Chapter 50| Five Years Later

"You're staring blankly in the air again. Back to earth, Angela."

I got back to my senses when Bel suddenly appeared right behind me. I laughed and smiled at her.

"You are missing hi—Ouch! What is that for, Angela?!" she stopped from what she was going to say when I slapped her on her right arm. She immediately touched her arm that I hit and glared at me.

"I'm staring blankly then you showed up just to piss me off? You're a very supportive friend, Bel," I uttered sarcastically then chuckled.

She sat down next to me on the wooden chair here in the backyard of the house.

"Well, it's true. Truth hurts, right?" she countered while gently caressing her arm.

I smiled sadly and looked up at the sky. Every time a plane passes by on the horizon, I always get out of the house just to look at it. Not because I just want to see a plane, but because I think that maybe, on a plane I looked up in the sky, Clark is one of the passengers.

Bel seemed to notice the changes in my mood. She sighed heavily. She also looked up at the sky.

"It's been five years, Angela..." she reminded me and sighed again.

"You know, Angela. I was really angry at you before," she confessed, which made me laugh.

"I know, Bel. I know," I countered and laughed with sadness in my eyes. I was still staring at the blue horizon.

"I was angry with you because you wasted Clark's sacrifices but as the days, weeks, months, and years passed, I now fully understand why you did that."

She held my hand with sympathy. I looked away from the sky and glanced at her who was still staring at the horizon.

"I used to think, if the two-person truly love each other, that love is enough reason to fight for what should be fought. But when I witnessed the love story between the two of you, I can now say the word love is ain't enough. Just like a song. There are many things to look at. There are many things to consider," she said in a sad voice.

"But, I think both of you were just at the wrong time before. You know there is a saying 'a right person but at the wrong time.'"

When I heard what Bel said, I just chuckled. Bel looked away from the sky and stared at me in astonishment.

"What are you laughing at? Come on! It's true!" she snorted.

I shook my head while smiling.

"You're making me sad again, Bel," I jokingly said and chuckled again.

This sadness that I was feeling right now, just turned into chuckles. I was the one who made that decision and put me in this kind of situation but I knew myself that I would be more relieved if I was going to choose to free him. At least, now, I am sure that Clark is in good condition. Making his own life again with a stable income, a spacious, and comfortable bed to lay on and nutritious food to eat.

"Angela... If your life and your sad story will be written in a book, I'm sure, readers will tell you you are so stupid to let him go—Ouch!"

Her words cut off when I pinched her shoulder.

"Come on, Angela! I'm just kidding," she muttered and chuckled at the end.

"But, seriously, if you write down in a book what you went through in life, it might be read a lot by many. Your life was so sad back then, my friend. It's like a roller coaster. Up until now, I still can't get over the first time you told me that our boss was your—your dad," she said the last word almost in a whisper.

I smiled sadly and looked back into the sky.

"It was sad but…I still believe God has a reason why I'm experiencing this, Bel. Besides, I have no choice but to face the problem. If you run and hide from your problems, they will still chase you in the end."

Bel nodded at what she heard.

"Do you miss him already?" she curiously asked in a gentle voice.

"Always, Bel... Always..."

We fell in silence after I answered her question. A few minutes later, she stood up from her seat. I looked in her direction.

"Stop the drama! Come on! Help me in the chicken store. I'm sure we will have a lot of customers again. Come one! Chop! Chop!"

She hurriedly held my hands and dragged me inside the house so that I could change my clothes.

Within five years, Bel and I have a small business. A store that has fried and grilled chicken. The income we had when Bel worked in the coffee shop as a waitress and I as a dishwasher in a cafeteria before, we took the courage to invest it in the business we had in mind at that moment. We thought back then that this business we would do was going to fail and we were just pushing our luck but we were surprised at the result. Our income became stable. I learned about this business journey is just to be brave enough and add more strategy in life. Now, Bel and I were no longer nervous and no longer thinking about where we are going to find food to eat every day. We no longer think about where to find money to buy food for Maymay and Kokoy. The income we get from our store is steady enough for our daily expenses.

Despite all the sadness and pain I've been through, I still thanked God for guiding me in my journey.

****

The whole day ended up with a smile on our faces even if we were exhausted from work because we sold a lot of fried and grilled chicken at the store. We now have extra money to put in emergency savings and educational savings. Kokoy was about to go to college next year. He said he wanted to be a pilot someday, so, I save money every day for his future. I know he can get a scholarship because that kid is smart but it's more convenient and safe for him and us that we have savings for his education.

You can't tell the time when it will not suit you.

"It is happy to think, isn't it? Our sales today are greater than last week. The number of customers almost doubled than before," Bel exclaimed happily as she put down the plates on the table.

I prepared the fried chicken that we are going to eat tonight.

"Yeah. I am glad to think that we can save for the education of my two siblings," I agreed and smiled.

Bel is no different from me, from us. We looked at her as our sister. Although she admitted to me last year that she used to like me before, our relationship with each other did not change. We both know that friendship and sisterhood are good for us...that could bind us much longer.

"Maymay! Kokoy! Come on, let's eat!" I called my siblings. They immediately went to the table after they got out of their rooms. They had now respected rooms. Our house got renovated last year because of our business profit.

Bel and I sat down.

After we prayed, we started eating.

"Big sister... You're coming to school tomorrow, huh?"

I stopped chewing when Kokoy suddenly spoke. I put down the spoon I was holding and faced him.

"What's the event in your school? Did you fight with other students again?"

"No! Sister, no! There's a recognition tomorrow. Our basketball team won. I'm the MVP of the team. They will give us a medal and trophy as an appreciation of our hard work."

I smiled when I heard it. I replied "okay" to him.

A few minutes later, I noticed the smile on their faces and even Bel was not fading away.

"What's up?" I asked curiously. I couldn't stand it anymore. As if there was something hidden in the smiles on their faces.

"We're just happy for our brother's achievements," Maymay replied but the smile on her face was still on her face. Even Kokoy and Bel were still smiling.

They seemed to be thrilled with the idea that I didn't know.

I faced Bel's direction and stared her in the eyes.

"Bel, what's that?" I seriously asked her but she just laughed.

"What is it, Angela? What Maymay said is the reason why we are smiling. We are just happy for Kokoy. Come on! Just continue your food. Don't be too paranoid. There's nothing wrong here," she explained and laughed again.

Although I was not convinced by her explanation, I did nothing but go back to my food. I shall let it pass.

"You'll know it tomorrow, sister," Kokoy said meaningfully before they continued eating.