Someday Soon, With You

Chapter 19

“Ask him to marry you, when you feel it’s right” Andrei suggested. “Don’t ask him to marry you just because you’re scared he’ll leave you. He’ll leave if he wants to leave, married or not” he added.

Mira stared at him. These are advices on a man’s point of view. This is nice. She never really had male friends she can talk to like this.

An hour before ten, Andrei excused himself to prepare for his departure. He’ll be going to Singapore with his brother to close a deal and officially announce a partnership with the most successful Singaporean tycoon. Little by little she can see how wealthy their family is. A little while after, they also finished their dinner and went home. TJ drove Mira to her apartment. Yuan’s still at the backseat.

“Thanks for driving me” she smiled.

“Sure, Mom” Yuan replied.

TJ nodded at her and drove home. She opened the apartment and saw Archi watching TV. “Hi” she greeted.

“How was the dinner?” he asked.

“It’s great. We had dinner at the hotel Andrei’s family owned, it’s really beautiful” she excitedly tells him when she noticed Archi’s face is serious. “Is there anything wrong, love?” she asked.

“Do you want to get married?” he asked.

“Do you want to get married?” she asked back. She saw Archi looking like thinking about it, deliberating. “Let’s get married when we feel happy about it” she said. She can still hear Andrei’s advice. He must be feeling too pressured, she thought.

Archi looked at her, surprised with her reply and smiled. “Okay”, he answered.

She looked at him, he looks so relieved. “I’ll just take a shower” she told him. He nodded.

She went inside their room and started preparing her clothes, took a towel and went to the bathroom. She made sure to lock the door before she let her tears fall. She remembered how he looked when she told him they don’t need to marry just yet. She might just be feeling paranoid, he might just be feeling pressured and the pressure was just lifted with her answer. But still, why? Wouldn’t he feel happy with the idea of marrying her? Why’s the idea of marrying her giving him so much pressure? The insecurity is catching up to her. And yet, she can’t tell it to Archi. with those kind of reason, TJ’s right, even if they do get married, what makes her think she will be happy? She took her time showering she can hear Archi in their room. When she got out, she saw him putting something in the box of his drawer. She doesn’t want him to see her eyes so she rushed hanging her towel and went to her side of the bed. She was lying sideways, her back on Archi, surprisingly, he didn't do anything except put blanket on her, kissed her head and also went to sleep. She closed her eyes feeling like her heart is being sliced by a sharp knife.

She went to office feeling so out of it, she doesn’t want to talk with anyone. She just sat in her table and encoded data that are not even urgently needed.

“You’re doing it again” Wei suddenly popped in front of her.

“What?” she asked.

“Not going outside your zone, not talking. The day’s about to be over and you haven’t talk with anyone yet” he answered.

“I’m sorry. I’m just not in the mood” she replied.

“Why not? You’re not inspired?” he asked. She looked at him and he suddenly raised his arms. “I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer that” he quickly said.

“It’s okay”, she told him.

“You know, just a big brotherly advice, when you’re sad or frustrated, or anything, try to find a medium. Draw, or paint, or sew. Don’t just sulk in a corner” he told her.

“Thanks, Wei”, she smiled at him. She still continued encoding data but Wei being there, they also talk from time to time.

When the clock ticked five in the afternoon, she went down the biometrics and prepared to go home. Archi isn’t there yet. It’s unusual, he always tells her in advance when he’ll run late or when he can’t make it. She sat under the black plum tree for a while and started messaging him.

Hi. Are you going to be late?

After 5 minutes, working late? Should I just commute home?

She sat there for almost thirty minutes before sending him a message. Love, I’ll just commute home. Drive safely.

He must be staying late at work. She went to the jeepney stop and had a ride home from there. She opened their apartment and saw the lights are all still off. Archi really hasn’t been home yet. She went to the kitchen first, and prepared to cook rice. After she pressed the rice cooker, she left it to take a shower. She was there for almost fifteen minutes and started to shake off the dust in their bed. Archi’s still not replying to her messages. She went back to the kitchen and started cooking chicken for their dinner. It took her at least an hour to finish all the cooking and cleaning the cooking area. Still no reply, still no Archi.

She went back to their bedroom and started looking for her old notebooks, sketchbooks and pencils. Wei's right, ahe needs to find a medium. She knows she have those because she used to buy it when she was still in her old apartment. She looked at her drawer. Not there. She looked at Archi’s drawer, if its still not here, I’ll just take a nap, she told herself. She started opening his drawers when she saw a box. Ah, this is what Archi’s looking last night. She took out the box and saw some envelopes. Christmas letters, valentine letters, birthday cards, some pictures. These are all from Aro. The pain’s suddenly coming back, like last night, like someone’s slicing her heart. She’s about to close the box to return it to the drawers when a small box rolled to the edge. She opened it and she just felt her heart fell:

It’s more like a couple’s ring but yes, I guess I’m asking you to marry me.

I told you, ♫ when I come back, I’ll bring your wedding ring♫

I’m good looking, good at everything I do, could you ask anything for more? You’re a lucky man Alpha I fell in love with you! Ha-ha!

The note said. She looked at the two identical rings. It’s gold with blue gems embedded around it. She read the note again and stared blankly and then she went to her bag to find her keypad cellular phone. She found it and went to scroll for messages. And there it is, one message that she didn’t understand before, something that used to be as ordinary as those good mornings, good nights or I love yous. I would’ve said yes, the message reads. And she felt her heart shatter. The tears in her eyes fell in giant droplets. Why is it so painful?

She’s already lying in bed when she heard Archi came home. She heard him went to the kitchen and then in their room. She felt him pause in her side of the bed, and then take clothes to the cabinet and went to the bathroom. She also heard the beeps in her phone even before he came home, she doesn’t have the energy to read it. She felt him shake her, waking her up but she stayed still, eyes shut. He stopped and went on his side of the bed. She heard him open his drawers, and the sound of the box. Tears went streaming down her eyes again, but she was careful not to make a sound. No sob, no sniff. She doesn’t know how long she’s holding it in before she finally drifted off.

She woke up early that morning. It’s Friday. What is she going to do when weekend comes? She doesn’t want to act like everything’s fine. She went to prepare for her clothes, and went straight to the bathroom and took a bath. When she came out, she saw Archi sitting in the bed.

“You’re up early” he said.

“Yeah” she replied.

Archi stared at her. “I’ll just take a bath, I’ll drive you—”

“Archi, I’ll just take the jeepney to work today” she told him.

Archi’s silent for a few second, before he could answer. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to drive you home yesterday” he apologized.

“I’m not mad about it” she answered. Archi’s about to say something when she interrupted him, “let’s just talk later” she said. She took her bag and rushed out their apartment.

She started walking to the jeepney stop when she felt her tears in her cheeks again. Ah! How much more tears are you going to pour! She scolded herself. Archi’s just been good to her, his family, even his friends. In all their time together, he never raised his voice, never in anyway made anything intentional to hurt her. She knew he’s so perfect. And she feels so bad, she felt like she’s wrongfully keeping him for herself like a selfish person. She’s crying while walking when she heard a car honked behind her. She looked back and she saw a red car. TJ, she thought. She hurried and open the passenger seat.

“You look like you’re walking under the moon—” he stopped when she just burst into tears. All the sobs she’s been keeping since last night just exploded out of her. TJ then just continued driving until they reach her working place. It’s still quarter to seven and no one’s inside the building yet.

“Are you always this early to work?” she asked.

“No, I’m just supposed to meet Andrei, but it was postponed later at nine” he answered.

“Are you working together?” she still seemed out of it.

“Yes” he simply replied.

“You want to ask me?” she’s referring to her outburst of emotions earlier.

“Not really” he replied again.

“Really?” she asked suddenly looking at him.

He stared at her and just shook his head. Disappointment evident on his face. “You’re a mess” he started. “You look ugly, and there’s still” his eyes stopped at her nose. “Ugh! You even still have snot on your nose!” he looks absolutely disgusted and face palmed.

“Oh. He-he. I’m sorry” she apologized. She took tissue from the box in front of her and started wiping her eyes and nose. “Thanks for driving me to work, TJ” she told him. TJ just nodded. She opened the door and started to walk to the building when she saw a familiar truck just behind TJ’s car. It’s Archi. He’s still wearing the clothes he’s wearing this morning.

He walks towards her. “I thought you wouldn’t eat your breakfast, so I bought this” she took the paper bag he’s carrying. He looked at the car that just drove away from them and then looked back at her. “I hope, before you tell other people about our problem, you talk to me about it first” he said with a serious face.

He was about to turn his back when she replied, “I didn’t tell him anything”

He looked at her. “I’m sorry about last night” he told her and went back to his truck and drove off.

ARCHI

The meeting went on for so long he didn’t have the time to even look at his phone. Three messages from Mira. He forgot.

Hi. Are you going to be late?

working late? Should I just commute home?

Love, I’ll just commute home. Drive safely.

He felt bad. Should he just buy donuts? Or buy chicken? Its already ten in the evening, she might have already cooked their dinner. He started typing.

Love, I’m sorry. The meeting just went on, I never got to message you.

No reply.

Are you home yet?

Still no reply. He arrived at their apartment past ten in the evening. All the lights are on. He went to the kitchen and saw the food. She already cooked their dinner, he knew it. He silently laughed when he saw the chicken she cooked, she might grow feathers someday. He went in their room and the lights are dim. She’s sleeping already? He stared at her and sighed. She might have waited for him a long time. He took some clothes and went to take a shower. After about five minutes, he came out and went to her side deliberating if he’s going to wake her up. He looked at her, her eyes are swollen. Did she cry again? He tried to wake her up but she’s not budging. He really can’t understand, there seems to be a problem but she’s not saying it. Maybe it’s still Aro. Maybe his mom’s right, he needs to give her an assurance. He went back to his side of the bed and opened the box containing his sentimental gifts from Aro. The letters, even the rings. A few minutes later, he heard Mira sniffing. He stood up and quickly went to see her face. She’s sleeping. Was she having a bad dream? He rubbed her back until he can’t hear any sniffing anymore and went to sleep.

The next morning, he woke up and saw Mira already taken a bath and changing her clothes. Their eyes met and saw hers puffy. Maybe she’s angry after all, he thought. “You’re up early” he said.

“Yeah” she replied not looking at him.

“I’ll just take a bath, I’ll drive you—”

“Archi, I’ll just take the jeepney to work today” she interrupted.

She is angry. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to drive you home yesterday” he apologized.

“I’m not mad about it” she answered. Was she also mad about the dinner? He asked himself. “let’s just talk later” she said and then she’s out.

He scratched his head. He went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. He took his wallet and keys. He went out to drive and didn’t see her anywhere. She might have ride a jeepney already. He went straight to Mcdonalds and bought a breakfast meal. He was driving to the building she’s working when he saw a familiar red car just in front of him. He followed them and waited. After a short while, Mira got off, waved to the driver who seemed to be TJ and walk to the gate when she looked at him. Eyes swollen again. He gritted his teeth. Why is it that she’s always crying without telling him anything? He walked to her, “I thought you wouldn’t eat your breakfast, so I bought this” he needs to calm his mind. “I hope, before you tell other people about our problem, you talk to me about it first” he told her.

“I didn’t tell him anything” she told him back.

He doesn’t know how to handle this phase in a relationship. He doesn’t want to tell her anything he might regret later. “I’m sorry about last night” was all he said.