Anthon stayed on the same spot where he stood to watch Jia left. His gaze was on to the farthest end of the street but had seen nothing. His mind was in turmoil. He just couldn't shake off the whole scene with Jian in his mind. His heart leapt on the very moment their eyes met.
He saw the excitement in his upturned smile and in his big, beautiful, black eyes when he mistakened him as his daddy. He saw, as well, how it dropped in frustration the moment his mom denied it. It was as clear as a broad daylight that the child longed for a father. What could have happened to Jia after she silently left him at the resort? His imaginations went wild. Back then, they made love ... and what if she became pregnant with his child? He or she would be the age of Jian...
His thoughts flew back to that night at Blue Whale Mountain Resort.
"Jia, I will take the responsibility. Let's get married the soonest possible." She sat still and motionless but never replied. As he pulled her close to him, she did not resist. As if she willingly responded when he begged her to stay in his arms. "Let me hug you, please, for a while. Just this once.. "
He would understood her anger if she was. After all she had just given him her whole self. What made him wonder was her silence all throughout and why did she yield herself completely to him. He was tempted to think that, perhaps, they had the mutual affection for each other. Or perhaps, she had been into some kind of frustrations and heartaches that she did not care about the loss of her sanity anymore.
After few moments of deep silence, the rain outside stopped. She, then, turned and looked at him with hurt in her eyes. Expecting her to throw her anger at him, he started to reassure her about his proposed marriage. But to his surprise, she drew herself close to him and let her head fell on his shoulder. She slowly placed both her arms around him tightly and soon he heard her sniffed and broke into muffled sobs. He hugged her back, thinking she was accepting him. But then she stood up and left.
The moment he realized she was not coming back, he stood up and rushed out to look for her. But she was gone. She did not pick up his calls and after few rings, her line went dead. Not anyone of them knew her specific address, even Jay.
Back to the city, he looked for her. But none of their common friends knew where she lived. He contacted few of her relatives, but unfortunately, neither among them knew as well. Even her immediately family. What they knew was that she was staying in a certain boarding house near her workplace.
His search went on for months but all of his efforts ended as futile.
Years passed by but still there was no single news about her. He finally decided to let fate take them by itself but never gave up the hope that one day, their ways would eventually met.
This was just a small world after all. For him, distance is never measured by its physical units when affection is being the subject, because no matter how far they may be separated, their minds and hearts would always connect. Even through forbidden love.
His mind was then brought back to Giselle. Before he left the hotel on their wedding day, she saw her standing up before a full - length mirror. He sighed. Her bride was the most beautiful woman on that day. Their eyes met through the mirror as she stared at him. He remembered clearly those moment that he walked towards her and hugged her from behind. He must learn to love and accept her. After all, their commitment would bind them for a lifetime. Love can be learned through time.
"See you then by the altar." He softly said before he walked away.
It has been half a year since Jia left. Few hours from now, he would be walking in an aisle with another bride, Jia's bestfriend in high school. Beautiful music would then be played as they would march between those giant flower stands. The whole place had been majestically adorned. Different flowers in soft colors were beautifully and perfectly arranged, some were hung at different corners of the lofty walls and ceiling. Fresh gardenia, sweet peas, blue and red roses, tulips...
The music from a the grand piano started to play and filled the atmosphere with a sense of melancholy...