He opened his eyes slowly when he heard the little voice of his daughter. After adjusting his sight a little at the light, he then searched for his Grace. There she is, sitting on his bed pouting while holding the teddy bear.
He sat up but immediately held his head with both of his hands because of headaches.
Right, hangover.
“Are you alright dad?” he heard the worried tone of his daughter.
He looked up to her and there gone the pouting face and replaced by the worried one. He smiled for the sweetness of his daughter.
“I’m fine baby. By the way, what do you want?” he asked sweetly, trying his best not to cringe from the pain on his head.
“Hm. Yeah, It’s already 9 and all of them are playing in the pool area. Can we go?”
“Hmm? Uhh. Right. The team. Hmm. Sure, you can go. But remember that always stay beside ate Nilda, okay?”
“yes po daddy, but I want you to come with us. It’ll be no fun if you’re not coming.”
“I’ll follow, okay? I just have to freshen up a bit. Wait, have you eaten your breakfast?”
“Yes, with mommy.”
He blinked.
Then looked at his daughter confused.
“mommy?”
“Yes. Mommy. Mommy Sarah.” The little child answered while nodding.
He furrowed then tried to remember everything that happened yesterday.
Uh. Right, that Sarah.
But wait. Aren’t my eyes are just tricking me that she looks exactly like my Sarah?
Then he looked seriously at his daughter.
So that means,…
“So you mean to tell me that that Sarah really looks like your mom?” he asked his daughter shocked while pointing at the door.
“hm? Yes, daddy. You even saw her yesterday and do weird things thinking that she is mom.” His daughter told him matter-of-factly.
With that, he is taken a back at the frankness of his daughter; somewhat embarrassed that his own child saw him acting pathetic.
“Hey, just forget what you saw, okay?” he said strictly.
The little child pouts.
He then breathes out. “So you have eaten with her, and she looks like your mom..” he mumbles while nodding. He involuntarily enumerates what had happened.
“daddy..” the little child then whined.
He looked up.
“I have to go. I’ll be with ate Nilda, and besides, mommy is there. Be sure to follow, okay?”
Mommy is there.
Those are the only words that stuck in his mind. Then he subconsciously nod.
“promise?”
“Yes. Promise.” He assured.
As soon as his daughter got outside, he lazily stood up and walked directly to the kitchen to get some water. He sat down while drinking just then he noticed a note and a med lay on the table. He got it and read.
In case you need it.
He unconsciously knitted his brows trying to think who it came from, for what and for whom. He tried to think if it may be for ate Nilda or for Grace then shook his head left and right deciding that it's not for them, and that's leaves him. Well, he is the only one that needs it right now, so he took it and drunk.
Just then he remembered everything happened to him last night; when he got drunk, who is accompanying him, what stupid things he did and lastly how he got back to their balai since the last thing he can remember is he's 'talking' to Sarah at poolside.
Oh boy!
He looked back at the note when he realized how familiar the handwriting is. He skipped a beat once he remembered the penmanship of his Sarah. He smiled remembering how she teased him about how bad his penmanship is.
"Babe, how bad your handwriting can get?" He heard his wife teased him.
"What?" He looked up to Sarah who's seated beside him rummaging their old stuffs including the only 'love letter' that he gave to her.
"Look" Sarah handed him the letter which basically shows only three words; I love you.
"What? It looks fine to me." He answered back while closing his laptop so to give his full attention to his wife's ministration.
"No it isn't."
He pouts.
"You want kiss?" She offered then winked at him.
"Of course!" He grinned beaming at her.
Then he pouts more but then all he received are paper and pen. When he is about to asked, she stood up and started walking away.
"For every word you'll write well, I’ll kiss you." She told him with mischievous smile plastered on her face.
"Really?"He asked feeling the excitement of their play time.
She nods then continued walking.
"Where are you going?"
"I'll just brush my teeth, you know readying myself for your reward" then closed the bathroom's door.
He focused himself writing good ones, but all he got is the same he had before; the one that he well knows that is not good enough for her. She is a perfectionist, alright.
He gave up and slammed the pen on the table making a thud noise. He is sure that she heard it since he heard her shout from their bathroom.
"Eager, aren't we?"
As he heard her, a naughty idea came up from his mind. He stood up and walked just beside the bathroom but not too open for her to see him instantly. He smiled when he heard little noises from the inside saying that she's done and is about to go out.
She opened the door and started walking probably to where she thinks he is, oblivious to the fact that he is already behind her. When she is an arm reach, he hold her arm and faced her to him in an instant, his other hand automatically reached for her face, half cupping it while his lips searched for hers to kiss her sweetly. At first she is not responding because of the sudden attack but then after a second, she smiled and kissed back. When he is about to deepen the kiss, she pulled back.
He pouts and she laughs. She tapped his cheek gently.
"Babe, I have to judge your work first before claiming your reward." She said then walked to where his work was being abandoned. He followed still pouting thinking that what he did is not good enough for her. He stopped few steps away from her when she reached the table.
He pouted more when he heard her laughed at what he did. She laughed harder when she faced him and saw his reaction. Well, he is already scowling at her.
"Babe, seriously, this?" She said with the tone saying that 'what the heck, is this your best?!'While lifting the paper in his face. He scowled more then she took steps towards him. She stopped when she is just a step away from him.
"This?" Her eyes are cold and her face is bored. Well that hurts; he bowed his head a little. He is surprised when she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck. He looked up to see her face, now gone her poker face but replaced by the loving gaze, smiling at him very sweetly.
She sweetly whispered, "This, this will always be good enough for me"
After hearing those words, his heart immediately warms, and then flashed her sweet smile. The smile that he knows he can get only because of her. He leaned in and before their lips met, he huskily whispered, "so, time for the reward." Wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer.
She smiled then tiptoed to finally give him the reward.
He looked down at the paper he is holding. He now remembered how this Sarah's penmanship looks the same as his Sarah's.
Is it just mere coincidence?
But is it possible? That every similarities they had are just mere coincidence?
He shook his head left and right. Realizing that what he just thought is absurd.
I know it's impossible. The physical appearance, the voice, the mannerism, even the handwriting! That's way too impossible. But if she really is my Sarah, how come she doesn't know me? Or at least Grace? I know she love her so much. And how on earth she's married to someone else? Who the hell is that Gui.. Guidi.. Guidisomething!?
He sighed. This ordeal makes his headaches worse.
Should I start investigate her? Do I have to background investigate her? What if she'll know and she freaks out? Or should I be frank at her? What will I tell her? Argh! Sarah, you always drive me crazy!
Should I befriend her? What if she wanted to stay away from me? Who wouldn't, after what I did yesterday, right? Maybe she thought I'm insane. But how can I know who is she? I mean the truth about her similarities with my Sarah. How can I know if I'll stay away from her?
Argh! This is insane! I'm insane! Argh! What's wrong with me??!!
…
What’s wrong with me?!
Her mind shouts after she tilts her head left and right, like she is searching for something or someone, perhaps. She then had a mental note to kick herself once she’s all alone.
They are now at the pool area, the same area where that Gerald kissed her while drunk.
That jerk!
“mom!” a little voice called which snapped her out on her deep thought.
She lifted her gaze to see what the little child is up to. The little girl is now showing her how good swimmer she is. She felt proud for the child; she is so young and already knows how to swim, unlike her.
She sighed.
It’s not that she doesn’t know how to swim. It’s just she never tried. It feared her that she doesn’t know why, actually, she already claimed that she has a phobia and her nightmares only add on her fear.
She jerked up when someone took a seat beside her. She is currently seated on the pool side, like how she is last night.
“You know what?” the person beside her spoke. She looked at her and smiled.
“what?”
“If I don’t know anything, I’ll actually think that she’s yours.” Yeng answered seriously.
“what’s mine?” she asked confused. She looked at her friend and stunned how serious she is now. Yeng then pouts trying to point what she is talking about. She looked ahead of them just to see Grace who’s still enjoying her swim with Ate Nilda.
“you mean, Grace?” she asked her unbelievably.
One thing, she is a wife and a mother for those two strangers, at least with that she can accept that, I mean she can rode on that trip. But when her best friend is actually saying the same, well, that’s another thing.
“Yeah. Look at her, she looks like you. Her eyes mostly. She actually has your eyes.” Her friend continued, trying to convince her that what she is saying makes sense.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” She just said. She looked back at Grace, this time with furrowed brows.
“I’m not saying, she is your child. Another thing is, if you actually had gave birth to a child you’ll know, right? At least, you’ll remember. Hahaha.” Yeng’s mood is now light that you can sense that she’s just kidding her. But what she just said only disturbed her mind.
Because she knows well that she can’t remember anything about her past.
But then why would she even consider it?
She shook her head.
No! How can I even think about it. If Grace looks like to be mine, as what Yeng trying to implies, isn’t it would be normal? Come to think of it, the mother of that child looks like me, so there’s no mystery from that.
She thought, trying to clear her thoughts. Since she met those two strangers; Gerald and Grace, her mind is always in chaos. And she’ll not entertain those ideas; like her friend’s idea because she doesn’t want to have doubt on Matt. That would be the last thing that she’ll do.
“Oh my!” the surprised slash shriek voice of her friend woke her up from her trance.
“what?” she asked her friend who is now eyeing something.
“Look at him!”
Eyeing someone, rather.
She rolled her eyes before she tilt her head to see who’s that someone that got her friend’s attention. Then she dropped jaw to that someone who is now walking towards the pool with Mr. Garcia beside him.
There is Gerald, wearing a board short paired with white sando, accessorized with a shade covering his eyes. His hair is brushed up and a smile is plastered on his face while talking to the one who’s accompanying him.
She smiled remembering his smile. She doesn’t know why but she is actually aiming for that since last night. She doesn’t know when did it start but she is actually craving to see him smile because since last night, she can actually count on how many times she saw him smile and it pained her heart whenever she saw him with that pathetic face.
“Aahh. He is very hot!” her friend shriek, but not too loud to cause a commotion.
“hmm.?” she hummed. She didn’t actually catch what her friend has just said since she’s too focus on the angel-looking man walking not that a far who just kissed her last night. With that thought, she felt her face warms.
“You aren’t agreeing, are you? Right, I know you have Matt, but girl, excuse me, all girls are actually ogling at him!” her friend somewhat excitedly told her.
As soon as it sank in her, she immediately asked her, one brow held high, “what girls?”
“What, what girls?. There!” her friend pointed to the group of girls who’s practically ogling at him. Smiling and all at him.
She rolled her eyes, and then raised brows when one of the girls called him then he acknowledge back when he wave at them.
“What’s so great about him?” she irritatingly asked.
…
He smiled and waved at his ‘staff’ as soon as they greeted him when he got to the pool area where his team is having a good time. He cringed a little as he is still under hangover due to his foolishness last night.
While walking with Mr. Garcia who’s currently talking to him, he silently searched for her. For the nth time, he remembered who is with him last night.
He skipped a beat when he finally spotted her. He still can’t believe it. He still can’t accept that this woman looks exactly like his Sarah.
That’s way too impossible! He thought.
It is clear to him that he can’t believe that every similarities this Sarah and his Sarah is pure coincidence, but what he can’t understand is the nagging feeling inside him whenever he looked at her. It’s like he can’t accept that this woman is his Sarah.
It frustrates him because truly this is the day that he always prayed for two years; the day that his Sarah is back, that she is alive. But it hurts him to the peak that this Sarah is married with someone else. Because honestly if this woman is his Sarah, then he will never accept that she’s ‘in love’ with someone else.
Just the thought of her in the arms of another man flipped his insides, he wanted to vomit. That’s the scene that he will never want to see.
He is really disturbed right now, he can’t decide what to do in this situation, but he knows deep down in his heart, he’ll be damn happy to know that she’s alive.
“Sir, are you alright?” the worried tone of his companion lifted him from his deep thought. He looked at him and nod a little.
“Your little girl seems enjoying” the worried tone is the replaced by somewhat proud voice from Mr. Garcia.
He had the mental kick realizing he forgot about his Grace because of this Sarah, again.
Oh no! My Sarah would be very pissed if she’d known this. He smiled as another round of thought of her run in his head.
“Looks like she’s totally enjoying Sarah’s company.” Another happy tone from the man beside him.
As those words sink in, the smile plastered on his face slowly fades then slowly turn his head to see what Mr. Garcia’s talking about. There he saw Grace with her ate Nilda behind, happily talking to Sarah together with another woman while sitting on the edge part of the pool.
He dropped jaw and wide eye when he realized how sexy she is on her outfit. Well, she’s not actually in two-piece or bathing suit which almost everyone is wearing; she is actually had a sleeveless top and a short shorts. After all, she does actually have the most ‘conservative’ outfit among all women in his team.
Nevertheless, he has the urge to walk to her and give her a jacket so the other men he just noticed may stop ogling at her.
“Right, I’ll just go there.” He already said before stopping himself for saying so. He’s grateful that Grace is also there; he has an excuse. He smirked.
“Okay sir.” After hearing those, he started his way towards ‘his daughter’.
…
“ihhhhhh!!” her heart jumped when she heard the squealed of her friend whose sitting beside her. They all looked at her.
“what?!” she asked.
“I love you Grace!” there’s a tingling tone on her friend’s voice; totally ignoring her inquiry.
“why?” the little girl asked. She’s inside the pool together with ate Nilda.
They’re in a children’s area of the pool, she sat there when she saw Grace happily playing in the center area. Grace noticed her so the little girl went up to her to greet. By then, Yeng also went up to her to asked why she’s not joining the ‘adult’ whose enjoying whatever it is they’re doing.
“Because look! Your Dad is walking towards here.” Yeng continued, still, her voice is full of excitement. She saw ate Nilda smirked, she nudge her friend.
All she do is shook her head for her friend’s naughtiness. Just then she realized what her friend has said.
What?! She immediately turned her head to see if she’s not joking.
Oh please, she’s just joking! She silently prayed.
She paled to see that Yeng is certainly not joking. There’s the angel-looking man having his way to them.
She face palmed realizing that of course, as what Yeng has said, Grace is with them. When she is about to stand up and have her way out of there, she heard the teasing voice of the little girl.
“No tita Yeng, he’s going here because of mommy.”
She dropped-jaw and eyed the little child whose now innocently smiling at her. She looked up to ate Nilda and the woman just smilingly shrugged at her.
“You know Grace,” Yeng started with sulking tone. They all looked at her waiting for her to continue on her speech while she’s silently praying that her best friend will not seriously take what Grace has said.
“why do you always call Sarah, mommy then you calls me just Tita?” Yeng pouts which she laughed at. She’s relieved that her friend indeed let it passed.
“Because she is my mommy.” The little girl coolly answered.
“Is it true?” Yeng exaggeratedly asked her. She slapped her on the arm.
“You know the answer on that, very well.” She said, rolled her eyes to her.
“She just looks like Grace’ mom.” Ate Nilda butted in.
“Really? So, where’s the mom then?” Yeng asked.
She stopped from stopping Yeng for being a ‘chismosa’ when someone suddenly sat beside her and paled when he spoke.
“Are you having fun, princess?”
There she knows she skipped a beat.
“Ihh!!” she can hear the faint shriek of Yeng. She nudged her friend to stop from shrieking in her ear once she’s done calming her heart beat from going crazy.
“My gosh! My gosh! Wait.” She looked to her side to see what her friend is up to. Her friend is having her breathe in then breathe out; like she’s making herself to be calm. “Hello sir, good morning.” Yeng happily and girlishly greeted their boss.
She saw her offered her hand to him. Since she’s seated in between of the two, she clearly saw the handshake they did and of course, it didn’t escape to her when her friend won’t let go of his hand. At that moment, she had the urged to separate their hands herself.
When Yeng finally let go of his hand, she heard him greeted her next.
“Good morning Sarah.” He sweetly said.
She almost choked when she heard how sweet and gentle his voice is. She bowed her head a little to hide the little redness that starting to creep on her cheeks. She then noticed that he’s offering his hand for a handshake.
She set aside the weird feeling she always feels with him and reached out for the hand. She knows that the moment their palms touched, she knows because she felt it, she felt the sudden run of electrons in her which basically excites her every nerve. She can feel the warmth that the little yet ‘powerful’ touch of his and for strange reason, it relaxed her.
She immediately let go of his hand when she heard Yeng asked.
“Sir, are you having fun?” ever so consistent on her girlish tone, she is flirting with him, alright.
“Um Yeah, I’am.” She heard him answered. She then threw a glanced at him but immediately took back when she noticed him staring at her. She can feel her face warms.
“Daddy can I go there?” she felt relieved when she heard the inquiry of Grace, she didn’t know but all of a sudden she felt a tension between them.
“where?” the man beside her asked.
“there.”
She looked up to see Grace pointing somewhere and frown when she realized where it is.
“No.” she immediately butted in.
They all looked at her. She knows because she looked back at them one by one when no one’s answering. Yeng is looking at her weirdly, one brow held up high, Grace is looking at her pleadingly, Ate Nilda is looking at her coolly but she can say that a small smile is crept on her face and while this man is looking at her wide eye and slightly agape.
“what?” she defensively asked.
“Um.. what.. I.. um.. what did you say?” Gerald asked her back after recovering from the obvious shock.
“I said no she can’t?..” she gulped. “look at where she wanted to go.” She said while pointing at the area Grace wanted to go to. “The depth there is twice as her height.”
“But mom, Ate Nilda will be with me.” Grace butted in.
She answered back in frustration. “I said no.”
Yeng held her brows much higher if that’s possible while ate Nilda is finally showing the smile on her face from the scene they’re seeing.
Does no one get my point? It’s very dangerous and this man, why can’t he just agreed with me. I’m right. My goodness! Her tantrum’s freely on the loose in her mind.
“She’s right princess, you can’t. It is dangerous.” She heard him said and she triumphantly smiled inside.
“Mom, please..” the little girl pleaded once again but this time using her puppy dog eyes.
When she is about to answer, Yeng butted in cutting what she’ll say. “Let her Sars, I’ll come. I’m a good swimmer.”
She rolled her eyes to her then Grace beamed at her friend. “Thank you tita Yeng!”
“Haha. Now, I’m the one you should call mom. Hahaha.” Then her friend immediately looked at the man sitting beside her. “I’m just kidding, sir.”
Gerald smiled at Yeng then to Grace. “Just make sure you’re with Ate Nilda and Tita Yeng, okay?”
“Tita?!” Yeng whispered to her then continued before they finally go. “You have a lot of explaining to do, sister.”
She gulped.
…
He is smiling like an idiot, and he is aware of that. But who cares? He is alone with this Sarah, finally!
He had decided that he’ll do everything to know who this woman is and he can do that if he’ll befriend her and he’ll do everything not to scare her away. Last night is already enough to scare her anyway.
He knows that she’s unease on their situation since first, she’s not looking at him or at least in his direction, second, she’s biting her lower lip; a sign that she’s nervous, third, she’s playing with her hands, and fourth, o well, there are many things that he can enumerate. He knows her mannerism very well. That’s how her Sarah is, and he knows her in every angle, every corner.
And he is damn nervous on this ordeal.
“um..” he started, he had the mental kicked when he noticed she stiffened. “Thank you.” He continued.
“for?” he skipped a beat when he heard her voice.
“for last night.” he simply said.
There, she immediately turned her head to him.
“what?” he asked when he can see that she has something to say but stopping herself to.
“Um. You remembered?” she asked.
“I remembered?” he asked back, this time, he can notice her cheeks grew rosy. He wanted to smile on how cute she is, oh well, smile is understatement. He wanted to hug and kiss her.
Kiss? Oh, shoot! “Um. Yeah, I remembered. I umm. I’m so..”
“No it’s fine.” She cut his words.
Silence.
Tensed.
Silence.
He looked at her and she’s now watching his daughter. He smiled on how she reacted a while ago. He almost cried when he heard her concern on his daughter because that moment, he felt that this Sarah is his Sarah; the love of his life.
“How old is Grace?” After a “decade”, he heard her spoke.
“5.” He answered still looking at her face. “How do you get that?” he asked pertaining to the scar on her head. It’s not that obvious and you have to stare just to notice it and since her hair is making its way to cover it. And for the first time since he met her, there’s something that this Sarah has which his Sarah doesn’t have; the scar.
“what?” she asked finally looking at him.
“there.” He said, then held up his hand to touch what he is pertaining.
“Oh.” She said then did her best to take her head away from him so that he can’t get to touch it. “Accident.” She answered, now looking ahead.
“accident?” he asked back.
She smiled while looking ahead and it took all his strength not to hug her. “let’s not talk about it.”
“Oh sorry.” He apologized.
“It’s fine.” She answered, this time the smile is already gone.
Silence took between them again when he finally spoke. “My wife’s gone because of an accident.”
“Gone?” she asked looking back at him.
“Yeah, that’s what they said..”
“what’s with that?” she asked confused
“Hm. It’s complicated.”
“Oh. Hm. If she’s gone, how come you’re mistaking me as her?”
Ha! Mistaking? I have a strong feeling now, that I’m not mistaking you. He wanted to tell her that but chose not to.
He just smiled.
“Are we that ..your wife, I mean, you know.”
He smiled again before he answered. “hm. A little.”
“what? A little? And you’re mistaking me as her? what’s with that?” she pouted and he laughed.
“Hahah. Nah, you look exactly like her.” he said.
“oh.”
“That’s why I as well as Grace, ‘mistaking’ you as her.” he said emphasizing the word mistaking.
“So, wait, do you mind if I asked how long now your wife’s gone?”
“hm. 2 years.”
“2? So that time, Grace is 3? Hm. She’s smart huh.”
“Haha. of course she is, her mom is. And besides, she has her picture and every night, she is talking to it.”
“Really? That’s so sweet of her.”
“Hm. So do I.”
Sarah raised her brow to him.
“what? Grace just talked to her picture but me, I kiss it every night.” he defensively answered.
“Hahah, so you wanted to compete who’s sweeter between you and your daughter?”
“of course not.” He answered pouting and it makes her laugh. He smiled as he heard her laugh again. He missed it so bad.
“Friends?” He offered his hand all of a sudden.
“Hm?”
“Friends? You don’t want to?” he pouted and waved his hand to her.
“Haha. Fine.” She answered taking his hand for a handshake.
The tingling sensation he got from the little touch flatters his heart. This feeling is not foreign to him; in fact, it’s very familiar, so familiar that he wanted to cry again. He wanted to claim that this woman is indeed his Sarah, but something really is stopping him.
It is the fact that she is married, because his Sarah’s words are the words that he etched in his heart.
“Babe, I love you, and I will never love someone else.”
“Do you mind if I asked you how long now you’re married?” He nervously asked.
Sarah just smiled at him, well, her smile is not the smile saying that she’s happy or what. It’s a force smile. He knows it, he knows it very well because that is the smile that he never wanted her to do, to force her happiness.
“sorry for asking.” He said, bowing his head a little.
“2 years.” He then suddenly heard her answer.
He paled once her answer dawned to him.
Coincidence, huh? He sarcastically told himself.