Chapter 42: Oceans and Wreckage

I kept stirring my coffee as I waited for Miss Van. Kanina pa nakauwi ang mga staff at tanging ako ang natira sa coffee shop.

Lumabas si Miss Van sa kanyang opisina. Napatayo ako at binati siya.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting."

"It's okay. Salamat sa oras para makapag-usap tayo," sinabi ko.

She smiled a weary smile. "I owe you an explanation."

Muli kaming umupo. Sinabi ko ang dahilan kung bakit ako muling bumisita. "How did you know Helena?"

Miss Van let a deep breath na tila matagal niyang inasahan ang tanong na ito mula sa akin. Gone was the aura of the employer I looked up to. In front of me is Miss Van, who's as tired as I am.

"Helena and I, we were inseparable. We were high school friends who attended the same university and set up this coffee shop."

Miss Van smiled at the memory.

"She's the prettiest of the class. Always has been. The queen bee. Her image created the misconception of her having the perfect life. But nothing was perfect, not even decent for Helena's family."

"I met her family by accident when I visited her house for a school project. The address brought me to an infamous street where drug dealing was rampant. Helena was furious I knew the truth. She never wanted anyone in school to know about her family. She never wanted to ruin her made-up kingdom where she was the queen."

"But it was also the reason why we became close," continued Miss Van. "She begun opening up to me. And I knew back then Helena had dreams bigger than her reality."

"She hated her family so much she burried her name with it. From Helena Limerick to Helena Morgan. In chasing what she thought would save her from her mess up life, she ventured the rich and glorious world of vampires."

"But a wrong deal led to another, until she was once again trapped in the messy world of vampires and blood contracts... until Landon came."

"Landon came when Helena's life was crumbling down. We both knew that she was never the girl Landon was desperately searching for. But Helena treated the coincidence as an escape route from her current life."

I was silent as I hold on to my tears. Every detail was a stab in my chest.

"Helena's life became blissful with Landon. I never saw her that happy... that contented before. But the bliss came with a heavy guilt." Miss Van bit her lips. "I always wonder during those years... where was the girl Helena stole her idenity from? How was she? Is she still alive?"

Tuluyang tumulo ang luha ko. "How could you..." I whispered. "If I knew sooner... If I only knew my father wanted to protect me. I shouldn't have felt this years of hatred towards him!"

"I'm so sorry."

Umiling ako. Hindi ko gustong putulin ang usapan sa paghingi ng tawad. Kailangan kong malaman ang lahat.

"How did Helena came back?" I asked. "The fire... she's one of the casualties from the incident..."

Miss Van took a deep breath to collect her thoughts.

"Nagkaroon ng deal ang Lolo ni Landon at si Helena. Helena could live the glorius life she had been dreaming of, kapalit nang tuluyang paglayo niya kay Landon. It was days before their engagement. The fire was a set up," said Miss Van.

Nanghina ako sa kinauupuan ko.

"I didn't saw the scope of Helena's ambition until I experienced it. Isa ako sa mga unang nakaalam ng pagbabalik niya matapos ang inakala naming pagkamatay niya. Doon ko nalaman ang totoo."

"There was no fire and I had mourn for a lost that was coated with pretention. Noong panahon na 'yon nakilala na kita. Alam kong maaaring ikaw ang totoo. Ikaw ang babaeng dapat ay nasa position niya."

Miss Van finally stared at me.

"Gusto kong itama ang maling nagawa namin. You, Denise Limerick, is the person Landon was searching for all these years."

—

Halos bumagsak ako sa daan habang pilit naglalakad pabalik sa condo. Napaupo ako sa bench upang kalmahin ang sarili ko. Huminga ako nang malalim at tumingala sa madilim na langit.

Narinig ko na ang mga sagot na gusto kong mapakinggan. Pero bakit hindi ko magawang maging masaya?

"What are you doing here?"

Napalingon ako kay Elyse na akmang papasok sa condo building.

"It's chilly outside, Denise."

Ngumiti ako, a shallow smile. Kumunot ang noo ni Elyse at umupo sa tabi ko. "What's wrong?"

"I miss my father," I said.

Napakurap si Elyse. I never mentioned anything other than my hatred towards my father at ito ang unang beses na marinig ni Elyse ang nararamdaman ko.

"I wonder where is he. Is he doing well? Does he think about me... us too?"

Muli akong huminga nang malalim. The chilly air scratched my already dry throat.

If none of these ever happen, will he still be with us too?

Elyse and I went silent. I told her the things I learned about Helena from Miss Van.

"Will you go to Landon's engagement to tell him the truth?"

"What if it doesn't make a difference, Elyse?" I asked. "What if Landon did feel for Helena? Would my truth be enough?"

I never knew the range of Landon's love for Helena. My father's promise might be the reason why they both met. But it's not the reason why they fell in love.

Will it change anything?

"Denise, what is Landon to you?"

Natahimik ako sa tanong ni Elyse.

He's been nothing but a devil. He's been the source of my tears... and until the last moment he's been the source of my heartache.

But I find myself running back to him again and again. No matter how far we stray from each other, no matter how high the walls I need to climb. Am I crazy?

"I hate him..." I whispered. "I hate him for making me fight a battle I never prepared myself for."

Tumingala ako sa langit. Humugit ang ngiti sa labi ko.

"But I never really fight for anything. I let things happen without searching for reasons. I let myself drown without fighting the waves. This is an ocean, Elyse, and for the first time, I'm learning how to swim just so I can reach him."

Elyse smiled at me. "Then prepare to fight against the waves, Denise. Only fate would tell if the truth will be enough reason for both of you to stay together."

—

I asked River to visit me the following day. Gusto kong hingin ang tulong niya sa isang bagay. Dumating siya sa harap ng condo building. He was waiting beside his car when I approached him.

"Hey, not so human girl."

It's been a while since I last heard those words from him.

"James River Monaghan," ngiti ko.

Matagal ko din siyang hindi nakita. Since I decided to leave the city I also decided to cut my communications with them.

"Ouch. That greeting hurts."

I laughed a little. I miss his plesant presence.

"So, what do we have here? Do you need a lifesaver?"

I stared at River. If my life was an ocean, River had been one of my lifesavers.

"Will you still help me?"

River chuckled. "Not so human girl, you're the only person who can make me drive for four hours just to get here."

"What?" Gulat na tanong ko.

River smiled, dimples showing. "You had me in your palms."

—

Seryoso si River sa sinabi niya. He was indeed four hours away when I called to see him.

"Pinadala ako ni Lolo sa isang business trip a week ago to avoid meddling with Landon's engagement."

I stared at my plate of food. We were in a restaurant, downtown. "Okay lang ba kayo ni Yllona?"

"The treatment didn't bother us. The only problem is nawalan kami ng balita kay Landon sa isla."

"Is there a chance for me to talk to Landon before his engagement?" I asked.

River was silent. He was thinking. "The engagement is tomorrow. Halos wala na tayong oras."

Natahimik ako.

"With Lolo's security measures, siguradong mahihirapan kang makapasok sa isla. But the engagement has a tiny flaw."

River was smiling with a strange glint in his eyes.

"It's a masquerade ball."

—

River has a plan.

Kailangan kong makapasok sa isla sa katauhan ni Helena. And in order to do that I must look exactly like her.

Nagsimula ang plano noong umaga ding 'yon. We asked the help of Miss Van to coordinate Helena's attire for the occassion tomorrow. Miss Van was more than willing to set things right by helping us.

Bandang hapon nang malaman namin ang mga impormasyon. Mula sa damit at sapatos na isusuot ni Helena hanggang sa magiging ayos ng buhok niya.

The same night, River asked Yllona, who was also in a business trip and will arrive the next day, to search for the clothing Helena would be wearing.

"Is this going to work out?"

River was on his car, about to live for the night. Bukas na ang engagement ni Landon. Natatakot ako sa maaaring kahinatnan nito.

"You need to prepare yourself, Denise," said River seriously. "This will only work out if you're willing to risk everything."

One shot.

We only have one shot. Nakiusap ako na tulungan nila ako upang maitama ang lahat. This might not bring Landon back, but this will reveal the truth  my family was a part of.

Pinagmasdan ko ang pagalis ni River. Everything will take place tomorrow. But there was an uneasy feeling in my chest. A sense of forlorn and danger.

I had no idea the truth in my hand was holding a bigger revelation I would have never expected.

A forgotten wreckage sunked deep into the water where I could never pull myself back.

***