(PRESENT TIME)
"Please Marge… please be here…" Dee whispered to herself as she enters the front door of an old building.
The paper said Unit 502, and since there is no elevator, she climbed up the stairs to the 5th floor. Actually, she did not climb, it's more of a dash…a run… She can't wait to see Marge again.
But before she can reach the said unit, she saw a woman from a distance, locking the door. She straightened herself and slowly walk towards her as she realized who it was.
"Marge?…" she called.
The woman suddenly turned and faced her, surprised after seeing her.
"Wh…what are you do..doing here?" the woman gasped.
"Marge… I... I just want to see you again… talk to you…" she softly answered. The woman's face suddenly changing from surprise to complete panic.
"I told you already… you're mistaken! I don't know you!" The woman replied in a high voice trying to get passed her.
"Marge… wait... please…" I said trying to hold her hand again.
"Let go of me. I told you already, please leave me alone!"
Before I could even react. The door in the next unit opened, a large man suddenly appeared.
"Do we have any problem here? Is she bothering you, dear? Do you know her?" the large man asked Marge.
"No George… I… I don't know her. She's mistaking me for someone else, and she doesn't believe me."
The big man suddenly walked in front of Marge, blocking me from reaching her.
"You heard the lady. She doesn't know you and you are trespassing our building. Please go before I call the cops or worse beat you up. I don't care if you are a woman. If you trouble one of us, then you have to go through me." the large man threatening Dee.
"Please… I... I just want to talk to her… Just for a second…" I begged but Marge did not look at me. She did not even flinch.
"Dear, you go now. You'll be late for work. Don't mind this woman. I'll hold her off, so she won't be able to follow you. You take care." The man said instructing Marge. She immediately left and the man still stood in from of me, not giving me a chance to follow her.
After a few minutes. George took a step aside and allow me to go through. "Don't come near this place again. I don't want to see you lurking around here and disturbing the tenants. I'm serious when I said that I'll beat you up."
I wasn't able to put a fight. I lowered my head and decided to just leave the building. Sure, that I won't be able to follow Marge to where she's heading.
I was already in my car, but I can't bring myself to start the engine. "I don't want to leave. Now that I know where she is, I just want to be close to her, to get near her… to hold her… if only she'll let me…"
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I didn't know how I fell asleep inside my car, but I was awoken by knocks in my window.
I peaked outside and saw George, the man from earlier, looking intently at me.
"You're still here? I told you to leave and never return!" the big man demanded.
I rolled out the window. "I.. I'm sorry… I can't leave. I just want to talk to her please. I just need to talk to Marge. I meant no harm… I just need… I need to talk to her please. Please George, your name is George, right?" I asked, begging him to let me stay and hopefully not call the cops.
"You know her?" George asked, suddenly his look and his tone changing.
"Yes, I was her ex…. Ahmm... I mean a friend… a friend from way back, Dina, Dina Ferrer. I only saw her few days ago, and I just have something to discuss with her... please… I'm really sorry for troubling you… but I cannot let her out of my sight… Not again! It's been 10 years, and I wouldn't let another day pass without seeing her, talking to her again… please…I don't want to lose her again." I begged, pleading that he'll give me a chance.
"Wait... I remember that name... you're Dee? Dee... from high school, right? George asked, surprised on the realizations.
"Yes, yes, my close friends and family calls me Dee. You... you know me?" I asked, feeling a ray of hope…
"Well, sort of…" he replied while scratching his head. "I… I saw a picture of you, but I didn't realize last night. Marge showed me and my wife, Lisa, your high school graduation photos during one of our drinking sessions. The honor student right?" he asked.
I laughed remembering back "Ah... yeah, sort of… just First Honorable Mention."
"This is hard…" George sigh, his face in deep thought, contemplating on the situation. "If you are, who you say you are. I don't know the reason why Marge is denying that she knows you. I'm not sure if she's just in shock or she really just want to forget and move on. Can't you do the same? Can't you just respect her decision and let her be? That girl has gone through so much. Please don't make things harder for her." George continued.
"I...I... can't do that George... I don't want mean to cause trouble and believe me, there's nothing more that I want but to help her, support her, be there for her… but… but letting go is not an option. Not now, not ever… 10 years is long enough George…" she plead.
George sighed. "I understand. I trust you, and I believe your sincerity. So... even though Marge and definitely my wife, won't approve of it... I'll help you… Marge won't be here till midnight or probably next morning, but you can go this address. You'll find her working in this supermarket. That girl's working from one part time job to another just to support herself."
"Oh, thank God… thank you George. Thank you so much, I owe you my life."
"You don't owe me anything. But if you can make our girl really happy, I'll definitely support you all the way. But, remember, if she still decides that she doesn't want you in her life, you'll have to respect it... I'll make sure you'll respect it." George warned in a serious tone.
"If that will be her final decision George, I... even if it's breaks me, I'll try to respect it."
"Good, I wish you the best of luck."