Chapter 11: Eleven

Since Isiaah could no longer be absent from work that day, Maeluthe offered to take care of his friend.

The woman hardly expected that men like Baste would still withdraw from alcohol. It’s unbelievable that a ‘Sebastian Clarete’ has passed out because of the amount he drank.

When Isiaah left, Maeluthe continued to take care of Baste, who was still sleeping. Coincidentally, she will have to go to school in the afternoon, so she still has a lot of time left.

She was cooking soup for the hangover when the man woke up. Maeluthe wouldn’t have noticed it just so until she heard his sobbing.

Baste had a problem; she was sure of it. Men like him would definitely rather drown themselves in alcohol than tell stories.

Carrying the cooked soup, she took a canned beer from Isiaah’s refrigerator and then went to Baste, whom they left on the sofa.

When he saw Maeluthe, he quickly wiped away his tears and acted steadfastly even though he seemed to be grieving what was in his heart.

‘‘Miss Legson?’’ He was startled.

Instead of greeting him, Maeluthe dropped the beer she was carrying right in front of the man and then quickly opened it for him.

Baste hesitantly took it before giving the woman a questioning look.

‘‘I know you won’t talk about your problem even if I force you a few more times. Let me have a drink with you, Mr. Clarete,’’ Maeluthe said without hesitation.

Of course, she can’t do that. She can’t hold a drink because she is pregnant but she acted smoothly, convincing him that she’ll give it a go too.

She just wants to make Sebastian company. Even if she can’t ease his heart because of the storytelling, at least the man will know that she doesn’t have to solve the problem alone.

Mae is not used to that thing. In fact, she never once have a real friend.

The truth is, in our lives, we don’t need much. We don’t need so many people around us to listen, to stay. It is enough that you have someone to remind us that we are not alone.

Baste grinned slightly, but it didn’t even reach his eyes.

Surprisingly, Maeluthe just let him be. She first met the man as very contented, so it was refreshingly sad that she was now facing a new Sebastian Clarete.

‘‘She’s back. . .’’ he said bluntly. He played with the spoon he was holding before turning to the woman who was eating the soup in front of him. ‘‘The woman I love.’’

Maeluthe remained silent. What would she possibly do to the man? She didn’t even know what the right words should come out of her mouth.

‘‘May I ask,’’ she began, causing the man to look back at her. ‘‘Why do you seem so burdened about it?’’

The man laughed again.

For a few seconds, Maeluthe’s ear didn’t like that. Why do they often do that? Why do they always hide their true feelings?

‘‘He didn’t come back for me, Attorney.’’

Maeluthe was slightly taken aback. That was just so sad. She chose to keep her mouth shut and just wait for the man if he wanted to tell a story.

‘‘What happened to us was not good to listen to. Since day one, I knew that the love was unrequited. She and my friend became together. I should have just accepted the situation right there. Shouldn’t I stop automatically?'’ The man continued drinking the beer he was holding.

‘’But this,’’ he said, then sadly holding his chest. ‘‘It didn’t stop loving her. My feelings remained hidden. No one else knows the truth, not even my friends. I rather laugh with them than talk about my stupidity, right?’’

He laughed again, but Maeluthe was completely dissatisfied. ‘‘Is she and your friend still together?”

She didn’t mean to pry. It really just feels thrilling for her because the guy doesn’t get any justice for what he felt.

‘‘Ah, not anymore. They broke up years ago. The woman cheated on my friend. The next thing he knew, the woman was married and had a child.’’

Maeluthe’s next frown was frightening. ‘‘Say what?’’

‘‘Now, she had divorced her husband. Still. . . I still don’t know why she returned to the Philippines–’’

‘‘She’s a bitch. Why would she even come back if she was just a cheater in the first place?’’ Maeluthe couldn’t help but get angry because of that. She just fell silent when Baste was shaken.

‘‘I saw her yesterday,’’ he said. ‘‘And this heart of mine seems to be coming out of place.’’

Maeluthe sighed several times. This man’s really doomed. ‘‘Is she that beautiful? What’s her name?’’ she joked.

In fact, she even wanted to stalk her on social media. She can’t stop being curious about the woman.

‘‘She’s Cyra,’’ Baste said with his eyes closed before falling on the sofa and going back to bed. ‘‘Cyra Genesis.’’

***

Since Maeluthe had only one subject to attend at the university, she didn’t have to stress too much. She only took four hours then, so he and Isiaah agreed to meet at the restaurant after class.

On the other hand, she left Baste at Isiaah’s house because he was still very deep asleep. She just left him something to eat when he woke up.

Somehow, she understands the man. Even though she had never experienced that, she could feel the man’s courage. Not everyone is capable of clinging to a year that long. Loving unconditionally is really hard, especially when the person you gave that kind of love to can never offer you the same intensity.

Maeluthe simply caressed her stomach while riding in the taxi that Isiaah himself had taken for her. She could feel frequent headaches but was able to endure them. Also, every time she is distracted, it disappears eventually.

It was only half-past five when she finally reached the restaurant. She chose to go to the parking lot first to see if Isiaah was still there. Since she already knew where he often parked his car, Maeluthe continued walking.

Baste’s story still lingered in her mind, so with full of excitement, she took her cellphone and typed for the name of the woman. In less than a minute, it had found the woman’s Instagram.

Her most recent post was only twenty-five minutes ago, so Maeluthe started to get curious about it. It was a picture of an aisle in a parking lot with the caption, ‘‘Coming back for you.’’

Maeluthe laughed a lot because of this, Baste wasn’t really lying. It’s true that her ex came back here, so now he’s drowning himself in alcohol.

When she saw Isiaah’s car from a distance, the woman was relieved. She was about to call him when she heard the man’s voice somewhere.

Maeluthe cannot be wrong. They had only been together for a few days, but she had already memorized it even though it was the sound of Isiaah’s breathing.

‘‘You got it all wrong. . .’’

Maeluthe frowned but continued walking. Who is he talking to, and do they still need to talk in the parking lot?

‘‘Of course not. It’s all my fault. I’m sorry about that, Isai. But I am back now, and I’ll make it up to you.’’

When she heard the woman’s voice, there were tons of speculation on her mind. Why is he meeting a girl in a parking lot?

Even before her chest was completely covered with thorns, she continued to approach them. Of course, she knew she had the right to do this. But all that confidence vanished when I heard what the man said next.

‘‘Everything’s over, Cyra.’’