Chapter Eight

After we utter our goodbyes, we went off separate ways again. At twenty-five, I gave birth to a boy and I named him Cole. That is when I decided to changed my career path and just became a Broadway Columnist and Review Blogger, in order to become a full-time mom. I really have a perfect family.

When Cole entered Grade School at the age of six, Dani entered politics. He won as a representative in Sacramento, California, where we settled few years way back. By that time, I am now a novelist of romance novels. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed of Lupus and died shortly. I replaced my husband in Congress and by the time that the term was finished, I am now thirty-five and Cole is ten.

That time, I decided to pay a visit with my Dad, but I learned that he died five years ago.

"He really wanted to see you," Emily tells me. Her face that was once a beauty is now gray and old, but she still has the aura of how Emily do things back in years.

"I miss him," I said. "I'm sorry, I didn't made it to the funeral."

She shakes her head. "You're Dad loves you. We all do. It's been tough back in the days. Have you eaten dear?"

"I guess I can manage with your cooking," I answered with a smile.

By that, she stops for a little while, intently looking at me in the eyes. "I just think that you should know," she started, "You're Dad's first love is your mom. He loves him so but your Grandfather wouldn't allowed it. We are just an arranged marriage couple you know. What we have, me and your Dad is a great friendship."

"But you love him," I said.

She just nods then sigh as she was lost in a daze as if she is looking back on the past. "Sure I am," she agrees. "What we are is a sense of comfort and companionship, but true love? I am not so sure about that. We just learned to accept what we have and be happy and contented about it. So Suzanne," she gets my attention as she looks at me in the eyes. "I never hated your father of having you. I was hurt, yes. But I understand also that Otto and I are just nominal couple and friends . We sure have our children but what do we do? We need each other. I-I never hated you also on what happened to Rolando. I just can't look at you because you make me remembered what happened and I can't help but blame myself for being an irresponsible mother."

"It is not your fault," I said sadly.

"I know. It's not yours too," she answered with a sad smile. "I enjoyed being your mother and you're always be my little Suza. That moment that I laid my eyes on you, I just so fell in love with the thought of nursing you home. I regret not being there for you and not watching you grow up. What we are ---"

"What we are is what we are meant to be," I said to her. "I never hated you. You became my mom when I don't have anybody. That is always been engraved in my heart. I love being your daughter Emily. I loved you. I always do," I tell her truly. With that, Emily shed her tears. "Thank you," she said then leaves my room.

Like a family, we eat all together, only with the boys gone now - Octavio and Dad both dead, Aguiluz in Moscow, and Heroine in Hawaii. But I do love to see my sisters Vic, Livy, and Lou, with their families. Cole also loves to play with his cousins a lot.

"I'm sorry," Livy tells me, "For being cruel to you."

"It's nothing," I tell her as I look on our family pictures on the wall. We are in Marseille by the way.

"It's been years and it's good to have you back."

"Me too," I agree with a smile as I finally face her.

After a while, I decide to speak of what's inside my heart to her. "You and Pedro deserve, each other," I said sincerely. "You are just so young at the time, you know, so I thought what is best for both of you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry because you both suffer away from each other and I saw how Dad pointed a gun on his head. That is when I regret the decision that I made and for losing you as a sister, Livy. Please forgive me."

She just nods. "That's too bad. Thinking about it now, I know you were right for being rationale. I admired who you are little sister, for being strong willed and a person of principle."

With that, we both chuckles, then suddenly she turned serious. "Heroine took back his parent's name."

"He did?" I ask surprisingly.

"You love him still?"

"You know?" I ask her , a little bit shock.

"Ha-ha, silly. You shared a very special bond before . We all knew. He talks to Dad about it before the fall of Paris. He told Dad how he loves you."

"That's crazy of him," I said.

"Yeah. really crazy. I thought that he will also ask for your hand in marriage so we are expecting a wedding soon, but that coward run away to San Francisco without looking back. I was shock and disappointed when he married that American girl, only to find out a little later that you also got married. Anyway, does he know what happened to Dani?"

" 'Course he do. Hawaii is still America. Dani was a famous film director, then he went for Congress." I answered.

"Don't hesitate Suza," she said again. "Two decades is enough waiting. Let both of your hearts come to rest. It's about time to recapture what you'd lost."

That words from Olivia strikes me to the core. Sometimes, I even wonder what it's like to be with Heroine, but we are on a far different coast now. God knows how I still love him. But through time, and with our age now, love is just a far-fetched feeling. I am a mother and I have to be a good one. With that, I decided to continue writing inspirational novels and stories about faith, hope, acceptance, family, and love. My latest novel, which was launched on my 35th birthday was entitled "Beyond the Borders," a story about a seaman who loses his wife, questioned God for so many times in his life, then later on became a well-acclaimed writer, composer, and a Christian. Putting himself together while raising his little girl, he find love and comfort in God. My inspiration? It's Heroine. I always thought that maybe we are soulmates back then, yet our relationship is more than brothers and sisters, but less of a lover. But that was years ago and I have now a life of my own.