(edited) - unexpected weekend

it all started with a text message i received as i was on my way home this past thursday afternoon. i was looking forward to an unexpected three-day weekend due to one of our systems being shut down for maintenance and we were forced to take saturday night off. the message came from a person i didn't know, but apparently knows me and what i've been through with someone. i wasn't able to save the messages that were sent to me (i don't usually do that if it's from someone i don't know) because initially, i thought that it was a prank being played to me by someone i know. to the best of my recollection, the exchange of messages went this way (some parts were in filipino, so i translated it here, of course):

texter:  hi, is this mark?

me (surprised at the message):  yup, who is this please?

texter (took a good five or so minutes to reply back):  it's not important who i am. what is, is that you need to know about what happened to someone you deeply care about.

me (even more surprised, but still doubtful):  who are you talking about? who is this?

texter:  you know who she is. i'm sorry if i had to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems that you didn't know what happened to her a couple of weeks ago.

me (was getting quite impatient at the "charades"):  look, i don't have time for this. it'll save us both a lot of time if you could just tell me who it is and what happened.

texter:  it would be best to find out on your own. check her friendster profile and you will see what i'm talking about. i know how you feel about her and i believe that it was a shame on what she did to you the last time. i was hoping that she would come to her senses and decide to be with you, but for some reason i can't figure out, she didn't. it's just sad that something special between two people failed to even start. this would be the last message i'll send. i'm not her masquerading as someone else, if that's what you're thinking. we already met when she introduced you to me. i thought she would at least tell you out of respect and your history together, but i'm not sure what's on her mind during those last couple of weeks. anyway, it's good to have met you. you're one of the rare good persons i know and i hope all goes well for you.

me (dumbfounded):  can you at least tell me who you are?

the person didn't reply anymore. though i was somewhat intrigued by the messages, i still did not take it seriously until the next day, friday. i was checking my yahoo email when i remembered the exchange of messages. i logged on to friendster and looked for her profile. what i saw gave me one of the most surprising moments i could recall. she got married sometime in september. messages of well-wishes and congratulations from friends filled her testimonials section and pictures of her and her husband together with captions were on her gallery, although from what i remember, there were no wedding pictures of them posted. it took a while for the feeling to sink in and to realize that everything between us is over–most likely including the friendship we have…  or had.  i was already logged out of friendster when i decided to log back in and send her a message.  it read:

guess what i heard is true.  congratulations and i hope you have found the happiness you're looking for and deserve.  take care always.

so there goes another chapter in the encounters i have had in my life.  one that has no real closure because we haven't had the talk, and it ended with questions rather than answers.  yet somehow it did not feel as bad as i thought it would be.  probably because i have gone through the same thing before.  though not exactly, but the scenario is almost identical.  so much for lightning not striking twice on the same location.

so here's my own… let's say, version of farewell to donna, who at one time, meant everything to me.  whether you may read this or not, it doesn't matter.  despite the empty promises you made, misunderstandings and arguments, i would rather remember and think of you as the person i spent almost half a day with during that easter sunday back in 2005.  though there may be things i want to know and questions i'm seeking answers to, it's not up to me anymore.  maybe we'll cross paths again, maybe not.  but i really and honestly hope and wish you all the happiness that you seek and long for.  and i thank you for the things both big and small that you did for me.  do take care always.

  - me and donna during "happier" times

the morning after

with eyes still closed, he collected his thoughts as he slowly regained consciousness.  he was lying sideways on the bed, facing right, with the covers wrapped around his body.  "was it all a dream?"  he asked himself as he recalled the events of the day and night before.  everything was fast-paced and it all seemed like a blur up to that exact moment.  the laughter, cheers, surprises and the emotion were still echoing in his mind as he moved his head a bit, trying to find out if he still has full control of his body.  he moved his arm towards his chest, where the end of the covers were, placed it outside and felt the soft material that was wrapped around him.  he still refused to open his eyes, trying to enjoy the calm silence that bathed the room as he breathed a waking sigh.  at that moment, he felt something move in front of where he was facing.  he then finally decided to open his eyes to see what was in front of him.

as his eyes got accustomed to the morning light that was shining towards him from a thinly-curtained window, he was faced with the most simple, yet beautiful person he'd ever laid eyes on.  he never imagined her to be this way.  he knew for sure she was way different from when he first met her.  yet here she was, a beauty to behold soundly sleeping just inches from him.  her left shoulder baring her smooth skin was barely peeking through the covers as he continued to observe how peacefully she was resting.  her hair was slightly blocking some parts of her face so he placed his finger on her hairline, and slowly pushed back towards the back of her ear as a smile grew on his face.  he rested his palm near her ear, with his thumb slowly caressing her cheek.  she let out a smile of her own as she was awakened by what he was doing, her eyes still closed and tilting her head slightly to let his hand touch more of her face.

their glances meet at the instant she opened her eyes.  still there was silence, as both of them looked at each other on this beautiful morning.  she held his hand that was on her face but refused to let it part from her cheek.  he couldn't read what was on her mind, but he knew for certain through her smile, right there and then, she was happy.  on her part, she looked intently at his eyes and she knew, deep inside her heart, that he too was happy.  he slowly pulled her clasped hand toward his lips, closed his eyes and planted a sweet, long kiss.  with both faces smiling, they continued staring at each other in silence as their hands were still held together, in perhaps one of the most simple, yet deepest forms of love ever expressed between the two of them.

"hi," came her sleepy-voiced greeting, breaking the silence that has engulfed them in what seemed like an eternity.

"hey," he replied back as he broke his hand free from hers and combed it through her hair.

"been up long?"  she asked, nudging her head closer to him.

"not really," he said.  "just in time to see how you sleep beautifully next to me before you woke up," he continued.

she chuckled at what he said, and slowly breaking away from the little moment that they had, she asked, "what time is it?"

"half past nine," he answered.  "breakfast?"  he then asked.

she paused for a while, biting her lower lip as she gave it some thought.  "yeah, breakfast sounds nice," she then said with another smile.

"alright, breakfast it is," he said.  as they sat up while removing the covers, he suddenly stopped, laid back on the bed again and looked at her one more time.  she noticed this and asked, "what's wrong?  i thought we're gonna get some breakfast?"

"yeah, we are," came his reply, and continued, "i just want to tell you something."

"what is it?" she asked with an inquisitive, surprised smile.

he took a moment to stare at the simplistic beauty that was in front of him, reached out for her hand, smiled at her and said, "that you never looked more beautiful than the way you are right now."

tears slowly welled up in her eyes as she was taken aback by the honesty of what he said.  she moved towards him and gave him a long kiss.  she then finally realized that this was for real.  that this would be the start of the happily ever after she had always wanted and waited for so long, and that he was that person who she will be spending the rest of her life with.