HER CONFESSIONS

Chapter 2: that Encounter

Saturday.

I barely slept for six hours thanks to the medicine I took last night, so I woke up at around four in the morning and, since I couldn't get back no matter how I tried, I decided to take my phone and start scanning and answering the emails that were sent to me yesterday.

Most of them were from our clients.

Moments later, something caught my attention, so I turned over and saw Luke pull open the blinds of the bedroom window and blink against the bright morning sunshine that beamed through it.

"Goodmorning!" I greeted him when he glanced at me.

Although they were identical, I could still identify them.

Luke's hair was a tapered faded haircut that blended his hair gradually on the sides, while Kyle had the shaggy hair.

Alice was very creative with her boys, and she didn't like the idea of making them look identical even if they were twins.

He smiled and, without a word, turned around and went back to bed where his twin was still sleeping.

I really thought he would go back to sleep, but I was shocked when he started shaking his brother's arm.

"Kyle!" My eyes widened when I saw him waking him up, so I hurried over to stop Luke and held the boy in my arms to keep him from disturbing Kyle.

"Come, on. Let's have breakfast", I whispered to him as I fixed his hair and quietly went outside-almost tiptoeing.

Unlike him, his brother was not a morning person, so we let him continue his sleep.

The hallway to the kitchen has a natural light and a clear view of the lanai.

I saw Luke staring at the pool while we were heading towards Lea, who was busy preparing breakfast for all of us.

"Pancakes" Luke giggled when he shifted his gaze and saw her putting the food on the counter, so when I put him down, he rushed towards her.

"Look who's excited", she turned around and found the little boy smiling at her.

"You hungry, little guy?" she asked and leaned down to give the boy a peck on the cheeks.

He nodded "Pancakes!".

Alice hired Lea to look after the twins, and because of her approachable and unfiltered character, she was trusted with almost everything.

The two boys treated Lea as their big sister instantly the moment they met her two months ago, and since then, they have never been apart.

She was already taking the pancakes out of the cooking pan when I reached the counter.

"Hmm. That smells delicious, Lei" I complimented her cooking while taking some eggs from the fridge.

"Wow. That looks perfect" My eyes widened when I saw how clean their edges were.

"Thanks", she said appreciatively.

The winning combination of egg and cheese for Lea's fluffy pancakes was a must, so I started making my fried eggs and put them on the paper towel laid on the plate she had prepared for me.

I was never a fan of oily foods, so I always make sure to drain them that way to soak up excess oil. I made four pancake sandwiches, one for each of us.

"Good morning". We were suprised to see Kyle heading towards us with his messy hair.

He was rubbing his eyes to try and stay awake.

"Hello, there!" Lea said, setting the plates on the table.

Luke was already sitting in his high chair ready to eat.

We had a light and satisfying breakfast before starting our day.

That day, I decided to stay at home and spend some time with the kids.

Louise and I always make time for ourselves, so we have the choice of not reporting to the office every Saturday, but still being on call at all times in case the staff require us.

Unlike me, Louise was a total health nut.

She believed that a day's off can improve your heart health while also lowering stress, anxiety, and sadness.

I agree with her, especially given how stressful our jobs can be.

Now that school will start soon, the boys insisted on staying with me this weekend.

I haven't seen them for almost a month because they've stayed at Legazpi for a few weeks since their grandparents resided there.

Alice brought the two to spend their summer at Albay and have a tour of the famous Mt. Mayon.

I haven't been there yet, but their stories make me want to go.

"Really?" I asked Kyle, who was now making a triangle shape with his arms mimicking the shape of Mt. Mayon.

"Yes! We saw it", Luke added. "It was this tall, and there were clouds. Many Many!".

He jumped up to show us how high the volcano was.

Lea was laughing while carrying a bowl of fries and settled beside me.

We were in the living room listening to the boys.

A few hours passed and we ended up watching a movie after they got tired of story telling.

We were still hanging at the living room.

"What do you want to do later?" I asked the kids while we were sitting crossed-legged on the futon in front of the television.

We were almost done watching Spiderman Homecoming-it was their favorite movie.

"Can we go swimming?" Kyle turned to look at me with his irresistible puppy-dog eyes.

"Can we, please?" Luke added, copying his twin's expression.

They were both staring at me waiting for my answer.

" Of course you can!" I told them while pinching their cheeks, and they both shouted in unison. I laughed at their excitement.

" Okay then", I told them before I stood up and went to the guest room.

I only have three rooms in the house-my room, my study and the guest room.

I wanted them to feel at home, so I decided to convert the guest room into theirs where they have their own set of beds, closet and a drawer for all their toys, but they always end up sleeping in my room while Lea was in theirs.

I went to the closet and grabbed their matching swimming trunks.

The lanai beside the pool emanated a calm and welcoming ambiance.

It was visible from the living room, dining and kitchen because of the large glass windows that provided a panoramic view from the inside.

I opted for a cabin-feel for this part of the house where most of my guests can relax and bond together, so I've added rattan furniture with soft cushions that were waterproof for the furnishings and placed them near the firepit at the perimeter.

Fronting the seats was the tree-house I'd designed for the twins but was still in progress.

It was sad that I hadn't finished it before they arrived yesterday.

The kids were already at the pool while Lea and I were talking by the sunlounger beside it.

Moments later, something caught our attention.

While we were all hanging at the Lanai, we were jarred by the sound outside.

Lea gave me a curious look, so I hurried to the kitchen and peeked through the awning windows to see the commotion.

What used to be a quiet village became busy that day because of the two moving vans that arrived and parked in front of our house.

A white pick-up arrived minutes after the two vans started unloading. I saw the car seat open.

"What's that noise?" I was suprised by Lea, who was already standing behind me and shifted my gaze to the boys who were now playing in the sandbox.

" I'm not sure", I replied and turned to look back at the car.

The person was already walking towards the entrance and I could only see his back.

"Someone actually bought that house?" Lea was somewhat in awe when she saw people coming in and out of the abandoned house.

"I guess" I couldn't blame Lea's comment.

That explains why there were people there yesterday. They must have inspected the whole area.

The house across the street has been left unmanned for almost a year now. Nobody kept up the facade.

Some of its features have deteriorated with its debris all over the ground.

The only thing I found beautiful in that house were the firetrees that surrounded it.

They were in full bloom, with flowers scattered all around the area.

The owner migrated to Canada and tried to sell the whole property but nobody had an interest in buying it until today.

"I can't imagine the renovation, Jess. Might as well tear the whole house down" she continued, criticizing the whole house.

I did not answer.

"I'll take care of the dishes", I said, and turned around to face the kitchen sink and began washing the dishes we used earlier.

"I guess you'll also be busy here then." She didn't take her eyes off the window.

"I'm not a fan of renovations, Lea," I pointed out.

I looked at her, "And who knows? Maybe they're into that design".

She smiled and turned to face me.

" Seriously? Who would want that?" she asked.

"It's not even habitable, Jess", she continued.

As I was about to answer, the door bell rang.

We stood still and looked at each other for a minute and back at the door. It rang again.

Who could that be?

"Kids, Time for a bath!" Lea immediately went back to the twins and took the kids to the bathroom to give them a shower while I was left in the kitchen.

I turned on the monitor hanging beside my refrigerator to see who my uninvited guest could be, and I saw someone standing at the door.

I shifted my gaze to the clock just above it to check the time.

Who could actually be my guest at this hour?

I slowly put the dishes down without removing my gaze from the monitor and reached for my phone to see any missed calls or messages before I went to the door-NONE.

I took a deep breath before I opened it, and to my surprise, I saw a man in his late twenties standing there wiping his spectacles with the rims of his shirt.

I was also taken aback to see a familiar face—one I hadn't seen in years.

He was wearing a black v-neck shirt paired with his blue jeans and his hair half drenched in sweat.

He blinked at me before putting on his spectacles.

I recognized that surprised expression.

"Wait. You live here?" He blurted out while pointing inside the house.

His mouth dropped open. We merely stared at each other for a brief second-our expressions identical.

"What brings you here, Mike?". I nearly murmured, my gaze fixed on his.

I knew Mike back then, and even though he had changed a bit, with his toned facial muscles, a few stubbles on his face, and broad shoulders, I could still recognize him with those geeky-looking spectacles he was wearing now.

"Uhm, actually, I just moved in today". He shifted his index finger to his thumb, which was now pointing in the direction of the old house across the street-the house Lea and I were criticizing moments ago.

Guilty of what we'd done, I took a deep breath and gave him a warm smile.

"So you're the new neighbor?" I chuckled and tried to make it seem welcoming, but it sounded weird and did not work.

"Anyway, welcome to the neighborhood! How can I help you?" I asked, still staring at his eyes that were now locked in mine.

He fell silent for a moment and did not answer.

"Earth to Mike?" I raised my eyebrows and waved in front of him to get his attention.

Finally, he snapped out of his trance.

"I-I'm actually a little thirsty" he said as he shifted his eyes and looked down while rubbing the back of his neck.

There were traces of sweat slowly dripping on his face. His eyes were uneasy.

"I-I tried looking for the nearest convenience store, but I am still not familiar with the area" he started, "I still haven't set up my appliances. So-".

"Come in", I interrupted and gestured him to come in before he continued talking.

I led him towards the kitchen and offered him something to drink.

"Water, Juice, Coffee??"

He did not respond, instead, I caught him scanning the interior of the house.

He looked at me the moment I broke a chuckle and saw me staring at him.

"Just water. Thanks", he finally said.

I reached for a clean towel from the powder room and handed it over to him to dry up.

He gave me a huge smile and leaned on the kitchen counter.

I took a glass from the cupboard and poured him a glass of cold water.

"Your house looks amazing"

He was taking a long time scanning the whole place when he suddenly asked, "How old are they?".

I glanced at him, and I noticed his eyes were fixated on the frames standing on the entertainment cabinet before he gulped in the glass of water.

"They're turning four this year". His jaw tightened when I answered him.

He slowly turned his eyes to me.

Those excited eyes a few minutes ago turned cold and the movement of his chest whenever he breathed became noticeable.

He saw me staring at it, so I shifted my gaze, took the pitcher and gestured to pour him another glass.

He nodded and I followed.

We both stared blankly at the water slowly filling up the glass when he started talking. "I haven't heard any news from you since college", Mike lowered his voice.

His eyes shifted back to me and I felt a little bit warm in my cheeks when I saw a change in his eyes' emotions.

They were now sad and longing, so I flinched. "I-I worked in another city eight years ago", I started explaining and I could feel my sweat running on my face as if I was guilty of something.

"Then I decided to come back three years later", I continued while staring at my cup.

"That was when the pandemic reached its peak". I took a deep breath and looked up, only to see him biting his lips while he was staring blankly at his hands.

"That's good". He replied and looked up at me.

"It was a good choice to come back," his voice was warm and comforting.

We were silent for a moment. I could sense he wanted to talk more but also hesitant.

I wanted to ask him but I was not sure how. Everything was awkward.

"I can't believe you bought that house". I tried to change the topic, hoping to have a less stiff conversation.

"Yeah, I figured I wanted to live on my own." He began talking.

His eyes met my gaze and he suddenly smiled. I liked how his smile made me feel.

I can sense contentment in it.

"And the hospital's actually not that far from here compared to my parents' house" he continued before taking another drink.

The awkwardness eventually dissipated when we continued our conversation.

I suddenly remembered that Mike was completing his residency at one of the city's top hospitals. I met him 16 years ago.

We were just in high school back then. He's the only one in the entire class to get an A .

He's as clever as we thought from the first day of class.

He has no siblings and lives with his mother, who works in the same field as him.

Most people liked him because of his gentle demeanor and willingness to assist us.

"It would cost you a lot for the renovation, Mike", I pointed out.

He chuckled. "I actually figured that out when I saw it yesterday". He was making that 'sideways look up' smile again-That smile where women would suddenly feel warmth when they saw it. The smile that made half of the girl's population in high school ran after him.

"Then why did you even bother buying it?" I asked him while trying to stay on the subject. Curiosity was all over me.

He became serious and stared at me with those longing eyes. "I have my reasons, Tess," He said.

My eyes narrowed. "Jess, It's Jess". I corrected him.

He's the only person I recall calling me by that name.

I never liked how stubborn he was whenever I corrected him.

He just smiled and took another drink from his glass.

I chuckled when I suddenly remembered something.

"Wait, that was you yesterday?" I recalled the people I saw when I arrived.

"and I assume you were the one carrying those boxes yesterday" he smiled.

His eyes were now soft and I could feel my heart begin to flutter. I must have had too much coffee today.

"Maa!" We both glanced as the kids rushed into the kitchen, all dressed up, and Lea followed them, her gaze riveted on both of us.

The kids froze when they saw the man sitting at the kitchen counter.

They shifted their eyes to me. "Lea, this is Mike.We went to high school together", I started explaining.

"Mike meet Lea. She helps us with the kids. This is Luke and Kyle". I gestured the kids to come to me.

"Nice to meet you, Mike", she said in a strangely flirty way, reaching for a handshake.

He did not return the gesture and was staring at the boys who were standing beside me.

"What brings you here?" She continued and put her hand away, without taking her gaze off of Mike. She took the glass of water in front of me and took a sip.

I was stunned by the way she acted, but I found them so amusing that I fought myself not to laugh.

He shifted his gaze to Lea and stared at the glass she was holding.

"Mike's our new neighbor", I explained while trying to break the awkwardness.

I turned to Lea and elbowed her. "Ow" she flinched and at Mike, who was now staring at me.

She smiled.

"So what do you think of your neighbor? I mean the neighborhood?" She continued interrogating my guest.

"You know we were actually talking about-"

I cut her off "Enough".

I looked at her mouthing her to stop.

She gestured as if zipping her lips.

He blinked at my change of tone, confused.

"Don't mind her, please", I told him and gave him a warm smile.

He looked at Lea and started talking.

"Actually, I feel relieved knowing she lived here".

Lea's eyes widened in disbelief when she heard what Mike had said.

I was also shocked by it.

"Really?" she continued and her mouth dropped open.

"Feel free to come here anytime, Mike. You are always welcome."

I could not believe her.

Why would she talk to him like that?

I was about to interrupt her when my phone suddenly rang.

When I saw who it was, I hurriedly answered,

"Hello, Where are you?. The kids are looking for you".

I saw Mike stiffening in my peripheral vision that caught my attention.

I stood up and turned towards the refrigerator because I was distracted by him.

"We still have some work to do. I'll be there by 5. Miss ya", The person on the other end said.

"Okay, Miss you too, bye" I said before hanging up. I turned around and caught Mike looking at me with his stern eyes.

"I better get going".

He stood up.

"Thanks for the water", he said, pointing to his emptied glass.

The muscles in his face stiffened and he did not look at me before he turned around.

"Why don't you stay for lunch?" Lea sensed his shift of emotion but still insisted.

She took the Tupperware from the fridge and put it inside the microwave.

"Maybe next time. I still have some work left", he said and left.

Lea wanted to talk about him, but I tried to avoid the subject.

I ignored her whenever she would insert Mike in our conversation.

We started preparing for lunch and I was preoccupied thinking about the way Mike acted when he left early that day.

Have I done anything to offend him? Was he bored? "Don't worry", Lea assured me.

I turned to face her. "What?" I asked confusingly.

She just smiled at my reaction and turned to call the kids.

After lunch, the twins played in the living room a little bit and dozed off at the sofa in the living room.

Lea was left at the Lanai preparing the grill and chairs for tonight's gathering while still looking after the twins.

I went inside the study and started reading some books since she insisted on doing it by herself.

I picked the one written by Nicholas Sparks because 'The Rescue' deserves a rereading.

I looked out the window and noticed the vans were not there anymore.

They must've finished unloading, I guess.

The time paced fast and it was now 4:30pm.

I decided to go to the kitchen and prepare the ingredients for tonight's dinner.

There won't be any of the cooking since we will only be having Korean barbeque.

While I prepared the side dishes and cleaned the lettuce, Lea began defrosting the meats and cutting them into thin slices.

We only prepared ssamjang and gochujang for the sauce.

The first one to arrive was Mia with her husband, Peter, following her from the back.

She was wearing an off-shoulder, slim fit army green maternity gown that accentuated her pregnancy, and her long layered milk-tea blond hair was tied in a bun.

"When did you say you'd pop?" I asked while holding her tummy.

She broke a laugh and said "next month, babe" and squeezed me in hug.

Tori arrived next, who was holding boxes of soju.

"Just a little cherry on top", Tori said as she placed the box on the counter.

"I loved what you did with your hair, Tor" I told her when she walked pass me.

She's rocking her short deep black pixie-cut that stopped at her jaw, and her wispy bangs on one side.

It made her look chic especially it complemented her fair white skin and emphasized her thin face.

"Thanks" she smiled back as she rolled her denim cardigan long sleeves up to her elbow.

We all saw Mia looking sadly while staring at the boxes Tori put in.

I chuckled "A few more months, Mi", I teased her and we all laughed.

Two more people entered when the door swung open.

"OMG, guess who I just saw?!" a petite woman wearing a ponitelle sweater, ran towards me in excitement and locked me in her arms.

Alice was smiling widely when she hugged me.

"W-who?" We were all confused.

I shifted my gaze from her to her husband, Ted, who was now smiling at me.

"Mike!" she blurted out.

"Can you believe it? Mike's here!" she continued while she was still holding me.

I did not return the expression she was hoping for, so she frowned.

"Yeah, I actually saw him a while ago."

I broke from her cage and went towards the counter to remove the bottles from the boxes.

I could feel that they were all staring at me, mouths open.

"What?" Mia shouted while her hands were on her waist.

Her tummy was protruding.

"Yeah. He bought that house across the street" I said without looking at them as I gestured, pointing to the direction of the house and continued placing the bottles in the Chiller.

"Double what?" Alice exclaimed, waiting for me to answer. Her jaw dropped open.

"He moved there" I looked at her and saw her exchanging stares with Lea.

"So when were you planning to tell us?" Mia was now standing beside me. I was confused .

"I don't think it's that important, guys." I defended. " Then, why didn't you invite him?" they all said in unison.

How was it my fault? I wondered.

"It didn't cross my mind, okay?" I finally said.

"It didn't what?!" Alice exclaimed in disbelief and immediately took Mia by the hand and headed towards the door.

"We need another guest!" she started while looking at me playfully.

A few moments later, the two arrived empty-handed. I smiled when I saw the look on their faces. I was at the grill preparing the fire while Tori was playing with the kids.

"No one's home" Mia sighed in disappointment and sat on the seats beside the fire pit.

"We still have a lot of Saturdays, guys", I assured them.

"Shall we start?" I asked them while waving the tongs.

"Where's Louise?" Lea asked when she realized there was an empty seat beside Tori.

"I called her", Mia responded. "She said she had some important things to attend to". Mia continued.

"It was unusual of her to miss our gathering". Alice turned to look at me.

"Is everything all right?"

"I think so". I grabbed my phone and dialed her number, but she didn't answer.

We always make it a point to get together every now and then to catch up and unwind. Louise never missed it. So her absence that night made us all wonder.

"I'll ask her on Monday", I assured the others when I sat down.

We started the night by grilling the meat we prepared.