Someday Soon, With You

Chapter 38

DOLLY

“Ladies and gentlemen, the Philippine Airlines welcome you to the beautiful country of Greece. The local time is 9:01 in the morning. For your safety and the safety of those around you, please remain seated with you seatbelt fastened and keep the aisle clear until we are parked at the gate” Dolly said her last script of the day. A few hours later, she found herself unpacking her clothes at the hotel they will be staying.

“Party later, start at nine” Lea said after opening her room without knocking.

“I can’t, I want to sleep for a little while” but really, she does want to sleep and go around sight-seeing. Greece is one of the few countries she enjoys, if she’s given the chance she even wants to settle down there.

“Come on, being rejected isn’t that much of a big deal” Lea told her.

“Rejected? Who rejected who?” she asked finally turning her face to Lea.

“Captain Nicho” Lea simply answered.

“I wasn’t rejected” she started.

“Yet?” Lea asked starting to get amused.

“Fine, I’ll go” she said resigning to whatever else Lea has to say. She smiled victorious before going to her own room.

The bar is already packed when she arrived, she has admit, it’s quite different to those she visited before. She looked around at Lea when someone bumped at him. A local, she thought. “Signomi” she said trying to excuse herself.

“Eisai toso omorfos. Tha chorepseis mazi mou?” he told her. (You’re so beautiful. Will you dance with me?)

“Oxi, oxi” she tried to tell him when she felt an arm suddenly wrapped her waist almost hugging her.

“Einai mazi mou” Nicholai suddenly popped up. He smiled politely to the man who also smiled at them and raised a glass to them. (She is with me) “A beautiful girl like you, alone in this bar is such a problem” Nicholai told her. He’s smiling as if they didn’t get on each other’s nerves.

“Are you drunk?” she asked. That’s the only logical explanation for him to talk to him sweetly.

“Just tipsy. Don’t worry, I’m not drunk enough to mistake you for someone I like” he joked. She didn’t answer. “It’s a joke. I’m sorry if I hit a nerve” he said when he noticed her facial expression didn’t change.

“It doesn’t really matter to me” she said as she sipped a piña collada in front of her. “Where is Lea?” she asked.

“Out there” he pointed to the group of people on the dance floor. She sighed.

“I’m going, I want to go sight-seeing tomorrow” she said before drinking the rest of her drink. Nicholai stared at her walk away.

Singapore, Three months Later

“Sometimes you just have to accept that you can’t have it all” Lea told her while they were walking to their respective hotel rooms. They just finished their last flight, after two straight flights that day. They’ve been on shift for a week straight.

“I know I can’t have it all and I was not trying to have him” I don’t need to try that hard if I really wanted to, she told herself. She went to her room and ordered a bottle of 1949 Domaine Leroy Grand Cru wine and soaked herself on bubble bath. She didn’t know how long she stayed there. She might have snoozed for a while. She got up and washed herself and walked out to the living room. She saw her n***d reflection in the mirror, stopped and stared at herself. A perfect hourglass. All the curves on the right placed. I didn’t really tried anything yet, she smirked at herself. She took a robe and wore it before going out of the room. A few steps after, she found herself knocking on the door.

“What?” Nicholai, brows furrowed, asked as he opened the door. He looked at her from head to toe but still didn’t smile. He looked like he’s drinking by himself.

She sighed. She invited herself in, and closed the door as soon as she’s in. She closed it and quickly took off her robe. Nicholai seemed to be taken aback by her sudden actions and took one step back. He looked at her again from head to toe, but this time his eyes are wide. She smiled. He looks like he’s starting to get ahold of himself, so before that happened, she took quick steps towards him and pulled his face closer to hers. She took one of his hands and put it around her waist and the other on her chest. She cupped his face, “no strings attached” she said before completely invading his lips.

She smiled even before opening her eyes. She can feel Nicholai’s arms around her waist and his leg above hers. I can have it if I want it, Lea. She said so proud to herself. Knocks on the door made Nicholai get up. He opened the door.

“Surprise, baby!” a girl giggled on the door.

She opened her eyes and looked at the door. Nicholai frozen and a girl went a little inside, and looked at her. Eyes large and teary. She looked at her and then at Nicholai. She didn’t say a word. “Julie, I can—”

He didn’t get to finish what he’s about to say. The Julie-girl already ran, sobbing. She looked at him, he didn’t run after her. Wow, she thought. She stood and took her robe from last night and wore it. “Just tell her, I’m no one” she said at the devastated Nicholai and started walking out his door. “Or tell her I seduced you” she added before completely walking out.

After that night, Nicholai seemed so out of it. He continued being a captain, but didn’t talk as much anymore. Everyone can tell. From time to time, she can see him look at her, but he didn’t say anything. She doesn’t like him that much, but she appreciates that he doesn’t talk about what happened between them. No matter how you look at it, in a very conservative country, a girl who throws herself to a man is not to be smiled upon.

“Dolores” Nicholai called. She looked at him. That’s the first she heard him call her name. “About what happened that night” he started. “I want to tell you, Julie and I, we—”

“I’m so sorry about it” she apologized quickly. “I know I ruined your relationship and if you need me to talk to her—”

“No, that’s not what I want you to do” he cut her.

“Then what is it?” she asked.

“Well, about what happened, you’re” he paused. “That’s your first time and I—”

“It doesn’t matter to me” she quickly said.

“What?” he asked.

“Look, I’m sorry about what happened. I shouldn’t have done that, but I still did. It is my fault and you don’t have to do anything about it” she told him. “I don’t like you that much either” she continued. “Don’t talk to me about it anymore” she said as she quickly walked away.

Which, she never should have. Because here she is, three weeks later, in the bathroom after throwing up, looking at the two lines in the pregnancy test she’s holding. Her Lolo and Lola will not like this. (*Lolo and Lola is a Filipino word for Grandpa and Grandma)