"The Meeting"

"The Meeting"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

"Sir , would you want a muffin with that?" It took the man a couple of seconds to realize that the barista was talking to him. "No , the coffee would be just fine."

The girl at the counter was smiling at him but his mind was elsewhere. July and her pretty smile was pulling at him again and like each other time he was letting her guide his thoughts. What was it that July told him before? 

"Uy Focus."

"Yeah it sounds about right." So why can't he focus at all? Somehow hewent on automode , paid , sat down at the window facing the dance studio across the street. She would probably be in there practicing or she might be somewhere else , like a show. Locally their group has been gaining much attention but it seemed like a slow creep compared to their sister group who dominated the same field almost a decade ago.

"Promise kapag sikat na kami ililibre kita nung kape na paborito mo." It was July in his thoughts again about 2 years ago when she found out that she got accepted. 

"Sure you will." was what he remembered answering.

"Alam mo magtagalog ka nga. Marunong ka naman di ba?"

A smile spread across his face. July would always insist in talking in tagalog because she felt that she could not fully convey what she thought when they were talking in english but he did find her cute when she was talking that way.

"Ayoko nga."

"Ewan ko sa iyo.Iintayin mo pa ba ako after ng practice?"

"Not really a problem. I have tons to read and no one bothers me here."

"Promise talaga after nitong practice na ito. Punta tayo ng Tagaytay. Nakakakastress itong schedule ko eh."

"Ok. I will just be here."

The trip to Tagaytay or anywhere never really happened. It was one practice , one appearance , one show , one pictorial after another. And he was left waiting to see her smiling face , tired and apologetic. He didn't really notice when his patience ran out. When the words "it's fine" turned to dead silence.

It was probably shorter than he imagined. He decided that he wasn't waiting anymore. He was tired. He didnt blame her. It was a big break and her family needed her to earn that money. Money he could not provide if he wanted to. 

He was into his books. The hours passed as he read and wrote. She would come out of nowhere always saying sorry about the hour and he would smile at her. "It's fine. Gutom ka ba?"

It would be 2am. Sometimes a little past midnight. Or sometimes she would just go out for a little bit because they still had things to do. And he was always there. The Cafe didn't mind because he always bought more things than he can eat. There was a time that he bought for two but those things would get cold so he only bought things when she would come out of the practices. 

Did he have a life outside of her? He was sure that he did but he chose to be here anyway. And July for all the times that he was there looked more and more apologetic for not being with him. He was fine until that one day that he forgot he was there at all and she texted him only after she had been brought home by one of their managers.

I guess that was the last straw for him. He didn't say anything. He just vanished. He did not know what to say in any case. He knew what he was getting himself into  , it is not like she held a gun to his head to force him to do anything. All she needed to do was smile and he was there. Till she forgot that he was. And maybe it would hurt more if he said anything. So he didn't.

And now? 2 years and her face was plastered all over the place. They were finally being recognized and were holding their own concert in a couple of days. He didn't want to be in this cafe again but his publisher told him to be here. It was about his 3rd and last book. The past two years have been kind to him as well. Local authors need to be a Palanca pet to get the big breaks that he got. He got it anyway and they were toasting him while trying to dredge his past relationship with her. Of course he didn't say anything. She did the same , at least according to his publisher. July was smart enough to realize that his busy protagonist who ignored everyone in her life and imploding in the process was her. People lapped up at the idea. And he had to explain that it was not July. That she knew her but they have not been in touch for years. 2 years since that day.

The coffee was warm in his hands as he looked at the Studio across the street and thought of her face once again.He closed his eyes. What were the odds that she was here.

"Best selling author! Congrats!" It was her voice. The soft version of her always bubbly voice. "Ganyan ka ba uminom ng kape ngayon? Nakapikit ang mata?"

It was July , her figure was more toned , her skin whiter , her hair longer but it was the same smile.

"Uy. Magsalita ka naman. Kamusta ka na?"

"Ok lang?" He asked her.

She took the chair opposite and tied her hair into a pony tail before looking at him. "Galit ka pa ba sa akin?"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because of what I did 2 years ago."

"I don't think I was ever mad at you."

"Di ka galit eh nawala ka ng 2 taon? Nakablock ako sa FB mo , sa phone mo. Di ka man lang nagsabi kung nasaan ka."

"I didn't know you were looking. You were busy."

"Di gaano kabusy not to read your  book."

"I didn't know you were into books."

"I am into yours."

"Uy purong English!"

July laughed but stopped. 

"Seryoso ako. Bakit di mo na ako kinausap?"

"Bakit pa? You seem to have done well for yourself without my help. I was in the way."

"In my way?"

"Yeah. that time I thought you were always rushing , always going to me when you did not need to. Until you forgot I was here. I realized that this was going nowhere."

"Who were you to decide that?"

"I didn't decide that. You did. You forgot I was even here." He didn't need to dig up these old things so he started to leave. "Congratulations on the Concert. I heard that it sold out in 2 minutes online. I am late for a meeting."

"Tanga. Ako talaga kameeting mo ngayon."

He looked at the clock. It was 10am. She was his 10am. He was sure to have something to say to his publisher about this. 

"Since ikaw ang kameeting ko today I will honor the hour. Ano ang gusto mong gawin?"

"Wala. I want to say sorry."

"You don't have to. I did what I did 2 years ago so you don't have to say sorry to me ever again."

"Sana you gave me a chance to do so 2 years ago."

"It wouldn't matter. Things won't change. Your career would go first and me...well buti na lang at natapos na din 2 years ago."

"You know that I care about you right? That I love you."

"Ah yes. I knew that.2 years is a long time for that. And you already have that dancer guy as a boyfriend now. The network has been sure to let everyone know."

"You know that he is gay right? I asked my bosses to pair me with him so that no one bothers me on and off stage."

"A good decision. Peace of mind is short nowadays July. I honestly wish you well."

"Wait what? Yun lang sasabihin mo sa akin after two years? Nag I love you na nga ako tapos cold ka pa."

"What do you expect? I love you din?"

"Di ba?" And July looked at him with a look that he had only seen on her once. She was serious and he felt his heart aching that she was not smiling.

"I..."

And July's phone rang. It was her manager.They both knew that the hour was over. The girl took her phone. Dunked it in the coffee he was drinking.

"Di ako aalis dito nang di ka sumasagot.2 taon akong naghanap sa iyo. 2 taon akong naghintay sabihin yung mga gusto kong sabihin. Sasagutin mo ako ngayon."

"And if I say that I feel the same would things change?"

"Yes they will."

"How?"

July brought out their calendar and she flipped through her spread. It was this month. 

"Choose any day and I will spend it with you."

"I could be greedy and just mark everything you know."

"Go ahead. It took me 2 years to be able to find you. I am not waiting another second more."

"So everything with my mark is mine and mine alone? No practices? No pictorials? No nothing?"

"Yes."

He chose the next 2 weeks after their concert run.

July looked at the Calendar. "How can I not love someone as patient as you?"

"You have to keep your promise first. Oh and I will be watching you from now on too. So Behave."

"I promise to be a good girl."

"Promising and doing are two different things. Just so you know I won't hold it against you if you change your mind."

"Baliw. No way I am changing my mind. You are mine now."

July Smiled. And he cannot help but smile himself.