Love in a Bottle
Thursday night.
Jane is walking down the busy street of Ayala. Buses and jitneys honking. People walking here and there. Some are running. Everyone is trying to beat the evening rush. She looked up and saw the stars starting to brighten the smoggy sky of Makati. It was a quarter moon.
As she pulled out her phone from her pocket, she started browsing thru her Facebook page and checked what's new, when she saw Jack's latest update. A picture of him while having lunch with his team. She smiled, and dialed the number listed on his page.
"Hello! Good morning, how can I help you?" The familiar voice answered.
"Hey! How are you?"
"I'm fine, thank you! Who's this please?"
"This is Jane!" she exclaimed, excitedly, with a wide smile on her face.
"Oh!" he sounded surprised. "How are you?"
"I'm fine! I missed you. Where are you?"
"That's new." He said, trying to sound casual.
"The what?"
"That you missed me."
"I've been missing you even before, right?"
He laughed on the other line. "So, you wanna meet me?"
"Yes, of course. Are you available?"
"Yes, later, after my meeting. Maybe 9 or 10?"
"Sure! I'll wait for your call."
"See you."
Jane headed for home as quickly as she can. She rode a cab going to her apartment, cleaned the room, and took a shower. At 10pm, she texted Jack. "R u stil bz?"
"Yes, still meeting with the clients. I'll text you after this."
At 11pm, Jane lost her excitement. She thought that it's just one of those days when she would arrange to meet up with a guy and then the guy would make some lame excuses to delay the meeting, then after a few hours, will cancel it. So she was almost sure that after an hour, Jack would call and tell her, "Hey, it's kinda late already. Let's just meet some other time.' She lied down on her bed, and she was fast asleep.
Her phone rang at 12 midnight. It was him.
"I just finished here. I'm just waiting for a cab to get me to Makati. So, where am I gonna meet you?"
She thought of saying, 'It's late, let's move it some other time." However, her lips uttered, "Starbucks. I'll be there in 20 minutes."
She got up. She wore a pair of jeans and a faded brown long sleeve and slippers.
She's still 3 feet away from the door when she saw Jack, sitting in the middle table. He also looked at her. Jane can't hide her smile. She was excited to get nearer to Jack that she almost leaped the 3 feet distance. Jack stood up and opened the door for her. She wanted to hug him, and kiss him. But she didn't. They sat down. Jack already took the liberty of ordering for her. Java chip and a slice of chocolate cake. Her favorites.
"I am so glad to see you again, Jack." She finally uttered. Her smile not leaving her face, as she studied Jack's face. His eyes look tired but still gleaming. She knew that he is also excited to see her.
"It's been a while. I missed you. I'm glad you're here." Jane continued, as she could hardly contain her joy in seeing this guy with whom she shared 3 precious months of her life, 3 years ago.
"I'm glad to see you, too." He was smiling. Noticing that Jane was just staring at his face, he held his forehead and said, "Yeah, I know my hairline is getting higher."
She laughed. "Then, you should start growing a mustache."
He talked about his life, his success, his business, his trips. She listened, however, inactively. She just wants to see how his lips move. His hand gestures. She, then, remembered the times when she was so close to him, and she would kiss those lips, not letting him finish his story. And when those hands were still holding hers. After about 15 minutes, Jane didn't say anything aside from "ok, and uhuh."
"So, how are you?" Jack asked her.
"I'm fine. Thank you. I'm just happy to see you again." She said, as she shook her head slowly. She was still mesmerized. She's still gazing at his face. Studying every details. "I'm just so happy to see you, I wanna cry."
"Oh! Should I be afraid of that?" he grinned. "I missed you, too."
"When are you getting married?" she asked, as she sipped thru her tall Java Chip frap.
"Wow! What a question. I don't know. It's supposed to be on 2015 but I don't know yet. If it will be on 2020, then that would be great!"
Her face suddenly frowned. "Do you still remember our past?"
"Yes. Every single details of it."
"I am still attached to it," she said, looking intently on his face, waiting for his reaction.
"I am thankful that it happened. It taught me a lot of things. It helped me to move forward. And…"
"Oh, my god! Are you telling me that it happened and that it's like my loss?"
"That's not what I meant."
"I still love you, Jack."
"Things are different now. I am married to my career, and you are engaged."
Her tears started falling. She remembered the days when they were still together. The fields where she exchanged their feelings.
They were sitting on a boulder, looking at the vast horizon of the fields in Cavite. The sun is starting to set and the cold breeze is touching their faces. There are 2 cows, grazing over the grass on the left side, and several goats scattered on the right.
"I love this place. How did you find this?' she said as she closed her eyes feeling the nature around her.
"I just know," he replied, drawing her closer to him. He softly kissed her on the lips.
"Thanks, Jack." She faced him and looked him in the eye. "But you know that I'm not into commitment."
"I know," he whispered as he sobbed his face at the back of her shoulder.
That was the last time that they talked about their feelings. They still go out, frequently. Everyday, she would go wherever his tripping is. They were just inseparable. But as much as they adore each other, they also argue a lot of times. They fight over non sense things.
"I told you to stop smoking." Jack exclaimed, getting the cigarette away from her mouth.
"And I also told you to stop being late!" she replied, as she walked away from him.
"I'm sorry. I can't leave the meeting. Those are my clients," he explained, as he followed her. He grabbed her on the arms. "I'm sorry. This won't happen again."
"Yeah. Same as the other 5 meetings when you were also late. And not just late, you were hours late!"
"I'm sorry."
"I hate you." she rolled her eyes and got into his car.
They were taking the road to Manila, one Saturday night, 2 months after their first meeting, when Jack reached for her hands, and said, "I'm looking for a place near your office, so I can be with you more. You can stay there anytime you want."
"Really?" she asked, not believing what she just heard.
"Yes. I'll start looking tomorrow. You can come with me, so you can also check the place."
"I'd love to."
They have already checked several units but still wont agree on any.
After a week, Jack was already frustrated and asked her, "Are you sure you wanna do this?"
"do what?" she asked irritatingly.
"This. The whole idea of living together. Getting a place where we will both stay."
"Wow! So you're questioning me?"
"No, it's not that. I just want to make sure that this is something that you really wanted and not just because I wanted it."
"Fine. You wanna be sure? Ok. I'll think about it." She said as she rode a cab, leaving Jack behind.
Jane reached home, opened a bottle of beer. She was watching a movie that she could barely understand. After finishing a liter, she went out and had a few more drinks. She got back home after 4 hours and she was so drunk she couldn't go further to her room that she just slept on the couch.
One month has passed and Jane still refused to talk to Jack. After another week or two, Jane already has a new boyfriend.
Jack touched her face and wiped the tears on her cheeks. "I'm sorry. Don't take it negatively. I was hurt, too but…"
"Do you still love me?" Jane asked as she came back to the present time.
Jack only looked at her, not saying a word.
"I'll take you home now. I mean to your home."
As they entered her room, Jack lied down on the bed and asked if he can take a nap for a couple of minutes.
"Yes, you can. It's fine."
Instead of sleeping, Jack moved forward to Jane and kissed her.
"Your kiss, it never changed."
"Do you still love me, Jack?"
"Why?"
"Will you marry me?"
"Huh? Am I hearing it right?" asked Jack. Still confused by her question.
"Yes. Will you marry me, Jack?"
"Where?"
"Just answer me, yes or no."
"It's too late."
Jane was not surprised by his answer. She almost expected that he would say no. Just like how he answered a few other times back. After Jane left him, they're still friends and sometimes still talk about their moments before. But Jack would never talk about his feelings anymore. She got up and took a glass of water.
"I'm married to my career now." Jack said, trying to defend himself.
"I'm not asking you to marry me right now." she said, as she sat back on the bed, focusing on the movie that is playing on HBO.
"I still love you, Jack."
"I feel the same way, too. But things are different now."
"You've turned me down a lot of times now, Jack. I know it was my fault for leaving you, but I am sorry. I am terribly sorry. I didn't know that you loved me. I thought it was just a game for you."
"No, I loved you ever since the day we met."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't feel the need to say it coz you said you're not into any commitment. Why do you think I will ask you to live with me if I don't love you? If I don't want to commit myself to you? Actions speak louder than words."
"But you could have at least let me know. Jack, let's start over again. Please?"
"We could hardly agree on anything. We fight as much as we enjoy each other's company."
Jane couldn't find the right words to say. She just stared at Jack's still calm face. Tears are building up on her eyes again.
"I need to go now. It's getting late," Jack said as he stood up and started fixing his clothes.
"Let's meet again tomorrow," he said.
"Ok. I'll be free by 8PM." Jane said as she walked him thru the door.
Jane slept the whole day, preparing for his meeting with Jack that night. At 8 PM, she texted him.
"Are you still busy?"
"Yes, I'm with a client right now."
"OK."
At 9:30, Jane's phone rang. It was him. She excitedly answered the phone.
"I'm so sleepy now. I've been awake since yesterday. Let's just meet next time."
Jane couldn't say anything, but "OK."
As she placed her phone down, she tried not to cry.
"It happened again." she said as tears started falling down her cheeks.
Jane took an empty bottle of wine. She looked at it intently. Then, she sealed the opening with paper and tape. She closed her eyes and murmured a little prayer. Once she's done, she placed the bottle on top of her side table.
Three years has passed and there's no word from Jack. Jane didn't try to call him again. She's now started a small business and is moving back to their province. As she was cleaning her stuff, she saw the bottle. It was still sealed.
Jack is now a successful investor. He is now far from that country boy who used to look at the horizon with her, with cows and goats around them. He is no longer the same guy who chase after women. He is now the one being chased.
As he was going thru his routines, meeting with clients, sending emails, preparing reports, he received an unexpected package. It was from Jane. He opened the box immediately. It was the empty bottle, sealed with paper and tape. On the side, there is a note that says,
"I still believe that what we had was real and it isn't over yet. We may have chosen to take different paths but maybe, just maybe, one day, we will meet again, and you will realize that it's the right time to continue whatever we left hanging in the past. Maybe, you would call, and ask me to marry you, to live with you again. When that time comes, I'll make sure to let you know, that I am certain, that I want to live with you, and I'll never leave your side again. But for now, just keep this with you. For no reason at all. I just want you to keep it. Then break it when you think it's the right thing to do. For no reason at all, I am still hoping that you and I will still end up together. For no reason at all. I love you, Jane."
Jack frowned as he picked up the bottle. He looked at it for a while and put it back in the box. He didn't know what to do with it so he hid it inside one of his drawers. He pulled out his phone and started texting. "I'm sorry, Jane."