JFK Airport , NYC:
"Last chance to change your mind." He tells her. "Everything's ready for you. We planned this. You can still come with me."
He's there to try one more time to convince her to go on their dream destination after she suddenly cancelled last week. The plan was for her to fly straight to their Iceland holiday after her work trip in the Big Apple. He was to meet her there, flying from Manila but because of the change in their plans, he figured he needed to divert from his itinerary.
They were very quiet about the trip. Very few trusted people knew about it. Their life together is a little too complicated for most people to understand and in that life they're not always free to do as they please and any moment things could change. There could only be so many people they can trust and even then, they have experienced treachery more than anyone could take.
One of the good things about that life though is that it enabled them to find a few good people in the right places. He wouldn't usually take advantage of his connections but he has since learned that to be with her, he would have to pull out all the stops. Like now, when he needs to be in one place while everyone else thinks he's in another.
Being the good man that he is, sometimes he feels bad about pulling such tricks and involving other people but to be with her, he would do anything.
And he wants nothing more than to be with her at that moment.
She looks at him with sad and tired eyes and shakes her head. They're in New York. It's one of her happy places— their happy place. They've created so many beautiful memories in this city when they were last here. What happened to those?
"No. We talked about this. Ayokong madamay ka pa sa gulo." She says.
"Kahit naman anong gawin natin, damay ako talaga. It's inevitable. We can't be mentioned without the other, for more than three years, ganoon na yun. So, bakit kailangang magbago ang plano dahil lang sa kanila? Why can't we go on our dream vacation to check out an item in our bucket list because of this situation."
"Because... These people are savage, RJ. They're different. If I go on this trip with you, we will stir up such hate from these beasts and they will push you. They will push you so hard to get your hands dirty. They will push you until you break and do something that my kind and good-hearted Richard wouldn't do. I don't want that to happen."
"I don't care, Maine. Gagawin ko. Gagawin ko pa rin para sa'yo. Why won't you let me help you? Why can't we do this together like we always do?" He holds her hand tight and she holds his tighter.
"Because I let the monsters in, I have to deal with this on my own." She shakes her head again. "I don't need a hero, RJ." She looks into his eyes. "I need an anchor. You are the only thing that keeps me from drifting away from my sanity and everything that is good in this world. I need you to remain moored, digging deep into the sea bed and staying strong for both of us. Please don't make this harder than it already is. I need you."
He sighs, his heart breaking for her, the sadness in her eyes becoming more unbearable every second he sees it. Anchor. She needs me to be her anchor. That's what I'm going to be for her— for us.
He cups her cheek and she burrows the side of her face in the warmth of his palm. He slowly nods his head. "Okay. For you. For us."
"Thank you. Ngayon, ikaw muna ang tutupad ng pangarap nating dalawa. Nothing could make me happier now than to see you smiling under the Northern Lights. Someday, pag naayos na ang lahat, sabay na natin yung gagawin."
"Someday..."
They both believe it will happen. Their faith in the Divine plan and God's perfect timing has been stronger throughout the challenges they have faced.
Someday...
For now, they have a few more hours to make the most out of their time together before she gets on her flight home and he needs to show up where he's supposed to.
For now, they take their sweet time to make new memories away from the world's prying eyes. To be just Richard & Nicomaine without having to explain what they are and what they have to anyone.
***
Unbeta'ed and not proofread.
Thank you for reading.
