Chapter 6

Monday traffic starts to build up in the afternoon as office workers are rushing home. Nate is driving back to the gallery from the hospital. The things that happened that day were unbelievable and he can't get over them yet. The day started like any other ordinary day and never in his imagination that it would have this much happenings.

He searches for good music to accompany him during the slow drive. The louder the better to distract him from thinking of things he's not supposed to entertain. While searching, he calls Nina on the phone.

"Hi, hon. Where are you?" Nina greeted him.

"I'm on the road. It's traffic as usual," Nate said.

"How's your friend?" Nina asked.

"She's okay now," Nate replied. "Please wait for me for another 30 minutes," he said trying to avoid the topic.

"Oh, hon. I am actually with my high school friends right now. They came to the gallery this afternoon just after you left and surprised me with what they say is the first of the many bridal showers that I will have before the wedding. I am sorry, I wasn't able to tell you earlier," Nina said.

"No worries. Just have fun with the girls. I love you," Nate said.

There is silence.

"What?" Nate asked.

"Love you too, my cheesy baby boy," Nina said. She's obviously laughing.

"There you are again. You're making fun of me. Remember that not too many men do this," Nate said. He pretends to be sulking.

"I know and I am grateful. I just don't know how I am going to live with that cheesiness for the rest of my life," Nina said.

"Yes, ma'am. This is what you'll be waking up to in the morning and end up at night. And it starts in two months. Bet you can't wait any longer but you're keeping the excitement to yourself," Nate teased.

"Of course, I can't wait but now that the invites are here, if feels like we only have one month to go. I didn't expect the invites to come earlier," Nina said.

"The shop owner is a good friend and he's so happy for us. He's even excited," Nate said.

"Ahh and now the bridal showers are lined up. My schedule is full. Good thing we are wrapping up the gallery's activities this week. I just don't know why my friends have to throw these parties left and right. Can I just ask them to get us all in one grand shower party?" Nina said.

"You have many sets of friends and they all love you. They're just happy that you found someone wonderful that you truly deserve…ehem," Nate joked.

"Okay, there goes my proud, cheesy baby boy. We better hang up. We are going overtime again in this call," Nina said.

"I love you," Nate said one more time before hanging up.

Nate enjoys their every conversation. There's never a dull moment with Nina. She's a wonderful person who has experienced a lot and has taught him many things. He just can't wait to marry her and spend the rest of his life with her.

Their friends say their love story is very inspiring. It's something that you'd want to tell anyone who lost their faith in love or has never believed in it. They're two totally different people with only one or two common friends to begin with. It was almost impossible that their paths would cross one day and even if they did, the possibility of them meeting was low. He being that ambitious, budding architect so devoted to his works and focused on his goals with no time for personal life, let alone a love life. His days were predictable. He had his goals but his life didn't seem to have a meaning. She, on the other hand, was the once free-spirited lady who got trapped in a toxic relationship with a married guy who would never choose her over his family. She endured the pain, sadness, humiliation for him and sacrificed almost everything she had. But fate definitely had to do something. They met, fell in love, and everything turned out right. It was magical like there were fireworks up in the sky when it finally happened. In that moment, he believed that there's really the right time for everything and the right person would come one day naturally.

But what about today? Why was Cela in the picture all of a sudden? Did she appear from out of nowhere after all these years to test him? Nate smirked. If there's one thing he could be certain of about today, that'd be the love he has for Nina. That love that saved them both from empty, sad places. That mature love that he will need for the rest of his life.

"What are you thinking, Nate? Are you not ashamed for having even a speck of doubt?" he asked himself as he continues driving.

In the hospital, Cela is fully awake unlike what Nanny Rita thought. She had a real sleep that lasted only a couple of hours before waking up again. She asked the nurse to tell her visitors that she wanted them to go home.

Even as a writer with brains full of imagination, she never imagined herself ending up in a hospital. She insanely waited for Monday and had some hopes about the day only to spend most of in a hospital. She wants to check her phone but is afraid that someone might've taken picture of the accident earlier and shared it on the internet. Things like that always cross her mind.

She picked the pen and paper on the side table instead. To prepare herself for tomorrow's meeting, she thinks she has to come up with possible questions to ask Nate to make the conversation flow as natural as possible.

The few times they were together waiting in the shed, they spent talking about anything but there were still many things she wanted to ask – favorite color, food, movies. There were so many to ask but there was very little time back then. She could've just asked him to answer her slam book but being a star varsity player, she knew that he definitely was someone who had no time for girly stuff like that.

She was also careful not to attract attention as she worried that someone might tell her mother and she's not ready to be questioned by her.

"Should I ask where he graduated? Ask him how's everything? Gosh, what am I thinking? Why am I even doing this?" she asked herself. Not having a good history in real dating. her personal experiences are very limited and immature, which make her feel insecure.

She may have written two wonderful books with beautiful opening lines for the protagonists but when it comes to reality and especially to her own situation, she finds it hard to think of any better words for a memorable introduction. How will she present herself to him tomorrow?

Nate reached the parking lot of the building where the gallery is located. He saw the lamp post where Cela's car bumped earlier that day and suddenly started recalling himself in the hospital room holding her hands the moment those began to move. It was the closest he had ever been to her physically. He wiahed for that moment to happen many times before but it never happened then. It happened when it was already too late. But was it too late for what? He shook his head as if shaking off any remaining thoughts about Cela that's still in his head.

The night is getting deeper. Another day is about to end. The moon and the stars are the silent listeners to everyone's wishes. Cela begins to rediscover the beauty of the moon she hasn't looked at for years. Nate thinks of his new life unfolding in the next two months. Looking at the moon with his wife by then is another thing to look forward to. Whatever they're thinking at that moment, one thing's for sure, they are doing the same thing – looking at the same moon.