Chapter 21: We Were But We Were Not

Divina had waited for a few weeks before their head had granted Alfredo permission to travel at the border. Divina feels extremely grateful towards her former lover and now, he had been their bridge for her to meet Marco again. Alfredo and Divina will travel to the border today. The sun hasn't risen yet but they need to go because of the long travel, it is estimated that they would've arrived a few hours just before noon and would have a couple of hours to be with Marco. It's been four years since she saw her beloved and she truly misses him so much. She is filled with mixed emotions but she couldn't deny the happiness she felt to see her beloved once again. But despite being overwhelmed with various feelings, one that she couldn't deny is her happiness to see her lover once again. Divina is scared that Marco might chase her away just like what Mr. Smith had implied. She doesn't know what will happen. What would she do? But despite her anxiety of being declined and rejected, she took the risk this time. For Divina, what matters most is for them to meet again. If Marco didn't come to her willingly, then she will get her lover there for them to fix the there relationship and misunderstandings. Divina arrived in a small school in the middle of nowhere. It is just as small as an average cottage. The first thing she looked for inside the small school is Marco and since it was just small, she wasn't disappointed to be able to find him immediately. She found him inside a small room. Marco was alone and now, he is already wearing eyeglasses as she saw him reading some book. Divina couldn't explain how she felt when she saw him, she didn't even realize that she was even approaching him slowly. Alfredo saw that Divina seemed to find her beloved and as respect, he allowed them to be alone together, waiting outside the room to ensure Divina's safety, just in case something bad would happen. 'M-Marco...", Divina whispered softly and now she's in front of him already. Marco immediately recognized her voice and slowly looked up to the woman standing in front of his table. He thought that he was just hallucinating but he was surprised to see Divina in front of him. 'D-Divina?", Marco couldn't believe his eyes. Divina nodded slowly and smiled softly at him. 'Please… have a seat.", he eventually said coldly after getting over the shock and had made sure that the woman standing in front of him is indeed Divina and not a mere hallucination. Divina wondered why Marco is treating her coldly. He didn't even bother to hug her or even just smile at her. Instead of asking, Divina sat down on a chair in front of his table. Divina stared at him and realized that he is still the same man she had loved four years ago despite the gray hairs and some wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes. For Divina, he is still the most handsome man she had ever seen. Aside from this, she also noticed how he had become so thin. Marco is wearing an old T-shirt, she could also see some little holes on it and even though he is sitting down, she also noticed how faded his pants were. It seems Marco is being burdened by lots of problems and despite these, he is still the most handsome man in Divina's eyes. 'What are you doing in here?", Marco said again in a cold tone. 'Is that all what you're going to say to me, Marco? Won't you tell me that you're happy to see me again? I waited for you for four years, Marco… you promised, right?", Divina, holding back her tears as she gets emotional. Marco answered in a deep sigh and smiled at her bitterly. 'Please do forgive me, Divina for making you wait for nothing. I am sorry but I have to break the promise I made with you.", Marco sadly said. Divina couldn't believe what she's hearing from Marco's lips right now. 'W-what? Please tell me you're kidding, right?", Divina said, still in disbelief. But Marco remained silent as he stared intently at her. By then, Divina realized that Marco was really serious. 'MARCO!", Divina yelled and she could no longer hold back her tears. 'Don't waste your tears for me, Divina. You're still beautiful, the same as four years ago while I… had gotten old already. For sure, you'll find the right man for you.", Marco said in a tone like he was giving a piece of advice to her like before. Marco smiled bitterly at her and Divina couldn't stop crying over her broken heart. 'No, Marco… I am no longer pretty like before. I had gotten old too… but my love for you had never changed.", Divina continues to sob. She could hear Marco sighing heavily again as if he was carrying a heavy burden. 'Forget our love, Divina. Forget me too because I could no longer return your love. Things had changed… too many changes. I am sorry for I have hurt you. But I needed someone I could be with, Divina. A woman who could love me despite my situation until our old age. I am sorry because you are not that woman, Divina.", Marco sadly said. 'Why did you say that I am not the one? Am I that shallow for you, Marco? Would I bother to wait for four years if---', Divina was interrupted with what she was about to say. 'I'm married, Divina.", Marco said coldly. Divina was taken aback by what she heard. She fell silent and couldn't believe a word what Marco is all saying ever since they had started their conversation. She kept her silence and just stared at him. 'Teacher! Mr. Salvador! I had finished cleaning your crutches! Ow, sorry--- I didn't know you were talking with someone.", a little boy suddenly appeared from nowhere. The boy seems to be 9 or 10 years of age and he is holding crutches on his small hands. Divina was shocked to see them. 'C-crutches?", Divina repeated, wide-eyed. She hurriedly stood up to see Marco's feet. She couldn't see them and went to touch his legs but… all she could feel is the cloth of the pants. Divina suddenly burst in tears. 'Is this the reason, Marco? Is this the reason why you married another woman?", Divina cried so hard. Marco couldn't say anything, he couldn't look at Divina straight to her eyes too as if he was guilty of what she had just said. 'Marco… I can accept this. I can also take care of you forever!", Divina emotionally said. 'No Divina!", Marco answered with hard emotions too which surprised Divina and Marco was surprised too for raising his voice to her. 'I can't. I can't be a burden for you and your family. This is also my respect for… Ricardo.", Marco sadly said. Divina couldn't do anything anymore, Marco is already married, all she could do now is cry. Divina's cry could be heard even outside the room, that's why Alfredo couldn't stop himself to peek at what is happening between the two lovers. He is worried about Divina. Marco looked at the man who is also staring at him now, he wasn't able to recognize him at first but the way that man looked at him, reminds him of Alfredo's antagonistic stare when they first saw each other. For this reason, he had recognized that the man waiting for Divina outside the room was no other than, Alfredo. Marco sighed again, for the last time. 'There's nothing else we could do, Divina. We were…but we were not… the endgame.", Marco's felt heavy as he said those words. He felt emotional too, holding back his tears. Divina didn't answer and she just continued crying. 'Divina… you should marry too.", Marco said after a few moments of silence, using the same tone he does when he is giving advice to Divina. Divina was shocked once again by what Marco had just said. She still couldn't get over one after another disappointing surprise from Marco. 'Marco… are you chasing me away?", Divina was in disbelief. Marco avoided Divina's eyes and instead looked at the man who is patiently waiting for Divina outside the room. Divina followed his stare and found out that he was staring at Alfredo, then she looked at Marco again, who is now looking straight into her eyes. 'Alfredo… is indeed a good man, Divina.", Marco eventually said after a few moments of staring at each other's eyes, then smiled sadly at her. Divina was taken aback as she continues to fight his stares… then she realized what he meant. Slowly, Divina wiped her tears and nodded in agreement with Marco. 'Yes. Alfredo is indeed a good man, Marco.", Divina confirmed, implying that she had understood what Marco wanted to say behind his words. Marco smiled again but his eyes betrays him as little drops of tears were able to escape from his tear ducts. Slowly, Marco touched Divina's cheek just like they used to do when they were still lovers. 'I sincerely hope for your happiness.", Marco said and quickly moved his hand away from her even before Divina was able to answer. Epilogue Year 1989… One by one, Divina had visited the places where she and Marco would constantly come. This is what makes her busy ever since she became Alfredo's widow a year ago. The coffee shop where she and Marco frequented and would often play piano had been demolished already. The school where she and Marco had once taught is no longer there too. Many buildings and establishments were erected in the town now. And their meeting place under the old tree near the school had now become a park… but the tree still remains there. It's the only link between her and the past of this place… the only connection she had with Marco. Divina sat on a bench under the shade of the old tree when a young adult man came to her. The man seems to be around 23 or 24 years of age. 'Good day, madam. May I ask if perhaps, you are Divina Aljuego… Biñan?", the guy talked in a friendly manner. But it still surprised Divina that in her old age, someone in this town had still been able to recognize her. 'Yes young man, why have you come to ask? How did you know?", Divina curiously ask as she smiled warmly at the man who had approached her in a friendly manner too. 'Finally! At last! At last, I was able to find you, madam.", the young man smiled happily and looked relieved as if the fishbone on his throat has been pulled out finally. 'I had been waiting here for you for a long time already… four years to be precise. During my free time, I would come here to find you. I would often ask women of your same age if they were Divina Aljuego Biñan. It's my lucky day today because I've found you at last!", the young man cheerfully said but Divina still wonders but the young man's elatedness makes her feel joyful too. It amuses her how one would desperately find someone like her. 'By the way, madam, my name is Efren. I am one of Mr. Marco Salvador's students. I was the one who cleans his crutches.", he said. Divina was surprised by what he had said. It has been a long time since she heard someone mention Marco's name, it felt nostalgic as she reminisce the last time she saw him. She remember a young boy who suddenly appeared inside the room as she and Marco talked. That young boy brought Marco's crutches and because of that, she found out that Marco had lost his legs… and also the reason why he married another woman. 'Oh… I remember. So you were that boy. Time is really fast. Look at you now, you had become a handsome man already.", Divina smiled softly at the man. The man smiled back happily. 'Why are you looking for me, young man?", Divina asked. 'Oh, by the way, Mr. Salvador wanted me to return this to you. He constantly talks about his beloved and he told me that you are the only one who could return this necklace.", Efren said as he took out a box and opened it to show what's inside. Divina recognized it at once, it was the necklace she had given Marco right before they had gotten separated when he was deployed at the border. Come back to me with that necklace… because I'll be waiting for you, my love., Divina reminisced that day she bid Marco goodbye. She stared at the necklace for a long time. 'By giving this to you, I would be able to honor Mr. Salvador's last wish before he died.", Efren said. 'D-died? Marco died?", Divina was so shocked by the news of Marco's passing, she didn't notice that she was crying already. 'Yes, madam… he died four years ago and I had been waiting and looking for you here because of that necklace. This is the only thing I could do for Mr. Salvador for all his kindness to me.", Efren said but Divina wasn't able to comprehend anything he said because she still couldn't get over Marco's passing. Efren noticed Divina seems to be shaken hearing Marco's death. 'I am sorry, madam for shocking you. I should have been sensitive in breaking the news of his death. Please forgive me, madam.", Efren apologized. Divina heard the young man and saw his apologetic face, she eventually wiped her tears. 'No… no, it's okay. It's just… I can't believe it. Please do tell me, why has he specifically asked you to return this.", Divina's voice still cracked. 'When the war broke, I was trapped inside our school's classroom and I was too scared to go out because of the explosions I could hear outside. But despite the danger, Mr. Salvador came back to get me… but someone threw a grenade at us. I was the one in danger but Mr. Salvador saved me… in exchange for his feet.", Efren said. Divina sighed, it's a typical thing that Marco would do for his students. 'I am poor, I couldn't give anything… and I had become an orphan because of the war. To return his kindness and his sacrifice for me, I would willingly and constantly clean his crutches every day. I was always with him, I was like a son to him, I respect him so much… I was there too when he grew old, when he became weak because of his illness and eventually when he died.", Efren added as he continued to reminisce his memories with his respected teacher, Marco. 'You? Why? Where is his wife? Hadn't he had any children to take care of him?", Divina curiously asked. Efren was surprised by her question. 'Wife? Oh, no! Mr. Salvador never married, madam. He grew old a bachelor and he loved only one woman in his life, until his death, he only thought of her. He calls her… Beloved.", Efren answered. Divina felt like heaven and earth had eaten her that moment. She could feel the sharp pang in her chest and at that instant, she couldn't stop herself from bawling. She was grieving so much of what she has learned. 'Madam? Madam, I am sorry, please don't cry…", Efren persuaded as he looked worried at the old madam. However, Divina couldn't stop crying. She hadn't cried this much when her husband, Alfredo died, and now, knowing what Marco did and now he's gone too… it felt like she died at that moment too. 'Mom!", a teenage girl around 16 years of age came running towards Efren and Divina. 'Mom, what happened? Why are you crying? You're here again at your meeting spot with dad? Mom, dad had died a year ago already. We should move on and continue living.", the teenage girl to Divina. 'Beloved… Beloved…", Divina cried as Efren continues to look at them with worry, and he is aware that he couldn't do anything for the mother and daughter. 'Yes mom, it's me. I am Beloved.", the teenager answered. Divina, still in tears, extended out her hand to her daughter. Beloved reached for her mother's hands and felt something on her palm. She looked at her palm and saw the most beautiful necklace she has ever seen. 'Your father wanted you to have this.", Divina cried as she looks at her daughter she had… with Marco.