November 2014
"WELCOME TO NEW YORK"
The announcement came on as Marcus looked at the passenger beside him. Christine was asleep the whole trip. He watched her, not wanting to disturb her at all. The last time he saw her was when he left the Philippines to migrate to the States. Her face was filled with tears as he left her the only heirloom his father had given to him and a promise to come back to her when the time comes.
For years, he had tried hard to reach his dreams and built it around her. Yet, it still separated them.
Until one day, he received a troubling news.
"I'm sorry, Marcus," Christine had said. "I...I met someone else. I'm afraid I cannot do this anymore."
He held it in his hands as his heart felt betrayed, but he could not hate her.
He just could not.
It was probably because they had been good friends since they were young and it had never ocurred to him that she was capable of hurting him like this and yet, he could never hate her.
Marcus held her cheek in his palm. She looked paler than before when they first met in California and he knew it won't be long till her whole body fell apart.
It was hard to see the once sweet and happy person suddenly falling away...
It had been rough for the past few months, trying to forget and now, he was coming back to spend some time with his parents for Thanksgiving.
"Marcus..." Christine called him as she slowly opened her eyes.
"We're here," he said.
She smiled faintly.
Marcus could not help not to feel sad as he watched her. He did not even know if he would be able to go through seeing her fail slowly. But then, Christine did not have anyone except him and he needed to be strong for her.
"Hey, handsome! Why are you staring at me like that?" she teased as she held his cheek. "If you keep staring, I might melt."
He chuckled. Funny how she was never bothered about her condition. During the two months he spent time with her in Chicago, he realized how much she had not changed. She still laughed at his jokes and very sweet.
He knew his heart belonged to someone else but what he and Christine had, would always be special. It was good that they had been very good friends first before they even fell in love with each other. At least now, they could still bond even as friends.
"Marcus..." she called while he was driving. "Have you tried talking to Nikka again?"
Her question surprised him. It had been months since he last saw Nikka and the memory of that day made him regretted every single word he had uttered to her. She did not deserve it and yet, he needed to... for Christine.
He hated the fact that he just could not get rid of her memories in his mind. Everyday, he longed for her and the night kept repeating to him. He had yearned to kiss her, have her in his arms and yet, when the moment came, he rejected her.
Christine had never forced him to totally walked away from Nikka but he felt it would be better for them to separate their ways.
For her to forget him... but how about him? The memory of her kiss still lingered on his mind. That sweet face that gave him a huge smile...
He missed her terribly and yet, he did not do anything to reach out to her.
Did not even bothered to say sorry...
"Marcus..." Christine called again as he hand landed on his arm.
He glanced at her as they stopped in the stop light. New York had never changed. All year round, there would always be people from different places aside from the locals roaming around the streets. Now that Thanksgiving is here, more people came to visit their relatives or just tour around the city. Thus, more traffic.
"Marcus... call her," she requested. "You need to tell her how you feel."
Marcus gazed at her. Christine had always been sweet and always tried to keep him in line. She never wanted anyone having grudges, and oftentimes, she was the mediator when he and other neighborhood kids would have misunderstandings when they were little.
A peacemaker... how could he ever say no?
"I tried calling her, Chrissy. But her phone is not working anymore," he reasoned. He knew it was not really the reason. He just did not know how to face her after all he had said.
"Did you try calling her brother? Mahbe we could-"
"No, Chrissy... it's better this way."
"But, Marcus..."
"Christine, please. This is my choice. I needed to take care of you. Nikka and I..."
"Promise me you'll come back to her, Marcus."
"Chrissy-"
"Promise me. When I die-"
"Don't say that!"
He was relieved that the traffic had moved and he concentrated on driving. He did not want to think of her like that. It was hard for him as well to lose a close friend... his childhood friend and sweetheart.
He swallowed the lump in his throat.
Could he endure this?
The pain of losing a friend...
And having his heart broken...
A man could only handle enough and yet, he was determined to. He needed to be strong.
"Promise me..." the words echoed in his mind. He had made a promise to Nikka and now he was making a secret promise to Christine.
"In time, Christine..." he whispered, using the same words that Anthony had left on him.
Christine smiled as the car stopped in front of a wide black gate.
********
"Hija, nice to have you here," greeted Elizabeth as she embraced Christine. "How are you doing?"
"I-I'm fine, Tita," Christine replied.
No one knew about her real condition. Everyone thought that the two had rekindled their love after several years being apart. That when they saw each other in California, they decided to try dating again.
Elizabeth knew what happened between Marcus and Nikka, but it did not change their realtionship with the dela Cruz family. She was not a person who meddled into her son's affairs.
"I'm sorry about this," Elizabeth apologized in behalf of her son to Anthony and Martha.
"You don't have to, Beth. It was partly our fault, too. If only..." and Anthony sighed. "We should not pushed her to believe that Marcus and her could be a couple."
"We were all at fault, Anthony. But I hope this won't change anything at all."
Martha smiled at her.
"Of course not. I just wished they would sort it out someday," Martha had said.
"I hope so, too."
Elizabeth watched his son as he took care of Christine. Though the couple had history together, the spark between them was not the same. She knew that the two were hiding something from her because what she saw in front of her was merely two friends who adored each other.
"Marcus," she called after the dinner was over. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
Marcus looked at Christine as she smiled and nodded to him.
"Sure, Mom," and he walked over to his mother.
"Come. Let's sit at the library," she said.
Marcus brows furrowed. He knew this is something serious as her mother always talked to him in the library for serious matters.
"What haplened between you and Nikka?" Elizabeth asked as soon as they came in the room.
Marcus stood frozen. His mother had never asked him about his affairs before. Suddenly, he felt embarassed.
Could Anthony told his mom already?
"Mom..." he trailed off. "I'm sorry..."
"Sorry? Why are you saying sorry?"
"Nikka and I... I mean..."
Elizabeth stared at his son. She saw that looked before. The sad look in his face when he first got his heart broken...
Could it be... he loved her?
Elizabeth walked over to her son and cupped his face. Marcus stared at her. She was right. He was heartbroken. His eyes tell it all.
"Why didn't you tell her you love her, Marcus?" she told him.
Marcus lowered his eyes.
"I... I just can't, Mom. Christine..." he trailed off.
Christine did not want everyone to know. Even his Uncle Dan did not know anything. He was sworn to secrecy since Christine did not want anyone to worry at all.
Elizabeth sighed and hugged her son tightly as Marcus hugged her back. He let out a deep sigh as he closed his eyes. He could never hide his feelings from his mother. She would always know.
"It's okah, Marcus," she assured him as she let him go. "You'll both figure it out. Just give it time."
He nodded.
"I know you love Nikka, Marcus. Maybe someday, when everything clears up, you can tell her how you feel."
His mother's words still lingered on his mind even after the night was over. He stared out into the night sky and sighed.
A hard decision he had to make but needed to. He took his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number.
"Hello," a male voice answered on the other line.
"Hello, Daniel. It's Marcus."