Allie found Anne in the living room. She seemed occupied with something in her phone but she hurriedly looked up when she sensed her coming.
"Anne, I owe you so many things already. Thank you so much for coming again. " Allie said with utmost sincerity.
Anne grinned while her eyes wandered over to someone behind her.
"Thank me when all these are over. We still have a very long way to go. "
Allie followed her eyes and as she looked over her shoulder, she saw Ajie towering above her.
"Anne, this is Ajie, " she said as she shifted her gaze from her to Ajie, then, while still fixing her eyes at him, she went ahead, " Jie, this is Anne, my close friend.
Ajie smiled warmly at Anne as he reached out a hand to shake hers. Then, looking back into Allie's eyes, he went ahead. "Anne is your close friend but who am I to you? "
"Anne, he's my ex - boyfriend. " She rolled her eyes as she said it while Ajie sighed hopelessly.
"Anne, thanks for taking care of our daughter. Just found out about it. I will be right back."
"How dare you own her? "Allie snapped and glared at him.
Ajie did not reply right away. He just reached out and pat her head.
"Because you're not good enough in hiding. "
Allie blushed while Anne giggled. Frustrated and ashamed, she stormed out of the door. Just as she stepped out, she saw her parents sitting down on a bench outside the house.
"Ma, Pa, have you two seen Ajie and allowed him inside or is he sneaking into the house? "
Her mom hesitated but went on anyway. "He came to talk to us."
"And you let him in? I thought you both hate him." She taunted, the feeling of humiliation and pain engulfed her again.
"Because you need him." Allie's father spoke up since her mother was suddenly lost for words.
"And you also told him about... "
"Our daughter..." Allie got startled when Ajie's voice suddenly broke in.
"Even if they do not, I had my ways to find it out. "
Allie ignored him and looked back at her parents.
"I have survived and I don't need him anymore. " She paused for a while to see their response before she excused herself and left.
Allie's father stood up and placed a hand over Ajie's shoulders.
"It's our fault, Jie. Please widen your understanding and patience. It was not easy for her to go with the pregnancy alone while grieving for your loss and her humiliation for what we did. Then, there were pressures in her work and studies. And now, there's Chloe. Even before Chloe got sick, we still woke her up from crying during sleep. And we also saw her crying many times even during daytime. "
"I understand, uncle. "
____
The function hall were already full when Allie arrived but Andrew met her by the door again and ushered her to a seat before a small table in the front. There was again a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates on top of it. Even before reading the card, she knew it was for her.
"Lyz...the flowers are for my special and beautiful guest tonight. She's in her little black dress. " He smiled with that gentle looks of his which could captivate a hundred hearts.
Allie smiled back weakly at him. "Thanks, Andrew. "
"So, I'll be leaving you again. See you around later. "
_____
When the time struck at exactly seven, a voice from the PA system announced the playing of the national anthem and everyone stood up. It was then followed by a short invocation through a song titled, "The Prayer".
Then, the lady of the ceremony came up. With her eloquence and gracefulness, she tuned the crowd's hearts ahead to the highlight of the event.
'The concert tonight, as announced, is for our love to share to a little child who is an object of God's miracle...."
Shortly after that, as everyone was seated comfortably, Andrew climbed up to the stage in his navy blue tux and brown, leather shoes. After making a bow, he sat elegantly again before a huge and glossy, black grand piano. Closing his eyes, he spread his long fingers through the keys then ran through it wonderfully as he played the piece titled, "The Battle of Jericho."
The splendid combination of different rhythms and tempos and the beauty of the music itself captivated the innermost chambers of the hearts of the crowd. The opening piece was just too perfect a choice to set the mood of eveyone all throughout the event.
As Andrew played on his next pieces, the crowd rode in to the high and low beautiful tides of the music and got themselves lost into their short journey of musical adventure. Allie got herself lost, as well, and her thoughts wandered to the mysteries of Andrew. His dedication for Chloe's fund - raising, the flowers, the foods and, lately, his sweet words...Could it be an implication that he was falling for her?
Right after the first part of the concert ended, intermission numbers followed and ended with the presentation of Chloe's case. From the start of the second part down to the finale, photos of Chloe flashed into the screen in between scenes of magnificent views of nature. Again, the crowd was moved and humbled by this objective and after the concert ended, they demanded for envelopes to place their donations for Chloe's surgery.
One of those who dropped an envelope approached Andrew as he headed towards Chloe. He recognized her right away as she was always present in almost all of his concerts.
"Dr. Lopez, thanks for coming
again. "
"Who could ever resist the magic in your hands? " She grinned as she extend a hand to shake with his.
"I'm so honored by your presence every time... "
Dr. Lopez replied him with just her smile. What she said next startled, not just him, but Allie as well.
"Mr. Andrew, may I see the child? "