Note:  Happy ‘weeksary’ to My Sunflower World yesterday! 🙂 Thank you very much again for reading my first story!  

Chapter 6
‘Flip side’

Maya looked at the lady who interrupted their conversation. She is lovely, classically beautiful. She has a face that will grow more beautiful as she ages. Maya assumed that this is Alexandra, Richard’s wife.

“Hi. Yes, I’m Maya Dela Rosa, I’m please to meet you, finally, Alexandra.” Maya offered her hand, trying to sound normal, and hide the mixed of emotions she is feeling at the moment.

“Oh, no, no, no, you got it wrong. I’m not Alexandra.” The lady corrected Maya. “I’m…..

“Maya, this Rafaella Alcantara, my cousin. The one I told you who moved to the States the year before we met.And yes, Rafi, this is Maya!” Richard finished the introduction. “Why didn’t you call me, para hindi ka na naghanap.”

“Chard, my phone died when I was about to board the plane in Singapore. Since I know you will be in the area we agreed on, I decided to look around na lang. Hi Maya, I am really glad we meet, finally! Call me Rafi, family and friends do.” Rafi said as she hugged Maya tightly as if she had known her a long time.

”I would like to get to know you better. If you have some free time when you are settled in, maybe we can have coffee?” Rafi added as she looked at Maya happily.

“Nice to meet you Rafi. S-s-sure, let’s have coffee soon.” Maya said uncertainly. It looked like Rafi knows a lot about her, judging by her seemingly familiarity with her, considering that they just met. Richard did talk about Rafi, a bit, when they were hanging out. They were very close as not only they are cousins, they are very good friends, barkada, and they have been classmates since grade school until high school. There were two other childhood friends Richard mentioned in passing, Alex and Jeff.

“Okay, then.” Rafi said brightly as Richard observed the interaction between his very bubbly cousin and the woman who have been haunting his thoughts and dreams since she dispappeared from his life. He knew that they will click right away when they finally meet, and not only because he had told Rafi so much about Maya, but because they have similar traits.

“Maya, I will see you soon.” He said as he looked at Maya meaningfully, as if he does not want her to be out of his sight again.

“Okay, Richard. Looking forward to seeing you again.” Maya said breathlessly. Ah, only him can do this to her, even if there can’t be anything more anymore. She does have a lot of questions for Richard, to clear the air and move on. “l’ll go ahead. Baka paalisin na si Emman doon sa temporary parking space and para makaalis na rin kayo ni Rafi. Nice to meet you Rafi. Ingat kayo. Bye.”

Maya proceeded to where Emman is. She waved at Richard as she got into Emman’s car. On the way to his condo, Emman was full of questions.

“Girl, ano naman ang napag-usapan niyo ni Atty. Richard? Imagine after all these years, nagkita ulit kayo at sa mismong araw pa ng muling pagtuntong ng mga lagalag mong paa dito sa Pinas! This must be fate! Itinadhana talaga kayo!”

“Huwag ka ngang ganyan, Emman. You know naman that Richard is married na. Di ba he was getting married two years ago. Kaya nga ako lumayo. Nakalimutan mo na ba!” Maya reminded Emman.

“Ha, ah eh, hindi mo nga pala alam! At hindi ko rin nasabi sa iyo dahil ayaw mong pag-usapan ang mga nangyari noong bigla ka na lang nag-alsa balutan. Sosyal ha, bessie, abroad ka agad-agad. Oh well, bahala na si Atty. Richard na magsabi sa iyo. For sure, magkikita kayo niyan. The way he was looking at you sa airport, mukhang sobrang inlababo pa rin sa iyo si Mr. Heartthrob Lawyer!” Emman said as he navigated the traffic from the airport to his condo in Ortigas.

“In love? At talagang hanggang ngayon, iyan pa rin ang posisyon mo ha? Ayaw mo lang yatang papinturahan ng blue iyang pink walls mo!” Maya half-jested, though she is very curious why Emman still believes that Richard has feelings for her beyond friendship, after all that had happened.

“Mayabels, Mayabels, nang mag-disappear ka, courtesy of your mana from your Papa Arturo, marami kang hindi nalaman. Basta, bahala na nga si Atty. Richard na magsabi. Kailan nga kayo magkikita? Sa tagal ng moment na ibinigay ko sa inyo sa airport, I am sure, nakapag-arrange na kayo ng date!”

“Date? Grabe ka naman. Hindi ah. Paano namang naging date eh married na siya, di ba? But yes, we will see each other on Wednesday, pero just to talk.” Maya confirmed. She really wanted to ask Emman what he knows, but decided to wait unti she sees Richard. She wanted closure, but she still need to gain her equilibrium after unexpectedly seeing Richard at the airport. Baka too much to take na rin, hilo pa siya sa biyahe and the time zones. Saka, she would rather know everything from Richard. Ah, two more days! She is nervous, and the same time, excited in seeing him again.

Rafi and Richard are having a similar conversation to what Emman and Maya were having while on the road, with Rafi dominating the conversation.

“Chardddd, she is here!!! Di ba fate na rin ito, nagkita kayo ulit! Pagkakataon mo nang sabihin sa kanya ang mga gusto mong sabihin! Not so many people have second chances!” Rafi talked so fast and excitedly, while Richard tried to concentrate on finding the best route to Rafi’s place!

“Rafi, Rafi, calm down. Easy lang. Yes, I know. I am planning to do that when we see each other.” Richard said with a big grin. “I just hope she is not yet committed to someone else!”

“Hmmm, tama ka diyan. I have a feeling, though, that she is still single. Call it a woman’s intuition.” Rafi told him with conviction. She really hopes that Richard will find the happiness that eluded him two years ago.

“I hope so Rafi. We will see each other on Wednesday.” Richard happily told her.

“Oh good, then you can finally have it out, my dear cousin. Huwag mong sayangin ang pagkakataon. Keep me updated, ha.” Rafi said as they neared her condo unit in Makati.

When she got off the car, Rafi is thinking that finally, she can sleep in her own bed after working in Singapore for a month. She moved back the Philippines almost two years ago, partly to be with Richard in his time of need, and because she got tired of the fast-paced life in New York.

Richard, on the other hand, while driving home, is still dealing with the fact that he finally saw Maya after two long years! He is counting the minutes until they see each other again. He has so much to tell her!