Epilogue

Maeluthe Legson’s point of view

“On the charge of forcible confinement, how do you find?”

“We find the defendant not guilty.”

“On the charge of uttering death threats, how do you find?”

“We find the defendant not guilty.”

“On the charge of sexual assault, how do you find?”

“We find the defendant not guilty.”

“On the charge of assault and battery, how do you find?”

“We find the defendant guilty.”

“Alright. Thank you,” the judge said calmly, then ended the trial. He also set a date for the sentencing.

I continued to fix things because my foot was so itchy on the way home. I also feel very hungry.

In fact, Isi and Isiaah were already waiting for me at the agreed restaurant.

“Come on, come on. What happened?”

My head was hot when I faced Mr. Of Jesus. I looked at it then turned to the woman crying on the side of that courtroom — he’s wife.

“You were acquitted on three of the four charges, Mr. De Jesus.”

I tried to ignore the man. Gradually, I became more and more remorseful for defending him so much. He’s a jerk, after all.

“So how come they find me guilty on the fourth, Attorney?”

Holding my bag in my right hand, I started walking out there. I never looked at the woman crying on the side again.

“Because you hit her,” I simply laughed. “Let’s just meet again for sentencing.”

The man didn’t stop and actually even followed me. “You think I’ll be jailed because of that?”

I can’t believe this man. He still can’t imagine how serious the situation is now.

I have met many like him. Shameless, thick-faced assholes. They are the type of people that even if you do that, even if you slap them in the face, they won’t care.

They’ll exit the place head-on and easily forget what happened without admitting their mistakes.

“We’ll see about that.” I picked up the cellphone and typed a message for my husband and son.

I’m on my way. The appointment just finished.

“I can really kill that woman when I’m imprisoned because of her madness,” said the man with a very thick face.

I threw sharp looks at him before speaking. “You do that, okay? Just don’t ever hire me as a lawyer again!”

I just need to run the distance of that corridor until I get out. Everything about this is very annoying! These kinds of guys don’t deserve to live either.

“Attorney!”

“Wait, Attorney Jacinto!”

For the past five years, Isiaah has not been selfish to me. He did not limit me to what I wanted to do or not so restrict, forced me to stay home to take care of our child. In fact, he was still screaming like crazy when I graduated. He even jumped like crazy when I was able to pass the board examination.

He never limits me on doing the things that I want, he even supports me in everything.

Meeting him was the best thing that ever happened in my life.

When my parents died, I locked myself in a place that no one could ever break. I don’t let myself have friends or even laugh at all. I somehow punished myself for the death of my parents. I temporarily blamed myself for why they disappeared so early.

But what they say is true. It’s true that when you see the person who is willing to do everything for you, you start to breathe, to move — that’s what Isaiah did to me.

Back then, I thought, I also wanted to be happy. I no longer want to torment myself by blaming it for what happened. I thought my parents would not be happy there, so I chose to face the days while looking forward to seeing and being with him.

Love, can never really be forced. It will not come in whenever you ask. It will not come when you are desperate to find it.

Love will come on a day you never expected. That is when you are tired of waiting, when you are tired of acting okay, and you are losing hope and self-confidence.

You can’t find that love.

That love will find you.

You will be found then and will be encouraged, you will be forced to get up, smile and be happy.

I didn’t know those things before. I lack experience. When my parents died, it was only then that I became aware of the world along with the problems and suffering.

It’s difficult. It is not like what we think and dream.

That love allows me to be free. That love encouraged me again to become the person who I wanted to be.

I became a lawyer with the help of friends, family, especially my very handsome Isiaahs. They supported me wholeheartedly, both physically and emotionally.

The route I took has not been easy in those five years, but I did my best to stay strong, solid and resilient.

Everything’s fine now. I promised them that I would now recover from the hardships they had gone through in supporting me.

That I would be a better mother, wife, son, and friend.

I will no longer be afraid of the future, for it belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. As long as we dream, whether we take a long or fast route, we will reach the destination at the same time as we reach our dreams.

Yes. There will be obstacles, there will be mistakes, but if you believe in yourself that much. . . there will be no limits.

What I went through was difficult. It is even harder than how hard everyone thinks, but back then I did promise myself that no matter how hard it gets, I should never give up — not just for myself but for everyone behind me, the who never stopped believing in me.

I smiled a lot when I arrived at the restaurant where the father and son were. According to Isai, Isi had something to say — something big and very important. I wonder what it is especially since they even thought of having dinner outside even though we are used to eating at home.

Isai is happy. I know very well how happy Isiaah is with what he has now, and I am so thankful for it.

He’s the kind of guy who is quick to be content with everything, he over-appreciates the things he has and strives for what he doesn’t have.

He is not the type of man who will tell me all the plans, that man who will boast around or show off. The man is quiet, he will fight, but you will be surprised because he will tell you good things. It’s just like the continuous increase in the number of branches of the restaurant he owns, the franchiser from Thailand who contacted him one year ago — all in all.

He won’t be able to brag about everything even though he has the right to do that, and I really admired him for that. He stays lowkey then consumes spare time for the family.

He still hasn’t changed, and if anything, it was his improvements. That’s why I’m just as happy when I see the man really happy because he worked hard for it, and he deserves it more than anybody.

While our child, Isi, is in Kindergarten now. He can do things alone. He can talk and think really, really fast and he’s really handsome.

I had no experience in being a mother when we had him, but I still do everything I can to make him a better person every day. Supposedly, at a young age, I was already training him in small and simple things that he could learn to make it his stepping stone to the betterment of his life.

I don’t want the child to be like me. I was really spoiled back then until I grew up, so when I left my parents, I literally felt the collapse of a life.

I don’t want him to be like me.

“Oh! Mommy is here!”

I faced them with a wide smile, waving.

The two who are very alike grinned at me as they waited for me to get closer.

“I told you ‘don’t smile too much, you’re becoming like Isi.’ I jokingly told my husband why he pout imitating the child near him.

I kissed them on both cheeks at the same time and then sat in front of them.

“How was the trial?” Isaiah’s initial question. He knows very well and is also looking forward to the case of Mr. De Jesus.

“He was acquitted with assault and battery. I don’t know what the sentence will be, but because it’s a first offense, maybe it’s just probation, especially since he was the person taking care of their child. I don’t really care about him, that jerk should be in jail right now–”

“Hey!” Isiaah laughed as he covered the ear of the boy next to him. “He’s your client, alright?”

I was just frustrated because there was nothing else I could do about it. I just turned to the child who has been smiling at me until now.

“So, what’s up?” I barely picked up the menu that was still at the table. The two of them actually waited for me before ordering something to eat.

The two did not answer me. Instead, they just looked at each other.

Full of curiosity, I lowered the menu I was holding and stared sharply at the two. “What is this about?”

I first looked at Isiaah, his eyes widened slightly, and then shrugged so I looked at Isi but he did the same.

“Come on! Tell me. Include me in what you know. This isn’t a big deal, right?” I still haven’t gotten an answer from them. Seriously? “Hey! It’s not like Isi has a girlfriend already—”

“I have a girlfriend, Mom.”

My jaw dropped as I looked back and forth at my husband and child. I made a few sighs before I could finally speak. “What?!”

My crooked gaze fell on Isiaah who was still holding back a laugh. “You f-cking @$ &#$ @$! You teach as much as @#$# @ what to that kid!”

Even though my words and swearing at Isiaah could be considered a slap, he just continued to laugh, watching my face turn red with annoyance while his hands were still covering the child’s ears.

I couldn’t help but smile. There is no perfect family. In fact, I guess I am the black sheep in the family. But aren’t those flaws also meaningless if everyone does everything to protect and have a harmonious family relationship?

When you already have your own family, there is no ending. . . whether it is sad, gloomy, happy, things don’t stop happening, and you’ll end up facing all the struggles and pain all over again.

Life is a series of open-ended stories. But as long as I am with the family, when I have the mightiest husband and my brightest son, I will still choose to go through all the pain and problems as long as at the end of each day their warm hugs await.

I will never regret it all. From the night the claimed me forever until the night we were able to meet again.

And even if I were given millions of opportunities to go back in time and change that, I would still repeatedly choose to fall into Isiaah’s arms that night. . . muttering the words of pleasure, hearing him say that I am his virgin.