Someday Soon, With You

Chapter 40

“Nicholai! What are you doing here?” annoyance still obvious even though she’s trying to lower her voice.

“I called you but you ran so fast” he explained and gave her her wallet. “Why did you run? Did you, perhaps, stole something from me?” he asked her smirking.

“What’s so important I can steal from you?” she asked back. “Does your wife even know you’re here?” she snapped at him.

He sighed. “You really were telling the truth back then. You don’t like me that much” his smile faded. “I was thinking I could get a closure from you. Even ask you to be a friend. But I guess, that won’t happen” he said.

“What are you going to do with closure? Will that fix your relationship if your wife ever found out you’re here? She caught us on bed, remember?” she asked him. She sighed. “Thank you for returning my wallet” she said.

“You’re welcome, there’s a lot of money in there” he quickly replied.

“But I hope this is the last time we see each other Nicholai. I have my own life now, and so do you. What happened between us, it’s done. But I can’t have this right now. Please” she talked so fast.

Nicholai stared at her one last time before driving away. She walked back at their house and saw Aro and Archi watching from the window. “Mom” she called. “Who is he? Is he my dad?” he asked. She looked at Aro, his eyes look so wide. My beautiful child, she thought. Is she being too selfish? She’s robbing him of his chance to have a father. But what if he tried to take him away from her? He’s the only thing that made sense in her life. How is she going to survive losing Aro? She kneeled in front of Aro, tears flowing down her face. She hugged him tight.

She walked around the neighborhood before walking by a familiar cakeshop. It looks different from the old, small stall it used to be. She went inside and was greeted by the service crews. “Two mango-cheesecake please” she told one of the cashiers.

“Aren’t that a little too much for you?” a voice asked her. She looked behind her and saw Nicholai. Time agreed with him. He looked regal.

“The other one’s not mine” she answered.

“I heard from the news, I’m sorry, Dolores” he told her sincerely. “Having no child of my own, I cannot understand what you must be going through”

Having no child of your own? She thought. She stared at him, not saying a word. Large beads of tears suddenly fell from her eyes. You lost your child without realizing it. What am I going to do? You can’t even mourn for a child you didn’t have.

Nicholai saw how speechless Dolores became, no sobbing or sniffing. Just tears falling down her face.

“But he is my child too” she finally said before breaking down. She cried a long time while Nicholai just held her.

They were sitting on a bench just outside the shop. “You came here alone? What did you do?” he asked her when she finally calmed down.

“I collected rent payments from that building” she pointed the building just in front of the cakeshop.

“So that was yours. No wonder you have a lot of money” he said smiling at her.

“How’s your life? Didn’t you adopt a child from the orphanage you visited?” she asked him.

“We didn’t” he answered. He looked at the cakes she bought. “Whose cake is that?”

“I bought the other one for my son’s partner. They both love this, and I can’t bring myself to buy just one after my son got lost” she answered.

“But she can’t eat all that cake by herself” he told her.

“What?” she asked.

“How do you expect her to eat all this cake alone? She used to eat it with your son, now she’s eating it alone. Wouldn’t that make her sadder?” he continued.

He’s right. Does Archi feel sadder that she still gives him Aro’s portion? She sighed. “His name’s Aro” she started.

“What?” he asked.

“Katharos Panemorfi” she continued.

“That’s unique” he commented.

“And you’re right. I might be making Archi sadder”

“Archi?” he asked.

“That’s his name. Archi, my son’s partner” she told him. Maybe, bit by bit, she can introduce Aro to him.

“Oh” he said nodding, realizing what she meant.

“What do you think your wife will feel if your child came out of the closet?” she asked.

“I wouldn’t know” he said. “We had an annulment ten years ago” he said.

“Oh, I’m sorry” she said while Nicholai just nodded. “What about you? How would you feel?”

“A lot of people would not understand, it would mean a lot to him if at least one person will. I will be the happiest, if I am that person” he told her.

After 3 years

Dolores looked around. She sighed. She’s been going around the cakeshop for three days straight. Why didn’t she just took his number? They’re already high tech. they can just text each other.

“Who are you looking for?”

“Nicholai! Where were you?” she asked as soon as she heard his voice.

“What?” he asked.

“What’s your address?” she quickly asked.

“What?” he asked again.

She sighed. “Just give me your address!” she told him. Nicholai wrote his address to a piece of paper and gave it to Dolores. “Be there at seven this Friday” she instructed.

“Are you going to show up at my door on a robe again? We’re too old for that” he said.

“What?” she almost shout. Flustered. “Just be there, or I’ll set it on fire” she said before turning her back on him.

Aro just got home and now, she needs to correct her past mistakes.

“Daddy, let’s go home” Ara told Aro.

“Darling, we’re going to meet someone, this won’t take long” she smiled at her granddaughter. Ara didn’t answer and just rested her head on Aro’s shoulder.

Aro looked at her, smiling but with a bit of worry. She knocked twice before the door opened. Nicholai opened it, he’s wearing a black collared polo shirt and black denim pants. He’s holding a bouquet of red rose. They saw the candles lit inside with rose petals on the floor. “Oh, we have company” he said when he saw Aro.

Aro snorted so softly. He looked at her mother and laughed awkwardly. Dolores shook her head. “Can we come in?” she asked.

“Oh, uh, sure” Nicholai said. “I suppose I have to open the lights now” he said before turning on the lights. Aro looked so amused. “You must be Aro, nice meeting you” he told Aro. “And welcome back” he smiled.

“Thank you” Aro answered. “And nice meeting you too” he added.

“Nicholai” Dolores called. Nicholai looked at her. “He’s Aro, our son” she said. Nicholai didn’t answer. She just stared at Dolores. “I’m sorry for keeping him until now. I was so scared you’ll take him away from me, that’s why I pushed you away that day. When you went to our house. And then, when I met you again when I lost him. I was also scared you will blame me for not having the chance to spend time with him before he’s gone. And after that, I thought I lost all my chances to tell you. I’m sorry for only telling you now” she explained. There's a long silence. Nicholai stared af Aro, then Dolores.

“I want to get angry and sad” he said. “But I’m old now and I don’t want to spend my time that way” he smiled sadly. He looked at Aro and touched his face, “look at you” he said with eyes starting to tear. He patted his shoulder and squeeze it. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to teach you how to ride a bike” he said. “Or take you on some of my flights. That’s where I met your mom” he said not taking eyes off him. “But how can you be so pretty?” he asked smiling. Some tears escaped from his eyes. “You took after your mom” he said.

“Daddy!” Ara cried wiggling.

“Oh, uhm, this is my daughter, sir” he said.

“A granddaughter” he whispered. “Can you believe it?” he looked at Dolores. “Just a while ago, I don’t have a son. Now I even have a granddaughter” he exclaimed. He looked at Dolores looking so guilty. “And you raised him all by yourself, why did you do that? You could’ve asked me for help” he took her hand and held it. “And when he was gone, you mourned for him all by yourself, why did you do that?” he continued and then hugged her. Now, they were both crying.

“I’m sorry” she told him.

They had dinner together. Ara called Nicholai, Papa Nicho. Nicholai looked emotional Aro laughed.

“Can I ask for that chance now, Dolly?” he asked her. She nodded.

Nicholai’s walking them out of the gate, he’s holding Dolores’ hand. “So, next time, can we have that dinner too?” he asked her. Dolores smiled and nodded.

Seeing this, Aro’s smiling. “Ugh” he said. “Next time can you do that out of my range of sight? Or hearing” she said to them.

“Next time” Dolores told Nicholai before taking Kathara from Aro and getting inside the car.

“Next time” he told Dolores back. He looked at Aro who’s looking at him. They’re almost the same height, Aro’s just a bit taller. He touched his face once more and pulled it to kiss his head. “My son” he said looking. “I never thought I’ll love someone I just met, but I know in my heart I love you already” he told him.

Aro patted his arm, “me too” he answered.