Their Unexpected Love

Their destiny can never be predicted nor can be taken for granted. It's already written down on their palms.

Minerva, a bachelorette who is living with her househelp and her tortoises at the 22nd floor in that sky craper building. Part of her daily routine is going to the lift. Sometimes she feels the monotomy but she has no choice at all. Her stilleto Gucci shoes is echoing always in the hallway - a signal that she's on her way to the elevator- rushing to catch the bus at the terminal station downstairs. She is always on the go to her office but she just rides a double decker transportation instead of using her Lexus car for work.Perhaps she's more comfortable and wants to experience how to commute in a public vehicle.

She is always busy with her business trips and office works. She really needs a break to unwind herself but she is just looking for a right timing.

Every Saturday is her jog time. She wakes up early so she can go to the seaside to watch the morning sunrise in the borderline- where the sea and the skyline meet. 

She prepares her tea, plain yogurt, one sliced toasted bread, and one piece of banana. Putting some rapsberry jam on top of her brown bread is her favorite thing to do in her breakfast that's why she really wakes up fifteen minutes before so she has time to enjoy her meal. Afterwards, she makes ready the things that she'll be using in her one day escapade. She wears her lavander and black Nike polyester shirt and short with her Nike lavander and green colored shoes as well as her Nike cap. These stuff are like her uniform every time she goes out for a jogging.

She is ready for her Saturday exercise with her backpack that has snacks and bottled mineral water just in case she feels hungry and thirsty. She's at the seaside first watching the sun that slowly showing its stunning beauty. Smell the salty taste of the waves that are so calm. The seagulls are already there --parading their elegance as though they are going to attend a party. There are early kids who bring kites. Her eyes follow and examine every detail of the butterfly colored kites that gradually swaying up like having a melody in the breathtaking rhythm whiz of the wind. The green mountains afar with the tall buildings are so gorgeous too in that Saturday morning ritual of hers.

While she's still sitting down on her favorite bench, ( that seems she owns it with her name carved on it) she continues watching the nature's beauty, someone sits beside her. She doesn't care at all. She just waits her time to go for a walk and jog. The man asks sorry for not asking her permission to be her seatmate.

Still she doesn't bother.Minerva's sight still follows the returning of the seawaves in the seashore. Its riffles are so gentle and very poetic. The alpha and omega of life.

"Hey Miss, are you just fine?"

"Yeah why?" She asks dryly especially that if she is in her solemn moment she really doesn't want to be disturbed.

"Because your lips are pale."

"Ha ?Of course not! I am not just wearing lipstick that's why."

"Sorry for saying that. By the way I am Daniel."

"I'm Minerva."

He reaches his hand but Minerva feels awkward for such act especially from a stranger-- their acquiantance is only coincidental obviously.

"Are you going for a walk." Daniel asks.

"Yeah, a lil later I still want to see the speedboats and all sea stuff." Saturday is my lone time. My meditation time to be exact."

"That's pretty good."

It's almost 8:30 and Minerva needs to go. She says bye to Daniel. When she almost several meters away from him, he calls her and Minerva turns her back and asks him why.

"Can we see each other next Saturday here? That if you are not that busy." says Daniel.

"This is my place if ever I'm not in my business trip. So see yeah then."

Daniel's deep dimples become more deeper with his smile of happiness knowing that someone wants to talk to him "perhaps" in his vacation-- is his lone time as well away from his work.

He is a bachelor. A half- Spanish and a half-Filipino but he grew up in Spain. He is a mechanical engineer who has plenty of responsibilities in his job as one of the trusted men of their family company. He goes for a short trip to Minerva's place to unwind himself too. Having quite miles away from his workplace helps a lot. He tries to read book while listening the beautiful sound between the ebbs of the tides and the fine sand. It's like a cradle chair for him. So gentle and tranquil while reading his favorite author, Mark Twain's masterpiece book.

It's Monday and it's a new start day again for Minerva. Her work makes her feel dizzy. The monotony triggers her to surrender but it's a must to work because of their summer sale. It seems she is longing for the weekend. She asks herself why. "Is it because of the stranger?" Gosh, erase, erase erase!" Delete, delete, delete him Minerva! She pinches her cheek. 

It's already Friday and she wants to fast forward the time for she's waiting for the day that they will meet again. Yes, that man named Daniel keeps bothering her mind for already almost a week from the time they met. Whether she'll deny it she can't hide the fact.

It's almost midnight but Minerva can't sleep still. She looks for a fresh milk in the refrigerator as her remedy so she can sleep. She doesn't want that Daniel will notice her eye bags perhaps he'll ask her why. She remembers the first time they met that he noticed her lips that looked pale." Maybe tomorrow it will be my eyes that he'll notice?" Oh gosh, why he's always in my mind. This is crazy!" She drinks straight her milk and goes to bed again.

It is seven o'clock in another Saturday morning and Minerva is there already at her favorite seaside bench. Her eyes are gleaming of excitement as though a child waiting for her mother to comeback home buying her favorite doll. She looks around and no Daniel is there. She feels bad and decides to just go to the jogging area a bit and go back perhaps Daniel is waiting for her then. When she almost leaves, someone calls her. 

"Hello Minerva!" Daniel is calling her from a boat. Her eyes turn big like the sun that she loves watching.

"What are you doing? Why you are riding that? You'll go fishing?  

"What kind of question is that? "Join me here."

She goes to the seashore and Daniel helps her to climb in the boat.

"This is unexpected!" She tells him but deep inside she is so happy upon seeing her face calling at her.

"We go for fishing. I have two fishing rods." He helps her wear her life jacket while their eyes meet. Very close. Their lips are almost caressing. Full of desire. Daniel cuts that moment by telling her to enjoy their ride in the middle of the sea which she really likes.

She's not doing that stufff for a long long time because she is always busy. Her time is consumed almost all in her work but she'll see to it that she has an exercise for the weekend. But fishing or bonding with friends like that is nada. 

Daniel drives the boat. He is an expert for that because he used to do it in Spain. When they arrive from that bluish water with fish swimming around. The sea seems calling their names romantically.

Daniel gives her fishing rod and they start catching and talking to their own biographies in life. They really enjoy and their laughters are like live magic love songs in the air. It seems Anne Murray is singing for them in a concert that only both of them are her audience. They finish the day with so much glee. Minerva remembers that there will be an occasion in her condo the next weekend and she can't go with him or meet him in the seaside.

"I am sorry for that Daniel"

"It's all fine Minerva. I have an idea. Why you won't invite me for that occasion so I can go to your own place and see the scene also there as part of my vacation? Isn't it a good suggestion coming from me who you've just met? He laughs.

"You are really straightforward ha?"

"You know life must be like that. Real. No pretension."

"I can't agree you more for that. Okay see you on Saturday again but this time in my pad."

"Can I get your number so I can add you on my whatsapp?"

 "Yeah, of course! That's perfect!"

The next Saturday comes and Daniel is waiting at the lobby. Minerva goes down to fetch him but she cannot understand why her heart beats faster and faster. He sees Daniel and guides her to the lift going to the 22nd floor. They are both in. No one goes up except them. Minerva's heart is throbbing. They are at the third floor when the elevator stops suddenly and no light at all. She is really afraid. Daniel tells him to be calm because he knows that that buiding has absolutely a generator. He hugs Minerva to calm her. Minerva also reaches her hand to his neck, to his broad shoulders and they kiss. They can't hide their feelings anymore.

"You are an engineer right? Why don't you fix this first so we can go up, the visitors are waiting for us."

I have to fix first my heart before that. Remember , the elevator stops at the third floor. Is this a sign? And oh I am getting old." He kisses her more and more till the lights turn on.