“A ring?” I uttered in astonishment and disbelief as I examined the ring on the tissue. I took another tissue to wipe it again. I was about to wipe the ring but stopped when I noticed something written on the tissue. I read it in curiosity.
“Will…” I read. I took another tissue and something was written again.
“You…”
I picked up another one but this time, I placed and laid it on the table so I could read it properly.
“Will you marry me, Angela?”
I was stunned and shocked after I read those words. I stared at the ring that I was holding and looked at my siblings and Bel who was now smiling at me so dearly.
I sighed and lazily stared at Bel.
“What is this, Bel? Is this a prank?” I asked in assumption and looked at them boringly.
“You are fooling me,” I concluded. Bel and my siblings just laughed in their seats. Later, the waiter approached me.
My siblings and even Bel started screaming and shouting in amazement and excitement. I looked around and realized that there was no one else in this diner except us.
I looked at the waiter in shock when he approached me and knelt in front of me. He took the ring from my hand.
My eyes were clouded with mixed emotions and I covered my mouth at the moment he removed the facemask that was covering his face. Tears welled up in my eyes as I recognized the man who was now kneeling in front of me.
“Will you marry me, Angela?” he asked, which made me break into tears. I burst into tears and stood up in my seat. He stood up as well and gave me a tight hug. I cried and cried in his arms and hugged him back tightly.
“Shhh…” he hushed and gently caressed my hair but I still couldn’t calm down. I was still crying. My siblings and even Bel approached me to calm me down but I did not stop. I still cried and cried with so much longing and joy. Especially with the thought that he was here in front of me after five years.
They decided to take me home when they couldn’t control my emotions.
***
“A-are you real?” I asked and caressed his cheek. We were here in the bedroom, lying in bed and staring at each other’s faces. He had fine lines on the side of his eye indicating that he was getting older somehow.
“I’m real, Angela,” he answered in a whisper and his lips and eyes smiled softly in front of me. I cried again for the nth time. He immediately wiped away my tears and tried to calm me down.
“Shhh… Sleep. It’s already midnight. You might wake up your siblings in the other room,” he uttered softly and repeatedly caressed my right arm to calm me down.
I couldn’t help but be emotional when it came to him. During the five years that he was not with me, I thought he was really gone from my life. I thought I would never see him again. I thought he already had a wife-
I stopped suddenly because of my last thought. Hesitantly, I looked into his eyes.
“Do you already have a wife?” I asked. I swallowed hard as I waited for his answer. I couldn’t deny the fact that I was nervous as hell because there was a possibility that what I think is “finally” will end.
He laughed softly and hugged me tightly.
“I got divorced. The day I was in the States, mom forced me to marry Natasha,” he said and sighed. I felt his breath fanning on my forehead.
“I just woke up one day, I was already on the plane. I was looking for you at that moment but mom said you sent me back to her.”
“I was hurt by the decision you made. I felt like you don’t love me anymore because you gave up on what we have.”
I bit my lower lip at what I heard. I lowered my gaze and fell into silence. I chose to listen to him rather than countered his words.
“Because of the pain, I just thought that maybe mum was right. Maybe I am really destined with Natasha. We got married but it didn’t last long. We were forced to work out our relationship for the sake of business and also family pressure but still, we failed. I love you so much Angela to the point I can’t love another woman again. Natasha and I both agreed to the idea of divorce three years ago. Our decision was mutual. We divorced without having children.”
Clark touched my chin to lift it slightly to meet my gaze.
“At first, I didn’t understand why you did that. But after years passed, I understood why. You did that because you love me so much. We love each other so much that we can almost sacrifice everything we have for each other. The sacrifices I made for you before, I almost forgot myself. I realized that you also need to love yourself first for you to love the person you love in the right way. And now that I’m here Angela, I will never go far away from you again,” he uttered tenderly. I could see in his eyes the tears that were about to fall.
A sad smile formed on my lips after I remembered something.
“How’s your mom?” I asked in a sad voice.
He smiled after I asked him.
“Don’t you worry. We have a blessing from mom. Before she passed away last year from breast cancer, she told me to find you and continue our love story. She adores you the day you set me free for my own good.”
I cried a lot when I heard it. Somehow, I felt finally relieved after knowing his mother already accepted me. I hugged him tightly.
“Shhh…” he wiped away my tears.
The two of us fell in silence as we stared at each other’s eyes. Later, a warm smile flashed on his lips.
“I love you…” he whispered lovingly and in a second, he kissed me.
I closed my eyes as I felt his lips touching mine. I snaked my arms on the back of his neck.
He touched and kissed every inch of me. We fulfilled and ended our longing for each other on this beautiful night.
***
“Now I pronounce you, husband and wife. Congratulations.”
Maymay, Kokoy, and Bel applauded. Clark’s father was also here; supporting his son’s happiness. They were the only guests at our wedding.
The father of Clark talked to me before the wedding started. It looked like he was trying to know me better. In the end, he smiled. It looked like I passed his taste for his son.
“Kiss!” Bel teased as she giggled. I just shook my head and lovingly looked at Clark who was already in tears.
I laughed after seeing him crying. I slapped him on his arm which made him laugh. I cried too with a smile on my face.
We stared into each other’s eyes, and lovingly we ended the wedding with a kiss.
****
Life is tough. But every challenge makes a person stronger.
It is up to you if you are going to step forward or take a step back. Just don’t forget to pray and ask for guidance from our creator above.
I am Angela, who has in mind that pure love is impossible for a prostitute like me but changed when a brave man proved it is possible.
I am now signing off.
The End.