DUST BENEATH THE OCEAN

The Most Awaited Ceremony!

Two hours before the grand ceremony, she spent an hour and a half in watching her favorite show. She glanced up at the silver – framed clock hanging and ticking quietly on the wall just above of her head and saw the minute and the hour hands made an acute angle. It was already 9:35 in the morning. She was watching the morning show of the Queen of all media in the biggest network in the country. She did not like the concept of the show for the first time for her eyes drifted vacuously into the four corners of the room. She did not know why or perhaps it was the forthcoming celebration that in just a few hours was about to begin. The most awaited celebration that bothered her so much and created much fear in her mind and heart for the past few days. She thought her mind was more exhausted than her eyes. She knew that it would be too early to be in the church for the celebration would begin at exactly eleven o’clock. However, she thought it would be safe to start early for the street would be very busy in the next few hours. She started making her bed, cleaning the room and changing flowers on the vases. She liked to clean her own room than to depend on her maids because she loved privacy. She had three flower vases: one in her study table, in her corner table and beside of her vanity table. The beautiful and fresh flowers were her secret to be happy every day. After a few minutes, she went to the bathroom for refreshments. She took her time without not in rush and finally emerged out of her room fully dressed. This time she was on the way to the church to witness the ceremony of her friend and once had been the man she loved most. She walked out of the main door of her house and traced the pathway to the garage. She then realized that the weather forecast last night was true. She found the sun smiling widely by the east. However, its warmest smile brought coldness to her aching heart. She allowed the warm rays to penetrate her delicate and fragile skin. At least it would ease the iciness and the pain. While she walked toward her car, few questions sparked in her mind.

'Is my decision, right? Will attending the celebration help me forget him and start a new life?'

Perhaps reality would help to convince her heart. She entered the car and reversed it out of the garage. After fifteen minutes of smooth driving, she parked her car near the grotto of The Holy Mother. She paused for a moment before she went out of her car. She could not explain the single emotion that smudged her mind. She opened the door to get out of her car, the image of The Heavenly Mother greeted her but she did not notice it. It was a perfectly sculpted beautiful image. She closed the door of her car and again paused for a few moments, stared inexpressively at the image. She felt the strong resistance on her feet that made her stopped for a while. Although summer had already begun in the first week of April, she felt the soft breeze of the wind penetrated her body and soul. She made languid gaits and found her two hands unconsciously embracing herself. She could not fight the strong emotions in her mind until she realized there were soft tears streaming down her cheeks. She did not know why. She cannot even determine if it were tears of joy of her unselfish love. Was it because she still loved him? Would it be unfair to him if she would do something that would postpone the celebration or to her for it would mark a pain on her heart? She should be rational this time and do what is right.

'You love him, but you will set him free. It’s the only thing I could do least.'

Foolish quote but true and logical. She wiped the tears with her small, thin, fragile and almost shaking hands then started to walk toward the main door of the church.

The façade of the church was filled with too many people and local media men. The one that would take the full coverage of the celebration was the T.V. 11. The most reliable local television network in Sorsogon City owned by attorney and anchorman Ramie Mirabella. But his soul was not roaming around for an unknown reason, Chloe saw only his representatives. He was also a close friend of the Guevara Family. Others were politicians, business partners of the Guevara Family, close friends, some parishioners and gossipers with different intentions inside their minds. Perhaps some of them were just interested in the news or would like to attend for the free nourishments of the day sponsored by the Guevara Family. She was probably less than ten meters away from the entrance of the church when she saw a very familiar face. She did not know if she looked for her for she was expected to come, or she was just about to go out at that time. For so many years, this time she would meet her high school friend personally since she became an actress. She watched her on television specially if she had a new movie or show, but she was always excited to see if she was as gorgeous in person for she knew a lot of changes had happened. Since she became an actress, she had seldom communicated with her. She was more beautiful than usual since they separated from each other. In her calculation, the last time they saw each other was when she was about to go abroad to study.

It was the first month of the second semester of her first year in college when she and her new college friend Micole went with Selene to the airport. The memories were still fresh in her mind, their eyes were red, and tears fell down their faces when they said goodbyes. They had promised each other that they would be friends forever.

In her twenty-eight years of existence in this wonderful world, she was interestingly beautiful. She had a small, angelic, and round face. She had glistening deep brown eyes and perfect yet not so high-bridged nose. Her thin and fair complexion enhanced by her golden–light-brown– dyed hair made her look like a very well-polished porcelain. She was dressed in a dark pink strapless semi-gown and with a lace ribbon around her waist that made her look so exquisitely stylish and feminine. “Chloe my dear friend, I missed you so much.” The lovely voice of Selene with an American accent flew in the air. Selene greeted her when she was near the main door of the church. Chloe drew herself forward and threw her arms elegantly then kissed and embraced her so tightly. “I missed you too, Selene. It has been a long time since we met each other.” Chloe answered her with mixed languages. English in the first statement and Bicol for the second sentence for she knew Selene can still understand and speak her mother tongue but with a slight accent in her words. “Yes, a very long time. Since the day I left this place to study in the U.S.” She answered her in English.

Selene belonged to an affluent but not so influential family in town. As far as she knew, she graduated in college with a bachelor degree in commerce major in Management. Instead of pursuing a career in business, she entered the world of showbiz. She started as a commercial model until she got her break; she was now become a prominent actress. “You really care for him so much until now?” Selene said the words in English with caution and Chloe knew who she was referring to. “He is very important to me. It is better to attend than to sob in a corner. As his friend now, I think I will miss this day for the rest of my life.” Chloe answered her in Bicol - Gubat. They were few inches apart. Chloe was holding Selene’s hands with a fading smile in her lips. “I’m afraid but I think it will mark a pain forever in your heart. I know my dear that …’’ Selene paused and seemed did not know where to pull an extra strength to say the words inside her head. Selene spoke in English for she can express eloquently herself in the said language. She said it in a benign manner so as not to offend her friend. ‘’…you still love him.” She felt an arrow of pain struck directly to her chest that made her choke and lost her breath. Selene moved forward and touched lightly her shoulder. “But as your friend, I think it’s the right time for you to move on.” Chloe felt the concern in her words. While Selene gave her precious advice, Chloe noticed a neat - looking man who stand at five feet and six inches tall with a blank expression stood behind her that made Selene look small and short. He wore a black polo shirt that revealed the bulges of his bicep muscles, and black pants matched with black shoes with heels that made him even taller. The height of the man alone was really frightening combined with his sharp look intensified by his dark and thick eyebrows. Selene moved a little bit backward that made the man to be between them. Chloe saw him frown while reading a text message in his expensive cell phone. “I know but I do feel my presence will make him happy. It would be the start for the two of us to face the reality and move on.” “I know, of course…” Selene would like to add something, but she got distracted when the man whispered something that made the two of them say goodbye for a while. The situation had changed, before they were like an ‘inseparable friends’ with very intimate friendships that orbited them like a proton and an electron attracting each other but because of their status in life, they seemed like the molecules of gases, a lot of spaces between them. Chloe did fully understand the situation. Selene was a prominent actress in the said country but in this town every individual was treated equally so a bodyguard was useless. She walked and passed by the unoccupied pews. She breathed heavily as if she was inside of an inflated balloon full of nitrogen. She could feel as if there was a heavy object pinned on her breast until she found herself sitting on the pew near enough for her to see everything that is about to happen. She was always in the church, but she found that day unusual. As if she was thrown back to a very unfamiliar place. The place was very solemn. The decorations inside carried her mind to the Garden of Eden heightened by the hymns of the choir like the songs of angels in heaven. At that time, her mind asked her heart if she was in heaven, but no one answered. The songs that they sang penetrated her soul that made her forget the outside world. A few minutes later, the place was full of an unusual number of people. It started to blaze with brightness followed by the melodious songs of the choir. This time she realized that the interior of the church was painted with golden color. The ceiling of the church was painted with amazing religious designs. The radiance of the light was spread with great intensity that even her soul was dazzled. She remembered again when she was in the dark corner of this world. She opened her eyes and looked around. She saw many people in white. She wondered if she was wandering in the other dimension of the world. In a whisper, she asked again herself. ‘’Is this the world of my past? If it were so, I want to escape because I don’t want to go back. I want to forget all my nightmares of the past.’’ But before she turned around to run, she saw in the middle of the altar below the feet of the crucifix; her eyes locked on the man she had loved. Chloe felt her world had ceased to move for a while. A very despondent episode had been captured by the lenses of her eyes. The greatest fear she had that she must face with valor. Chloe saw a chasuble wrapped around his body and a long and narrow rectangular vestment clung on his neck. He wore the divine dress for an ordained priest. It simply signified that she and the man were not meant to be forever. She bowed slowly her head for an acceptance.

'If this is your will my dear God, so be it.'

A few minutes later, the tears streamed down her cheeks unnoticed. Tears for someone she had loved before but destined to be married to God.

'Just give me, Lord, enough strength to overcome this.'

She only hoped that although this man had broken her heart, someday would save her soul.

In a quite far distance, someone saw the distressful tears gleamed in her lovely face. Chloe was not aware that the moment she had arrived at the church; she had been observed by someone that would lead her feet to travel the road again toward her worst nightmares in the past.