"Where have you two been, mom and dad?"
Nelica asked while frowning and smiling at her parents, but as usual, a kind of smile that didn't reach her eyes. She was in the kitchen, cooking some yummy dishes to ease up her mood. Besides, that day was her day off and she has her bestfriend and her COO Andrew to take care of her company while she's relaxing for a day. And good thing she's already relaxed now compared from crying so hard. It was her love's death anniversary so as usual, she went to visit him there again and cried like there was no tomorrow like the usual. But he visits him thrice a month though. And every time she pays a visit, the scenario when she goes after was always the same. She will cry and cry til her hearts content. Still blaming herself for what happened. And most of all, still blaming that man who ruthlessly tore her apart. It's been so many years. But still, she can never forget what happened on that fateful day. The day she lost the most important person in her life because of her. And because of that man. She loathes him. Massively loathes him very hard to the point that every time she thinks of him, she still always breaksdown and cry. Especially on that day. But as usual, during that scenario, her parents were always there trying their very best to pacify her down. Then after that, they would stay by her side even after she's already pacified. But last night was very unusual of her parents. Because after she calmed down, her parents were silence the whole time until she fell asleep. But when she woke up earlier from a pretty long rest, her parents were nowhere to be found in their house that even their maids don't have hints where did the two go. But now.. She looked at her parents again to the giant pinned on the wall and frowned even deeper when she saw how her parents looked at each other and back to her again.
"Uhm.. We went to London, daughter." Her mother answered.
"Oh you went there for a tour? That's nice," she replied smiling.
The two looked at each other again and her mom said, "Uhm, actually, hija.. We didn't went there to tour around London. But we went there with a purpose."
She frowned. "Purpose?"
"Yes, daughter. We're there to ask help for someone's help who's worth trusting with."
Now she frowned even more of what she heard from her mom. "Ask for someone's help who's worth trusting with? Why mom and dad? What's the problem of the two of you?"
Her parents looked at each other again. Then her mother looked at her and said, "Not 'what' daughter. But 'who'."
And that made her frown even deeper. "Huh? 'Who?' Then.. Who's your problem?"
So her father sighed and said, "You, daughter."
Her eyes immediately widened and eventually held her chest. "M-Me?"
"Come with us in the living room, Nelica. Let's talk."
--
"So.. What is it that you want to tell me mom and dad? And what do you mean that I'm your problem? Did I.. Gave the both of you a headache.. Without me knowing it?" Nelica unbelievably and nervously asked softly while her both hands on her lap.
Her mother sighed. "Yes, daughter.. Every time we see you crying so hard like there's no tomorrow each day especially on his death anniversary just like yesterday.. It always pierced my heart and your dad's heart too. We witnessed how you graved on what happened for six long years. And this time.. We will put an end of that heartaches of yours.. That your dad and I have caused."
She stared at her mother's beautiful face for a few seconds. Then after that, some droplets of tears started to fall from her misty eyes. Because there goes that painful memories again. So with a sobbing tone she softly uttered, "M-Mom.."
Her mother gently held her hand while sobbing softly as well. "And because of that.. We want to take this opportunity also, to finally ask for your forgiveness. We ought to talk to you about that and tried to reach out to you so we can ask for your forgiveness for the past few years but you keep on pushing us away. And we totally understand because you're in too much pain. The pain that we caused to you and to the man who's supposedly got to be your husband six years ago. You two were in deep pain because of us. And it was us, your parents, were the primary cause of that. We created that agreement. Then our old time friends, the parents of the man we want you to marry with, agreed. So if it weren't because of us, your parents, you two would never get hurt that deep up to now. That's why we genuinely ask for your forgiveness, daughter. We are so sorry.. Oh God.. We truly are.." Her mother sobbingly said while mourning so loud and hugged her so tight.
"We are so sorry, daughter.. Please forgive us.. Please.." Her father said softly while crying softly too.
"M-Mom.. D-Dad.."
"It was our entire fault why you suffered that pain up to now. So please.. Just please.. Stop blaming yourself already. It's not your fault why it happened. It was never yours. It was our, daughter. Ours.." Her mother said and mourned even more. So she cried even more as well and tightly hugged her mother back and so as her father. "Oh, mom.. Please stop crying.. And don't blame yourselves for that. Dad, please don't cry.. It's not It's alright now.. I understand you both actually. You only want what's best for me. It's just that.. I wasn't ready that time so I stowed away instantly. And look where my stubbornness leaded me. So I'm so sorry too.. For instantly leaving you both without telling you what I really feel because I was just so afraid of the probable thought that you still won't let me disagree on that decision you two made. I'm so sorry, mom and dad.."
"Oh, daughter.. Can we just leave the past behind us now and focus on our present and to our future? Because I'm sure where he is now, he doesn't like seeing you cry and blame yourself for the past six years. So please.. Can we just move on and leave the past behind?" Her mother said while gently rubbing her back to calm her down. While her father was brushing her hair softly with its fingers.
She smiled and kissed her mother's cheek and her father's cheek also. "Yes, mom and dad. Let's just leave the past behind us and let's just focus on our present and our future."
"And most especially.. Your present and future."
Abruptly, she frowned. "My.. Present and future? What do you mean, dad?" Her father heaved out a deep sigh before saying, "Nelica, daughter.. Given the fact that we are so worried about you already for seeing you cry sometimes, and who knows almost everyday, especially when this day comes every year, and to add the record, you're only coming home here sometimes because according to you, you're always busy with our company in Makati where in fact you're just silently avoiding us so we won't be able to open up the topic about what happened back then and we know that's your hidden reason. But, daughter, we can't take that anymore, seeing you cry in pain again. And so we made a decision yesterday.."
She frowned again and stared directly into her parents' eyes. 'What decision was that?' She asked in her thoughts curiously. "Decision?"
Her mother seriously nodded. "Yes. Decision. A strong decision.. To make your present and future.. Become memorable and peaceful once more." She cleared her throat. "What decision is that then?" Her mother sighed and held her hand. Then in a soft tone of a voice, her mother said, "Daughter.. We've decided to make you and your supposedly husband back then.. Finally meet up here.. In the Philippines.
Nelica's one eyebrow immediately raised up. Somehow.. She instantly felt that uneasiness feeling that she couldn't name still. And she doesn't like that sudden thought of hers. "Meet up? The two us?"
"Yes, daughter." She laughed softly in amusement. "For what? What does it had to do with what I've been through up to now?"
"So that you'd be able to forget about your painful past and move on if this man we want you to meet since then matches you and most of all, can fix yourself slowly and finally."
And so after she heard that, she chuckled in an obvious disgusted manner. "Oh, Mom.. Tell me you're just kidding."
"She's not, daughter."
Her mouth wide-opened in disbelief and in obvious disgust. "Dad, are you serious? That man? Why, dad? Didn't it even cross your mind that I stowed away because of that man before and there's a possibility that I'm going to do that again this time if you and mom will force me to meet up with that man for that reason? Dad, I thought we're okay already?"
"Daughter, we are.. We are already okay. And we're very much thankful that you forgave us now and this closure that we have this moment. And yes, daughter. It did crossed our minds, but we thought it would be impossible for you to leave us again on this matter because we won't be forcing you anymore. We are only suggesting at this point, daughter. Because all we want was the best for you."
"And that man is the best for me?" She asked sarcastically.
"Yes, Nelica. He's the best and probably the perfect man for you. At least, based on our observation since then."
"Oh really, mom? Then tell me, does he know about.. The dark issue of my past?"