Yesterday's Sunrise

"This is perfect!" John exclaimed. "The sunrise, tea and freshly-baked blueberry muffins remind us to take a break once in a while."

"The Lake House is so lovely," Celina told her husband. "it makes my tea taste even better." She dipped the tea bag while John is stirring his coffee. 

John and Celina skipped heavy breakfast so that they can enjoy coffee and tea by the lake. The caretaker told them to catch up the morning sunshine because the sunrise there is breathtaking. You cannot miss the sun as it takes time to go up behind the lake, the rays come out one ray after the other. It gives warmth that kisses your cheeks as it renews your soul. 

"How did you find this property?" Asked Celina.

John sipped his coffee. "Well, the owner is trying to sell this property to me. I told him that I have other priorities but he asked me to experience the property." 

"Is that why you decided to spend your birthday here?" Celina took a bite of her muffins. 

"Ha ha, I just thought this is best for us," John laughed. "This is the best way I can celebrate my 50th birthday with our family, Paul and Vivien's family plus our 3 grandchildren."

Paul is the eldest son who brought his wife and 2 sons. While Vivien gave birth recently to a daughter, who will be seen by John and Celina for the first time today. 

Celina held John's hand. "Thank you. I know you have been busy with real estate business, travel and other stuff. We have more than enough time to relax, chat, play with the kids and cuddle our 2-month old granddaughter." 

John is a very goal-oriented man who rose from being a real estate agent in Canada until he started to build properties for sale. For ten years, he made sure that the properties that his partners build must be distinct, meet every buyer's taste and artistic. He travelled in several countries to get an idea on how each property is designed and built there then incorporate every new idea to their upcoming property. 

"Let them enjoy their time here," said John. "There is a spacious outdoor playground. No worries about the food as I hired a chef and his team to take care of everything."

"That makes our sunrise and breakfast extraordinary today," Celina glanced at the sparkling gem behind the lake. "We have food, family and view together in one sunrise." 

"Mom! Mom!" Vivien called from the lanai. "Come on inside. We played some classic movie." 

Celina stood up. "What movie?" 

Vivien displayed a wide smile. "You know that do-re-mi thing." 

John was laughing. "I know that movie, we grew up with it. Let's go so that I can carry my little angel." 

They can no longer count the number of times they watched the movie, The Sound of Music. It became a part of their movie night and celebrations at home. Maybe five years ago, the year when John started to travel in different countries, they stopped having family weekend movie marathon. 

The great room of the property was a picture of a happy family reunion filled with giggles, teasing and laughter. The kids are playing monopoly on the floor, Paul and Vivien's husband are playing chess, John is sitting at the couch cuddling his granddaughter while the rest are focused on watching the movie. It was noisy, but the noise brings so much joy. 

Paul excused himself when he heard the huge metal gate of the property opened. Two SUVs and a black van parked. 

"Sir," Danny the caretaker called. "You have visitors looking for you." 

"Visitors?!" Vivien felt shocked and annoyed. 

John gave the baby to the nanny to meet his visitors at the parking lot. He went out of the main door looking away to avoid the eyes in the room. 

"Welcome, Mr. Herico!" John shook the hand of a medium-built man who was wearing a hawaiian-printed top, white pants, white cowboy hat, sunglasses and holding a pipe. "Thank you for coming all the way to Alberta." John smiled with excitement. 

Vivien overheard the conversation and saw people alighted from the other 2 vehicles. 

"Mom, I thought it will be just us!" Vivien turned her back from the glass window with a scowl on her face. 

"I have no idea. I did not know that John invited visitors." Celina said, trying to hide her disappointment.

The guests were escorted by Danny to the tent setup at the garden facing the lake for the buffet lunch. The food is already served, which the menu was picked by the old couple. 

John entered the house. 

" Can I have a word with you, John?" Celina asked him in a very soft, calm voice. 

"I have to attend to the...."

"It won't be long." Celina walked straight to the master's bedroom. Paul and Vivien followed them and remained at the slightly opened door to hear the conversation. 

"Make it quick." John said. 

Celina looked straight into his eyes. "What is going on John? The visitors, why are they here?" 

"Of course, there are visitors in every celebration!" John said in scornful grin. "But more than a visitor, Mr. Herico and I are going to start a business venture in hotel membership. That's why I invited him here to finalize everything." 

"On the day that you are suppose to spend time with the family and make up for the lost time?" Celina spoke in quavering voice, doing her best to control her anger. "You promised that when you reach the age of 50, you will retire as long as you have saved up more than enough for retirement. We have so much already. We can slow down now and watch the grandkids grow." 

John shook his head in disagreement and took a deep breath. "I am a businessman, Celina. Any businessman would rather invest his money to a profitable opportunity than to keep it for spending. I just want to increase my money before I retire. I am doing this so that we can all benefit from it." 

"But not here, not during exclusive family celebration!" Celina said.

"But they are my family too!" John exclaimed. 

Vivien entered the room. "Is there a difference between us your family and your so-called family?" 

"Profit it is!" John put his palm on his forehead. "One day you will see that all my effort is for our own good. So that all of us can live the life that other people are still dreaming of." 

"You are unbelievably slave of money." Paul said. 

"Enough of this!" John walked towards the door. "You may rest in your rooms after lunch while I attend to my guests," John leaned his head to look at Celina. "Then tonight, I will ask the chef to prepare a sumptuous dinner for us so I can MAKE UP FOR THE LOST TIME!" 

John and Mr. Herico spent the afternoon planning on how to buy foreclosed hotels and resorts, renovate the properties and offer membership. John got excited about the idea of reinventing properties because he stayed in various hotels during his travel. He can surely put together the good things he experienced in every hotel that he went to. Mr. Herico's executive assistant wrote down every detail and his Business Development Director committed to present the whole plan in the next executive meeting.

It was around 5 o'clock in the afternoon when they left. John asked one of the service crews to inform his family to prepare for dinner. He then went to the garden chair they used in the morning, facing the lake, to see if the sunset is as spectacular as the sunrise. The sunset delivers a message of relaxation, how much more if the moonlight reflects on the lake? That would mean serenity, it's like the moonlight tells you, 'well done for today.'

"Excuse me, Sir," Danny called from his back. "Your family left after they had lunch. I asked them if I should call you but they told me not to bother you." 

John, who looked at the caretaker locked his stare for a minute as if he is in front of a blank wall. "Did I hear it right?" He asked himself. 

"Is there anything you want the chef to prepare for you, Sir?" 

He blinked twice but his mind escaped for a moment, he ran out of words to say because his mind was busy analyzing things. "I'll have some coffee." 

The caretaker left. The outdoor lights turned on. The house music has stopped. Slowly, the moon became more visible as it created a trail of narrow light on the lake from the moon toward him. 

"How I wish Celina can see this. She would love this for sure." John's eyes met the moonlight while he searched his heart for genuine appreciation for its beauty but found none.

--—-----------------------------

"John....John," he heard voice of a woman calling him. It was easy to hear at this time, in a very quiet 6 o'clock in the evening when only the chirping of the crickets surround the chilly night, as he sits at the outdoor lounge chair wearing a pair of cotton long sleeves and pants holding a beige fleece blanket.

He looked up at his right side. It was Lisa, on duty nurse of Calgary Senior Village Retirement Suites.

"It's cold out here," she said. "Your salmon in olive oil, rosemary and thyme is ready at your dining table. A simple birthday treat from us. It's your favorite."

"Did I get any message? Or something?" John asked Lisa. It's his 63rd birthday today, he has been celebrating his birthday alone in this place for 3 years. No one ever came.

"Not today, John." Lisa answered. " You know, maybe they are busy."

"They have been busy for long. Not one of them remembered. For many years, I tried to reach out to them but they did not only closed the doors, they cut the communication line. " John veered towards the lake. The moon reflected the same, familiar shape from long ago. "I always believed that the reflection of the moonlight on the lake brings serenity, it comforts you. But now, why does the moonlight reminds me of pain and regret that digs deep inside me, to bind me in shackles that gets heavier every year?"

Lisa put her hand on his shoulders. "I wish I had the answers to release you from such. Do not allow the moonlight to torment you...You need to go inside before you catch a cold, okay?"

"Alright, I'll stay here for while."

John leaned his back on the lounge chair and hugged his fleece blanket. He found himself yearning for someone to talk to and share the view that he never had a chance to share. He was whispering in the wind. A few words started to come out of his mouth until it became thoughts, feelings waiting to be expressed, yet it ended to be suppressed "Why?" For years he asked this. "Why? When I chose to buy comfort and luxury, I expected to keep my family together. I gained groups of people I can call family yet no one stayed. How come when I can afford everything, I felt I had nothing? And why? No matter how beautiful the moonlight is, the beauty of sunrise the next day does not have the same warmth as yesterday. The day does not move backward, all the more it is difficult for me to move on with it." John curled up in the lounge chair to fit in his fleece.