"Charles." She was speechless. She's in awe, she can't believe that her man is right infront of her.
"I came back, for you." Lumapit si Charles at niyakap si Tilda. Tilda hugged him tightly, she can't let him go.
All this time she thought she can let him go.
"I'm sorry.. I'm sorry I was late." He whispered.
"Okay lang... Ang mahalaga nandito ka. Andito ka na ulit." Hindi napigilan ni Tilda ang kanyang mga luha. Ilang toan niyang tinago ang sakit at lungkot at ngayong andito na si Charles.. Everything came out.
"Akala ko hindi na kita makikita ulit. I was finding you years and years and yet hindi kita makita. I traveled back in time, I traveled in the future. I traveled in different universes."
"Im sorry for making you wait for so long." He kissed her in the forehead.
"Dada?"
"Mama?"
They heard Kristi looking for her parents.
"Is.. Is that Kristi?" She nodded and smiled at him. He smiled, wiped his tears.
"Mama!" Kristi squeled when Charles scare her.
"Who are you? Mama!" Charles and Tilda laughed. Tilda introduce Kristi to her biological father.
Yes, Charles is her biological father. It may look imposible but no. Charles found her 14 years ago, they got married after dating for 3 months. Their love resulted a precious life.
"I miss you papa." Her daughter recognized her father. Her heart fluttered at the scene infront of her. She can't help but to cry and smile.
But at the end her heart clinched when she remembered her husband...
Choose him.
--
"Come with me?" Tilda was startled by his question.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Let's have our own journey."
"Let's travel in time, universe, space, worlds, etcetera. Let's do it together." His eyes was full of hope but it crashed down when she shooks her head.
"I... I can't Charles." She stepped back and teared up.
"Hindi pwede... Adiven.. Kristi.. and Charl..."
Once again his heart was broken into pieces.
"Pwede bang..." Umiwas ng tingin si Charles at napangiti.
CHARLES' POV
"Pwede bang patayin mo na lang ako?" I tried to smile out the situation.
Hindi kaya ng luha ilabas ang sakit na nararamdaman ko.
"Hindi ko na kasi kaya.." Paulit ulit... Ganto na lang palagi. Laging sa huli ay ako ang nasasaktan..
"Pagod na pagod na ako, Tilda." 30 minutes bago sumikat ang araw... Tatlumput minuto na lang ang mayroon ako.
"Pagod na pagod na kong tumakbo kakahabol sayo." Gusto kong saktan ang sarili ko, ansakit sakit na kasing isipin na kahit madaming beses niya akong mahalin ng paulit ulit ganoon din kadami ang hindi niya pagpili sa akin.
"Im sorry." Hindi ko mapigilang matawa.
"Sana matanggal ng sorry mo ang sakit na nararamdaman ko ngayon, Tilda... kaso hindi eh." Tiningnan ko siya sa kanyang dalawang mata, ngunit aga dakong umiwas dahil mas masakit makita siyang lumuluha.
"Kahit ilang beses mong sabihin yan hindi mababago nun and desisyon mo na hindi ako pipiliin." I may sound selfish right now, pero ilang beses na akong nagparaya..
Hindi ba pwedeng kahit isang beses... maging makasarili ako?
"A-Ang hirap lang kase ng s-sitwasyon Charles... May mga anak ako." What a reason.
"At ako? Wala ba akong anak?" Nagulat siya sa aking sinabi. Akala niya siguro madali lang sa akin to.
"I left my family for you..." Ngayong naalala ko ang pamilyang naiwan ko, muli akong naluha.
"Alam mo kung bakit?" Gusto kong isumbat sa kanya lahat ng sakripisyo ko. Kaso wala pa ring magbabago, masasaktan lang ulit ako dahil hindi ako ang pipiliin niya.
"Kasi mahal kita. Ta-g ina, Tilda! Mahal na mahal kita, Pinili kita!" Napahawak ako sa aking dibdib.
"Pinili kita ng ilang beses. Ang tanga ko para paniwalaan na kahit isang beses ay ako naman ang pipiliin mo."
"Gusto ko ng sumuko, Tilda. Hindi ko na kaya." I reached for her hands. I smiled at her when she gave me her palm.
10 minutes.
"This is my last journey." Lumabo ang aking paningin dahil sa mga nagbabadya kong luha.
"B-bakit? W-wag muna please. Wag muna.I can't lose you again." I smiled at her. She's gonna be a good mother to our daughter.
"I'm old, mahal." Bumagsak ang aking luha ng banggitin ko sa kahuli hulihang pagkakataon ang aming tawagan.
"A-Ako rin naman." Natawa kaming pareho sa kanyang sinabi.
"Please! Just stay. Stay with us." She begged.
Tama nga... I think I'm too selfish if I let her come with me. My daughter is too young, she needs her mother. Ilang daang taon ko na rin nakasama ang minamahal ko.
"Kahit ilang ulit akong bumalik sa nakaraan para lang makasama ka ay gagawin ko ng paulit ulit."
Paulit ulit hanggang sa maubos ako.
"Kahit sampung libong beses mo pa akong saktan ay handa akong masaktan ng sampung libong beses at taos puso kong tatanggapin iyon makasama ka lamang."
Kahit mamatay akong durog ang puso ay ayos lang.
"Kahit isang daang libong taon akong naghihintay sayo ay hindi ako magdadalawang isip na maghintay sayo."
Isang daang libong taon nga kitang hinanap, kakayanin ko ang mas marami pang taon hindi ba?
"Destiny really fvcked us up, love."
This might be cringey but,
At first... I really didn't believe in destiny, but you showed me how powerful destiny can be. It can tear us apart but our love is enough to find again each other.
"And if God gives us another chance to live, I'll find you in every goddamn universe." Natawa siya sa aking sinabi, pero totoo iyon. I can left everyhting behind just for her..
A thing she can't do to me, but it's okay. She's a woman, she's more fragile than me.
"Lastly... sana sa susunod kong buhay." I smiled and kissed her forehead.
"Sana...."
As the sunlight touches our skin, I felt my body fade away.
"Ako naman ang piliin mo."
And that is why every hours I was with her... I treasured it the most.
Because It was my last Golden Hours.
THE END