Promise

Sleeping so soundly, she was like an angel lying on a clean white bed sheet as the light from the sun shines down gently at her face as if it were kissing her. A moment later, her cellphone rang. She reached for it under her pillow and answered in a soft gentle voice, “Yes, hello?” “How have you been? This is me.” Upon hearing it, she was suddenly wide awake and got up her bed, looking all surprised. It was a man with deep gentle voice who replied. A voice she hasn’t heard for a really long time. She couldn’t say a word because of the shock as the conversation paused a while. “Hello? Are you still there?” The man asked. Realizing that she hasn’t said a word, she immediately replied, “Yes, I am. It’s been a while.” In a very familiar atmosphere, she continued on as their conversation lasted for a few more minutes. And after, she got up to take a shower, put on her usual make up and went straight to work.

During the conversation, they agreed to meet by their favorite coffee shop at 7 pm to catch up on the old times. It had been ten years since they last saw each other on that faithful day they broke up. And even though she kept reminding herself, it didn’t help. She still couldn’t concentrate on her job and kept thinking of what’s going to happen when both of their eyes meet again after all those years.

Hours passed by so quickly and it was already six in the evening. She left one last look at her work, said her daily goodbyes to her workmates and left hurriedly in her Mazda 3 straight to the coffee shop. She arrived ten minutes before seven — just enough time for her to relax a while before the meeting time. But to her another surprise, he was already there. According to the shop owner that was also their friend, he was there 30 minutes early of their agreed time. Of course, she was touched terribly and went straight to the table where he has been sitting for half an hour.

With an apologetic face, she said, “Hi. I’m sorry you waited long.” Immediately, he smiled and replied, “Hello. It’s been a while. Don’t worry about it. I know you’re busy and you aren’t even late.” “Still–” she replied killing all attempts for another conversation.

A few minutes of silence passed between them until he broke it with an offer of something to eat. They spent more than two hours catching up with each other until finally they decided to leave for another place — her apartment. She offered her car and he offered to drive it to her place as both of them agreed.

The rain started dripping to the windshield. He switched the radio on. As they listen to the usual nighttime program, they drive passed through the streets they used to walk along together and seeing the places they used to go. Everything from their past came rushing through between them — the happiness they spent together, the troubles they went through, their dreams, their hopes, and even their pains. All of their feelings came back as if their life’s VCR were momentarily rewound.

Upon arrival to her apartment, she asked him to feel comfortable on the couch as she went to the kitchen and offered him something to drink. Both of them stared at the rain slowly dripping on the window for a while, as she filled his glass with wine. “It was a rainy night like this too, was it not?” She said, still staring at the window, breaking the silence between them. Unsurprised, he paused for a while and looked at her for a moment and replied, “Yes…,” as he turns his face down. She stared at him for a few seconds and started walking back to the kitchen to return the bottle of wine. She closed her eyes as her lips gently touched that cold glass, feeling that red blood liquid slowly rushed down her esophagus. Then after, she put down her glass and continues on to break the silence once again. “It’s a great wine, right?” She insisted. “I brought it home the last time I went to France.” She added. He faces up to her again and took another drink from the wine she offered and replied, “Yes. It is.” She sat beside him and stayed there not uttering anything again. He held her hand and softly whispered, “I’m sorry.” She, in return, faced him and held his face gently as she kissed her forehead. She ran her hands through her soft silky hair, caressed his face again and closed her eyes and finally kissed his warm lips as he wrap his arms around her tightly.

His warm lips slowly turned cold as the once reddish color turned blue. She opened her eyes and broke away from those hands that embraced her as she watched him turned pale by the second that passed. Coldly, she stared at him as he crawl himself up to standing, removing the sharp knife that was stabbed in his chest and put it away to the table. For a moment, she stared at her blood stained hands and after, rushed off to the kitchen to wash away the red dark sticky liquid. As soon as she wiped her hands clean, she reached for her purse and pulled out a pack of cigarette. With her hands shivering lightly, she put a stick up to her lips and lighted it up. She inhaled deeply and returned to her usual calm self when she exhaled. She looked back to him straight in the eyes and said, “I kept my promise.” He sat back up to the couch and laid himself slowly. He stared up to her, smiled and whispered, “Yes, thank you. And I’m sorry.”

As he slowly closed his eyes, that one last scene he saw, was hers looking straight back at him with swollen eyes and a face drenched with tears.

Let It Rain
Chapter 3: Promise

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Note:
There’s an edited version here: The Promise

Let It Rain

• Chapter 1: Joy Ride
• Chapter 2: Courage
• Chapter 3: Promise
• Chapter 4: E-mail