“HOLDING HANDS WHILE WALKING”

"Do you want to take a walk?" Marius asked me, perhaps noticing how engrossed I was in the beautiful scenery we were passing by.

I smiled and turned to my boyfriend, nodding in agreement without hesitation.

"Sure, our destination isn't far from here, right?" I asked.

Following my consent, Marius parked the car under a large, leafy mango tree.

"We'll just walk for about fifteen minutes. Is that okay with you?" Marius asked me.

I shrugged before smiling and replying, "No worries."

Truth be told, the real reason I agreed to take a walk was to spend more time with Marius. Walking with him was a different experience, and the shade of the trees made it pleasant. I couldn't see any reason not to agree with his idea, which was actually quite beautiful.

"You know, I was supposed to tell you something earlier," I began as Marius and I walked side by side.

"Yeah? What is it?" Marius asked, smiling as he held my hand.

I liked how Marius moved. I could feel the warmth of his hand, as if it had penetrated my skin, reaching every inch of my body and continuing to my heart. It made me feel giddy.

I nodded repeatedly and then looked up at him. I continued walking, still holding his hand tightly.

"I remembered something earlier, but it's not clear yet," I began.

Marius stopped in his tracks, holding both my shoulders and turning me to face him.

"Really? What is it? About what or whom?" he asked.

Marius followed his series of questions with a warm smile that brought joy to my heart. But just as I was about to respond, he beat me to it. He embraced me tightly and held me close.

"You have no idea how happy you made me with what you just said, Sam," he whispered before placing a sweet kiss on my forehead.

I allowed ourselves a few moments in that embrace with Marius. Truth be told, I enjoyed the feeling of being wrapped up in his strong arms. However, there was a conflicting mix of emotions in my heart. On one side, I was genuinely delighted by his reaction. On the other hand, there was a hint of amusement and an undesirable emotion that I chose to ignore.

"Do you want me to remember everything?" I asked him as I gently pulled away from our embrace.

At that moment, our eyes met. Marius gazed at me as if he were examining every angle of my face. Despite Marius doing this often, the happiness and indescribable joy in my heart remained.

Marius responded, "Of course. Many unpleasant things may have happened in those forgotten or erased memories of yours. But all of those are part of who you are. They taught you and brought you happiness."

His words felt like gentle wings brushing against my heart. Soon after, the corners of my eyes warmed up. I didn't want to ruin that moment, so I controlled my emotions, and I succeeded.

"Thank you, Ma-Marius," I managed to say, then leaned in for a simple kiss on his lips.

I didn't plan on prolonging that kiss. However, Marius didn't allow me to break away. As I attempted to pull back, he held the nape of my neck to thwart my plan.

I just let things unfold, allowing Marius to take charge. So, when I felt him guide me under the nearest mango tree, I didn't complain.

I felt my back press against the large trunk of the tree, which Marius had used to conceal us. I couldn't understand why suddenly my entire body seemed to be aflame. Marius was being too passionate. His kisses were fervent, and in the end, I couldn't keep up.

It was in Marius's nature not to back down, even with me. I wondered if he had been this way with other women in the past. I couldn't figure out what came over me. After that thought, it seemed like my hands had a mind of their own as I forcefully pushed Marius away. That caused him to stop what he was doing.

"Hey," he said, surprise and confusion evident in his voice.

I released a sequence of breaths, then took a moment to compose myself before putting some distance between Marius and me.

"Let’s go," I said, offering a hesitant smile.

Despite the puzzled expression on his handsome face, Marius didn't embarrass me. He immediately took my hand, and we resumed our interrupted walk.

For a few moments, silence enveloped us. The only sounds we heard were the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves as we walked.

"Now tell me, what was the memory you recalled earlier?" Marius spoke again, perhaps unable to resist.

I smiled, biting my lower lip. "I'm just shy," I quickly replied, blushing afterward.

I knew Marius understood what I meant because I heard him chuckle softly. I didn't want to look at him, but I couldn't resist either. I could see the amusement sparkling in his eyes as he smiled at me.

"Really? Are you serious?" he asked in succession.

I continued to bite my lower lip while looking up at him. I was trying to suppress a giggle, and that's why it appeared that way.

I nodded consecutively. "Let's just leave it at that. I don't want to talk about it," I said, blushing slightly at the end.

After that, I avoided eye contact with Marius. He, on the other hand, immediately embraced me and pulled me closer as we continued our walk.

"When you're ready, I have a lot to tell you," Marius said, holding my left hand. He lifted it and gently kissed it.

Whatever those things were, I didn't ask. I just remained silent and enjoyed the moment with Marius on that beautiful day.

We continued walking, and we were nearing what seemed like a small hut when Marius and I noticed an old man busy cutting grass. Marius waved at him, perhaps realizing that the old man was looking at us.

*****

"Marius! Oh dear, why didn't you inform us that you were coming?"

That was the enthusiastic welcome we received from an elderly man, whom I estimated to be between sixty and sixty-five years old.

"Mang Tasyo, how are you?" Marius replied, reaching out to shake the old man's hand and bowing respectfully.

"Mang" is a Filipino term of respect used to address older men, somewhat similar to "Sir" in English.

Sam noticed that the old man's attention quickly shifted to her. His face lit up with joy, and she could clearly see admiration in his eyes.

"Mang Tasyo, this is my girlfriend, Samantha Scott." Marius introduced me to the old man.

With a smile, I respectfully greeted the old man, extending my hand as Marius had earlier. I even performed a traditional Filipino gesture called "mano" to show my respect.

"You're a beautiful young lady, dear. You resemble my wife's favorite actor, and you share the same last name," he remarked, addressing me.

"Ah, their siblings, Mang Tasyo," Marius replied.

The old man's eyes quickly lit up. Then he spoke again.

"Oh, my wife will surely be delighted to hear about this," he said, joy evident in his voice.

I couldn't find appropriate words to say, so I just smiled. After a while, Mang Tasyo invited us to his shelter. He offered us coffee, but Marius and I declined.

The conversation between Marius and Mang Tasyo revolved around the mango orchard. I just listened to their discussion. It was during this time that I learned Mang Tasyo was the one overseeing and entrusted by my boyfriend with the vast mango plantation.

Perhaps they talked for over an hour. We noticed that the sky was getting a bit cloudy, which was unexpected after the beautiful sunny morning.

"Are you heading home, Mang Tasyo? Would you like us to give you a ride?" Marius offered the old man as we bid our farewells, knowing it was past eleven, and I was sure Nana Lourdes was busy preparing our lunch.

As I thought about Lena, who might still be at home helping Nana Lourdes with the cooking, a slight frown crept onto my face.

"Oh no, it's okay. I'm just nearby. By the way, my youngest is celebrating her debut next week. I hope you both can attend," Mang Tasyo mentioned, shifting his gaze between Marius and me.

"What do you think, sweetheart?" Marius asked me.

I didn't know what it was about Marius' words, but as usual, I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement. "Sure," I replied to Mang Tasyo.

In just a few moments, Marius and I were walking back together.

"It seems like it's getting darker, doesn't it?" I immediately commented, looking up at the sky, which was starting to darken. "The weather changes so quickly. The sun was shining beautifully just a while ago."

Marius chuckled softly at my comment, prompting me to glance up at him.

"Isn't it true, though?" I asked, with a hint of annoyance in my tone.

"Yeah. I just find you amusing," he explained, lightly pinching my cheek.

"I feel like it's going to rain anytime!" I said, quickening my steps and attempting to pull Marius, who seemed to be savoring the moment as if enjoying the drizzle.

"The raindrops are big! We might get wet!" I exclaimed in a slightly panicked tone, which Marius responded to with hearty laughter.

Honestly, I couldn't see even a hint of concern on my boyfriend's face. And I understood that. Technically, we could bathe in the rain—it would be more romantic. But apparently, he had something else in mind.

The rain was getting heavier as we spotted the hut we had passed by earlier. Before we could get drenched, I attempted to run, but it was futile.

Marius swiftly lifted me onto his shoulder as easily as one would hang a towel. I let out a surprised yelp. We made it inside the hut before long, where he set me down. Our eyes met, and we both burst into laughter.

"Good thing it wasn't locked," I said, wiping my face with my hands, soaked from the rain.

Marius watched me for a moment before speaking, taking steps toward the door. "But now, I'm going to lock it," he said.

My heart pounded with an inexplicable intensity as Marius uttered those words. I followed his gaze and observed him securely locking the door of the hut. It felt like a sudden surge of memories played tricks on my mind, disappearing as quickly as they came. This happened just as he began to step closer to me.

"The rain is getting stronger, Sam," Marius said, his eyes fixed on me.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart while simultaneously swallowing the lump forming in my throat.

"M-Marius," I managed to say.