"Wala nang bawian to. We're here. I'm pushing your things nearer to the plane. No more objections. Wala bang pipigil sa'kin?" Marco exclaimed like a person in slowmo as he slowly pushed Maine and Matthew's things as they entered the airport.
"Wala na!" Matthew laughed playfully shoving the man as he stopped just before the check-in place. "Kung may pipigil man, ikaw yun eh. Bakit di mo pinipigilan Mama ko?"
Maine followed behind the two, watching them. She smiled as Marco knelt down to face the boy, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Because I love your mom. And whatever she wants, as long as she thinks it's for the best, susuportahan ko." He stood up, looking at Maine. He winked. "Besides, laki-laki na ng nanay mo no. She can decide for her own."
He approached Maine. He smiled, but a look of worry suddenly showed in his face. "Maine, you really think this is a good idea?" Marco looked at her, pleading with his eyes not to go on with this trip.
After Alden left, Marco had been there for Maine. The couple knew that Marco had the eyes for Maine. Marco was an executive from Coca-Cola, and he met AlDub months after their first endorsement for the company. Marco immediately liked her, but it was already too late. Alden and Maine might not have been a couple back then, but it was obvious to everyone how head over heels they were for each other.
So Marco left them alone. The three of them stayed friends, close in fact. He had a lot of girlfriends after that, but it never worked out. Maine and Alden got married, and he attended the wedding with still no one at his arms. Secretly, he still liked Maine. But he respected the both of them. He would visit Maine and Matthew when they were alone in the house, but he never did anything that would break Alden's trust. Alden was a good guy.
Close friends joked around that maybe, just maybe, the two will separate and he may have finally a chance at Maine. He shook his head, laughing, telling them he wouldn't wait, or else he will grow old alone.
Why would he? He was handsome. He was not too young, but he was definitely not old. He was the youngest in the board, and people in the company looked up to him. He wouldn't wait for an actress, would he? His worth is much more than her.
He continued dating women, but he was never satisfied. It was Maine, Maine, Maine. He might not admit it, but he was in love.
And then Alden started to drift away in the marraige. He felt it. Alden became elusive to people. This made him visit the Faulkerson residence more, checking on Maine to make sure she was okay. He can also feel it. Maine was having a hard time in their marriage.
And then he left. The idiot Alden had left.
He didn't know what to feel. He sure couldn't celebrate, with Maine utterly broken and with a child left to be raised on her own. But he felt triumph. He had a chance. Maine might be broken now, but he would help her stand up again.
And so he did. He helped Maine a lot, doing errands for her, picking her up and driving her when needed and talking to her, making sure she was okay. Marco was a smart man. Despite wanting to help, he made sure he stayed hidden in the background. He didn't want any attention first, or all hell would break loose for fans and close friends and family alike. So for 6 hard-earned years, he was there for Maine, and Maine saw all of that. He was an ideal man, and even an ideal.. father. Matthew liked him very much. That's why when he asked if he could already start courting her, she agreed. Why not? Even her family likes Marco. Maybe it was just the right time to start anew, most especially if you would start it with someone who deserves it.
Maine nodded, putting a hand on his arm. People were already looking, recognizing her, and seeing them. They needed to part already. They were still not ready to be seen in public, given that Maine was still eyed by people even if she's not being approached anymore. "Yes. Ikaw, okay ka lang ba? Okay ka lang ba na imemeet ko si Alden?" She grinned, teasing him.
He shrugged his shoulders, chuckling and looking away. He put his hands on his hips, winking. "Well, I'm a strong man, don't you think?" He said, smiling.
Maine laughed, walked towards Marco, hugging him. He smiled, wrapping his arms around her. Maine rubbed his back, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Ingat ka dito, ha?" She whispered.
"I will." Marco murmured, sighing. They both let go. "Bye."
"Bye." Maine, said.
She walked towards the counter for their bags. After transacting, they proceeded to their assigned gate. Maine looked back, and saw Marco waving. She waved back. She didn't need to say it, but she was sure she was going to miss him.
"Tara na Matthew, upo tayo dun."
================
"Ma, dito ka talaga nag-internship?" Matthew asked her, picking up his backpack and sling bag. Maine pulled their luggage, nodding.
"Yes. Dito ko rin narealize di rin para sakin yung Culinary Arts." She ruffled his hair, heading towards the exit.
They have already landed in New York. It was 7 am in the morning, but it was cold. Maine stopped her son, opening his backpack and handing him his jacket.
"Grabe dito! Nakasweater na ako, nakajacket na, malamig pa rin." He exclaimed, rubbing his hands in his arms. He grinned at his mother.
"Kasalanan mo yan. This was your idea after all." Maine rolled her eyes at her son, and laughing all the same. They exited JFK airport, cold winds immediately hitting them.
"Snow!!" Matthew exclaimed. Maine looked at her son, who was happily brushing his feet on the floor as they walked towards the cab line. People were looking at him, amused at the boy's joy. Maine smiled, shaking her head at the goofiness of her son. He was a very curious boy.
It didn't take long for them to take a cab. The driver helped them put their bags on the trunk. "Beautiful day, isn't it, Ma'am?" The driver smiled, taking his seat and driving them off. "Where you off to?"
"Diretso po tayo kay Papa please." Matthew told Maine.
Maine shook her head. "Ang dami nating gamit. Diretso tayo sa hotel."
She looked at the driver through the rearview mirror. "Take us to The Marcel at Gramercy Hotel."
=================
Maybe it had been a good idea to head directly to Alden's apartment.
Matthew had rushed her to fix her things. Upon entering their hotel room, Matthew had immediately fixed his bag to one side of the bed. He took out a beanie, looked at the mirror and wore it. He was ready in less than a minute.
"Ma, tara na. Tara na. Wag ka na magpalit." Matthew jumped at the balls of his feet as he watched Maine reach out for her bag. "Tara na Ma." She had never seen Matthew this excited.
She can't help but feel pity for him. Has he still not grasped the fact that he was getting excited about the father who had abandoned him?
"Magbibihis pa ako, anak." Maine groaned.
"Okay na po yaaaan. Maganda ka pa din naman eh." He scratched his head, jumping up and down. "Tara na Ma. Please."
She rolled her eyes at him. She dropped the blouse on her hand and grabbed her jacket. "Mangbobola ka pa eh. Tara na."
Alden's apartment was a few blocks away from the hotel, which made Maine and Matthew decide to just walk. It was, as the driver has said, a beautiful day, after all.
The neighborhood was beautiful, and most of all, peaceful. For a neighborhood full of buildings and houses, this was not a very populated place. A perfect place to hide. Maine thought, as they walked hand in hand, watching the people in the streets and through the windows stores go about their daily business. Apparently, Alden's been living in Kips Bay, Manhattan for awhile now. His apartment was directly in front of Scotty's Diner, where Alden is currently hired as a part-time assistant cook. They first went to the diner, but Alden wasn't there.
"Kain muna tayong breakfast. Gutom na ako." Maine told Matthew, pulling him down in a booth. "Dali, it's your first real American breakfast." She reached out for the menu, looking for the diner's special.
Matthew fiddled with his shirt, getting more anxious and anxious by the second. His mother was taking too long to pick breakfast. He stood up. "Ma, please. Minsan lang ako maging makulit. Tara na."
"Pero gusto ko na-"
"Dali na, we can eat later, Ma." He pulled her outside the store and immediately crossed the street to the building in front of the diner.
The truth is, Maine was not yet really hungry. In fact, food was the last thing on her mind now. Once she eats, she felt she would have the need to throw up, given that she was so nervous and her heart was racing and her hands were again cold (but it was cold, so it was normal, right? It was just the weather) and she was breathing heavily. She just wanted to sit in the diner and order some waffles and bacon, so that she could poke something again and again to ease her nerves. And her heart.
The apartment of Alden was a building painted red, but its color was fading, its facade worn out by time. There was no one at the desk for the apartment, so they headed upstairs.
"207, right?" Maine, asked him. She stopped, pulling a paper out of her bag, slowly walking as she read the handwritten information Mr. Faulkerson had written.
"Wait, 207 ba ito, or 201?" Maine stopped again, showing her son the paper. He sighed. "201 po, obvious naman." He eyed her mother. "Nagpapatagal po ata kayo, kinakabahan po ba kayo?"
She looked at her son, frowning. "Hindi ah! Loko ka. Tara na nga." She held his hand, gently pulling him to the door. His hand was warm. So maybe it was not the weather, after all.
This is it.
She knocked on the door.
"Just a second!" A familiar voice answered back.
He's just behind this door.
She felt chills in her spine, remembering that it was the voice she heard before she falls asleep and the second she wakes up. The voice that sang to her many times in the shower, the voice that was filled with panic but tried to soothe her as she held the hand of its owner, trying not to curse so much as she was about to deliver the baby. That was supposed to be the voice of her life right now.
The door flew open, revealing Alden.
Richard.
He was rubbing the back of his head with a towel, smiling sheepishly. "What can I-" Alden stopped, upon seeing the woman in front of her. He looked shocked.
6 years, Richard. 6 years.
Maine felt her breathing hitch.
Alden had matured so much. His hair was cropped short, looking almost like a military cut. His stubble covered his jaws and chin. He had a very light tan, his body more built than ever, his shoulders broader and his arms bigger. He was wearing a black sweater and pair of khaki shorts. The only thing that seemed to have not changed were his eyes, his eyes that still attracted her, the eyes that were still distracting. But there was also something new about them.
Maybe it was the way he looks at her. Maybe it has changed.
She didn't really know.
"Maine.." Alden trailed off, trying to find the right words to begin with. Hearing him say her name sounded so foreign to the both of them. Maine didn't reply. They stood there awkwardly, which felt like centuries. Maine looked at the floor. She didn't know what to say. She had lost the urge to slap Alden. All she wanted to do was take her son and leave this place immediately.
Alden shook his head, shaking his thoughts away. He opened the door more widely. "I'm sorry, I'm so rude. Come in. How are you?"
How are you?
Tangina, Richard.
She was again feeling the urge to slap him.
Maine tried to regain her composure. She stood tall, looked Alden in the eyes, smiling.
She was not going to show how much he had damaged her. Never.
"I've never been better." She replied, taking Matthew who was hiding behind her inside the apartment, leaving Alden by the door, speechless.