Fragments.

“Hmmm? What should I get? This one or that one?” I was busy looking some soap in the grocery when a boy tugged my shirt. I didn’t mind and continue looking for a better soap, maybe he just tugged it accidentally but noooo. He kept on tugging. “What’s up, little boy?” I asked and smiled at him. He surely got a problem. He looks so sad. “I’m lost, Miss” he said in a monotone voice. He sounded as if he’s either depressed or don’t really care at all. He reminds me of someone. “Sure, let’s find—“

“Why are you here? Let’s go” a man cut me off and carried the boy. “Uhm, excuse me?” The man turned to looked at me and looked shocked. “You?” he asked as if he already seen me. I smiled, “I was just gonna give this. It fell off” I returned the boy’s handkerchief to him and for a moment our hands touched. It’s like there’s an electric shock that made me took off my hands as it touched. “Did you felt something?” the man asked and I shooked my head. I turned to the opposite way they’re going and again, “Wait!” he said but I just shouted, “I gotta go, It’s already late!” No. It’s not because it’s late. It’s because I felt something when his hands touched mine. I felt pain and as if something is telling me. Run, run, run. I glanced for a moment before heading to my car. The man is still there looking at me, standing, waiting, and looking as if he was abandoned by something or even someone.

The cold wind embraces me as I went outside to greet my boyfriend. “Chocolate cookies? You really know my favorite, huh?” I smirked then he just pat my head. “By the way, I already prepared some dinner. Shall we?” I looked at him and I knew it. He’s not going to stay with me this night. “Baby, I’m sorry” he apologized and kissed my hand. That’s when his phone rang.

The other voice on the line can be heard.

“Hello? Colonel Zackley?”

“The situation’s bad. We need you here.”

I didn’t heard all of it though because I went too prepare him some food to eat along the way. He looked sad. “Baby, I’ll make it up to you.” I shushed him and gave him my goodbye kiss. “Don’t worry, I’ll continue my training and join you in the team, Col. Zackley” I laughed in between the lines. He just shrugged and went his way.

“I’m sorry, we can’t be together, Lou” I turned around to leave but he’s so persistent!

He grabbed my hand and kissed me. “Ssssh, I know it’s complicated because of Father but I’ll fight for you”

“Why? Quit it. I’m gonna be your step mom, eventually. Just respect the circumstances”

Once again, he held my hand. “No”

“Why?”

“It’s because I love you, Mikayle” He caressed my face and whispered, “I love you. Always remember that”

“What are you doing Mika?! Stay put or the car will crash!”

“We shouldn’t return to your father or else we’ll be dead! Turn it around!”

“No! No! We can talk it out! I know that father really loves the both of us so he’ll let us be happy.”

“That’s why we’re getting out of this town! We’ll live happily with our child. We should escaped this cruel reality that we’re in. We’ll change the fact that I had an affair—“

“Mikaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Louisssssssssssse! Stop!”

A sound of a gun was all over the place. If it wasn’t for the dark, silent road, the set of two cars  would look like there’s a racing going on. With just the light of the moon, a fast truck bumped into one of the cars, and the other car was sent over to the cliff. From then on.....

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah No! No! No!”

“Hey, Emma! You okay, Hon?” The worried looked in the face of my husband is what I saw as soon as I woke up. Really grateful my husband woke me up. I was almost a goner. I hugged him suddenly and kept crying.

I went to the bathroom while still panting. “Mikasa? Louise? Just who are they?” I mumbled at myself . “Why? Why does it damn hurts?” still mumbling to myself. My husband back hugged me. “Sssh, hon. It’s okay. I’m here.” While my husband’s comforting me and telling me not to overstress myself, something came to me. When my husband and I met, he told me that I looked like a mess, maybe because I got into an accident he said. He took me to a hospital and that’s when we found out something. In addition, I can’t really remember my whereabouts and really haven’t been able to talk for months until I’ve recovered. And there’s this man, he—he visits me, he’s a therapist. But my husband seems to forgot about him and never really mentioned him unlike how he mentioned other nurses and doctors who helped me recovered. Yet, it’s just weird, that therapist I mean, he’s—Aaaaah! I can’t remember! One thing I know is that, I’m a former military officer .“I keep dreaming about it, Hon.” I told him, “But maybe, that’s just fragments of my past. I don’t care about it as long as I’m with you and the kids now” telling him and not wanting him to worry. I don’t care, huh? That’s what I thought I’d feel but I know I’d want to have an answer.

It was Sunday evening. My family gathered for a dinner. My daughter, Sasha went home early from school to helped me prepare for it while my son, Sourj went all the way from L.A. to here, it’s because he moved out for college and he definitely don’t want to miss family gatherings since we only see each other in times like this.

“Hey, Hon!”

“Daddy!”

“Dad!”

My husband came to me and kissed me in the forehead like he usually do as he arrived home. And did the same to Sasha, and hugged Sourj. We started eating and did a lil’ bit of chit-chat. But it’s just too odd. My husband was silent during our dinner time which is somewhat too bothering. I ain’t saying that he’s loud, he’s actually the silent type but he’d usually asked our children about their school, if they’re doing good or nah, if they’ve got some problems or nah which really made our children comfortably opening up to us whenever they’re struggling in school or they just really have a problem personally.

We finished our dinner and went to our rooms. As we were laying, I asked my husband what could be the problem. He hugged me immediately and said, “Sorry, Hon. I know you don’t want to hear this, but Keena’s got into a fight and she’s in a coma” I was shocked. “Why? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?!” I cried and punched him in his chest. He just hugged me while rubbing my back. I looked up to him and asked, “When did you?—“ He immediately answered, “Sources. I was  just told earlier, I’m sorry”. I couldn’t stop crying. Why? We were just talking on Skype, yesterday. We were supposed to hangout today, but I told her that we can’t because of our special dinner and invited her, but she refused. So I promised her, that we’d go shopping after it. Why did it happened to her? Am I too late? No!

I woke up early that morning and told my family I’ll be seeing Keena. Keena’s my bestfriend and I need to be there for her. I immediately looked for her room as soon as I arrived in the hospital.

“Oh my! Keena! What did you to deserve this?” I hugged her body that’s connected to a machine. “I’m sorry , I’m sorry, I’m sorry” I whispered as I kept crying. “Instead of crying, why don’t you investigate those delinquents that ganged up on her? “ Someone handed me a handkerchief. It’s—it’s, It’s the man!

“You’re the man I saw in the?” Instead of looking at me he checked Keena, “The guys who picked a fight with her, they are around ages 17-21. Seems they are affiliated with the man she raid before.” He explained while getting frustrated, “Dang! Youth these days.”

I wonder, why is he telling me all of this? Just because I’m a former member of the Investigation Team? Wait! How? “How do you know? Are you an acquaintance of mine?”

He looked at me for a moment and said, “You don’t remember?” He kneel down on me infront of my seat, “Please, don’t make me wait for more.” Tears fell down from his eyes all of a sudden.  “W-wh-why? D-did I jeopardize you to treat me this way? Father’s already gone” sobs in between his lines. “You told me, we’re going to live happily with our child? I just want one thing.” He held my hand and caressed it. I cried, why does it hurts? “It’s to be with you again. Let’s stop the chase and the chaser game now, Mikayle. Please?”

“Mikayle?”

Silence conquered the room. Only the machine that was connected to Keena was heard.

All of a sudden, fragments of memories came rushing into my mind. Aaah! My head hurts! I can’t hold it any longer. The last thing I saw was him as he held my back and caressed my face. “Mikayle”

“Mikayle”

“Mikayle”

“Mikayle”

I woke up and noticed that I’m not in Keena’s room already. Where am I? t’s definitely not my room, I’m in a room that has gold painted walls, bookshelves filled with so many books, had its floor covered with a red carpet, and it seems like I’m a princess who just woke up seeing her aesthetically pleasing room built in her won castle. But there’s this one thing that caught my eye, a portrait. I went near it and recognized who they are.

“Glad you’re awake”

“Louise. That’s you.”

“Oh? Seems like you already knew it my beloved Mika.”

“I’m sorry. I mean, I didn’t run away from you. After the incident, I immediately looked for you since you’re nowhere to be found. I woke up and you’re not already there beside me”

I touched Louise convincing him to believe me. “After that, I met Echo, who helped me throughout my downfall and I married him. I knew it, the therapist? You’re that man! And the person that always appears in my dream and I see sometimes” I cried knowing how I haven’t recognized the love of my life sooner.

“And our child? Why? Why did you have to be with another man knowing you already have me?” That surely hit me, man. I turned around not wanting to look him in the eye, not wanting him to accused me of running away. Again.

“After Dad? Me? You abandoned me? Not only that, Mika. I’ve waited and yet?” He turned and turned around me scrutinizing how I’d react to the words he’s throwing to me. HE stopped, and whispered into my ears “And our child?” He kissed my shoulders and for a moment the longing I’ve felt vanished. “I-I kept him, he’s doing fine. He’s now in college”

“ I see. You’re living happily with your family now, and it makes me envy” he looked down as if he don’t know what he’s going to do now. “Don’t worry, we can still be happy together!” I said reassuring him that it’ll be fine.

“How? Are you going to abandon your family and come with me? Can you do that?” Without even thinking the consequences, I answered him, “Yes”. He just laughed, laughed and laughed until his laugh didn’t feel joyous anymore, it sounded like anguish, pain, and anger. “Of course, Mika! You can do it! You’re good at running away when things get tough!” He massaged his neck for a moment and glared at me. “Do you regret regaining your memories? Because I’m a part of it and I know I’m the memory you’d never want to remember” I didn’t respond to what he said, instead I hugged him and we stayed like that. Me hugging him, and him putting his chin into my neck, I can feel his breath though. “Lou, you’re not a memory. You’re more than that ‘cause you’re a part of me” We didn’t mind as the time passes by.

“Emma”

“Emma”

“Hmmm?” I looked and, “Echo?” I asked assuring it was him. If it’s Echo, then? “Where’s Lou?!” My husband frowned, “Who is that?” he asked. “The room? Where am I? Why am I here?” I responded. My husband seemed to freaked out, “What room? What Lou? It’s just you and me in this room”. He explained while I still looked and looked around, “What happened? I was in a golden room that’s so beautiful so why?” I was confused? I was just with Lou, earlier. Why am I here? “Are you dreaming? When I arrived here, I seen you already sleeping in the couch. You must be tired” He grabbed my hand and told me that we’ll go home but I insist. “No, I won’t go home.” And ran away from him. I heard his footsteps following me that’s why I stopped. “I told you, I’m not going home!” he grabbed my hand quickly and I took his hands before it touched mine. “Please? Let’s go, Hon.” He said and I glared at him, “No, I won’t. Not with you” I ran as fast as I could before he even got the chance to trace and follow me again. Thank God I’ve been in the military, I’ve still got stamina.

I paused for a moment when I realized where I was. It was Zackley’s residence. Years passed by and it didn’t changed a bit. It’s still beautiful the way it was.

“Mika, you’ve come”

“If it’s for you, Lou” I almost kissed him when he pushed me softly. “Why?” I asked and filled the gap between us. “Our son, what’s his name?” I smiled and told him, “Sourj, he’s a good kid. He’s just like you.” Oh wait! The boy he carried before. “By the way, who’s that boy? In the grocery?I-is he your?” He laughed as a response. “You thought so? he’s not, he’s just a child of my coworker”

“ I see, Mika. You don’t need me already, aye?” Lou said while smiling. What? “What are you saying? Now that we’ve come together?!” I hit him softly. He just pat me in the head. There was silence in an instant. So I broke it off, “I’m sorry for all the troubles I’ve caused you in your family” I said sobbing, I just can’t contain the pain that I’m feeling right now for hurting him. “If I hadn’t met your father, and lastly, you. You shouldn’t be in a complicated situation right at the moment.” I continued. “The accident, the memories I lost because of it. I am to blame for all of it, I couldn’t face reality that’s why I just kept running” I added in length. “Sssh. You just did it because you want a happy life. You did great!” He chuckled. How am I? “Now, Mika. Just promise me, don’t run away now. Treasure your family and live happily with them” He planted a peck in my head and seems like he read my mind, “Don’t worry about me now. I’ll be fine. Just go back to see Keena and your family” He excreted his arm that was in mine. “Where are you going?” He went on the other side of the road. “I’ll always be waiting for you, Mika. Even in the other side of the world” 



A bus passed by and I didn’t hear what he just said. After that he smiled and started to walked away. “Wait, Lou!” I ran after him but almost got hit by a car. “What are you doing?!” The driver shouted at me and I stopped. I sat again in front of Zackley’s mansion. An old woman stopped to looked at me. “What are you doing here this late?’ I answered her nonchalantly, “I’m waiting for Louise Zackley” She was shocked that made me gasped.

“What?! You haven’t heard? There’s no one in the house now!”

My forehead creased. “The Colonel died from accident and his son who was a Doctor got into an accident also,” She paused a bit seems like remembering what she know, “Oh! I heard when his son got back he stopped talking for quite some time and when he did, he told his staffs in his clinic that he’ll quit his job to wait for his beloved” I cried when I heard that to the old lady and asked to confirmed, “That, beloved is that Mika?’” She stopped and think for a moment. “Yep, it sounded like that but I heard he waited for her until he finally die—“ I was shocked. “What?! No I just talked-“ No, it’s not true!

The old lady smiled and said, “Don’t worry, he’s still going to wait for you” She walked away and in a moment a cold breeze hit my face softly and when it hit me, I heard a voice. “I’ll wait, Mika”