She bobbed her head up and down and quietly closed the door.
“Okay, Adrian, listen. I need to tell you this. I was in Hong Kong with Tessa. The woman I mentioned months earlier. The author.”
Adrian blinked. Once, twice. And shook his head. “Tessa? Talman?”
“Yes.”
“Whoop whoop!” Adrian shrieked. “Since when?”
“March.”
“March, as in six months ago?”
“Yes.” He circled around from behind the table and leaned against it. He muted his voice, his head dipping low, his eyes cast downward. “I can’t stop thinking about her. I have to see her again.”
“And where is she now?” Adrian moved his face closer to the phone.
Simon had always trusted his brother. They’d been keeping each other’s secrets since they were born.
“She asked me to join her on an island in the Philippines. I’m going to fly there in two days. I wanted to let you know where I was. But most importantly, I wanted to tell you about her.”
He saw his nephew crawl over to his father. Adrian placed the baby on his lap.
“Hi Henry!” Simon continued. “Listen, she gets somewhat queasy about letting anything out about us, given her public persona and all. So please keep this to yourself for now.”
“Of course,” Adrian answered. “I won’t tell a soul.”
“I…” Simon paused to look into his brother’s eyes. “I think I love her.”
“Whoa!” Adrian whooped. Again. “How did this slip through us? How did we not know?”
“Stealth operation.” Simon laughed. “A lot of travel!”
Adrian grinned from ear to ear.
He’s in shock, Simon thought.
“Tell me about it,” he said.
“I will, but for now I’ve got to go. I’ll be home a week from today.”
“Wait, no! Bro. You can’t leave me hanging!”
“I’ll be overseas for a few days, don’t forget. Kiss mum for me and I’ll see you soon.”
“Fuck, man.” Adrian bit his lip as soon as he said that. He covered Henry’s ears. “Close your ears, son.”
Simon laughed.
“Henry, say goodbye to Uncle Simon.” Adrian took hold of Henry’s hand and waved it in the air.
“Goodbye! I’ll see you all soon.”
#MeetMeBoracay
“How long, Tessa? How long do you plan on being there?” Revete’s voice echoed in the air as Tessa sat at the edge of the wooden bridge, one leg folded and one leg dangling in the water. The speaker phone crackled each time the waves crashed against the break wall. There she was, on the island of Boracay. A beachfront cottage built on a rock and surrounded by the open sea. The bridge she sat on stretched to the edge of the resort—it was the only pathway leading back to her hut.
“I told you I was taking a few days off,” she said calmly. “I’ll be back in the States by Friday.”
“Tessa, it was quite unprofessional of you to leave Andrew like that at the Arts event.”
“I know I’m sorry about that. I should’ve called him the next day. It completely slipped my—”
“Granted, you were tired and all. I get it. But he was ranting about some guy he saw you leave with.”
Facepalm. She should’ve been more discreet. “He’s just a friend. We met while touring the park.” More denials.
“All right. I’ll call him to explain and let him know I’ve spoken to you about it.”
“No. I’ll call him myself.” When I get back to the States, that is.
“Sweetie, you do know how important he is to this particular tour, right?”
“Of course, I know how important it is.” Tessa played with her little toe, tried to see whether she could get it into the tiny slot between the bamboo floorboards. Now it was stuck. She placed the phone down and painfully yanked her toe out.
“He is. Him. Not it,” Revete corrected.
“Yes, him.” She winced. Her toe hurt, it throbbed and turned a greenish blue.
“Will I be sending the car over to get you at O’Hare next week?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t forget about the headshots Reggie wants to take of you the day you arrive.”
“I won’t forget.” Tessa finally pressed END on her phone. A puff of air escaped from her lips as she leaned back on her hands. Nothing was going to ruin her vacation. Not the long sermon she had just received from her agent, nor the photos surfacing of her and a bearded stranger the night of the gala. Not even the fact Simon was somewhere far away, unable to meet her at her resort. They’d exchanged many messages since she’d seen him last week in Hong Kong. He was trying to find a way to see her.
What wishful thinking on her part. These crazy, silly feelings were made for her books. And yet, her disappointment at not having him there with her caused tears to pool in her eyes. When was the last time she’d even cried? What was there to cry about? She was resentful of the fact that she was always alone. Even in a deluge of a thousand people, she stood out on her own.
Simon had begun to fill a part of her she’d never even known was missing.
No crying, you weak, spineless hypocrite. You flaunt your independence and crave for his presence at the same time.
And so, she resolved to enjoy herself, take the time to write, finish her research so her story could take shape.
But at that moment, the sky reminded her of Simon. It was a cloudless day, the color of the sky only matched by the clear blue of the ocean. From where she sat, she could see all kinds of fish swimming around the wooden poles, vibrant colored corals illuminating the ocean floor. She wondered how in the world one could ever leave this paradise. She should tell Riley about it. Maybe they could plan a destination wedding and have it here. Jacob loved the beach, and this would be his bliss.
The warm wind blew her hair into her face; she closed her eyes and smiled. There will never be a time in my life where I am this peaceful.
Unfortunately, that solitude was short lived. Her phone began to ding.
DISCONNECTED: What’s the weather like over there? Are you having fun?
GIRL IN 7C: 80 degrees and sunny. A little wind, but warm and wonderful.
DISCONNECTED: Funny, it’s the same where I am.
GIRL IN 7C: Indian summer, huh. Won’t last long.
DISCONNECTED: Well, I’m going to find other ways to keep the heat going.
GIRL IN 7C: In Lo-
“Eeek!” She shrieked, her cares of the moment blown away by the wind. She slipped the phone into her shorts and swung her legs upward so forcefully that she immediately landed on her feet. And then she turned and ran as fast as she could. Thump, thump, thump. Her heavy footsteps and tiny stride had her running to the cottage, trying to maintain her balance on the concave bamboo surface with her slippery wet feet.
She was out of breath by the time she saw him standing by the door. With a sudden burst of energy, she sprinted up to him and jumped into his arms, wrapping both legs around his waist.
“You’re here!” she burst out, hugging him with all her might. At another time and place, she would have controlled herself a little bit more. Not here. Not that day.
He carried her into the room and sat down at the edge of her bed, keeping her entwined around him and settling her on his lap.
His grin stretched from ear to ear.
“Of course, I’m here,” he answered. “I’d follow you anywhere in the world.”
She felt her heart spring to life. Coming from someone so focused, he was willing to take a detour, place his trip home on hold for her?
She looked up and traced his lips with her finger. “Oh, Simon.” She sighed before pulling his head to her and parted her lips. He kissed her as if he hadn’t seen her in years. And she kept the gates open for him, taking whatever it was he gave and placing her weight on him as he slipped his hands under her shirt.
The bareness he f
ound with his hands elicited a salacious smile from him, lips upturned, mouth closed, eyes hungry.
Gently, she pushed him down on the bed until she was directly on top of him, her face only inches away from his, her elbows beside his ears. She held his gaze, his smile so infectious it made her cry. One teardrop landed on his nose, and then another on his lips.
“Ugh,” she said, turning her back so she was lying right next to him. “I’m getting emotional in my old age!”
He rolled over, taking her face in his hands and interrupting her with another kiss. “What’s the matter, old bird?”
“Nothing. Before you arrived, I wrote this emotional scene about Lionel meeting Carissa after ten years, and…” She sniffed twice and wiped her eyes. “I also hurt my toe.” She held it up to show him. It throbbed, black and swollen.
He laughed. “Oh lord! What did you do to it?”
“I stuck it between the wooden floors. Don’t ask me why. Revete made me do it,” she giggled. She wiped her eyes.
He wrapped both hands around her foot and brought it to his lips. He kissed her little toe, lightly at first and then caressed it with his lips. “Better?”
“Mmm. Much,” she said, pulling him back up so their faces were aligned. “How’d you pull it off?”
He loomed over, just smiling. “I never left Hong Kong. I told them I could stay and hold a training class for newbies last week. I had to deliver my report yesterday or I would’ve been here sooner.”
“And then?” She twirled her fingers in his hair.
“I took this week off,” he said proudly.
“But,” she said with a glint of worry. “That’s four days!”
“And?”
She could tell he knew where this was going. She felt him rising against her and so she lifted both legs up and wrapped them around his waist.
“Four days away from your work!” she teased. And then in a more serious tone, “This will be the longest we’ve been together.”
“I highly doubt I’ll have a problem with that.” He burrowed under her shirt and settled his head on her bare skin. “Now, tell me what Lionel did to Carissa after ten shag-less years.”
“I highly doubt he was shag-less,” she argued, giggling.
“Pretend.”
“He shagged her?”
“I’d prefer to think he made love to her,” he whispered.
She sighed deeply and smiled before losing herself in the role of Carissa.
“So, I’ve known you for six months and you forgot to tell me this?” Simon yelled, his voice drowned out by the drone of the motor, the tooting horns and the whipping wind.
He held on tightly to Tessa, who sat next to him, her hand on his knee, as they bounced and bumped with every crack and pothole on the road. He learned the hard way that tricycles weren’t built for people over five feet tall. These motorcycles with four-seater side cars were low to the ground. He felt like an American riding a burro.
Tessa turned to him, eyebrows raised.
“What? That my mother was half Filipino?” she yelled back. “I didn’t forget. I just didn’t think it mattered.”
I see it now, he thought. Those beautiful exotic eyes. That perfect Asian complexion. He’d been fooled by the light eyes and the light skin.
“It doesn’t,” he answered, eyes fixed on her face. “And how do you know the language?”
“What?” she shouted. “Sorry. I can’t hear you!”
“HOW DO YOU KNOW THE LANGUAGE?”
“Oh.” She leaned closer so her mouth touched his ear. He liked her being that close. “My nana—she was our live-in nanny, took care of Jacob and me even after my parents were gone. I only speak a few words.”
The tricycle turned a sharp corner, slowed and sputtered to a stop in front of a muddy pathway leading to a few wooden houses.
“We’re here,” she said, paying the driver more than she should have. He knew this because the driver leapt for joy before taking off and leaving them alone.
Tessa took Simon’s hand and led him down the dirt road. Three chickens strutted lazily in front of them, unfazed by two bony stray dogs trailing right behind.
“My nana and her family live here. She’s expecting us,” she said.
Simon watched her maneuver expertly down the sodden path, plodding through the dirt and the mud. She seemed oblivious to the squalor all around them, bouncing excitedly as she made her way down the road. She stopped to breathe in the air, smiling as she did it—like it was the most beautiful place in the world. They arrived at a wooden shanty with an aluminum roof covering only half of the structure.
“Nana?” Tessa peeked through a makeshift curtain door. “Nana, we’re here!” she announced.
A weak but enthusiastic voice called, “Tessa!” A toothless old lady with snow white hair and a radiant, smiling face came out from under a ladder leaning against the rough cement wall. Her skin was dark and toasted, leathery from the sun. Her housedress hung loosely on her frame and she stood barefoot on the jagged tile floor.
“My baby!” she exclaimed, taking Tessa in her arms.
Tessa returned the embrace and shut her eyes tightly.
The old lady held on to her, consoling her with words Simon didn’t understand. “Anak ko,” she whispered. And then let Tessa go and looked up at Simon.
“Who is this?” she asked.
“Nana, this is my friend, Simon,” Tessa said, wiping tears from Nana’s eyes.
The old lady eyed him from head to toe. Up and down her head went, given that she was half Simon’s size. “Boyfriend?”
Simon nodded. Tessa smiled at him.
Nana giggled, her seasoned eyes turning glossy. “Oh, Tessa.” And then she offered Simon her hand. “Come and sit. My grandson is preparing our lunch.”
They took a seat on a solid oak picnic table resembling a large, thick tree trunk that had fallen on its side. It jutted out of the living room and into the kitchen, leaving a minimal amount of space to move around.
Tessa pulled out her phone and dialed Jacob’s number.
“Jake! Guess where I am?” she asked, then handed the phone to Nana.
Nana cried profusely as she spoke to Jacob, asking him questions, letting him know how proud she was of him, telling him how much she loved him over and over again. Simon didn’t understand much of the conversation but the amount of emotion around him was real. She’d shared with him one aspect of her life that wasn’t in the public eye. Her family. He was witness to a loving exchange, a warm reception. He felt welcomed.
After the call, the old lady shuffled back and forth, laying out a spread of rice and fish and fresh vegetables set on wooden plates lined by what looked like banana leaves. Simon had read about it in travel magazines, the use of these leaves for cooking, eating and wrapping food.
Simon waited for Tessa’s lead. He wondered whether they had forgotten to bring out some silverware. Tessa lifted one knee while she sat. Simon thought maybe he should do the same.
“What’s with the knee?” he whispered.
She laughed. “Nothing! Nana used to sit this way when she ate. My mom was so big on table manners, that whenever we would eat with her, she allowed us to get away with everything.”
She reached for the plate and began to pick the food up with a pinch of her fingers. “We use our hands here, babe,” she stated, as a matter of fact. Like he was supposed to know that.
“For real?”
“For real. Go for it.”
At first, he found it quite squeamish, the feel of mashed rice between his fingertips. He observed quietly as Tessa brought the food from her fingers to her mouth. He didn’t do it quite as daintily—he shoveled it in with everyone else. He couldn’t get enough of the delicious food. Good thing they kept on coming. They must have made a hundred batches, the way they just kept reappearing on the emptied-out plates.
As time progressed, the room began to fill up with people. Nana i
ntroduced them to Simon as her children and grandchildren. Tessa broke into animated conversation, a mixture of English and Tagalog, the language spoken by the people of the main island of Luzon. He could tell that her pronunciation was very different from theirs—she couldn’t escape her American accent. Nevertheless, there was laughter and giggling and much joking around.
“Leny just asked what country you were from,” she turned to Simon. “And Nana wanted to know what you did for a living.”
“Scientist,” he heard her family say. “Mautak.” Tessa leaned in and whispered. “Intelligent.”
Before he knew it, an hour had passed. He devoured freshly fried fish they called pompano and inhaled the delicious vegetables, cooked in coconut milk and soy sauce. He got the hang of eating with his fingers. Once in a while, Tessa would dab the ends of his mouth with a napkin.
He had never seen this side of her. For a while, he could swear the sadness in her eyes had completely disappeared. She stayed relaxed and animated, just like when she was with him, but a little more demonstrative. She touched, she caressed, she embraced everyone she came in contact with. She impressed him with her candor, her ability to adjust to her situation. Here was a woman of the world, purely ensconced with people from another culture. He watched her in her element, loved how at ease she was with this family. She transitioned so easily in different conditions, and he was amazed by the authenticity of her actions no matter who her audience was. She wasn’t like a chameleon that changed with the environment—she adapted to people in such a genuine manner, with depth and sincerity. He witnessed the many facets of who she was and was suddenly humbled by the presence of the strangers who made him feel like family.
He was told that Nana had stayed in the US with Tessa and Jacob for a few years after their parents had passed away. When her husband got sick with cancer, she had to leave them with an aunt, so she could come home and care for him. Despite the opportunity to migrate to the US, she’d chosen the happiness and togetherness of a family rather than the material fruits of a first world country.
Eight Goodbyes Page 10
