“I just need to pack. I can be there next week.”
“Great! I’ll arrange everything! This is going to be a bold new phase in your life, Rob!”
“Yup, I am counting on that, Will.”
“Talk to you later. I’ll process the paperwork and all the other logistics for your move.”
“I’ll see you next week, Will.”
Rob cuts the call.
He breathes in. He breathes out. The night had been intense, with Kate breaking off their engagement and admitting she was in love with Layne, to Kate telling him that Pinky told her about what happened in Boracay, to Rob telling Kate about his plans for Chicago, and to the news that Pinky’s son was his.
One day at a time. I can do this. Chicago will be good for me and I will get to meet my son!
5
The Flight
Rob’s car crawls through the traffic toward the airport. He and Kate sit on opposite sides of the backseat.
“I’m scared, Kate,” Rob says, finally breaking the silence, facing Kate.
“I’m scared too, Rob,” Kate answers. She too looks at Rob.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve never had you as my... lifesaver. I don’t think I know how to go through life without you anymore.”
“You’ll survive, Rob. You did it once when you chose Pinky over me.”
“I didn’t, remember? I chose you,” Rob says with a sad smile. “But you punched me in the nose. And to think it was because I - I nearly did the unthinkable.”
Kate is silent, still staring at Rob, trying to memorize his face.
“I’m sorry Kate. For that moment and for all the moments I was an asshole to you. You deserve better. You deserve to be truly happy.”
“Rob, I’ve forgiven you a long time ago. I wouldn’t have been able to be your friend again if I haven’t forgiven you. And you deserve to be happy too. We both do. Without the emotional baggage.”
Rob nods in acknowledgment. He smiles.
“Layne’s a good guy and he loves you. He’ll make you happy.”
Kate smiles. “Yeah, he’s a great guy. You and he might get along.”
“We did.”
“Huh?” Kate wants to ask more questions and she was starting to do so.
Rob raises his hand. “Long story. And not my proudest moment. I’ll let Layne tell you all about it.”
“If he’ll still have me,” Kate looks down at her hands on her lap.
“Oh he’ll have you. If he flakes, I’ll come back and punch him on the face!”
Kate looks up and laughs. “Yeah? He’ll punch you back.”
“Oh yeah, I saw the muscles!” Rob chuckles. “But, Kate, he’s so in love with you he’ll take you back in a heartbeat.”
Kate smiles sadly, thankful for Rob’s words. Rob stares at her.
“He probably doesn’t love you as much as I do... yet. Bet he’ll get there.”
Tears threaten to fall from Kate’s eyes.
“Rob...”
“I don’t know what to do next, Kate.”
“You’ll go to Chicago, have your dream job, and live your dream life...”
“In my dreams, you’re always with me.”
Kate chokes back the tears. “You’ll have someone better... you’ll meet your son.”
“My son,” Rob whispers.
“Your son. Rob, he will be your life, without me.”
“For how long will you and I have to be apart?”
“Until we have stabilized our individual lives. We owe it to each other and to Layne and Robin, to stay out of each other’s lives until then, right?”
Rod nods. “Right.”
“Pinky is actually nice. I never gave the girl a chance,” Kate says.
“Yeah, she is nice. But she is not you,” Rob says seriously.
“But she is Robin’s mom. Give it a chance too, Rob,” Kate says firmly.
“Don’t worry, I will,” Rob says with a sigh.
The traffic moves and Kate sees the unloading zone draw nearer.
Rob suddenly grabs Kate’s hand and holds it tight across the backseat.
Kate squeezes back.
They hold hands until the car stops.
Rob and Kate alight and the driver takes out Rob’s luggage from the trunk, putting them in a cart.
“Seriously?” Kate asks when she sees the stylish luggage set of Rob.
“Hey, I always have to keep up my image! Chicago, you know?”
Kate helps arrange the bags in the cart, trying to delay the inevitable.
Rob looks at her and their eyes lock.
This is it, Kate. If you don’t want him to go, this is the exact moment to say so...
Kate lightly touches Rob’s cheek.
The tears are ready to fall again.
Rob bends down and kisses her—a long and heartbreaking kiss that leaves Kate breathless and crying. Images flash through her mind—Rob asking to borrow her pencil the first time they met. His lopsided smile all throughout their friendship. Rob’s face before he kisses her for the first time. Rob, with his bloody nose. Rob, smiling at her when he proposed. Rob’s face every time she wakes up with him beside her. Rob’s face when she told him about Robin.
“I love you, Kate. No matter what the future brings, I will always love you,” Rob whispers in her ear.
Kate nods. She is speechless and the tears are falling in torrents.
Rob is teary-eyed too. Slowly, Rob steps back and then walks away, pushing his cart toward the entrance of the airport.
Kate’s vision is blurry and she hurriedly gets into the car. She rolls down the window and gives Rob a final wave. Rob blows her a kiss and flashes his devastating smile. Kate laughs.
The car drives away.
After a few minutes, Kate reaches her apartment. When she closes the door behind her, she exhales. She looks around the place where most of her memories with Rob took place. She sees something on the coffee table.
The box of her engagement ring and a note.
Kate,
You may no longer be my fiancé, but you are still my best friend. Please hang on to this for when I need it again.
Rob
Kate smiles. She pulls out her cellphone and makes a call.
“Hey, Jane. Need help packing. Ask Ariel and anyone else you can round up. I’ve got lots of wine to drink here.”
She looks around her apartment again and brands everything on her mind and heart.
It’s time to move on.
Rob doesn’t remember much of the flight. He took a sleeping pill and some alcohol so he would sleep through most of it. He needs a respite from all the thinking.
During the last leg of the flight to Chicago O’Hare airport, he eats and drinks coffee to recover. As soon as he picks up his stylish luggage set from the belt, Rob feels excited.
Chicago! A new job! A new home. A new chance...
He scans the crowd of well-wishers for his ride to his hotel. He can’t find his name card anywhere. He takes out his cellphone to call the hotel when his eyes are caught by a movement.
He sees his name card and he realizes why he missed it. It is lower than most, about two feet above the ground, held by a little boy.
Rob feels everything around him stop moving. He gazes at the little boy, who stares at him seriously. Rob feels his heart beat faster as he walks slowly toward the boy. He stops a few feet from the boy.
“Hi,” Rob greets the serious-looking boy.
“Are you Robert Salcedo?” the boy asks slowly, mouthing the name one syllable at a time.
“Yes, I am.”
“I’m Robin.”
“Hi, Robin.”
Robin looks at Rob and examines his face.
“You look...”
“I look—?”
Robin smiles and Rob’s heart soars. We have the same freaking smile!
“You look like me!” Robin squeals.
Rob laughs. “Can I have a hug?” he asks the boy.
Robi
n drops Rob’s name card and runs to hug the man with his smile.
Rob gets down on his knees and embraces his son, and he knows his life is forever changed.
Kate looks around her old room in her parent’s house. She is staying there until she finds another apartment. There is something warm and familiar about the room which comforts Kate. She needs an anchor right now, for what she intends to do with her life, and her family has been nothing but supportive of her decision. They even helped communicate to everyone concerned about the broken engagement.
Kate also visited Rob’s parents to apologize. They were supportive as well. And they were excitedly planning a rushed trip to Chicago to meet their grandson.
Kate realized then Rob was going to be okay. Now, she has to make sure she is.
6
The Search
“She hasn’t been active on social media lately, Kuya. No new posts on her author site as well. Same inactivity on her fiancé’s social media accounts,” Sophia reports to Layne.
“I can’t just not do anything. I have to see her. Do you know where she lives?”
“I can ask around, Kuya. Someone from the writing community might know.”
“Thanks, Soph.”
“Kuya, Pito knows where she lives. He drove her home during that last encounter, remember?”
“Stupid of me, of course! Where’s Pito?”
“Just buying take-out pancit, Kuya. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“He doesn’t have to do this, Gidge. I know he doesn’t have a lot of money...”
“Let him do it, Kuya. It makes him feel good he is able to bring something for the family when he visits.”
“He’s a good guy.”
“He is, thanks, Kuya!”
“Hay... I hope I get to meet my own Prince Charming too!” Sophia says with an exaggerated damsel-in-distress pose.
“Well, you won’t find him in all the books you read. You have to go out into the real world, Soph!”
“Don’t knock my reading, Kuya. If it weren’t for it, you probably wouldn’t have gotten anywhere with Kate.”
“Well, I haven’t gotten anywhere. This waiting is killing me!”
“Then do something!”
Layne turns toward his mom.
“I don’t want to pressure her, ’Nay.”
“But did you even ask her to choose you?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I told her I love her!”
“Kuya, her fiancé loves her too. Her fiancé has been in her life for most of her adult life. Her fiancé promised her marriage. And he is with her 24/7. And where are you?” Sophia asks.
“Here.” Layne hangs his head.
“Exactly. And you expect her to choose you?”
Layne stays silent.
“Damn, I am never going to win this fight, am I?”
Sophia, Gidgette, and their mom are silent.
In a few moments, Portia enters the living room with Pito, bringing a big bilao of pancit Malabon right behind her.
Gidgette quickly stands and meets her boyfriend with a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Good morning, everyone!” Pito greets brightly.
“Hi, Pito!” Sophia says.
“What’s happening?” Portia asks.
Gidgette and Pito prepare the pancit on the dining table. They arrange the plates and cutleries. Layne’s mom takes out a pitcher of freshly prepared melon juice.
“Well, Kuya? Are you rethinking about telling Kate about Boracay?” Portia asks as she sits on the couch.
Layne shakes his head.
“No.”
“Oh, then good luck with waiting for someone else to tell her.”
Layne stands suddenly. “I have to see her.”
“You didn’t get her number? Really?” Portia exclaims.
Layne sighs.
“No, I didn’t.”
“And you don’t know where she lives.”
“No.”
“I do!” Pito volunteers. “At least I know where her condo is.”
Layne looks at Pito.
Layne’s mom approaches Layne. She raises her hand.
“Do I have to do it to get you to move?”
Layne smiles. His hand automatically goes to the back of his neck.
“I’ll move, ’Nay. But first, my stomach needs fuel and Pito’s pancit beckons!”
Layne is at the reception area of Kate’s condo and he is processing what the receptionist is telling him.
“She left?” Layne asks stupidly.
“Yes, sir. She moved out a few days ago.”
“Do you know where she lives now?”
“Probably with her gorgeous fiancé!”
Ouch.
“Oh yeah, thanks very much,” Layne says, flustered. The thought of Kate and Rob together is just too much for him to stomach.
Layne walks slowly out of the condo building.
If Kate really moved in with Rob, then she has made up her mind.
Layne goes home with a heavy heart.
He takes out his cellphone and calls Kevin.
“Hey, bro, what’s up?” Kevin asks as he answers the call.
“Hey, Kev, are you still going out with Jane?”
“Huh? Yeah, we’re still going out. Where is this coming from?”
“Um... I just wanted to know if Jane knows where her sister Kate lives now...” Layne admits truthfully.
“I see. And you’re asking because... ?”
“Kev...”
“You like her, huh?”
“I more than like her.”
“But you only met her during that road trip...”
“I knew her before.”
“I knew it! Jane thought there was something between the two of you!”
“Pare... I will owe you for life. Just ask Jane where Kate is now and how she is.”
“You mean, if the wedding’s still on, right?”
Layne sighs.
“Sorry, bro. I can’t imagine what you got yourself into, but I’ll make a call.”
“Thanks.”
Layne waits.
Jane helps Kate store some of the boxes she could not unpack as the stuff just won’t fit into her small bedroom.
“Ate, what happened with Rob?”
Kate sighs.
“Jane, it’s just not right. Rob and I have to try and live our lives without each other for now.”
“But why? You obviously love each other.”
“It’s complicated, Jane. But this is the right thing to do.”
“Are you happy?”
Kate looks at Jane.
“I feel free and I have my entire life before me. I can make choices without being weighed down.”
“Are you happy, Kate?” Jane repeats.
“There is one more thing I need to do. And then I’ll know if I am completely happy,” Kate answers with a sigh.
“He’s looking for you,” Jane says, looking intently at Kate.
“Who?” Kate stops what she is doing and asks.
“Layne,” Jane answers seriously.
Kate straightens and looks at Jane wide-eyed.
“Oh,” Kate smiles and blushes. “Layne’s looking for me?”
Jane stares at her sister. “Yeah, he called Kevin to ask me where you are. Apparently he went to your old condo.”
“He went to my condo...,” Kate says with a sigh.
“Kate, you look stupidly happy,” Jane says with a smile.
“I do?” Kate asks, her smile widening. “I do! I am. I am happy. I just... I just need to...”
Kate embraces Jane and screams like a little girl.
“Oh dear Lord, Kate! All this because of a Holy Week encounter?”
“I’ve known Layne for years, Jane,” Kate answers truthfully.
“Huh? How?” Jane asks, interested since Kevin told her Layne told him the same thing.
“Buy Cheeto’s, the very spicy kind and some Smirnoff Mule and I’ll tell you all about it. And then you’
ll help me make my happiness complete!”
Kevin didn’t call Layne back that day. Layne broods the rest of the day and night. His mother and sisters avoid him. He retires early. He plans to pour out all his angst and frustrations in an early morning bike ride through his favorite trail.
7
The Move
His whole body aches with the exertion, but Layne feels elation and a sense of accomplishment after his bike ride. He arrives home at around 10:00 AM. He is quiet because he knows the women of the house sleep in late on a Sunday.
Since he is still tired, he doesn’t take a shower yet. He applies alcohol all over his body and changes out of his bike outfit into an old T-shirt, shorts, and slippers.
Within minutes, Layne is on his knees, tinkering with his bike. His old, yellow shirt is smeared with grease and dirt.
The bike ride and this fixing of his bike are therapeutic. It takes his mind off his problems.
Layne suddenly looks up. He thinks he hears a knock on the gate, but he could be wrong. He shrugs and continues working on his bike.
The knocking at the gate grows louder and Layne looks up again.
His eyes widen in surprise as he sees a splash of white through the half-opened gate.
Layne is speechless, thinking maybe he is imagining Kate’s white dress again. But then, Kate’s face peers through the gate.
For a moment, Layne cannot utter a sound. After a few seconds of eye contact, he finds his voice.
“Hey,” Layne says tentatively, as Kate lets herself in. She walks slowly toward him. She is wearing the white dress she wore in Singapore. The white dress of his dreams. His breath catches in his throat.
“Hi,” Kate says with a smile. Layne stands and tries to find a rag to wipe his hands on. He doesn’t find one, so he settles on wiping his hands on his shorts.
“How did you know where to find me?” Layne asks, not knowing what to say.
“I have my sources,” Kate says with a smile. She is wearing silver ballet flats. “So, this is where you live,” Kate says as she looks around.
Kate, Finally Page 17
