26: One Last Time

"A Latte,"

I knew who's the voice that. I wrote the order without lifting my head on him. I have too many orders, and business to finish, and I'm trying to do them at once.

Also, I didn't have much sleep since last night because I kept thinking about how he got my number. Unless, either Angelo or Lyv gave it away.

"Anything else, Sir?"

But I looked up at him when isn't answering, "Sir?"

"Just a latte,"

If that's what he wants, why can't he say yes? I have to look at him before he answers. I walked out of the counter after I handed Marco the receipt.

"Sue," I felt his hand on my arm.

I look at my arm before him, "I have work to do, stopped messing around," I set myself free from his grasp.

But he stopped me again by my wrist this time, "Until what time are you open?"

I sighed, "I don't know. Can't you just wait for your order on your table? There's a lot of customers I have to attend to other than you," I showed him a smile but took it back after a few seconds.

He stepped back, letting me go, but I guess my words made him move back, as he should be.

We're starting to grow close, and I don't like it, if he can't stop himself, I will stop. I promised myself to create a boundary between us because I didn't want any of us to be hurt in the end. I'll stay how I let him all these years. Away.

I spend the whole afternoon all my attention on the customers coming by. It becomes more and more than the other days, and I have to help Bri make their order.

As the night dropped, I let them home, as usual, to clean and make sure the cafe would close safe. I've done closing the door when I spotted a car parked in front of the cafe, and it was familiar to me.

I look through the tinted window, if there are any passengers. I saw someone, but I couldn't visualize who it was, so I knocked on their window. It getting late, he shouldn't be here.

I fixed my position when the person started moving, and I'm starting to recognize who it was. Before he opened his eyes, I started walking away from his car, but I stopped after he called me and the car door shut.

"Sue, wait!"

"Sorry, I thought it was someone else," I said without turning and continued walking.

But he caught me on the sidewalk.

"Let go," I stumble.

"Can I take 5 minutes of your time?"

"I'm going home,"

He snatches me back, "It's getting late. Do you want me to take you home? I just want to talk to you,"

"As you said, it's getting late. I'm tired,"

"Let me take you home,"

I let silence envelop us, biting my lower lip, I let my thoughts speak, "Can you stop?" I asked, turning around at him.

"What?"

"Stop," I repeat, "I can't do this anymore, Peter... Why are you being like this? Why are you trying to be a friend again? I hurt you, remember that,"

"Because I won't push you away from me, I promised, and you know I'm not breaking a promise,"

"Whatever promise you made before, you can quit it, cut it out! We're done for years already, forget about me, forget anything you know about me!" I kept pointing anywhere out of frustration.

"If only it was that easy. I promised myself if I have something to prove to you, if I'm strong enough to come back, I'll come back, and find you, and now I did, I did everything to go back to you..." he released a heavy breath, " I don't think I could ever let you by yourself again, never again... " he shook his head, "Stop pushing me away," he whispered.

"You don't understand, Peter. I pushed you away! I left you! I hurt you! Can't you understand that?! I'm the one whose fault, so stop!" I pointed at myself.

He took my hand, that I used to point to me, and placed it on his chest, "Stop saying that, I understand what you did, and nothing is your fault. You didn't do anything,"

"No," I repeatedly shake my head, looking down as my eyes start to sweat, and making a fist on my hand in his chest.

"I'm the one whose in fault, if I just pulled myself together back then, maybe we could talk about it. If I had done my best as your partner, maybe none of this had happened, and maybe we're happily celebrating our eight years together," his knees felt weak that dropped them to the floor.

He counted? He still knows?

"Sorry for not fighting for our love, Sue. Sorry for proving you wrong..." his knees weakened down on the floor," Sorry..." his voice broke as he cried almost taking out his breath.

He says sorry like he's the one who hurt me. The one who left me. But I did it all. I hurt him, yet he says sorry and even fell his knees on the floor.

I tucked my hair behind my ear, "No, please, stand up. It's not your fault you've lost a mother. A mother! I understand that, and you tried. I see you're trying," I tried pulling him up

I kneel in front of him while holding his shoulder, " I left you because you had to leave. We had to leave. If I didn't do that, eventually both of us we'll get tired of each other, "

His chin lift up but fell down again with a tear that dropped on the floor, " Sorry, "

" Don't be, "

"I tried, but I keep failing it's not enough, but what if I just pulled myself together before?"

It let me fade my emotions on my face, "And leave me? Maybe up until today, I wouldn't forgive you. I'm sorry, but let's stop here," I let go of him, resting my palm on my lap, "We're done, maybe we're not meant to be together, Peter,"

He cups my chin, "Only if you keep thinking that way," he finally gave his eyes on me, but it was full of tears, "Let me prove myself, again, Sue. One more time... one last time, and if I fail I'm going to let you go. I promise,"

"Stop,"

He takes back my hand, and I try to let go of it.

"Why?" I asked, full of breath.

"Like before," I saw how his eyes mesmerize me. Looked at his favorite part to kiss me before, the top of my head. He, then, pull me into his embrace, "I love you, I still do even after 8 years without you,"

"I'm not the same person you met 8 years ago. I've changed,"

"Me too, but my love for you didn't. Let's start all over again, get to know each other until you are ready. I'm ready, and so, I'm willing to wait," he holds my cheeks and bumped our foreheads to each other, "One last time, then let's stop," I can feel his breath blew on my face that made me drop a tear in my eye.

EVERY DAY'S THE SAME, HE kept having breakfast in the cafe, just like what Mark is doing, even in the afternoon. Sometimes he's with his friends or alone. He's waiting for me and bringing me home even though I try my best to sneak behind him.

[Engineer: How are you?]

[Engineer: I can't go to your cafe]

And that's his last text two days ago. I already memorize what it says. I expected him to be our first customer, but he isn't. Someone came first. But I didn't mind until I spotted myself waiting for him every minute passed.

"You're here," I said to Mark after seeing him in front of me.

"Cappucino?"

I gave him the cup I prepared a while ago. He didn't text me that he isn't coming by, so I thought of brewing his coffee early.

"Is it cold already? I've brewed it a little early,"

"It's fine I'm just going to take a pie,"

"You're not staying?"

He shakes his head, placing the cup back on the counter, "I need to finish a meeting before 4 pm, and I'm meeting Mika. She's going to kill me if I haven't shown up this week," he said, counting it all on his fingers.

"Ma'am? Ma'am,"

"Yes, Bri?"

"We're out of coffee and also milk,"

"Take out your pies," I said to him before turning my back.

I carried a box outside the room and placed it down beside Bri. Mark was nowhere to be found, I guess he left, but my forehead crinkled at her when Bri was looking behind as if someone was there.

Out of curiosity, I looked behind me, and I got to hold my chest after being surprised.

"Lyv!"

"Hi!" she came rushing to me and wrapped her arms around me for a hug.

"What are you doing here?"

She gets one chair and sat there, "It's lunchtime. Do you still have Banana Bread? I'll pay," she showed me her credit card.

I switch my concentration to the door while she's explaining. Someone entered and walked to a table.

"We don't accept credit cards you know that,"

"Okay," she grabbed her wallet from her bag and gave me 500 instead.

"We don't--"

"Shh, shh, keep the change, I'm hungry,"

I helped Bri to arrange the stocks I got out while Lyv made herself home. I saw how she took three slices of Banana Bread, she ran out the banana bread already.

I turned my head on the bell that just rang. Someone has left.

"I brought you food, well I bought you food rather, from Jollibee," she showed the plastic, "That's all I passed by on my way here, besides, I was already hungry, so I didn't look for anything else," she smiled at me.

I didn't mind her and focused on what we were doing.

"Why do kept on looking at the door?"

"Huh?" I looked back at her after looking at the door.

"Why do... you keep looking at the door?" she's struggling with talking since her mouth is full.

"Nothing," I answered, "Maybe there's a new customer,"

"No, it's like you're waiting for someone,"

My forehead wrinkled, and shake my head, disapproving of what she said, "I have no one to wait,"

She pouted, not believing what I said, "What about the Engineer? His name... umm-Se--Pe-- Peter! Peter!" she chewed a spoon of food first, "He hasn't come yet? Are you waiting for him?"

"Why would I wait for him? I have nothing to do with him,"

"You're lying. Are you in a relationship with that guy?"

"Lyv!" I snapped her out, "No! Of course not! What are you even saying?"

"Defensive, you have a relationship with that Engineer. Tsk," she shakes her head.

I shake my head back to her, and when I get to pass beside her, I pulled her hair.

"Defensive!"

After I got out of the room, my eyes widened after seeing Peter, he was walking inside and noticed a bouquet of sunflowers on him. I immediately hide behind the wall after he hit his eyes in this room.

I heard Lyv's voice, "Good afternoon,"

"Susan? She's in the storage room, but what can I get from you?"

I can't hear his voice clearly, and I'm not planning to get out of this room without him leaving.

"Susan! Someone's here for you!"

Lyv, can you just shut up for a moment? I heard footsteps slowly walking towards the room. So I immediately went to one of the cabinets, pretending to check them out.

"Sue! Your Engineer is here, he's waiting for you,"

"Huh? I'm busy Lyv, attend him while you can, please,"

"Tsk, I'm going do it, go! Go!" she forced me out of the room until Peter saw me, "I'm rooting for you," she whispered, alone in the room, showing thumbs up on both of her hands.

I pulled him outside after I told Bri to take over.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, with crossed arms.

"I'm sorry," he said, handing the bouquet.

That made me raise an eyebrow at him.

"I'm so sorry, Sue. I tried getting home as much as I can, I've just been busy since I'm assigned to a site in Laguna,"

"But this isn't a house, Peter, maybe you got the wrong address,"

I put my weight on my left, still in crossed arms not looking at him. But I felt his hand on the back of my head, pulling me into his chest. He started combing my hair, and I felt a kiss on my head.

"You're my home. I promised, and I won't break a promise, ever,"