Someday Soon, With You

Chapter 18

ARCHI

Its Sunday and 4:30 in the afternoon. Mira’s still asleep upstairs. “Baby”, his mother called him.

He looked at her and smiled. He’s sitting on the front porch watching Dolores sweep her front yard. Seems like everything went back to normal for him.

“Can I ask you something? What are your plans now?” his mother asked. He looked at her and she suddenly spoke, “I’m not rushing you” she clarified. “I’m just asking”

“Plans for what?” he asked although he has an idea what she’s talking about.

“You and Mira are together for how many years now. You’re even living together. Aren’t you thinking about marrying her anytime soon?” his mother continued.

“We haven’t planned anything about it yet, but we’re already talking” he answered.

“Aro’s back now, and you don’t know how she must be feeling, or thinking—”

“And you think marriage is the only way for me to know it?” he immediately regretted what he said. But it’s too late now, his mother looks like about to gobble him up.

“I’m not saying that. I’m just worried that Mira might feel conflicted about it. She knows how much you loved Aro, it took you a long time before going out with her. Now Aro’s back and you haven’t been talking anything about your relationship, where you’re going, I can’t blame her if she felt threatened” her mother scolded him.

“Why would she feel that? I’m not cheating, I’m not giving her any reason to be jealous—”

“You’re one dumb son” she told him. “We feel what we feel when we feel it” his mother continued.

What does that even mean?

“You loved Aro a long time, Aro’s such a pretty child. You can see how special he is at first glance. Mira’s not blind. If you want to keep her, you better assure her that she has a place in your life” she said. She stopped talking when she saw his father came back from picking vegetables.

They had their early dinner at their house before driving back to their apartment. “You seem busy” he commented when he saw her typing at her phone.

“Yeah, “I’m going out on Wednesday. I’m having a date” she smiled.

He smiled back, “With who?” he asked.

“Andrei, TJ and Yuan” she replied.

Aro’s right. She’s been close to them already. “Tita Dolly taught you well. Now you’re going out with friends without me” he teased her.

“It’s healthier for me” she told him.

He became silent for a while. “What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s not healthy when all I have in life is you” she continued.

“Okay” he answered. “What made you think that?” he asked. She seemed down the past few days but he thought they already talked about it.

“Well, when you were gone for a week and I stayed with Tita Dolly, do you remember that?” she asked him and he nodded. “We had so many talks and she told me all about her life when she was still young. And she had a really wonderful life, despite living independently. I always feel so bad about myself for not having anyone, but Tita Dolly was the same. Of course, she had her grandparents but mostly she was alone too. She had many friends. So, I thought, what will I lose if I try it?” she beamed.

Oh, it’s like that? He smiled. He got paranoid after his talk with his mother. “Oh, yeah, she had a really interesting life. Okay, you can go without me. Just don’t fall in love with Andrei, I heard he might be a billionaire soon” he laughed.

She laughed too. “I won’t” she replied. “I don’t want to marry someone so busy he doesn’t have any time with family. It’s nice that Andrei still have time to meet friends” she said.

He nodded. That’s reasonable. “That reminds me, we hadn’t gone for a vacation trip for a long time. You want to go?” he asked her. His mother might just be exaggerating things, but it won’t hurt to pamper her a bit.

“Where do you want to go?” she asked.

“No, you decide on that” he told her.

“Okay, I’ll think about it first” she smiled.

After they got back to the apartment, as usual, Mira started preparing to have a quick shower. She prepared her clothes, took a towel and went straight to the bathroom. He sat for a while on their bed listening to the sound of the water. He took a towel and followed Mira. He took his clothes off before going inside the bathroom. He wrapped his arms around her as soon as he got inside and started kissing her neck.

“Archi” Mira’s about to protest.

“Yes?” he answered smiling at her.

“You know I don’t want to do it here” she told him.

“Why not?”

“I don’t want my back on the wall. I don’t think its sanitary” she whispered.

He laughed. “I will not have you touch the wall” he said trying to convince her but she looks like she’s still about to say no. “Please?” he asked her softly whispering in her ear. He started kissing the back of her ear.

“Fine. Just this once” she answered. He smiled.

MIRA

Let’s meet in your free time. Sent to: Andrei, TJ and Yuan. After roughly seven minutes, her phone beeped three consecutive times. She opened it and saw Yuan already created a group chat with him, Andrei, TJ and Mira. He even named their group ‘Mom and the Three Sons’ with two hearts. She laughed.

“Who is it?” Archi asked.

“It’s Yuan” she answered.

Missing us already? It’s TJ.

No, I just want to ask your advice about something, she replied.

Wednesday, 7PM, from Andrei.

Isn’t he driving? She asked.

I’m typing Mom. Yuan

She laughed. Okay, Wednesday, 7PM.

They spend their weekend at Archi’s parents’ house. She’s used to it, except, when they do, she always spent a lot of time in Dolores’ house too. Now, things are a little different. Not in a bad way, but different all the same. It’s Sunday and she just woke up from her nap. She went downstairs and saw Archi on the porch with Tita Aya. She walked towards them and heard them talking.

“And you think marriage is the only way for me to know it?” it was Archi.

“I’m not saying that. I’m just worried that Mira might feel conflicted about it. She knows how much you loved Aro—”

She didn’t want to hear it. She walked as silent and as fast as she could to the kitchen. She glanced to their direction, they didn’t notice her. Good! She took a glass and put water on it. She’s slightly shivering, her breathing’s fast and her heart’s pumping so hard. She shut her eyes for three seconds and opened them.

Is Tita Aya forcing him to marry me? No! I don’t want it to be like that, she thought. She’s deep in thought almost even after dinner.

“It’s healthier for me” she told him when he commented about her going out without him. Her heart’s pounding.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s not healthy when all I have in life is you” she replied.

“Okay” he answered. “What made you think that?”

Oh no. I have to get out of this!

“Well, when you were gone for a week and I stayed with Tita Dolly, do you remember that?” she asked him and he nodded. “We had so many talks and she told me all about her life when she was still young. And she had a really wonderful life, despite living independently. I always feel so bad about myself for not having anyone, but Tita Dolly was the same. Of course, she had her grandparents but mostly she was alone too. She had many friends. So, I thought, what will I lose if I try it?” she smiled trying not to show any thing. And seems like it worked.

Archi convinced her to take a vacation and she agreed. He just might really want to take it slow. She doesn’t want him to feel obliged to marry him.

It’s almost five in the afternoon and she started getting ready. She told Archi he doesn’t need to drive her, she’s meeting with Andrei, TJ and Yuan. TJ will be driving for him. She walked down the stairs to the biometrics and saw TJ outside. He’s sitting on a bench under a black plum tree in front of their building.

“Hi” she greeted him.

“We’ll be waiting until six, Andrei got us a reservation in their hotel” TJ said.

“Why a hotel?” she asked.

“Didn’t you read his message in the group? He’ll be going to Singapore later at ten, he wants to talk somewhere near because that’s the only time he can spare” he explained.

“If I know he’s going, I wouldn’t have asked him. He should’ve just take a rest” they walked to a red car.

“Isn’t this your brothers’” she asked.

“He let me borrow it” he simply answered.

They drove for at least ten minutes and they arrive at the hotel owned by Andrei’s family. It’s very glamorous and has a classic touch. The chandelier, the carpet, the big sofas, everything looks so elegant.

“You might want to close your mouth, your jaw’s dropping” TJ teased her.

“How many times have you been here?” she asked him.

“A few couple of times” he simply answered.

They went to an elevator and she heard TJ tell the attendant the room floor and they went out to a lavishly decorated restaurant. It has an earthly and golden tone. The walls are glass and you can see the view from the outside. The flowers are all pink and peach and is different for each table. She saw Yuan waving on the balcony outside, they walked there. Their table has a vase with hydrangea, rose and lily on it. It’s very beautiful.

“Every day, they change the colors of the flowers” TJ said when he noticed her staring at the vase.

“This place is very beautiful” she said.

After a while Andrei arrived, in three-piece, royal blue suit with his tie slightly loosed.

“Wow. I never see you dressed like that” she commented.

“Yeah, I hope they don’t make me get too used of it” Andrei replied. “So, what’s the meeting about?”

“Aren’t we going to order first?” Yuan asked.

“Don’t worry, they’re already taking care of it” Andrei said.

“You already ordered?” she asked.

“No, but they’re already taking care of it. Don’t worry” he assured them. “So, what’s the agenda?” he asked. Soon, some of the staff brought them wine and about to pour their glass when Andrei stopped them. “We’ll have mango juice, please” he smiled. The staff slightly bowed and went back to the kitchen.

Wow, was all she thought.

“As I was asking, what’s the agenda?” Andrei asked.

“Nothing much. We’re just going to listen to a relationship rant” TJ told him.

“How did you know?” she asked TJ.

“You asked to meet just after a very nice lunch with your boyfriend’s ex-boyfriend. I might be wrong. Are you planning on proposing to Archi?” TJ asked her back.

She stared at him. How does he know this? “How many relationships have you had? How do you know so much?” she asked.

“Mira, this is a cross I have to bear” he rested his elbow on the table, his chin on his palm and smirked at her.

She rolled her eyes. “You should’ve seen him before. He’s a pompous little s**t” Yuan told her.

“So, you’re proposing to him? Or you’ll just rant?” Andrei asked.

“I was planning on just the rant, but I’m considering the proposing” she answered.

“What are you ranting about?” Yuan asked.

“I feel so insecure” she started.

The three of them looked at each other. “Archi seems to love you. He’s very caring about you to be honest. When him and Aro were going out before, we wouldn’t have noticed if we don’t know them. He kick him, throw ball at him, always shout at him” Yuan said looking up, like he's trying to remember it.

The two nodded at Yuan. “What makes you feel that?” Andrei asked.

“Well, they seem really close now that I can see it myself” she answered. Now that she has to say how she feels out loud, to other people, she feels like her reasons are not enough.

The three were looking at each other from time to time, she thinks they’re thinking how they’ll respond the way that won’t offend. She smiled at them.

“You feel insecure and yet you want to propose? Yes, that makes so much sense” TJ commented.

“You’re right”, she sighed. She stopped when she saw Andrei smiling. “What are you smiling about?” she asked.

“It’s refreshing when you hear other people rant about it” he replied.

Her eyes widened in surprise, she grabbed his hands also surprising him, “Oh no! Andrei! You’re turning into a TJ!” she exclaimed worried.

Yuan laughed. “Now, that’s a problem” he added.

TJ rolled his eyes and drank the mango juice the staff just gave. “Don’t ask him to marry you yet, it will make things uncomfortable for you” Andrei told her.

“How so?” she asked.

“Well, what if he said no, what will you think? He said no because of Aro, even when his reason might be completely irrelevant” Andrei explained.

“If you’re still insecure, and by chance he said yes, what makes you think you’ll be happy?” TJ added.

He’s right, she thought. He’s a pompous little s**t, but he’s right.