My Sunflower World

Chapter 18

Maya was humming as she got herself ready for bed after her wonderful date with Ricky. She hoped she will be able to fall asleep fast after that beautiful, wonderful, and very unforgettable evening! Who can forget being treated like a real princess by her handsome prince! It is every girl’s dream! Maya Dela Rosa, you and your fairy tales, she tried to admonish herself, but lost!

Ricky has fallen in love with her! He admitted his feelings! He wants to court her properly! The thought sent her in a tailspin earlier! Her throat constricted, her heart beat doubled and her face became flushed, especially when he looked at her with so much love and intensity! She felt like dancing in the middle of the hotel’s beautiful garden. To let out her giddiness, she did actually make a silent scream as soon as she had closed the door after Ricky escorted her up to the door of her room before turning in himself for the night. It took her a while to drag herself to the bathroom after falling headlong into the bed and staring at the ceiling with a goofy smile on her face.

She looked at the big inviting bed in the room. The room was so much nicer and more luxurious than the one she had shared with Ricky for two nights, and yet she yearned for the room and the beds they had in that hotel in Vigan. She already missed seeing Ricky’s face across her, that early, even if his mere presence on the bed beside her, sent her heart fluttering like a butterfly on a headlong flight to somewhere beautiful, wonderful and dizzying!

Maya does like the fact that Ricky just didn’t assume that since she had agreed to sharing a room with him, and that since they have shared a room for two nights, they can just continue to do so. To her, it meant that he really is, a gentleman. Maya also admitted to herself, that had he asked her if they can continue sharing a room, she would have said yes, most probably! She sat on the bed and to help her adrenaline go down, she took out her iPad. While going over the books she had stored in her iBooks library, she remembered the PDF copy of the journal there that she had been meaning to tell Richard about.

Staring at the page of the journal she had last accessed, she thought of Ricky’s dream, or rather nightmare while they were in Vigan, which was exactly the same as the events narrated by Ricardo Lim in the journal! A thought entered her head before she can stop herself from thinking about it, before she can stop herself from going there! What if, what if they are really reincarnations of their grandparents, and it was not Ricky telling her that he loves her, but his grandfather telling it to her Lola Maya again? But if they are one and the same persons, is it bad that their beautiful, but ill-fated love story, found a way to continue? A love that beautiful finding its way across time and space?

Maya took a deep breath and heaved a sigh, trying to overcome the convoluted thoughts suddenly crowding her head all of a sudden. There are so many mysteries you can’t really find explanation in this world, even faith, and fate! You just believed and it just happened, it is just the way it is. She would rather live in the present than dwell on whether they were reincarnations of two people who had loved at the wrong time. Besides, it is not so bad, not so bad at all, if they are, and that they found a way to continue their love story, isn’t it, especially now that it has a better chance of having a happy ending! She and Ricky are singles and free to love! He already told her he loves her and while she hasn’t said it to him yet, she does love him with all of her! With that thought in mind, she attempted to fall asleep, reliving Ricky and hers wonderful evening. She had a beautiful smile on her face when sleep claimed her.

The next thing Maya knew, there were rays of sunlight slipping through the drapes that she forgot to close fully the night before. She checked the time, and got out of the bed, so fast, panicking a bit, when she saw that it was already past 9 o’clock in the morning! While she and Ricky, did not agree on meeting on a specific time that day, by unspoken agreement, usually, they both have breakfast at around eight o’clock in the morning! She hastily checked her phone. There were no messages from him. Maybe he overslept too, or maybe, he was waiting for her to wake up. She decided to phone his room, and he answered on the first ring. She can hear a news channel in the background before he muted it.

“Good morning, Maya!” Ricky said cheerfully, even before she can tell him it’s her! “Had a good sleep?”

“Ricky, good morning! I’m so sorry, I overslept. Are you hungry? You should have phoned me earlier.” Maya said. “Just give me a couple of minutes, and I’ll be ready.”

“Take your time, Maya, no hurry! I can wait.” Ricky assured Maya. “I purposely let you sleep longer, so you can rest. I was planning on knocking on your door in an hour pa.”

“Thanks Ricky! I don’t know why, I slept like a babe and before I know it, it’s morning na.”

“Hmmm, you didn’t miss me sharing the room with you? I’m sad!” Ricky teased Maya before he can stop himself. He sounded like he was flirting with her. Well…. “Errr, biro lang, Maya! You probably had looked forward to having your own room.”

“Well, I did miss sharing a room with you, you know.” Maya answered candidly, blushing a bit at her admission! “But I know you are just nearby and I’m safe with you just a knock away!”

“Thank you, Maya. I miss sharing a room with you too.” Ricky said softly, a goofy grin on his handsome face. “I miss looking at your beautiful face across me. Kaya yata hindi ako nakatulog kaagad!”

“Ricky naman, ang aga-aga, pinapakilig mo ako!” Maya said giddily. “Pero, hindi nga nga nakatulog kaagad? Okay ka lang ba?”

“True naman iyan, Ms. Maya Dela Rosa!” Ricky said, with a goofy smile on his face as he cradled the phone, wishing that he could see Maya’s reaction. He likes looking at her flustered face when he says things like that. “Okay naman ako, Maya, couldn’t be better. I managed to fall asleep after an hour or so of tossing and turning, thinking of our beautiful evening, and besides, when I did, I had a wonderful dream din.”

The way, Ricky said that, Maya felt that the dream had something to do with her, and him. But huwag assuming Maya! Well, she just remembered her beautiful dream and it also has Ricky in it. Kaya rin siguro siya hindi nagising kaagad kasi the dream was so real. Parang ayaw na niyang magising. She blushed a bit, remembering the vivid dream.

“Thank you also, Mr. Ricky Lim. O sige, baba ko na ito ha, para nakapag-ready na ako. I’ll see you at the hotel’s restaurant in 30 minutes?”

“No, I’ll just pick you up from your room, then we can go together. Manonood na lang muna ulit ako ng news while you are getting ready. Text me kung okay ka na.”

“Okay, see you in a bit.”

“See you, Maya. Take your time, like I said.”

Ricky leaned against the headboard of his bed, and thought again of the beautiful night with Maya, and the dream he had, which had her starring prominently in it. He was very happy, and he felt like he was on the top of the world, having finally told Maya of his feelings for her! Now, he just need to show her how much he loves her, automatically looking at the flowers he ordered earlier. Cristina worked miracles. He was not so sure she will be able to procure sunflowers in such a short notice, but she did.

He realized at some point the night before, that aside from forgetting about the dress shoes, he forgot to give Maya flowers on their first ‘official’ dinner date!  His mind was very much into other matters. The night really ended beautifully and he couldn’t be happier. He is looking forward to his and Maya’s journey, there in Ilocos and when they both go back in Manila. He felt that there wouldn’t be much of a problem meshing their lives together. The past week, they have lived practically with each other, smoothly and seamlessly.

While they were walking along the beach last night, he asked Maya what her favorite flowers are and she told him, sunflowers, just like her grandmother, and also roses. He woke up early, then thought of that, and on the off-chance that Cristina can get it for him, he would like to give some to Maya, like his grandfather did, to her grandmother. He remembered reading about it in the journal. Speaking of the journal, he will read it completely when they return to their beach places. He would like to check the part that Maya mentioned was exactly like his dream, or nightmare. He felt that it was important that he do so.

Thirty minutes after Maya’s phone call, Ricky was out of his room after receiving a text message from her. With the flowers on his left hand, he softly knocked on Maya’s door. She opened it after the second knock, looking so lovely in her dress of choice for that day, another knee-length skirt, and a white sleeveless blouse.

“Hi Maya!” Ricky said with a big smile, taking in her lovely self. “You look very lovely. These are for you!” He added giving her the bouquet of sunflowers.

“Ricky, where on earth you got these! They are so lovely! Thank you very much.” Maya exclaimed, happiness in her voice and her face lit up while looking at the lovely flowers. She felt giddy again. Ah, he is really such a wonderful guy, she mused.

“You’re welcome, Maya. I’m very glad that you like it.” Ricky replied grinning, happy to see her so happy with his gift. “Well, I got lucky. Cristina helped.”

“She is one very resourceful lady.” Maya said. “Let me just put the flowers inside. By the way, what are our plans for the day pala? We forgot to make plans for today last night. I just want to know what to bring, also if my dress is okay for our trip.” Well, she thought, who would be able to make plans with the way the evening went!

“Hmmm, how about we go to Malacanang of the North, then if you are up to it pa, to the sand dunes? I heard it could be quite an experience.” Ricky suggested.

“Oh, you haven’t tried riding in those ATV too, that I have seen on TV. Sounds fun. Tara lets. I’ll just change into shorts after breakfast, if it is okay.”

“Okay, then sand dunes and sightseeing in Paoay today. We can also go around Laoag a bit and have dinner there before returning here.” Ricky said. “We can go back to our room after breakfast to change out of this pair of jeans. I think a pair of shorts is better for our trip.”

Maya put the flowers on the bed, taking a lingering look at it, before she went out again. She saw Ricky leaning against the wall, looking so breathtakingly handsome in his faded jeans and t-shirt, with a goofy smile, and then when he heard her, he looked at her with love in his eyes. Maya still was not used to it or dealing with the fact that a guy really looks at her like that, so she blushed and gave him a tremulous, happy smile! Ricky took Maya’s hand, and with interlaced fingers, they walked towards the direction of the restaurant through the resort’s beautiful, landscaped gardens.

While Ricky and Maya were starting their day, Lorraine Tan has started her day much earlier than them. She asked her family’s driver to take her to the airport for her flight to Laoag.

Yes, she knows where Ricardo Lim III, and he and the girl, she is sure of that, that he is spending time with, are in for a surprise. It was not so difficult to deduce where Ricky is, once she started recalling everything she knew of him and his family, and since they have a long intertwined history, she figured out where Ricky ran to. She remembered hearing from her mother that the Lims have a vacation house that they don’t really use, but refuses to sell, in Ilocos.

She paid her Tito Richie a visit. On the pretext of catching up with him, she let Richard Lim, ‘Richie’ to family and close friends, know that she was sad since Ricky and her had a tiny bit of misunderstanding and she does not know where he is, so she can say sorry properly and patch things up. It was her fault, she told the older Lim. She used all her acting skills on Ricky’s father and it worked.

Richie Lim had always had a soft spot for her, anyway, and he has his vote as his future daughter-in-law. She mentioned to him that she knows that Ricky is in Ilocos, but not where. She also told him that she very much wanted to surprise him and patch things up, so they can concentrate on the wedding preparations. Richie Lim thought for a bit, and she got a bit nervous while waiting for his reply. She heaved a sigh of relief when he told her that Ricky might be staying at the Lim family beach house in Ilocos Sur.

On her request, Ricky Lim made a phone call to the house to confirm if Ricky is there. Lorraine was pretty confident by then that it is not Ricky who will answer the phone. She had an inkling that he was on the road. She just wanted to know if he using the beach house as a base. She also requested Ricky’s dad to inform the caretakers that she is going there, and tell them that she would like to surprise Ricky, so no word to him that she is arriving, if he is there.

The older Lim, told her afterwards that indeed, Ricky is staying there, but had been away for several days according to their caretaker. Manang Auring told him that his son will be back at some point as his things were still there. He told the caretaker that Ricky’s girlfriend will be going there as well and that she wants to surprise his son. He gave Lorraine the address and the phone number there. He also arranged for Manong Tunying to pick up Lorraine from the airport in Laoag. He was completely unaware of her machinations!

Lorraine packed her bags and then told her parents, so they will refrain from checking on her, that she and Ricky will just go on a short vacation and that they will finalize their wedding plans while spending quality time together. They believed her. Yes, she will wait until Ricardo Lim III returns to the beach house. She needed very much to salvage their relationship and she was prepared to do everything to get him back.