"I hope that you had a good time with my family, especially with Lola Connie. She can be really talkative sometimes." Anna said as they chuckled. They remembered the old lady telling Nick at the dinner earlier about one of Anna's childhood experiences. And of all things, she particularly relayed the part where her granddaughter ran naked at a house party when she was three years old.
Nick continued to chuckle as he shakes his head. They're at the front porch, sitting on one of soft sofas facing the front lawn. "I'm lucky she didn't start telling me the story about World War II. My grandparents used to torment me with their endless stories when I was young," he says.
"Oh, gosh. brace yourself when you meet Lolo Max. That's Lola's husband. He's back in the Philippines and he doesn't want to travel back here after his last heart operation. He's a nice man, my grandpa. I'm sure you'll like her." Anna smiled reminiscently.
They went silent for a moment. Nick is nervous about what to do next. He knows that this is the right moment to settle the unfinished business between them. After this, there's no turning back. He had to be brave to face whatever the circumstances that will come after this. He is also grateful that Anna's family gave them this time to be alone. He knows that they decided to leave them alone after dinner. He noticed the exchanged looks among them and Anna didn't even notice it.
Nick moved his hand to cover hers. Anna immediately turned to him.
"Okay, I can't beat around the bush anymore, Nick. I want things to be clear between us. I'm tired of this thing as if we're playing around. I want to know what's the real deal between us." Anna said.
Nick was caught off guard by her sudden confrontation. He didn't expect that. He suddenly becomes afraid, scared that he might lose her. "I, uh..." His phone rang. "Shit!" Anna raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, Anna. This will take a few seconds." He answered the phone and it was AJ. "Bro, I can't talk with you right now. I'm with Anna. Bye."
Anna looked at him. He's actually shaking and she wondered what's going on with him. When he faced her, she realized that there's something serious he wants to talk about.
"I don't know where to start, Anna. For the past months I've been away from you, it wasn't a great feeling. Losing you is like losing a part of me and I've never felt this to anyone before." He takes her hand again. "Being apart from you made me realize how important you are in my life and I don't want to experience the agony of loss again. I love you, Anna."
"So, what do you want to do now? You want us to be together again? What about that woman you're kissing with at the hotel? And that blonde you went out with a few months ago? You said you love me and that you'll just give me space. And then I'll see you on entertainment news with someone? How am I going to believe that what you're telling me is real?" She took her hand away but Nick firmly gripped it.
"Anna, listen. I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have done that but I have no choice then. Anna, look at me." Nick says quietly.
"You have a choice, Nick. No one forces you to go out with them."
"That's coming from you now," Nick replied quickly.
"What do you mean?" Anna glared at him.
"God, Anna. Okay, let me clear it all out. I don't want to go out with anyone because I'm waiting and hoping that we'll have another chance. At that time, I was depressed and AJ took me out in a club. He introduced me to this actress but that's just it. We met again after two days but she's just proposing about some business venture with Aaron's shirts so I took her on a luncheon meeting to discuss it because I'm part of Aaron's company. That's just it. As always, I was photographed being with her and we don't care. We know the truth and we didn't let any rumor bother the business partnership we created then. My brother was happy that I made the deal but that's just it."
"That's it?"
Nick cupped her face gently. "That's it."
"What about that woman you were kissing last week?"
Nick drew a deep breath and looked straight in her eyes. "Okay, that one. I admit that I went out with her but just once!" He quickly added the last one when Anna raised an eyebrow. "Angel paired us up and just to indulge my spoiled sister, I took Julie out. We had dinner and she talked a lot during that time. I can't say no to Angel then because she already booked us in this restaurant and Julie was expecting me. I can't let my sister be embarrassed if I stood up on my date. Sometimes, I just can't let my sister down."
"I understand. The conversation, that must be boring," Anna says.
"It isn't if I'm interested with the person but I'm not. Yes, she bored me. I even tried to invite her for a karaoke afterwards but she doesn't want to." He saw her looked down. There was a moment of awkward silence. They let the tension die down between them. They only feel each other’s presence as no one spoke a word. Each must be probably thinking about each other and how to go about their relationship.
Finally, Nick couldn’t take it anymore. "I'm sorry, Anna. I still remain faithful to you. I've never thought of anyone else but you. Anna, I'm sorry." He quietly started.
Anna looked at him. They stared at each other for a while. "I never went out with anyone back in Manila. In New York, there's this guy that asked me out for movies once but that’s it. Just like you, I only went with him as friends...” She bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry, Nick.”
“Ssshh, it’s alright.”
“No, I mean for everything in the past. For neglecting our relationship because I can’t divide my time in between you and the dilemma I had with my family. It’s been really unfair for you. I know how much you wanted to go there and be with me. I couldn’t handle that battle alone too but knowing that I have you who believed so much in me, it made me strong. You should know how it helped me a lot by just thinking about you, about us, that I can go on with my life after that. And that’s why I can’t let you go to Manila because things were so complicated. I had death threats that my lawyer had me under the witness protection program. I never knew that my plan to expose my father and my uncle resulted to something even more, politically. It affected a lot of people and I was worried that if you went there, your life will be in danger. I don’t want that. And I understand that it frustrated you and you felt it’s unfair that I’m pushing you away but I have my reason.” She wiped her tears. “I want to protect you as much as you wanted to protect me from the media. When the news broke out about us, I received an anonymous message that they will get you. Did you know how it scared me so much?” She looked down at their hands holding each other’s. “I still love you, too.”
When she begins to cry, Nick gathered her close. “Ssshh, I’m already here. We’re together again.”
Anna snuggled closer to him. “Do you still want me back, Nick?”
"Yes. I want us to be together again, to be your boyfriend and you, my girlfriend."
"It wouldn't be easy..." Anna muttered. She looked at his hand holding hers and then at his face. He's about to say something when she placed a finger on his lips. "Of course, it wouldn't be easy. What am I saying?" She chuckled. "Things aren't just having it on the good side. There will always be problems, trials to be encountered along the way." She felt her heart beating fast as she braced herself for what she will say next. "And I don't care as long as I have you." She whispered softly. She couldn't help the tears again. "I love you, too, Nick."
"Anna..." Nick pulled her into his arms for another embrace. "Don't cry, baby..." Using the endearment he's been using before brought tears in their eyes. It felt like coming home. "I miss you, Anna. I miss you so much."
She let him wipe her tears as he let her in his. They smiled. "What are we going to do now?" She asks him.
"I have this idea about taking you out for dinner tomorrow night..." Nick replied.
Anna chuckled. "We just had dinner, Nick, and you're thinking about food again?"
Nick only grinned and he leaned closer to kiss her.
