The Sight of Tomorrow

Chapter 3

The next morning was bizarre for Ian; having the last night long, he could never forget how Audrey made her laugh with her simple punch lines. It was the best! Especially her joke about a bald man. According to her, the man was fighting with his wife about the fact that his head aches because there are lice that wanders through his head a lot. But his wife reacted, and against him she said, it wasn’t true because he doesn’t have hair at all. With that simple thing, he could tell that he found her comfort through Audrey. With just a small number of time, he felt the greatest reverence of her.

Leaning his head back the headboard, he breathed deeply, watching how the clock ticked by. It was five o’clock in the morning, and he’s already awake by four. He couldn’t go back to sleep because that goddamn dream always visit him once he try to close his eyes. So he never tried to sleep again. It’s irritating; and for some reason, he could never bear to hold onto that dream again. He didn’t know if he should consider that a dream, though it always gave him bad impressions about his past. He still didn’t know if why it visits him every time, given the fact that he’s not sure if it’s a part of his past. No one knew, and so he was.

“You awake?” He hastily turned his head to the door to meet Audrey’s gaze. She was leaning against the doorway, whining in the mid-dawn. She was looking beautiful, wearing a striped pajamas with her printed Winnie Da-Pooh shirt that had suit her overwhelming appearance.

“Yep,” he replied.

“Can’t sleep?”

“Yeah,” he hummed. “Visited by a nightmare. Probably a few times for two days.” he added.

“I see.” She nodded, crossing her arms in disposition. And from her spot she could see his majestic face. She never has found this profoundly amazing, and at times, she never could remove her gaze from him. It’s like her eyes had been attracted into some kind of magnet. She couldn’t remove it, even if she tried.

She didn’t like Ian. That’s the thing, and always would be the thing. She’d never like Ian. And for her, it would always be just friends.

No one said that she was; however, she could feel it herself. She just didn’t know why it happens at time like this. When either of them reaches their state of both abductions, she felt like this. First, the slip thing . . . and she’d seen her well-built body. And this time, though it’s not as sensual as it was the last time . . . this was the same feeling she had. It was no doubt, and indeed the situation . . . well, she could not say the word. She’s not sure with it after all.

“You can’t sleep too?” breaking the silence, Ian asked.

“No. It’s just in my system, I normally wake up by this time to take care of things around the house. You know . . . food and something else. Plus, I have to travel for an hour to work. So it’s a pretty good thing that I woke up by this point of time,” she explained, twitching her lips very fast. “And anyway, we’re going to the police today, and just for your information it’s pretty far; in addition to the fact that it was the nearest one. What an irony right?”

That made him laughed a little. He admired her for that. “I see,” he said, marking the laugh in his voice.

“But, hey, you’ve never told me about your nightmares.” Audrey asked changing to a certain point of topic. Honestly, he’d never mentioned something about a nightmare with their talk earlier last night. And it’s indeed that it would actually help in his case. Especially at this time. And in that instant, as well, she felt really intrigued of what that dream was.

“I know. I’m just confused maybe. Given the fact that I still wonder if it’s a part of my past.” He sat up and looked at her. She seemed to be convinced in his opinion, but something was bothering her at times, and he could sense that on her face.

“Can you tell me what that was?”

“Maybe some other time, I want to clear my thoughts first. I’m not ready after all.”

“I see. I’ll just wait for that.” She smiled moving her index finger to him. “Rather you want to have an early breakfast instead?” she offered, wondering to how he would react.

“Sure.” He smiled back. “That would be fun.”

❧

It was first time in two days he’d seen Audrey cooked very fast. Regardless that some of it was instant, he couldn’t remove the fact that the way she moved at the kitchen, she seemed to be happy.

For almost twenty minutes, she’s done, and she prepared the food for them.

“This is good.” Ian took a bite on the sausage and swallowed a spoonful of rice.

“Oh, thank you,” she said. “It’s one of the delicacies here. And it’s one of my favorite,” she mumbled as she chewed the food inside her mouth.

“What is this called again?”

“It’s a Vigan Sausage,” she replied. “It’s no more different than a sausage, which well it actually was a sausage. It’s just more on the garlicky side than others.”

“I see. I like this.”

“That’s good.” She smiled and continued on her food.

It’s no doubt that this conversation might be the smoothest and fast pacing of words they’ve had since he arrived.

“Well, I admit that I’d probably eat a lot today,” he laughed.

“Then eat a lot,” she laughed as well.

“That’s what I’m going to do probably.” Then he took consecutive mouthful of the food, and they began to giggle in fun.

It’s overwhelming.

Who knows, it’s in his personal taste probably. And to be honest, it’s actually good. And to having it with a wonderful person, it’s much better. In his idea, he liked Audrey. That kind of wonderful person, he’s never just attracted, he liked her personality as well. To how she sees everything with one sight of full packed views, it’s amazing. Well, he couldn’t say that he liked her in front faces, because what she’d just say? They’re full strangers in the first place.

He didn’t know that if this confession counts on him. In his case, for two days he began to gain certain attraction to her. It’s not like he lived in a movies or romance novels, but he’s in reality. So he couldn’t believe that for some reason. Maybe this was the thing they’d called acquaintance?

But he never believed with love at first sight thing. With amnesia in it, love at first sight sucks. What’s that, anyway? Once you laid an eye to a person, you loved that person already? It’s ridiculous man! And in his opinion, what had happened to him was a different case. Anyway, with the past two days he spent with Audrey who used to be a woman (obviously) what would you think? He’s a man after all. And a man’s kryptonite is a woman.

However, he thought that this would take time after all. Maybe what’s he’s feeling as of the moment is just a part of being a human. And it’s the process of human being, surely. To how a man would be infatuated—or maybe it wasn’t the right word—attracted, he meant, to a woman is just a normal thing. Start to be nervous when it’s on animals. Or worst, aliens maybe.

But who knows, what if she felt the same thing?

❧

The breakfast went too quickly, and a moment later they’d hopped in the truck already. Momentarily, they talked to each other, which was good for both of them, since there were nothing to hide after all.

It’s more than an hour since they’d left, and maybe . . . in Audrey’s conclusion, it might take another hour to the police station. She’d never gone off to there since the last few years maybe. It’s not since after her and Police Officer, Jacob Clyde, dated.

She met him at Casa Montero once, and Officer Clyde got interested to her and asked her out. They got into thirty-six dates! Seriously! Thirty-six! And the officer had never been bored. After that, he asked her if they can be together, and tadah! In that beginning, it’s where the story ends as well. Not literally in that part, and let her thoughts tell you this . . . a lot has happened first; they got their first kiss, their first camp together, an adventure, and more or less, their first time to hold hands in public.

Most of the time, when she came up to that point, she felt relieved. Somehow. But their relationship didn’t last long. After that moment came to them, they’re about to do it, but in that instance, she remembered what her ex-boyfriend did to her. Although she knew that this case was different, she’s too scared since the memories were still fresh. And the last thing she knew about him, when they ended it, he had a girlfriend after days. Cool, right?

But what’s worse than that is that, before they ended it, she saw him kissed someone in public. Cooler, right?

It stayed silent in the car for an hour again, until they’d reached the ten-kilometer away station. It was behind the railway, beside the Pagudpud Port. It wasn’t big, but enough to fulfil the small city’s complaints.

Audrey hopped out of the car first, and followed by Ian afterward. Once there, they were confronted by two cops in the front desk.

“How may I help you?” the first one asked. He was wearing sunglasses while his feet were on the deck, sitting comfortably on his moving-along-comfortably-soft-enhanced-with-spinning-effect chair. “I’m Officer Penny Omen, by the way. And this is Officer Luke Bent on my side.”

“Hello, folks,” the other police officer said. He waved his two fingers to them.

Audrey walked toward him, and until the cop turned the right position to help her. “I just want to report a case of my friend here.” She turned to Ian, and Ian smiled at the cop. “Apparently, he has amnesia . . . and he wants to find his family.”

“I see.”

“Does he remember at least bits of information?”

“Apparently, not . . .”

“Okay, I get it.” He stood, and stretched his body—that had been into so much relaxation that it couldn’t move at all. He pointed his index finger to Ian and said, “Please, come with me.” And he led Ian inside the office.

❧

BORED! That’s the only word that could be retain in Ian’s head.

Literally, he’s bored! Did the police officer couldn’t understand the meaning of amnesia?

He kept on asking the same thing.

More of it was about his personal life . . . and he couldn’t move at all because the officer’s questions were all ridiculous, and that made him numb for instance.

What’s your name? How old are you? Where are you from?

And what made him annoyed so much was that he’s typing it on his computer. What a crap! What did he expect, it will appear on the paper?

Honestly, was he dumb enough to ask that questions to a man who’s in amnesia for several days in past? Ian could never forget that moment when the officer realized his wrong. And instead, he just took pictures of him to post on the bulletin all around.

That moment made him laughed a little. Literally!

❧

When Audrey was about to sit on the row of chairs alongside the corridor after Ian followed Officer Omen inside, she hadn’t do it right away, when the hit of sunlight barrowed her attention for seconds.

The time rolled back the clock, moving its hands in wrong direction, and the chills of both enthusiasm and fear wandered through her body. She couldn’t move. Her feet were attached on the tiled floor, and the cold of the past lingered in every inch of her skin. She could see the past, walking near to her, as if she’s in the obnoxious effect of her medicines in the past few years.

It’s Officer Jacob Clyde. Or simply, Jacob, she thought.

“Hi,” Jacob greeted her once he reached a few centimeters away.

He’s tall and has tan skin, his eyes are intense black, and his decent appearance had not vanished in him until now.

“Uh . . .” Audrey stood still, though she could feel her knees shaking into uncommon intensity as her blood pulsed through her veins a few times faster than it used to be.

“It’s nice to see you again.” Jacob smiled at her.

“Uh . . .” She still couldn’t begin with a proper word. And she thought, if another hum would escape from her mouth again, she could consider herself vulgar and rough.

Obviously, how do you think she’d react with her ex-boyfriend (used to be)? Of course, it’s always chills . . . numbness . . . fears . . . and uncommon startling. And think of that as her sign that she’s not fine with it after all.

“It’s been years, huh?” Jacob put his hands on his waist and looked at her. And he had this question in mind, Why she’s not speaking? “So how’s life goin’?” he asked in wonder.

“Uh,” she hummed again. Bad, Audrey! Bad! “Well, uh, I’m . . . uh, good.” Think that it did not happen at all! she thought.

But before Jacob could ask a question again, Audrey saw Ian came out of the office, and the escape plan entered her mind instantly. “Ian!” she called out. “Come here!”

From a distant, Ian brought his senses back once he heard Audrey’s voice. Hastily, he moved quickly toward her, and late to realize that she’s with someone else.

“Who’s he?” Jacob asked once Ian gone to their place.

“A friend of mine,” she said. “We’ve reported something here.”

“I see,” he responded. “How is it going?”

Audrey sighed. She couldn’t let this conversation span more than limits. She guessed that it’s not running smoothly after all. And to be honest, she’s feeling a bit dizzy with this, which wasn’t good at instance.

“By the way, Jacob . . .” she said, “I have to go, my friend called me, and something happened so we’re in a hurry actually.” Her voice, though sounded sarcastic, it got Jacob’s instincts, so it didn’t bother him at all. “Right?” Audrey looked at Ian. And that look meant something deeper, which Ian took a hard time before she got the message; it’s the kind of let’s-get-the-hell-out-of-here look to be specific.

“Right,” hesitantly, Ian responded.

Then Audrey pulled their way of there . . . feeling the atmosphere changing.

❧

Jacob Clyde walked through the hallway dumbfounded and wonderstruck for what Audrey had acted. He never thought that she would take a grudge on him that much. But it was very cute of her, he told himself.

He still didn’t knew why he’d left her like that.

Maybe he’s afraid that she’d dumped him.

In his life, he’s never been dumped. And eventually, he’s the one who owed dumps to different girls he dated.

But what he felt for Audrey . . . it was all different from all the girls he’d dated in his entire life. But it wasn’t just the reason why he broke up with her.

He’s in love; too infatuated that he could sacrifice everything. But all of a sudden, his hormones, reached the level that he couldn’t take anymore and ask to do it. But she refused him. And he needed to burst out.

And the thing that Audrey had witnessed, he didn’t meant to let her know that. But she did. And he’s too ashamed for what he did. If he could just roll the clock back . . . he would cherish her more than she’d cherish him.

Jacob scratched his head in annoyance. “Aish!” he blurted out.

Please . . . if you could just give me another chance, I would show you how far I strived for you, he thought.

❧

In the car, Ian blurted her questions all at once. “What’s the problem? Seems like you want to leave that place immediately?”

“You know the feeling when you and your ex met all at once?”

“I don’t know?”

“Well, he’s my ex-boyfriend. And think of that, how do you think should I respond?”

“I don’t know either?”

“Ugh!” Audrey scratched her head in annoyance. “Never mind!” she growled.

“O-kay . . .”

“You want some ice cream?” she asked instantly. Although the annoyance could be traced in her face, she tried to calm herself down. It’s meant to happen . . . it’s a small world. “I’m in so much heat right now . . . and I want to cool down. You’re good?”

“Sure . . . that would be fun.”

“Then, we go.”

“By the way, you’re feeling hot in here? Then why don’t you put some air condition?”

With that joke, Audrey gave him a furious look. “Oops . . .”

Before starting the car, Audrey pinched Ian’s leg and, “Ow!” Ian growled. Then Audrey looked at him with a teasing smile in her face.

“Watch your words, buddy.” She moved her browses, as she ignited the engine.