A. R. G. Chapter 4

A short note, I posted ARG chapters as posts, not pages, since there were less than a dozen of them. Here’s Chapter 4, have a nice read.

Kuya – can be an honorific or polite way of addressing an older brother, older male cousin, or a  male (if not blood related)

Ate – counterpart of Kuya, an honorific for older sister, female cousin,

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Chapter Four

"We became acquaintance in a party hosted by a common friend last year. I asked you out after that, and then we started being lovers." Jeff stated.

They are at his house in White Plains. This is their first Sunday noon meeting for the reunion's preparation.

She didn't expect that there will be this kind of briefing but she agreed that they need to do this to make the whole thing believable to his relatives.

"How boring of that. Can it be more romantic? Like we met each other on a beach or in a cruise ship…"

It's because in Ivy's imagination, she will meet the person she will love in this manner.

The man's forehead creased because of her description, then he shook his head. "They won't believe that."

"Why is that?"

"I am not that type."

"That's why it's better that way. Because it's like that when you fall in love… in the moment which you least expect."

"And I suppose, Ivy, you will choose a story where we fell in love while it was sunset? There was music playing and I gave you roses and read you poetry?"

His question was cynical but she answered without hesitation, "Yes."

"You are romantic, Ivy."

"Eh, so what? Is something wrong with that?"

She doesn't know why she's arguing with this guy about the concept of romance when they are only entering a charade.

"Everything. First of all, you're facing the wrong person. I will never fall in love that way.  Love is just an overrated concept anyway. This should be clear to you. I wouldn't want to break your dreaming little heart, Genevieve."

Ouch. She drank the coffee he brewed so that he won't see the expression made by her face.

"Fine," she said. "Let's go with that. We met at a party. What liquor did you drink?"

"We met at a party," For the nth time she repeated to Jeff's tenth relative who asked her.

This is the first day of the weekend reunion in the New Manila's ancestral house. No more than forty people from the five families of Jeff's grandparents' sons and daughters were here. Ten of them came from abroad and will be sleeping here at the house while the others went home when evening comes.

Because Jeff is the host, she also has to stay the night here. They share the same room. Ivy consented because the room is s.p.a.cious enough, the bed is four-poster with curtains to lay down to give privacy to the one sleeping there and there's also a divan where another person can lie down.

The reunion is not formal. It only gave chances to the family to meet each other in the same place. It's just like a three day fest with only a formal dinner and program on the second eve.

Jeff casually wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She's wearing a spaghetti-strapped dress that's why his hand touched her bare shoulders. She fought a shiver. It seems that they should have also trained in touching so that she would be used to it.

"I see, you met my cousin, Joan," he said.

"Yes, Kuya," his teenager cousin answered. "I was just asking Ivy how you met each other." Joan's Tagalog is still fluent although a hint of accent is present because of her long stay in America. "By the way, Kuya Jerome and Ate Noelle will only arrive tomorrow. Their flight was delayed."

She felt his grip on her shoulders slightly tightening. She looked at his face. There are no changes though.

There's also no hint of emotion when he spoke, "Ah, so how are they?" he asked.

"They're okay. They're still trying to have a baby," his cousin replied. "You guys? When is your wedding?"

Joan was looking at her. It feels like it’s her obligation to give answer. It's a relief that Jeff came to her rescue.

"We're still discussing that. Ivy is still busy. Do you know that she wants to turn this house into a cafe?"

His manner of changing the topic is suave.

"Whoa! That's cool! This coming year I will continue my studies at La Salle. I will be your first customer and I'll bring all my friends." The girl stated in excitement.

Ivy smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah. And, Ate Ivy. I think you and Kuya Jeff suit each other. Thankfully, he found you."

"Thank you," the maiden answered. She lowered her gaze to the ends of her shoes. Her face's blushing is no longer an act.

"Wait, I think I saw Marjo," Jeff said abruptly. "I will leave the two of you. We have something to discuss."

Joan rolled her eyes. "Oh my, business again, I'm sure."

The girl doesn't want to leave her. Obviously, the little lady was fond of her. It seems the latter won't run out of stories and because of her tactfulness, Ivy learned the real reason why Jeff needed her on this occasion.

"Do you know why I think you are special?"

She smiled because of the girl's openness. "Why?"

"It's because as far as I know, you are only the second girlfriend of Kuya Jeff. He's such a sn.o.b."

She became interested on the girl's revelation. "Who was his first girlfriend?"

"Oh my, you don't know?" The girl's eyes grew rounder in surprise.

She shook her head. "We don't talk much about past relationships."

"Right," Joan agreed. "Ate Noelle was Jeff's first girl."

Ate Noelle? The one who is trying to have a baby with that Jerome, mentioned earlier by Joan?

It seems the teenager saw her confusion through her face. "Ate Noelle and Kuya Jeff were the actual lovers. I think they were together for five years. I can't remember what happened because I was still young and no one told me about it. But anyway, Kuya Jeff and Ate Noelle were the couple that time. But the next thing I know, I was a flower girl in Kuya Jerome and Ate Noelle's wedding. They said Ate Noelle was pregnant. The sad thing was, they lost the baby not long after the wedding."

Ivy stiffened. She was not sure if she should know this story or not.

"Joan!" Someone called the teenager she's conversing with. "Honey, come here for a minute. I will introduce you to your Uncle Marlon."

Joan said her goodbye and then she was left alone. She picked up a gla.s.s of wine. It looks like she needs a little alcohol after everything she learned. The story was not completed, but she doesn't need to be a genius to piece everything together.

So Jeff's girlfriend ended up with his cousin. Is that why he's so cynical when it comes to love talk?

She walked to the open verandah to breathe fresh air while thinking about those things.

A cold voice spoke beside her. "I knew it, you returned."

She looked to where it came from. She judged the person was only a few years older than her. The man was handsome but his polo and slacks were too old-fashioned.

"I'm sorry," she said.

His countenance looks familiar to her but she remembered no instances where she met him. After all, she's sure to remember if ever. His face was extraordinarily good-looking enough to be unforgettable even if she didn't have a photographic memory.

"Little angel… can't you remember me?"

When he uttered that endearment to her, she felt dizzy. Meanwhile, it was accompanied by some memories she doesn't want to remember. Those memories flashed in her mind like pictures in a fast-turned book.

The wine gla.s.s she was holding slipped from her hand. It broke into many pieces, the contents spilled like blood. Then screams echoed in her mind.

"I told you, I don't like those who lied."

"I am not lying! There's a man here!"

Suddenly, the maiden didn't know where it came from but she saw the face of her mother.

Before this moment, she couldn't remember the last time she saw her mother's face moving because everything she remembered about her only came from pictures. It was followed by a very clear memory of the day when she last saw this  man.

Her mother was also there on that occasion.

She spoke, "Do you also know my mom? You also see her with me but she couldn't see you, right?"

The man nodded.

"Oh, my G.o.d!" She pressed her hands on her cheeks. "You are not real. You're only a product of my imagination."

"I'm real, Ivy. And you were the angel I saw back then. I know you would return to help me."

She denied. "No. I just made you up because… Mom said something is wrong in my head and I made things up."

"Ivy, are you alright?" Jeff's voice called out to her.

She faced the young man. Her eyes watered, her body shivering. "Jeff," she softly called. It was a call for help.

"Hey, what happened?" He immediately came to her side.

She embraced him tightly. "Help me, Jeff. I think I am going crazy," she said.

He was so gentle with her even though confusion was obvious on his face. " C'mon, no one is going crazy. Let's get inside."

To avoid his relatives, they took the sidewalk to reach the kitchen.

"Sit here first. I'll get you water."

It was only then that she heard him talked in that tone of voice. It was as if he care about her.

He opened the refrigerator. It was yet again another familiar scene. She suddenly recalled a similar memory. Then Ivy recognized the young Jeff!

"You gave me a chocolate ice cream," she murmured.

The man stopped pouring the water. He stared at her. A realization crawled in his face. "You were the crying child in the garden," he stated,

"And you were the one who brought me here. You consoled me. You gave me chocolate ice cream."

"It's because you were scolded by your mom after you insisted that you were talking to a man in the garden whom no one can see."

Ivy lowered her head, she stared at the patterned Vigan tiles on the floor. "The doctor said, my brain repress every memory that happened before the accident which killed my mother. But a while ago, I remember some of those things. I suddenly remembered what my life was before I was seven years old. I remember what my mom has been saying to me."

She raised her sight to him. "Jeff, what if my mom was correct? What if there's really a problem in my brain?"

He put the gla.s.s of water next to her. "Ivy, nothing is wrong with you, okay?"

Her eyes were still gleaming due to the tears welling up there. "How can you be so sure? I saw him again, Jeff. The man in the terrace. He addressed me the same way he did before. He called me 'Angel'. I was talking to him earlier. But you can't see him, right?"

Her awaited judgmental feedbacks were not present on his reaction. He looked at her with kindness. "No, Ivy. I saw nothing."

"Like my mom. He was also not seen by my mom that's why she told me I was lying and was going crazy."

"I believe you. I can't see him but I believe in you, Ivy."

She felt his lips on her hair. She knows, he only did that to comfort her.

But that was actually the exact moment she fell in love with her fake fiancé.