Chapter 8: Beloved

Months had passed, Divina and Marco's bond just seems to keep getting stronger each day. They helped each other with the problems they had been facing. Most of their spare time, they would go to their favorite place… that coffee shop. Marco would then play the piano for Divina. Divina is contented with their situation, she feels glad every time Marco would play his melody for her. She almost couldn't remember the pain Alfredo had brought her three years ago anymore. Alfredo… you had crossed my mind again. I hope you are well with your Belen., Divina suddenly thought. 'You seem to be sad, my beloved.", Marco commented while Divina is lost in her deep thoughts. 'B-beloved?", Divina wondered and was confused with what Marco had just called her. 'Yes! Because you are my beloved. Don't you want me to call you that way?", Marco asked sadly, acting like a sulking child. Divina doesn't know how to answer him. But we have a vow… we promised each other that we will never fall in love as lovers., Divina wanted to say but she didn't because Marco had begun talking again. 'You all thought that I am an only child… but the truth is, I had a younger sister.", Marco said. 'You have a younger sister?", Divina was surprised. 'Had.", Marco corrected. Divina was confused. 'You mean… w-wait. What's the connection between you, having a younger sister to calling me beloved?", Divina commented. 'I was fifteen when my younger sister was born. But she didn't right after she was born even after the doctor had spanked her a lot of times already to make her cry… everyone concluded she's dead. My mother refused to accept and she hugged my sister and cried, calling her My beloved! Beloved! Cry for mother! And after that, it was a miracle… she suddenly cried out so loudly.", Marco told his story. Divina was just listening silently and attentively beside him. 'Beloved had lived with us but only for a short time because her body is weak and she often gets sick. She died at the age of five.", Marco said but he doesn't seem too sad, he just sighs, maybe it has been too long and has learned to accept this heartbreaking story as time had passed by. 'I am sorry for the loss…", Divina said sadly as she wants to comfort Marco and touch his back. Marco stayed quiet as if he was still lost in the memories of his past. 'Okay then, I'll let you call me Beloved. I'll be happy if you call me that because by doing so, you also somewhat remind me of my father. It's because he often calls me Dear, just like your Beloved… because I was someone very dear to my father.", Divina added. Marco smiled so widely, he couldn't hide his happiness. 'From now on, I'll call you my beloved when we are alone together.", Marco happily said. Divina nodded in agreement. 'I am the youngest among my siblings and since you are also older than me for a few years, then I should call you older brother.", Divina answered. Marco laughed as his reaction to what Divina had just said. 'No! No! I don't want because you even look older than me. If you want, you could call me your beloved too.", Marco joked. Then laughed together but then both Marco and Divina's eyes met at the same time. It lasted for a few seconds but they felt like it was forever. They didn't notice their surrounding but only them… together. They both fell silent then their smiles slowly vanished and they immediately looked away from each other. 'So… you're the youngest.", Marco commented, breaking the silence. 'Uh… yes.", Divina smiled and nodded as she started to feel comfortable again with him. This is one of the reasons why Divina likes to be around Marco because when they are together, she became talkative… there will be tons of stories to tell. She remembered Alfredo. She is not like this before, when she is with Alfredo, they don't talk too much, it was just all quiet. Alfredo would always criticize her that she doesn't know the proper etiquette, that it's not good to talk while you are eating because he will compare you with a goat who chews their food noisily. She couldn't blame Alfredo because this is how he was brought up by his family. Marco is the opposite of Alfredo. If Divina often hides her emotions when she is with Alfredo, this is not the thing with Marco, when she is with him, she doesn't need to pretend. Marco could bring out who Divina Aljuego truly is. However, even though with what had happened between her and Alfredo, Divina knew she truly love that man without any pretense and she hopes that he has found his happiness in Belen Cruz's arms. Divina is both happy and grateful that Marco is beside her because now, she could think of the man who broke her heart without any bitterness. When she is with Marco, she feels joy even though they just treat each other just like siblings. 'Where are your other siblings? Don't they call you Dear like your father does?", Marco curiously asked. 'Uhm… no. They're angry with me.", Divina answered. 'Angry? Why?", Marco is still curious about Divina's life in the province. 'Uh… nothing! Nothing!", Divina tried to cover up, she is not ready to tell how Alfredo had broken her heart. 'Oh? So you're keeping secrets with me now, my beloved?", Marco teased as he pinches her nose. 'Hey cut it out!", Divina complain and covered her nose. 'It's embarrassing!", Divina added as she pinches Marco on his arm too. Marco had just laughed as his reaction. 'It's because you're pretty… I couldn't help myself.", Marco answered as he pinches Divina's nose again. They both laugh together. 'The truth is… I really do find you beautiful, Beloved… your simplicity, everything! Everything about you is beautiful.", Marco confessed without realizing how confusing it might mean. Divina just stared at him with wide eyes, then Marco looked at her too… straight to her eyes but Divina was the one to look away first. Marco seemed to be disappointed when Divina looked away. Divina focused her eyes on the scenery in front of her as she couldn't contain her heart, it is acting as if it was about to burst. 'If… if I am unaware that I am talking to you… I might have misinterpreted your words. So stop teasing me, I know it's not true… my beloved.", Divina tried to laugh to cover up the feelings she had felt earlier when their eyes met again. Marco laughed too as a response. 'Uh, yes. Haha! Do forgive me my beloved and I had become too familiar, too attached, and too sweet for you…", Marco smiled. Divina just nod her head but still couldn't afford to meet Marco's gaze. 'If they're not calling you Dear… then what do they call you?", Marco diverted again. 'Uh no. I don't want to tell you. It's too embarrassing.", Divina smiled as she declined. 'You don't trust me, do you?", Marco sulks again. 'Okay, okay… I'll tell you. But promise me, you won't laugh, okay?", Divina, still hesitating to tell her nickname. Marco smile to make her feel at ease and Divina felt comfort from seeing it, that's why she has decided to tell her secret nickname. 'They call me… Pigsy. We have a pig pen back then and I was particularly fond of this one pig which I called Pigsy. And when I was a kid, I used to be really really fat and do eat a lot too. At first, they just called me my favorite pig's name to tease me of how a food-gorger I am but then as time went by, they became used to it.", Divina felt embarrassed of telling her horrible nickname based on a pig. Divina felt comfortable when Marco was seriously listening, she really thought he would laugh at her. After a few moments, Marco hugged her and whispered in her ears… 'Oh, my beloved… PIGSY!", Marco said as he puts emphasis on her nickname and suddenly burst into laughter. 'MARCO!!! You are such a tease! I shouldn't have just told you if you're going to do this!", Divina was annoyed and she proud, her face turned red in both anger and embarrassment. She then walks out of it but he caught her hand and stopped her. He held her hand tightly as Divina tried to free herself from his hold… when Marco locked his palms on her. They both felt the warmth of each other's palms and Divina stopped to look at their hands… and thought that it seems to just fit perfectly right. 'Hey, it was just a joke.", Marco smile but deep inside he was worried that he made her angry. He also hated himself for his joke because he promised her not to laugh but he still laughed at her. Divina didn't answer and just stared at their hands. 'Forgive me, beloved. You know… no matter what your name or nickname is, you will always be my beloved.", Marco smiled gently as he stared directly into Divina's eyes. Divina looked at Marco and noticed that his smile seem sad than the usual. Divina couldn't understand why she felt sad looking at his sad smile too. 'As my punishment, I'll play piano for you. I'll play my own composition.", Marco is serious while still holding Divina's hand, not letting her go. Divina looked at their hands again and then looked back at Marco's… then she smiled at him. Marco felt relieved and he smiled back at her too. He was happy to see her smile and he knows, deep inside his heart that Divina is indeed his one and only beloved.