I'm sorry..." I said.

She smiled sadly. "Are you on your way out?"

I blinked. Is she trying to throw me out somehow?

"Ah, yes. It is nice to say you again, Lea."

I walked passed her with long strides.

"We and the kids are doing fine. They are going to start in their first year in high school. They decided to go in separate schools. And I think that's so brave of them to choose different paths rather than sticking with each other." she said.

For a moment, I thought I was only hearing those words in my head but when I turned around, I saw her looking at me.

"And they are both missing someone important in their lives."

I stayed quiet.

"They misses their Dad. More than anything or anyone else. They want him back."

I missed them too. My twins.

"And I miss my husband too. I always pray earnestly that he will be able to find his way back to us." she added.

I can't take it anymore.

I turned around and closed the distance between us then I hugged her. As tightly as the hug I gave her two years ago.

"Come back to us..." she whispered.

And I nodded.

"Yes. It's done. Everything is fine. And I'm ready to come back home to you." I said and kissed her for the very first time in years.

A real kiss.

No haste. No pretension.

I'm not the same Aga anymore but if fate plays cruel and made me forget again, I'm pretty sure that love will find a way for me to remember...again....and again.

Even if the only way is to travel back in time.

.fin.