Before the Heartbeats Stop
1 year and six months later…
It was a month after their graduation; Lance sat in front of his computer. Marla didn’t bother them anymore after that night. Nova said that she shifted from Nursing to Psychology. Cheska is now looking for job while Lance, Nicole and Nova will take their next course.
Even if it happened 1 and a half year ago, Lance can clearly remember the struggles he faced after that night.
He’s resting from his duty from the hospital in the living room, Charles had already gone back to Manila and everything went so good to him and Nicole. Nel and Robi were playing video games they used to play when they were still in college and Janine was talking on the phone with her mom with a violin in her lap.
If Lance plays piano, Nicole can play violin, as well as Janine. It was Nicole who thought Janine how to play violin.
Lance went to the kitchen and took a loaf of bread and filled a glass with water when his father noticed a golden ring in his left ring finger. Greg’s forehead creased and took Lance’s hand quickly.
“Who’s the lucky girl?” Greg asked.
“Who?” Lance asked in confusion.
“The lucky girl who had the other ring,” Greg clarified and smiled at Lance. He feels so happy that at last his son had a girlfriend.
“Dad, it’s Nicole,” Lance answered.
“Nicole?” Greg’s smile faded and dropped Lance’s hand. “You mean Nicole Alvarez?”
“Yes Dad,” Lance said. “She is.”
“Have you told this thing to Charles?” Greg asked.
“Should I?”
“Of course you should,” Greg said. “You know how vocal your brother is about his feelings to your best friend, and now, what would he feel when he finds out that his brother is the boyfriend of the girl she loves?”
“He knew already,” Lance said. “I know he knew. He didn’t talk to me the way he used to when he came home last. And I know he’s mad at me.”
“You can’t blame him,” Greg said.
“I know.”
Greg didn’t add anything to that and that was the last time they talked about it. Lance can feel that Greg wasn’t happy about this matter. And what would you expect about Sandra? Of course she’s angry. She feels like Lance had taken away Nicole to her son. But at least his cousins were happy about it.
After two weeks, finally they had time to have a date, their first date.
Lance picked up Nicole in her Aunt Rima’s house and headed to the orphanage. Just like the first time… Nicole wore a dress and she was again surprised by Lance. The orphanage was again decorated, except for the tulips on the ground and… well… everywhere.
There were three tables and there were scented candles on each table and on the ground, on the grasses and on the walls. On the first table, Nova and Tom sat smiling at them while on the third table, Cheska sat with his boyfriend Ricaredo.
Lance offered a seat to Nicole and he sat at the chair opposite to Nicole. Nicole smiled and looked at the small stage behind her. The kids from the orphanage were dressed and well clothed with their instruments with them.
“We started our life at this orphanage like those kids,” Lance said. “You can ask those kids any song you want them to play.”
“Really? Okay let’s try this,” Nicole turned at the kids and said, “What song can you play?”
“Anything you want,” the oldest said. “We can play classical, or even modern, jazz and any instrumental.”
“Can you play, uhm… Someday well know?”
“Ah not that!” Lance complained. “I hate that song.”
“Why?” Nicole asked.
“Because of the line ‘I wasn’t meant for you’ that’s why.”
“It’s only a line,” Nicole said. “Anyway there’s a line that says ‘I was the one for you’.”
Lance didn’t bother to argue and let them play the music. Nova and Tom started to dance and they were followed by Cheska and Ricaredo then finally Lance and Nicole.
“I feel so ridiculous,” Lance murmured. “Taking you to our first date with four more people was so stupid.”
“That’s fine,” Nicole said. “This is perfect for me”
Lance bent his head and murmured at Nicole, “This is all what I dreamed of, you and me together.”
“And we’ll always be, I love you Lance.” Nicole said.
“I love you too Nicole,” Lance said passionately, and kissed her gently in the forehead, and down to her nose, then finally in her lips.
As their lips met, Nicole felt the world around her slowly fade away and there was nothing left but Lance and her.
When their lips parted, Lance dragged her back in the car, and Lance shouted at their friends “Clean these mess guys! See you tomorrow!” And as fast as they came, they vanished.
“LLLAAAAAANNNNNNCEEEE!!!!” Nova screamed in irritation.
Lance droved to the place where they watched the meteor shower, there was a blanket at the grass and a basket of food.
“This is the real date.” Lance said. “I mean the real venue.”
“So you made me wore a dress just to bring me at a picnic, and it’s already 10 in the evening,” Nicole said smiling at Lance.
They sat at the blanket and started eating their food. The food was the typical food you’d eat on a big restaurant. Lance lit a scented candle and brought a box of fortune cookies out.
“Fortune cookies,” Nicole opened the box and saw fortune cookies which are bigger than the usual. “Big fortune cookies.”
Lance picked one and broke the cookie in half. Lance read what’s inside the cookie. “You’ll make a girl happy tonight.”
“You already made me happy,” Nicole said and took a cookie and broke it and read “A star will fall around your neck,” Nicole raised her eyebrow and said “Ridiculous,”
Lance kissed her in the lips quickly and put her hand around her neck. He looked at Nicole and said “It looks good in you.”
Nicole touched her chest and saw a silver star decorated with small diamonds hanging in a chain around her neck.
* * *
At present…
They were eating dinner now at their house when Sandra opened the topic that no one wants to talk about especially with Charles around.
“So Lance, how are you and Nicole doing?” she asked.
Lance looked at Janine and Nel; their eyes were wide with shock, Bianca and Robi and Ivan had their mouths open and Charles and Greg had their forehead creased.
“Were fine,” Lance said.
“Why don’t you bring her here?” Sandra said.
“She has already come here many times,” Greg said. “Haven’t you seen her even once?”
“I did see her, but as Lance’s friend. I want to see her as Lance’s girlfriend.”
Charles was already shaking with anger. He dropped his spoon and fork and stood up and walked towards the stairs.
“We’re not yet finish son,” Sandra said.
Charles shouted and pushed everything around him; throwing the vases, pushing chairs, and even pulling frames from the wall. Greg, Nel, Robi and Ivan tried to stop him, but he was too strong and he ever tried to hit Lance. But Robi caught him quick while the girls pulled Lance back.
“I told you I’m in love with her!” Charles said. “I told you I want her, I told you! But what have you done!”
Lance looked at his brother who’s already had tears in his eyes. “I never intend to,”
“Never intend to? Huh? And you don’t intend taking everything away from me? Since you came in this house my life became miserable. You bastard!”
Lance tried to say something but Janine stopped him. Uh-oh! Janine thought. Any moment now! Janine and Bianca pulled Lance outside fast before Charles could say the thing they hid for 10 years.
* * *
Lance sat at the dinning table while his cousins clean up the mess. Charles was given a medicine to make him sleep. Greg sat at the chair opposite to Lance.
“Now you see what will happen if your brother gets upset,” Greg began.
“Yes Dad,” Lance said.
“Do you really love Nicole?” Greg asked.
“More than anything Dad,” Lance answered.
“Do you care for this family?”
“I am willing to do anything for this family Dad, I awe you everything,” Lance said.
Greg took a deep breath. He doesn’t want to hurt his son, but he has to do this for the sake of his other son.
“Then I will ask you something, for the sake of this family; let go of Nicole for your brother.”
Lance look at his father with wide eyes. The rest who heard it look and stopped at what they’re doing.
“Dad? You’re asking me to let go?” Tears started to come out in Lance’s eyes now but he tried to keep them in. “I can’t believe I can hear this from you.”
“This is for you’re brother,”
“I can’t,”
“You will.”
“But Dad,” Lance said.
“No more buts,” Sandra said appearing from the stairs. “As you have said, you awe everything at this family, and you are what you are now because of us.”
Lance didn’t add anything. He didn’t argue, he didn’t bother to say anything. He doesn’t want to do this.
That night Lance lay at his bed, tears in his eyes and with his earphones on. I have to do this. I need to let go of her, but before that, I need to do something before my heart stops beating. I’m sorry I can’t fight for you Nicole. I’m sorry I didn’t fight for you.
When Lance first kissed Nicole, an eternity became so clear to him. He saw it at once, having kids, driving a van to take his sons to baseball games, or his daughters to piano recitals or ballet practice. But now, all was gone for him, gone with the wind.
I wish I didn’t runaway that day, and then maybe our story would be more different. After this evening, my heart will die, and all I can do is to kiss her, held her tight, touch her or even smell her... all that in my dreams. I’ll just dream of you… my Nicole.
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