“Hey.” He looked at Jenna like she was the only person in the place. She could no longer hear the splashes of water made by the children at the pool side.
“Hey,” Jenna said back. She tried to keep her cool but her thoughts were blaring. His face was golden at the light of the sun. She couldn’t believe it was really him. Him. The man she waited for years to come back.
Who would have thought that after years of searching, fate would only bring them together to the same vacation spot?
“So,” Jenna could feel her legs shaking. He was still looking at her the same way he did when they were much younger. “How are you?”
“I’m okay,” he answered. His eyes were still glued at her. “You look great.” He smiled. Oh, Jenna swears she could have fainted.
“Thanks…so do you.” Jenna said. They both laughed.
Nothing much has changed, Jenna thought. Nothing much has changed.
………………
This is how Harry met her.
She was a senior in high school. Harry was working as a baggage boy at a big grocery shop in the city. She was a ballerina, a singer, a theater actress, a fashion designer, a cheerleader. Harry’s life had no direction. She was perfect. Harry had absolutely nothing.
It was Christmas time. She went with her grandmother to the city to buy ingredients for the cake she planned on baking in time for the Noche Buena.
The grocery shop was open until midnight for the buyers who were preparing for the season. Harry had to stay overtime because he wanted the bonus. He had nothing to do in his small apartment anyway. He had no friends, no family. He had been celebrating the season alone for two years already.
Harry was in his usual spot at the baggage counter near the entrance of the grocery shop when he noticed a pretty, long-haired girl walking inside. She was wearing a shirt of one of the most prestigious all-girls school in the city. She was heading to the baggage area.
“I’ll leave this bag, if you don’t mind.” She flashed a smile. Her teeth were all straight and perfect.
“Oh, of course.” Harry said. He couldn’t help but smile as well.
They were locked in each other’s stare for a few seconds when an old lady called her name. “Jenna! We have to hurry.”
She turned to look at the old lady. “Alright, grandma. I’m coming.” She looked at Harry one more time, smiled, and left.
………………
“So, what are you doing here?” he asked. “Are you taking a vacation or something?”
“Well actually, yeah.” Jenna said. “I am giving myself two weeks to take a break after the huge wedding I organized.”
“So. You and your dream weddings.”
She laughed. They were seated at a couch inside a gourmet shop now. She looked at him while he sipped his fruit shake.
“What about you? What are you doing here?” Jenna hesitated to ask for a moment but asked anyway. “Who are you with?”
“Well, believe it or not, I’m here for the same reason…I’m taking a vacation by myself while I wait for the judge’s decision on the case I was handling.” His eyes moved as if he wanted to say something more. It’s that look again, Jenna thought. How could she forget? That was the look he had when he left.
“So you made it. You got your dream. You’re a lawyer now.”
“Yeah.” He blushed.
“Well, time really flies by fast, don’t you think? And we both got what we wanted,” Jenna said. She wanted to tell him that more than planning for weddings of famous people, what she really wanted was him. That all throughout her last months in high school, to her college years, up to the time when she started working, all she ever did was wait for him. He said he would come back, but he never showed up.
Time made Jenna stop hoping. Yet it never stopped her from loving him.
………………
The pretty girl started visiting the grocery shop more often since that encounter with Harry. Harry wanted to introduce himself. But he thought, not when he was like that—a dropout who had not enough money and no family.
Harry’s life has not always been like that, however. Harry was the son of one of the most influential families in their province. He was expected to take over his father’s businesses after he graduates. But that wasn’t what Harry wanted; He wanted to be a lawyer.
Harry did not like the pressure. He just graduated from high school and everybody expected him to take Business Management, the same course his father had. But he wanted to take Political Science as his undergraduate course so that he could proceed to law afterwards. When Harry told his father about it one night, his father beat him.
And so without thinking about the consequences he would face, he ran away. Without knowing where to live and what to do in order to survive, Harry went to Manila. He faked his age and ended up as a baggage boy that earns him just enough for food and apartment rent.
Harry was sitting at the ledge outside the grocery building. He satisfied himself with his dinner—dried fish and rice. And then he noticed the pretty girl again. She was approaching him. Oh gosh, she’s is really pretty, Harry thought.
“Hi, I’m Jenna,” she said.
“Hi, I’m Harry.”
And that was the start of their long conversations outside the grocery building when she came after her class and Harry had his break.
………………
The sun was already setting and Jenna was also starting to feel exhaustion. She wanted to go back to her hotel room to rest, but she couldn’t leave just yet. She couldn’t leave without knowing right that moment why he never fulfilled his promise.
“Harry?”
“Yes?”
“I’ve wanted to ask you something.” It was all coming back to Jenna. Images of the two of them that night when he left were flashing right before her.
………………
A lot has happened since the pretty girl introduced herself. They fell in-love, they both took the UPCAT exam, she graduated and they were both accepted to the university of their dreams. She introduced Harry to her parents and they accepted him.
It was their first anniversary. Harry surprised her by taking her to a fancy restaurant. He was proud to say that he saved especially for that surprise. It could have been perfect if not for the other surprise that both caught them off-guard.
It was Harry’s father. He found him and wanted him to come home. Before Harry left, he made the promise. Yet that was the last time she ever saw Harry again.
………………
He looked at her like he already knew what Jenna was about to ask. “I’m sorry I did not fulfill the promise.” His eyes were filled with tears now. “I’m sorry it had to be like this, Jenna. I never meant for this to happen…I never meant to hurt you, or to keep you waiting.”
“I never loved anyone else but you, you know,” Jenna said. She could feel her eyes burning from her tears now. “I never married anyone because I still keep living by the hope that I might still find you someday.”
“I never loved anyone else but you too.” He looked and Jenna’s heart ached.
“But you did not come back for me. You broke your promise. Why?”
………………
Harry left her that night because he was afraid of what his father might do to her. Harry’s father could hurt her, and that was the last thing Harry ever wanted to happen. The thing is, Harry’s father did not want his son to fall in love—not until he gets to be a professional.
Harry’s dream of being a lawyer has finally been accepted by his father. Harry was sent to the United States to finish his undergraduate course and eventually to proceed to law. Harry wanted to come back to her but he was scared that his father might find out. He just did not want her to be hurt by his father.
Harry then vowed that he would study hard to become a real good lawyer—so that he would be deserving enough for her. When Harry graduated, he went back to the Philippines. The first thing he did was look for her.
Harry heard she was a budding wedding planner in the country and that she was engaged to a rich person. He attended one of her events and saw her with another man. Harry saw her 24-carat ring; he was devastated.
………………
“Yes, I was engaged,” Jenna said. “My parents wanted me to marry him. But during our wedding day, all I could ever think about was you. I knew I couldn’t do it. So I said no in front of the priest, in front of our families, in front of everyone I know.”
“I’m sorry I did not approach you that day.”
“That’s okay. Whatever happened during our past does not really matter anymore. What’s important is that you’re here now.”
“Yeah. After many years, we’re here together again.” They both smiled.
And then he hugged Jenna—assuring her that he would no longer leave her, that they would finally be able to continue their unfinished story.
Note: This is the love story of my friend’s uncle and aunt. Their marriage turned ten last October 2nd, 2009.
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