Anniversary

At long last, the moment I had been waiting for finally come. It was one of the happiest and most cherished moments of my life I anticipated to arrive. It was the day when Elmer and I had decided to tie the knot and exchanged our undying vows to each other in front of the altar. Today was our wedding anniversary!

I was sent to a distant place for quite a long time. And I longed so much to be home again. And I really missed Elmer.

I was standing at the facade of an average-sized white and blue colored bungalow house. I was wearing my usual white dress complemented with my two-inch high heeled sandals and some accessories like earrings and a very thin gold necklace with a four-leaf clover pendant. A white lace was ribbon my long black hair to make it looked tidier.

As I continued to gaze at the house, my heart throbbed so fast. I couldn’t explain the feeling inside me. I was happy but sad at the same time. I was happy because I could finally see Elmer again after a year long of being separated from him. I could look again at his cheerful face, which, I liked most from his features. I was sad, because I knew this moment would not last long.

The cold breeze of early autumn blew freely on my face. I closed my eyes and took a very deep breath while my right hand held the clover pendant on my bosom. It seemed like I was telling myself it was time to meet him now. After releasing that deep breath, I opened my eyes again, still holding the pendant, and I started to walk toward the not-so-high blue metal gate, but it was closed. I was about to press the doorbell button, when suddenly, it rung by itself.

“Wait a minute!” shouted a voice from inside the house.

I didn’t notice that a delivery guy was standing next to me. He was the one who pressed the button. I placed my look at him and it made me smile when I saw the bouquet of peach roses he was carrying. I knew Elmer ordered those roses for me. Those blossoms were my favorite. Did he know that I would be coming today? Did he prepare a surprise for me? It made my system more excited to know what he had prepared for our anniversary.

The sound of unlocking the gate distracted me from my deep contemplating and made my heart beat rapidly than ever. As the gate opened, a handsome brute appeared in front of me. He was wearing his medium-sized black long sleeves paired with his semi-slacked black pants. He did some effort in putting gel on his hair that made his appearance more stunning.

“You can go inside now. Just go straight from the door to the dining room and I’ll meet you there.” He said without looking at me.

The delivery boy walked inside and I came after him. As I entered the place, I was stunned. I really never imagined he had prepared for our anniversary to celebrate it. Petals of peach roses scattered all over the floor leading to the dining table. Lavender-scented candles lighted everywhere, making the room a dim-lit place which gave a very cozy and romantic feeling.

As I begun to take few steps to follow the sprinkled peach petals, the song “Lost in your eyes popularized by Debbie Gibson was being played. I couldn’t believe it. Was I just imagining or was this really happening? I pinched myself several times to check if I was just dreaming but all I could feel was the pain and all the things I was seeing were all real.

I continued to glide towards the dining table which located at the center of the room. He prepared a candle-lit dinner for two with bottle of champagne in an ice bucket filled with one-half ice and one-half water placed at the side of the table. He set the table with a white tablecloth accessorized with cloth napkins and nice dinnerware. An appetizing Caesar salad in a crystal bowl was the centerpiece that added a sensual touch to the table.

The room was so enchanted. It was full of our photos together attached all over the walls. At the other corner of the room, opposite to the table, a dark mahogany shelf glued on the wall. On the wooden shelf, several floating candles in small glasses partially filled with cranberry juice were set and on the center of it, a beautiful white porcelain vase stood firmly. Above the vase, there was a huge photo of me, framed and hanged on the wall.

The delivery boy stood still inside the room, amazed to what he was seeing. He waited for awhile until Elmer entered the place. He just passed in front of me and got himself seated on the chair facing at my hanged photo.

“You can place those flowers on the shelf, beside the vase.” he casted in a cold voice.

“Got it!” immediately responded the delivery boy as he placed the flowers on the shelf and then left the room when he got the payment.

“These are all for you, Baby” he said to me, but he was not looking at me, instead his eyes were fixed at the picture.

“Thank you!” I hastily replied as I continued to glue my gaze upon him.

He held the champagne and started to open it. He poured about an inch in each of the tulip glasses, allowing the froth to settle, and then, he filled the glasses to about two-thirds again. He grasped his glass, merely raised it toward my glass of champagne and immediately drunk his sparkling wine.

“For us… baby…” he whispered after drinking the wine. His gaze was stacked for a while at his empty tulip glass.

I invited myself to sit opposite to him. I fixed my eyes upon him. I didn’t say any word. I just looked at him. He seemed not happy to see me. He was so near yet his mind was aloof. I could not feel his presence. He changed totally. His cheerful face had turned into something more of a bitter and lonely person. I wished I could do something about it. I knew, he was devastated when we were separated. It was my destiny though, and I could not do anything about it except to embrace my fate. He thought I had left him. He believed that it was easy for me to desert him.

“I really missed you, Nikki. I really do…” he broke the silence between us.

“It really hurts inside since you’ve been gone…” he continued.

“I cannot do anything about it, Honey; it’s out of our control!” I replied.

“But it’s so unfair! How could we lose such a wonderful love? I don’t really understand it.” he reckoned.

I wanted to console him. I wanted to lock him up in my arms and would try to give him solace from this unbearable pain he was dealing with. I could not bear to witness him like this. He was so weak, so vulnerable from pain. He was so dull, no life at all. He was alive yet his life was no meaning. And it was all because of me…

My tears had begun to fall from my eyes. I was looking at him, witnessing his meaningless life. My heart couldn’t take it.

“I prepared your favorite dish, Caesar salad, here, taste it…” he grabbed a spoonful of fresh vegetables and placed it on my plate.

“I haven’t mastered yet its taste but it’s tolerable, hehehe…” he continued as he smiled forcibly.

I was just looking at him. He put enough vegetables on his plate for him to eat. Somehow, it gave a grin on my face seeing him exerting effort live a normal life. I hoped our meeting today would enlighten him to continue moving forward, that was to live in a positive way no matter what life would throw upon him. I would be happy then seeing him like that and I would feel that my visit here was worthy enough.

He had finished his salad. He took the table napkin and cleaned his lips with it. After doing so, he put it back on the table and stood up. I didn’t notice that the song “A love to last a lifetime” sung by Jose Mari Chan was filling the entire room. He walked toward me, and asked me to dance with him while his sight was glued to my photo.

He raised his right hand while he placed other hand around the waist level. I stood up immediately and sauntered toward him. I placed my left hand enough to feel the warmth of his right hand and I put my right hand on his broad shoulder. We danced gracefully within the room. His eyes were closed while mine were fixed upon him. We glided and glided until the song ended. Then, he stopped and left me all alone in the dinning room.

“Wait!” I shouted.

But he never stopped. He seemingly didn’t hear me calling him. Instead, he headed straight to the living room. He sat on the sofa comfortably and played video of our wedding.

I followed him at the living room. I placed myself next to him on the sofa. I could see myself so happy during our wedding. I heard him laugh when he saw the piece of cake I was about let him eat. It was a huge piece actually. And he laughed harder. It seemed like a pleasant music to hear his laughter again. It felt like old times. I missed that laughter…

The guests were now clanking their glasses on the video, asking us spare a long kiss to each other. I was enjoying watching the moment when suddenly, the television was turn off. He switched it off and threw the remote toward the small screen.

I turned my look at him. He stood up still, his head facing the floor but his eyes were closed. I looked at him and saw tears flowing down.

“I don’t deserve this” he said out of the blue.

I dismounted myself from the sofa and went near him. I was about to spare him a hug when he turned his back at me and walked away. He climbed the stairs until he disappeared from my sight.

I let myself seated again on the sofa. I surveyed the entire living room. The coffee table at the right corner caught my attention. I went toward it and checked the papers on it. Something scribbled on each paper. I read the top page…

“baby, I really miss you so much… I wish you were here… I have hard time facing tomorrow all alone… I really don’t know what to do… I’m so lost without you…”

I was petrified after reading his letter. I had no idea how lost he was when I left him. I should not leave him. I should have asked to stay with him a longer time. I should have shared a lot of moments with him. But I never did. I just accepted the fact that I was leaving him that time. I closed my eyes and let the tears fell unstoppably.

I held my head up high and asked God to help me make everything alright for him. I followed Elmer upstairs. I guessed he already finished his shower because he was already in his pajamas and hitting the sack. I sat on the side of the bed, took off my sandals and laid next to him. I looked him sleep first; then, I kissed him and closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes, I saw him looking straight at me. He flashed his sweetest smile and said…

“Thanks for this wonderful gift! Thanks for coming back into my life!”

I gave him a smile as my reply to what he just said. I placed my fingers on his head and started to brush his hair. He moved nearer to me and locked me up on his built arms. He kissed me so passionately, his lips running down the side of my pale neck in a trail of kisses down to my collar bone. Feeling the heat rising between us, leading to lose our sanity and drove us to an intimate act of love that only couple could share.

We ended catching our breath on each other’s arms. He was above me, sunk his head over my bosom while I laid comfortably beneath his heavenly body. He paused for a while, then, he lifted his head to look me up. He smiled at me in sweetest manner he could give me. I gazed upon his lovely face for an instant, savoring this magical moment were his eyes were half closed while his moist lips were parted slightly.

He pulled me again for another round of passionate kisses and embraces. Claiming to taste what he only wished truly belonged to him. But he knew this moment would diminish soon.

“I wish I could lock you up forever in my arms.” he whispered.

“So do I” I replied.

We were lying on the bed, his arms wrapped around me while I leaned on his muscular body. Our eyes were closed, savoring this moment once more.

“Hon, promised me to let go of me and start moving on. Make your life meaningful again. I came today to help you make your life right.” I told him

“Promise me, when we both open our eyes, pursue a fruitful life. I will always be at your side, Honey…” I continued

“I promised…” he replied.

I inhaled so deep before opening my eyes again. When I opened my eyes, I was already standing firmly on the floor, watching Elmer while he took a deep sleep. I smiled while looking at him. I turned my back and started to walk away when I suddenly heard something. I faced him back and saw Elmer talking while he was asleep.

“I will always love you, my Baby princess… Don’t worry, I will fulfill my promise…” he uttered.

I moved toward him, flexed my body to reach his head and gave him a kiss on his lips. A soft chill just passed by. Then, a blinding light just glared behind me.

“It’s time… Nikki” said the mysterious voice.

“I know…” as I turned myself to face the man who owned the voice.

“And I am ready…” I continued.

A glare of light was blinding me. I could only see a silhouette of a winged-man. His right hand was extended to me. I knew he was looking straight at me. I took few steps on the way to his place. I raised my hand to reach his hand. And we walked in the light until we disappeared into the thin air…


By Bhelat