Before Ever After

January 8, 2018

6:30

New York

“When you master your emotions, you master your life.”

“W-What?” I was awakened from my thoughts when I heard one of Nikolay’s poetic approaches.

Nikolay Peters is a British-American neurosurgeon born and raised in Philadelphia and works at New York City Children’s Hospital. He was one of my doctors when I had an accident two years ago. The accident where I lost most of my memories. Nikolay and Jennah, my fiancé, were the ones who helped me recover from the accident. They helped me cope with the trauma of losing both my parents and my well-being.

“You’re spacing out again, Mikhail,” Jennah said, reaching for my hand. Sadness was visible in her eyes.

“I’m sorry…” I heaved a sigh.

Since the accident happened, I’m always in deep thought, thinking and worrying about what happened before and during the accident. I have never-ending questions in my mind that even Jennah nor Nikolay ever answers.

“Stop thinking too much, Mikhail, you will only strain your mind if you continue doing that,” Nikolay said with a bit of worry.

“What are you here for anyway?” I said before taking a sip of my green tea. He called me at 4:30 in the morning because he had something very important to give to me and said it was urgent, but he arrived at 6:00, just in time for my breakfast.

I was initially a coffee lover, but when I was released from the hospital, I started liking the scent of green tea. I don’t know why, but it seems like drinking tea has been a part of my life.

“Relax, dude, you haven’t even thanked me yet for bringing Jennah here,” I asked him to fetch Jennah from her pad because today we are going to start planning for the upcoming wedding. We had a lunch meeting with the wedding planner at Cafe PIO, a restaurant that I own downtown.

Cafe PIO opened two years ago. A week after I was released from the hospital, Mrs. Amherst, my former secretary, informed me about the construction of the said restaurant. I was shocked at first because putting up a restaurant was never a part of my plans, but then again I remembered that I had amnesia and I don’t know anything that happened a year before the accident took place. I can’t even remember why I named it Cafe PIO, but instead of canceling the project, I went on with it, and now, it is one of the best cafes in Brooklyn.

I know I should thank Nikolay for doing my supposed “fiancé duties”, but after what happened last night, I have this strange feeling that something is about to happen. I hope it’s going to be good and not something similar to my dreams last night.

I am standing at the altar wearing a black tuxedo. The church was decorated with red and white roses. Only ten people were there. The priest, my parents, a couple who, I think, were of the same age as my parents, and a young girl who looked exactly like the fifty-year-old couple beside her. There’s also this young boy standing beside me. They all have this sweet smile on their faces. The doors swung open, and the music played. A lady in a red dress came into view. She was accompanied by a lovely couple. Everyone’s smile widened on seeing the lady walk down the aisle. I was about to reach for her hand when I suddenly found myself drowning in a pool of blood, struggling to come out of it.

If not for Nikolay’s call, I wouldn’t have been able to wake up and regain my breathing.

I wasn’t able to sleep again because of that, so I told him to fetch Jennah on his way here.

“Hey! You okay?” Jennah asked with worry. I just nodded my head and smiled.

“Here,” Nikolay said, handing me a box with a manila envelope on top of it. “It was addressed to your parents’ house, and it was given to me by Mrs. Jones when she went to the hospital to have a check-up. She said that she found the box in your old bedroom, which she was cleaning because her daughter is coming for a vacation, and the envelope was given to me by your secretary last night.”

“You were with my secretary last night?” he just shrugged with a playful grin. This guy is unbelievable. Nikolay Peters is a Casanova, and he won’t let any woman pass through him quickly.

“I hope you’re serious this time, Nikolay. Sabrina is a good person, she is a friend to me, and I don’t want to see her hurt because of you,” I said sharply, staring at him. It’s been a year since Sabrina Daniels became my secretary. Mrs. Amherst recommended that she take her place because she is already aging and cannot take the stress and demands of her work. Sabrina is a suitable replacement, though. She is fantastic at what she does and is an efficient worker. Since the day she arrived at the office, Nikolay has always been there trying to flirt with her, but Sabrina doesn’t give a damn about any move Nikolay makes, but now, I think he finally broke the barricade she built around her. I just hope he won’t break a Filipina’s heart.

“I’m serious, Mikhail, Sabrina’s the one,” he said with a serious tone.

I smiled and took everything from him with trembling hands. I don’t know why, but my heart is beating so fast and my hands are sweating. It feels like something came alive within me. I started hoping that this might be the answer to all those questions that are bothering me.

January 1, 2018

New Year’s Day

He’s staring at me as if I’m the only one for him. Those eyes, olive-green eyes that captured my heart, those delicate lips that beg me to ask for more, lips that always make me blush at the words they speak.

I was awakened from my reverie when I heard a rumbling noise from downstairs. I ignored it kasi alam ko naman na si Nanay Lidia lang yun. She’s an amazing woman in her fifties with two gorgeous kids. Lia, her eldest, is a year younger than I and is currently a pastry chef in one of my coffee shops, while her second child, Noe, is currently studying at a university where my father is one of the major stockholders. They were both my parents’ scholars because Mom always said that it was a thank-you gift for everything that Nanay Lidia sacrificed for us. Nanay Lidia’s husband, Tatay Noel, is our family driver.

Their love story started and blossomed in this house. Nung nabubuhay pa yung mga magulang ko, nagpatayo sila ng bahay malapit sa gate ng estate para kina Nanay Lidia at Tatay Noel, mga ilang metro ang layo mula sa bahay namin, doon sila bumuo ng isang masayang pamilya. Pero nung nawala yung mga magulang ko I decided na dito na sila manatili sa main house. Ginawa na lang naming guard house yung dati nilang tinutuluyan.

Malawak kasi itong lupain na namana ng mga magulang ko mula kina lolo at lola. Ilang hectarya din ang lapad nito, sa katunayan nga niyan eh meron kaming pinatayong foundation, ang SPIN or Society for People In Need, na ang layunin ay ang tulungan ang mga babaeng naaabuso, mga batang inabandona, matatanda, at mga cancer patients. Isa siyang community, may paaralan, clinic, chapel, mga sports facility at play house para sa mga bata. May mga scholars din kami, katulad nalang nina Lia at Noe.

I was about to close my eyes when a small hand brushed my face. Napangiti ako nang maalalang hindi pala ako mag isa sa kama, may kasama pala akong isang napaka cute na bata.

“Nana wake up…” he said while shaking my arms. Sa halip na pansinin siya ay pinikit ko ang aking mga mata at tumalikod sa kanya.

“Nana, ano ba?!” mas nilakasan pa niya ang hampas sa balikat ko. Ang sarap talagang inisin nitong anak ko, napaka short tempered niya, manang mana sa ama niya pero hindi ko na pinatagal at hinarap ko na siya. Mahirap kasi siyang patahanin kapag umiyak na, mauubos na naman ang pera ko sa mga request niya.

“Good morning, baby, and Happy New Year!” I said, smiling at him. He hugged me in return.

“Morning Nana, happy new year and happy birthday!”

“Aw… thank you, baby. Are you hungry?” he nodded at that and gave me his shy smile. Cute.

Bumaba na kami ng kusina habang karga ko pa rin siya. Naabutan ko na nagluluto si Nanay Lidia ng agahan.

“Morning, Nay Lidia!” I said while putting Pavel in his high chair. Nanay Lidia faced me with a smile. She came to me and gave me a warm hug.

“Morning, happy birthday, Ava!” she said before letting me go and proceeding to the task at hand. I helped her set up the table for the six of us: Nanay Lidia, Tatay Noel, Lia, Noe, Pavel, and me.

“Nasaan na nga po pala sina Tatay Noel?”

“Tumulong sila nina Lia at Noe sa pagliligpit ng mga ginamit natin kagabi sa pagsalubong ng bagong taon, kasama nila yung mga staff sa foundation. Pero mayamaya nandito na rin yung mga yun.” Tumango na lang ako at ngumiti kay Nanay Lidia.

Kumuha ako ng fresh juice sa ref, I was about to put it down on the table when Lia came rushing to me, panting.

“Ate! Ate!”

“Oh Lia! Anong nangyari sayo? Bakit parang nakakita ka ng multo?”

“Ate, look at this.” She said, handing me her cell phone.

“And so?” sabi ko sabay abot sa kanya ng cellphone. Aaminin ko, nasaktan ako sa nakita ko. Pero ano pa bang magagawa ko?

“Ate ano ka ba?! Ok lang sayo na ikasal siya?” naiinis na sabi niya.

“Lahat ng kailangang gawin ginawa ko na, and where did that take me? Nauwi sa wala lahat Lia, maybe this time… I have to let him go.” I said before storming out of the kitchen and into my bedroom.

Tears were streaming down my face like a waterfall. Hindi ko nga alam kung paano ko narating yung kwarto ko nang hindi nahuhulog sa hagdan. Sabi nila kailangang masaya ka sa new year’s day, kasi kung malungkot ka, magiging malungkot ang buong taon mo. Pero paano ako magiging masaya kung paggising mo, mukha nga ng lalaking mahal mo yung makikita mo, pero kasama naman niya yung babaeng ipinalit niya sayo?

Entertainment Headline: New Year Bells or Wedding Bells?

“Sexiest Man Alive is Finally Tying the Knot”

Mikhail Orel Alexeev, a multimillionaire doctor, is finally tying the knot with the woman he calls his “lifesaver”, Jennah Collins. She is a neurologist from New York and is one of the hottest doctors in town. The proposal happened last night, on New Year’s Eve, in Times Square in front of hundreds of people. Rumors are spreading that a baby is on the way.

In an ambush interview we had last night, Mikhail said that Jennah is the most amazing woman he has ever met in his entire life, of course, except his mother. Jennah, in return, thanked Mikhail for giving her the most precious gift she could ever have. A family.

The wedding date is not yet finalized, but the bells will be ringing this summer.