"E-ELENA?"
As Aunt Ising recognized the woman who was busy hanging bedsheets in the back part of the shelter, Mia couldn't help but feel a quick throb in her chest. Then she looked up at her brother Nathaniel, questioning him with her eyes. And as he seemingly understood the meaning behind her gaze, he simply shrugged his shoulders.
"I-Ising?"
The woman whom Aunt Ising called Elena responded.
"W-Who is she, Sister Cecilia?" Mia couldn't resist asking the accompanying nun.
"She is the woman who left you and your brother here in this shelter many years ago," Sister Cecilia answered her with a kind smile.
Surprised or astonished?
Mia couldn't determine which of the two dominant emotions prevailed in her heart.
She also couldn't speak immediately because she remained transfixed, gazing at the woman.
Just like what happened to her earlier with Nathaniel, she couldn't remember anything about this woman. But despite everything, a part of her heart couldn't deny that it suddenly felt an eagerness for the embrace of the stranger facing them now.
"S-Sister Cecilia, how...?" Elena spoke again, shifting her gaze between Mia and Nathaniel, and finally to the nun.
"They are your long-lost children, Elena," Sister Cecilia replied instead.
It felt like that was the confirmation Elena had been waiting to hear from the nun. After hearing it, she hurriedly approached Mia and Nathaniel, embracing them tightly.
In reality, Elena was a stranger to both of them. But perhaps due to the fact that she was their mother, Mia's heart seemed to have quickly recognized the woman.
"Oh my, you're so handsome, Nathaniel, my son!" Elena exclaimed as she caressed Nathaniel's face, both of them now shedding tears. "And you, Nathalie, my princess. You're so beautiful, my baby," she said, tightly embracing Mia afterward.
Neither Mia nor Nathaniel spoke after Elena said those words. Instead, the two of them continued to cry quietly. And as their mother embraced them again, they responded with equally tight hugs.
Mia and Nathaniel couldn't find the words to express their emotions at that moment, overwhelmed by the sudden reunion with their mother. All they could do was hold onto each other tightly, knowing that their lives were about to change forever. Love, longing, and a sense of belonging filled their hearts as they embraced the woman who had been absent from their lives for far too long.
*****
"I KNOW there is no forgiveness for the abandonment I did to both of you."
To give them privacy, Sister Cecilia and Aunt Ising allowed them to have a conversation. They were seated beneath the acacia tree where a garden set made of metal stood.
"What matters is that we have finally reunited, Ma," Nathaniel replied, casting a glance at her with a smile.
Elena nodded and wiped away the tears that continued to flow. "And you, Nathalie, how are you, my beautiful daughter? It seems I'm going to have a grandchild from you soon," she said, facing Mia and tightly holding her hand.
"Um, Ma, her name was changed by the first family who adopted her. She is Mia now," Nathaniel corrected.
A deep sense of astonishment registered on their mother's beautiful face. It was soon mixed with confusion.
"The first family who adopted her?" she repeated, as if not hearing Nathaniel clearly, prompting her brother to restate what he said.
"W-We escaped from this shelter before. But we got separated. Someone found her and they changed her name. There's a long story before she ended up with her mother, Rosita," Nathaniel explained, offering a kind smile.
Once again, Mia witnessed a clouding of emotions in Elena's eyes. And despite the fact that, in reality, she owed them a great deal for her actions, Mia's heart couldn't hold any anger towards her.
At that moment, amidst the lingering pain and the overwhelming reunion, Mia and Nathaniel found themselves torn between the complexities of their past and the hope for a better future.
She didn't know why.
Perhaps it was because the act of abandonment had led her to the world where she met Nana Rosita. And of course, Erik.
As she remembered the father of her child, Mia couldn't help but place a gentle hand on her growing belly. Now, she knew that only one person was missing from her life—Erik. But as much as she yearned to see him and be with him, she knew that doing so might put his life in danger, especially knowing that Bernie was still out there.
They discussed many things until they finally agreed to bring Elena with them back home.
During those moments, Mia felt happy. However, because she longed for Erik, the joy of their family coming together seemed overshadowed by her yearning.
"Are you okay, sweetie?" Elena asked her as they headed home, sitting side by side in the backseat of the car.
Mia turned to Elena and nodded. She mustered a slight smile to offer a supportive gesture through her response. Deep in her heart, she hoped that Elena believed her action.
Why?
Because for now, she didn't want to talk about her true feelings. It wasn't because she didn't trust Elena, but rather because that was just the way she was. She had chosen to hide her feelings for Erik before, to prevent them from growing and consuming her.
At that moment, Mia carried a bittersweet mixture of emotions within her—love, longing, and a quiet determination to protect the ones she cared about. As they continued their journey, she held onto hope, praying that their reunion would lead them to a future where they could find happiness and love, free from the shadows of the past.
*****
"ERIK, are you leaving?" Aurora asked in surprise when she encountered them near the gate of Mia's house.
They were about to enter, carrying food for him as they always did.
"Yes, Ma," he replied shortly.
"But it's already late, son. Where are you going? Have dinner first. Look, your mother brought your favorite Chicken Adobo," Fidel interjected.
"I'm going to the police station. I received a call from there; they said Bernie surrendered. I'll eat when I get back," he hurriedly answered.
"Is that so? Wait, your father and I will come with you!" Aurora insisted.
"No need, Ma. I can handle it. I don't want you both to stay here and just wait for me while who knows what that man might do—"
"Let us go, son. We won't be at ease if we just stay here and wait for your return," his father interrupted.
Erik pondered for a moment, and eventually, his parents understood and accepted his request.
*****
As soon as Erik laid eyes on Bernie that evening, he immediately felt the intense anger that had consumed his heart since the latter had harmed Mia. But knowing that violence wouldn't help the situation, he chose to remain calm, especially since his parents were with him.
"Where is Mia?" he formally asked Bernie when he faced him.
As expected, Bernie was inside the prison cell, along with other inmates.
Erik couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for the man. However, every time he thought of Mia, all he desired was for Bernie to be punished.
Bernie simply stared at him for a moment before averting his gaze. Then he spoke.
"I don't know what I'm feeling now that I'm facing you, do you understand?" he finally looked directly into Erik's eyes.
"What do you mean?" Erik asked, feeling a sense of fear creeping in as the man's words took on a different meaning to him.
Bernie flashed a bitter smile before he opened his mouth to respond. "Do you know that when I called Mia that day, I told her that I would find her and make her pay for all the pain I felt? Because she chose you over me?"
"Are you going crazy? Just answer my question. Where is Mia?" he replied, forcing himself to maintain a calm tone, even though at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to throttle his opponent.
"Then I also told her that if I see you together, I will kill both of you," Bernie continued as if he hadn't heard what Erik had said.
"You bastard!"
At this point, Erik couldn't help but shout at Bernie, losing control.
But like before, it seemed as if Bernie didn't hear anything and simply continued with whatever else he wanted to say.
"That's probably how much she loved you. She was scared of what I said, so instead of reporting it to you, she chose to leave you. So you wouldn't get caught up in our mess," at this point, Erik could sense the deep sadness in Bernie's voice.
Erik knew that Bernie had more to say. So, he chose to listen to him rather than interrupt with anything else he wanted to say.
"I love Mia, you know that. But I didn't cherish her. That's probably why I can't accept that she's happy with you because I never saw her as happy when we were together."
"Do you think it's all Mia's fault? Didn't you feel that she loved you too?" Erik asked, his voice filled with amusement.
"I-I know. It's my fault, and I want you to know that the reason I'm here now is to apologize for everything I've done. I know it's a huge favor to ask, but I don't need you to forgive me right away. The truth is, I'm prepared to pay for all my mistake. Because I want to change, if I still have the chance to do so."
That was Bernie's long narrative as he stared into Erik's eyes. Erik couldn't find any words to utter after hearing everything. He observed the mixture of emotions on Bernie's face—regret, longing, and a hint of desperation. While part of him wanted to dismiss Bernie's plea for forgiveness and hold onto his anger, another part of him felt a glimmer of empathy.
Erik had always believed in second chances, in the power of redemption. He knew what it was like to be consumed by darkness and make mistakes that he deeply regretted. And if Bernie genuinely wanted to change, to make amends for his past actions, Erik couldn't ignore that possibility.
But amidst Bernie's confession, Erik's mind was preoccupied with one thing—Mia. The thought of her being lost and hurt haunted him, and he yearned to find her, to assure himself that she was safe. The urgency of their reunion overshadowed any personal vendetta he may have had against Bernie.
"Go to Mia, she's waiting for you. I often see her lost in thought at night, you know? I couldn't approach her even though I had the opportunity to seek revenge during those moments. That's when I realized it might be because of my love for her," Bernie said.
Erik listened intently, processing Bernie's words. He wondered how much Mia had endured in his absence, and he silently vowed to make things right, to protect her and mend their shattered bond.
"Tell me where she is," Erik managed to say, his voice filled with determination.
Bernie simply nodded, and a sense of cautious hope flickered within Erik. He received Ising's address from Bernie, a lead that could finally reunite him with Mia. Though uncertain about Bernie's intentions, Erik knew he had to seize this opportunity to find the woman he loved.
"If possible, I would like to talk to Mia. If you allow it," Bernie requested, a glimmer of vulnerability in his eyes.
Erik paused for a moment, contemplating the idea. While he didn't fully trust Bernie, he recognized the importance of closure, of addressing the past for both his and Mia's sake. Perhaps through a conversation, they could untangle the complicated web of emotions that bound them.
"I'll think about it," Erik finally responded, his voice tinged with both caution and curiosity. With that, he turned away, leaving Bernie behind, determined to embark on the journey that would lead him back to Mia.