Chapter 13

Nova saw Gianna entered the office at the corner of her eyes. Still, she kept staring at the blinking cursor on the blank document on the computer. It has been a week since Aldous left, and it puzzled her why she felt bored and empty most of the time when she had been on her own in that apartment for years now. It seemed that having someone for a short period was not good at all. It will make you long for that someone’s presence once gone.

Nova heaved a sigh and turned off the computer; wasting electricity was not good either.

“I have good news for you,” said Gianna as she sat on the edge of the table.

She raised her head and looked at her friend. “What is it?”

“Three of our kittens under foster care will be adopted. Their foster parents called yesterday and one this morning to inform us,” Gianna told her, grinning from ear to ear.

Nova was happy to hear that.

“I guess I should open the computer again to do the paper works.” She hit the power button.

“What’s eating you these days?” Her friend grabbed her chin and tilted her head upwards. “Come on. You can tell me what’s bothering you.”

She leaned back against her seat and met her friend’s gaze. They were looking at each other in silence before she could finally speak up.

“I…I have never felt this way before,” Nova said, breaking the silence.

“Eh? What do you mean by that?” Gianna folded her arms and continued looking at her, now with furrowed brows.

“It’s weird…” she palmed her chest. “in here.”

Her friend started laughing. That kind of laughter would wake someone’s senses.

“Why are you laughing like that? It’s not even funny.”

“How can you be this naive about it?” Gianna shook her head and slammed a hand on the table. “How can someone like you who writes about love stories can be this clueless?”

She was stunned for a moment. Could it be…

Nova briskly shook her head. What her friend was talking about was impossible. She could not possibly be in love with a stranger.

“I don’t believe in a whirlwind romance.” She arched a brow.

Even in her stories, she never used that whirlwind romance thing. Love is a process. It has timing. Love, at first sight, was not real; it was a mere infatuation that could lead to something greater.

“Come on, girl. Love is strange. Sometimes it doesn’t have the decency to warn people.” Gianna raised her left pinky. “Let’s have a bet. You can cut my finger if I lose.”

Nova smirked. “You can’t make me bet for a finger, dear.”

“You’re such a sly with a cold heart. I thought we’re friends.” Gianna pouted her lips. “How about I’ll buy a copy of each of your books?”

“That…sounds better.” She leaned towards her friend. “So, what should I do now?”

“Go to where your heart takes you.”

“My heart doesn’t have a pair of feet, you know.” Her friend flicked her forehead. “Ouch!”

“Stop acting dumb. It doesn’t suit you.”

***

Nova must be out of her mind, or perhaps she was bored to death to follow her friend’s advice. She traveled all the way from Batangas to Bulacan to see Aldous. Thanks to the power of technology, she was able to arrive at his place. Now it was just a matter of asking the locals where his house was located exactly.

She pulled over in front of a store and lowered her windshield.

“Hi, good afternoon.” Nova beamed widely. “I’m looking for Aldous Santiago’s house. Do you know where it is?”

“Aldous?” the man who was about to buy from the store asked.

“That good-looking son of Lorelai,” said the middle-aged woman store owner.

“Ah, yes! I remember now.” the man said and pointed at the crossroad ahead. “Turn left. You will see a blue gate at the end of the road. That’s their house.”

“Oh, thank you.” Nova nodded.

She followed the instructions, and soon she was pulling over in front of the blue gate at the end of the road. From the driver’s seat, she saw that the gate was open as well as the main door. But she could not see anyone inside. Perhaps they were inside the bedroom or the kitchen.

Nova grabbed the basket of fresh fruits that she bought for Aldous’s mother and got off her car swiftly. She closed the door and heaved a deep sigh before walking towards the opened gate. She was not sure if Aldous would like her surprise visit. She could at least give him a call before heading there, right? But Nova never did.

She was almost halfway in Aldous’s front yard when he came out of the house, carrying a plastic of garbage that he suddenly dropped when he saw her.

“N-Nova…” Aldous crossed their distance and grasped her arm. He pulled her near the gate. “What are you doing here?”

She looked at him straight in the eyes, trying to read what was on his mind. And just like what she expected, there was a glint of surprise in them.

“Well…” She cocked her head to the side. “I thought it would be nice to visit my mother-in-law.”

“M-mother-in-law—”

“Did you forget already that you and I—”

“I know…it’s just that I didn’t expect you to be here.” Aldous let go of her arm. “And we have no plans yet to tell—”

She put her finger on his lips to prevent him from talking.

“Just tell them that I’m a friend.”

“A very special friend,” he added as he lowered his gaze on the basket of fruits. “It’s quite heavy, isn’t it? Let me carry that for you.”

“Sure.” She handed him the basket and walked with him to the house.

“How did you find my place?” Aldous asked afterward.

“Come on! It’s the age of technology.”

He laughed shortly. “Yeah, right.”

“Ma! Mama! Kuya’s girlfriend is here!” a teenager announced the moment Nova stepped inside the house.

“Uh-oh…” She looked at Aldous, who was already looking at her at that moment.

When his mother emerged from the bedroom, Nova immediately sauntered towards her and paid her respect.