Someday Soon, With You

Chapter 11

MIRA

Things are all going her way. She knows it, now she can understand people who are scared of it. Sometime soon, some conflicts are bound to happen. Does she still know how to handle it?

They were practicing again and Yuan and Archi are still teaching her basic receiving techniques. Andrei wasn’t there, and TJ mentioned something about Andrei's brother wanting him to succeed their business. She can’t imagine what it’s like, to have succession of businesses, its just something she can watch on soap operas.

“So, Yuan” she started, “how’s it going with lady manager?” she asked.

“As usual” Yuan replied.

“She always ignores me” he paused. “Magnificently” he said with a proud, straight face. She laughed.

“You shouldn’t have told her”, it was TJ just passing by and happened to hear their conversation.

“Why not?” she retorted.

“Well, you always ask questions” TJ answered. “You don’t always have to do that”

“But that’s what friends do. Ask about things you’re curious about” she explained.

“Yeah! It’s only natural” Yuan defended her. “Did you know that TJ was babied by all the captains every summer camp we attended?” Yuan said smirking at TJ.

She saw TJ rolled his eyes and furrow his eyebrows. “How so?” she asked Yuan.

“Andrei was from a different school than us. That reminds me, he’s a setter, if you want pointers, you can ask him. They were a powerhouse. Oh and yeah, TJ! He was babied by everyone, the captain of Andrei’s team including Andrei mentored him, captain of our rival team also mentored him. And when we do barbecues and boodle fights, they all make sure he eats. They gave him all these foods, I'm so jealous” Yuan reminisces. He looked sadder about the food than the 'mentoring' part.

Mira is smiling listening to Yuan. TJ looked pissed by how Yuan told the story. “So, he’s everyone’s baby” Mira joked.

“They were doing it to annoy me” it was TJ still rolling his eyes from time to time.

“What, mentoring you?” she asked.

“No. Forcing me to eat” he quickly answered.

“Yeah, it was funny. Ha-ha. He eats so little, but he likes women with quite an appetite” Yuan said.

“You do? So, the mystery girl eats a lot?” she curiously asked.

“What mystery girl?” it was Archi finally joining the conversation.

“The girl TJ likes” Yuan replied. TJ glared at him.

“Really” Archi commented. “Who is it” Archi asked him.

“No one knows. He won’t tell us”, she told him.

“Not even you?” Archi asked Yuan.

Yuan shook his head, “Not even Andrei”, he replied.

TJ continued picking the balls glaring at them, “tattle tale” he even murmured while picking.

They bought food after practice and then drove home. That week was as usual, they spend their weekend at Archi’s parents. Mira was helping Dolores fold the laundry despite her saying no. Honestly, she likes folding the laundry. She finds it therapeutic. Archi was with his mother doing grocery shopping. They asked her if she wants to come, if she didn’t felt drained with all the ‘making new friends’ and catching ups she’s been doing all week, she would’ve said yes. But this time, she wants to charge her social battery first before going anywhere crowded.

They were giggling about something when they heard a knock. It’s probably Archi. “I’ll open it Tita” she said as she walked out of the master’s bedroom to the living room. Have they already done grocery shopping? That was fast, she thought. She opened the door and expected Archi but instead she saw someone she knew but never met, until now.

“Aro” she muttered.

The tall man stared at her for a while, and then smiled. “Hi Mira” he replied. “I’ve heard so much about you, it’s nice finally meeting you in person” the man in front of her said. His voice is so soft. She looked at him, and saw how gorgeous he is in person. Then she realized, there’s a tiny hand holding him. It’s a little girl, about five or six years old

“Daddy” she called; her small voice is so angelic.

“Oh, baby, this is your Tita Mira, say hi” he told the little girl.

“Hi” the little girl said but snuggling to Aro.

What is this? Am I seeing ghosts? She just stood in front of the door like a statue.

“Mira, let’s prepare for lunch” it was Dolores walking down the stairs. As soon as she saw Aro, her eyes widened. “My baby!” she exclaimed.

“Hi mom” it was Aro. “Love, that’s your Mama Dolly” he said to the little girl.

“Mama” the little girl muttered as she ran to hug Dolores.

Aro followed her and hugged her. “I miss you, Mom. I’m sorry about everything” he said crying.

Dolores was already crying too. “It’s okay. As long as you’re back” she said between her sobs. They hugged and cried for like ten minutes and she just stood there watching them the entire time. “Oh, and this is my lovely Kathara. Hello, baby! I’m your Mama Dolly” she said with her eyes full of tears.

Mira was watching the entire time and the thoughts about Archi came flooding her mind. His messages to Aro:

Meeting you was the best thing that’s ever happened to me, spending my time with you, laughing with you and crying with you. You are my home, you just are. You laugh, you smile, you cry and frown and I’m home. I will do all my best to be a good person, so that I can meet you in our next life. So I will have the privilege to feel you again, to hear you call my name and to love you again. I will do it again and again, through all the lives we could ever live. I will love you always, because you have my heart, I found it in you and now, it’s lost with you. I love you tonight, and tomorrow I will love you again.

And the time they talked about him:

That’s for sure. It’s just so hard now, because how would I know? If I court another girl and ended up being happy, what if he’s stuck somewhere and thinking how he would come back to me. And what if he came back and saw me really happy, he might be happy for me too but that would just make me feel bad. So I guess I will just have to wait, until he comes back.

If he’s dead, I would have wanted to give him a decent funeral. Give him flowers and light him candles every November, because he deserve that. Because I also deserve that, I think, to know what really happened to the person I love, to know that at least, he came back, because he always does.

She remembered about it, Archi’s right. He always comes back. And she remembered what she told him when they were just about to be official:

If he came back, then I would let you go to him, if you love him more than me, I would set you free. I love you, what would matter more than seeing you happy? But if you realize that, just in case you do, you love me more, I will accept you again. Because how can I not? I love you

ARCHI

Archi and her mother came back to the house at seven in the evening. Mira wasn’t there; she must still be at Tita Dolly’s, he thought. It’s so sweet of Mira to always think of staying there, to Dolores’ place or his parents’ every weekend. She cherished them so much, maybe because she doesn’t have anyone to come home to. Maybe it’s one of the reasons why Dolores has been very cheerful for the past three years.

He put his bag down and the big eco bag. He took out its contents and started sorting the groceries they bought. He even bought her JCO donuts even though he always tells her to minimize her sugar intake.

He cleaned their room and arranged his things, his laundry and all the things he bought for Mira. He put the box of donuts to the fridge. He even cleaned Mira’s hairbrush which she just left in the bed, her towel she didn’t hang properly, and her shoes which aren’t properly arranged. He laughed silently, he missed her. After less than thirty minutes of cleaning, he took a quick shower and went to Dolores’ place.

As he gets in the front gate, he heard laughter of a child inside. There’s a kid inside? He thought. He saw Mira sitting in the pink sofa near the window, she is staring down outside. She looks like she’s in a deep thought. He knocked thrice and she saw him in the window. As soon as she opened the door, he kissed her and smiled. “Hey, I miss you” he told her.

“Hi” she replied.

Something’s off. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Is there a problem?”

“I’m not sure” she simply replied.

What does she mean? He saw a little kid sitting in the dining room, “Whose child is she? Did our baby finally hatched from the egg?” he joked trying to make her smile. But she didn’t. “Whose child is she?” he asked again, this time seriously.

“Mine” said a familiar voice.

He looked at the source of the voice, in the stairs. What is that, a ghost? He stared at him. It was Aro walking down the stairs.

“Alpha” he called.

It’s been so long since anyone called him that.

He walked slowly to him while still looking at him from head to feet. He stopped when he’s just about one meter away from him, their eyes are both watering. “Bastard” he muttered as he hugged him. Aro laughed and hugged him back. He punched Aro’s back several times while they were connected in a hug. “You dumb bastard, where were you?” he asked as he hug and punch him, and cry almost simultaneously.

Aro just hugged him tighter. “I’m so sorry, Alpha, I didn’t mean. I didn’t mean to be gone this long” he answered crying.

He didn’t know how long they stayed like that. He just heard a little girl called.

“Daddy” she called with both her hands up and Aro carried her up.

“Baby, this is your Tito Archi. Archi, this is Kathara, my little girl” Aro introduced.

Archi felt Mira behind him; he turned his back and saw her behind. Her eyes were a bit swollen, she might also have cried. Knowing her, she can be moved by little things. He pulled her close and kissed her nose and her forehead. “Mira, this is Aro, we’ve talked a lot about him. Aro, this is Mira, my girlfriend”

“Daddy, let’s go to bed. I want to sleep” Kathara demanded.

“Darling, can you go to bed with me, instead? Mama Dolly just missed you too much” it was Dolores coming from the kitchen. When Kathara nodded, she took the little girl from Aro and carried her upstairs.

“Mom, I’ll carry her─” it was Aro.

“No, no. You have so many things to talk about” she said as she continued walking upstairs.

Archi and Mira sat in the long sofa while Aro sat on the single one. “So, where were you this past six years?” Archi started.