Of (Heart)Beats and Bylines [Completed]

Chapter 49- Around the Park

Our four-day vacation in Singapore is about to come to a close. Today is our last full day here and tomorrow at noon, we all fly back to Manila.

But before that, RJ and I decided to pursue one spot that turned out to be a frustration: the Universal Studios in Sentosa.

We are fond of theme parks. That was why, during our business trip here, I extended my stay with the intention of spending a day in Universal Studios with him. Things, however, turned sour that morning when I showed up in his room and there was ... how should I term it ... an undesirable presence in there with him. But it's all in the past now. The first and last time RJ and I discussed this incident was the day we got together formally. And that was that.

Since we became a couple, our relationship has been smooth sailing with only a few minor bumps. The only major fight we had was when I had a pregnancy scare and we disagreed on the next steps to take. Apart from this, there were a few arguments here and there but we had no other issues of consequent importance.

The road we took for us to be in this relationship was a long one. From the time we became colleagues in the newspaper industry to the day we formalized our relationship took about nine or ten months with significant road blocks. We competed fiercely on breaking the news, dealt with other suitors and admirers, handled family matters, endured long-distance courtship, and we even vied for the same awards! RJ and I weathered it all. In contrast to these pre-relationship hurdles, and perhaps it was a rewards from the heavens, our present situation is relatively drama-free.

Now, RJ and I are ready to replace old, bitter memories with new, happy ones.

And for today, a hearty breakfast and two train rides later, we found ourselves in Universal Studios Singapore. Finally.

"Where do you want to go first?" I asked RJ's folks because experiencing the park together is a great way to bond.

"How about if we try to catch all the shows in the morning then in the afternoon, you young ones can try all the rides you want?" suggested Tita Rio.

"That sounds like a good plan to me," said RJ.

"I'll just go with the flow," chimed in Angel.

"Let's check the list of shows then," I said. RJ grabbed several pieces of the park map and distributed one for each. "There are four listed here. Let's start with Steven Spielberg's Lights, Camera, Action!."

We lined up for each of the shows and I could tell RJ's parents enjoyed the WaterWorld show the best. Angel, meanwhile, related the most with Shrek's 4d Adventure. Lunchtime came and as Tita Rio mentioned, she and Tito Richard headed towards a café afterwards to relax. Angel wanted to browse around in the stores for souvenirs which meant RJ and I are left to our own devices for the rest of the afternoon.

We walked around the main avenue and we caught the street entertainment. We watched The Rockafellas, a group of guys who perform acrobatic dance moves. They were really good and they engaged the audience in their spiels. We walked around some more and caught another group of performers called Mel's Dinettes. They are a singing act dressed up like the waitresses from a nearby restaurant. Their performance had a very retro feel and I was about to share this observation with RJ but when I looked to my side, we was gone. I looked behind repeatedly yet there was no trace of him. How odd! Maybe he went to the restroom? But RJ would never disappear on me like that.

After the Dinettes' song, I clapped with the rest of the crowd. Suddenly, one of the ladies grabbed a long-stemmed rose at the back of the stage and handed it to me. "Huh?" I muttered, dumbfounded. "It's for you," she said. I looked at the tag and it said Will. I looked up to her again. "Are you sure?" "Yes. Look behind the tag," she added.