Sunshine

II

THE Special Task Force’s meeting got interrupted as Captain Rivera asked Ignacio to follow him to his office. Rivera stormed inside in quick steps and left the door open. Carlos sighed and followed inside, without forgetting to close the door behind him.

Rivera sat on his chair behind his desk. Carlos cleared his throat as he stood straight in front of his Captain. They came here to talk, but no words came. The loud sound of the spinning ceiling fan on top of them hid their silence.

“Now explain, Master Sergeant Ignacio. Just who is Alex Vicente and why are you being like this?”

Rivera kept his eye on Carlos, following his every move. Behind his practiced ease composure is a tensed back and shaky eyes.

“You understand right, Captain? You must understand me well. I…”

In no hesitation Rivera interrupted. “No, Ignacio. I don’t understand at all.”

Carlos gasped at the words of his Captain. Among all the people around him, he thought Rivera will be the first to understand him. “Sir, you know where I’m coming from.”

Carlos is talking about a past, a trauma. And Rivera knows it exactly. He had his own flashbacks as Carlos also took a trip to his own memory lane.

“You know how desperate everyone is! You know how desperate everyone is to the point everyone’s willing to create a culprit! They might make Alex---”

“How can you say that---”

“I’m talking about a possibility!” Carlos took three heavy breaths but it didn’t help. He kept panting. “Everyone’s willing to behead whoever they see guilty. They are even willing to kill us! I can’t… I can’t let her go through that.”

Rivera stared a t Carlos hard. He almost couldn’t recognize his subordinate he always know as one of the bravest. “You’re being ridiculous.”

CARLOS stood idly on the street, eyes nailed on a*****e sign read Love Lingerie across . The costumers, mostly female look at him as they went out of the store, then will go on running, as if they will be chased anytime. He sighed everytime that happens.

He waited for all the costumers to go out before entering. That took him almost an hour. He also took a sight of a man busy lifting boxes on the far end. Is it okay to have a male employee on a lingerie store?

“Are you looking for anything in particular?”

The voice is far like a man’s. Nevertheless, he told the person what he came here for. “I’m looking for Ms. Alex Vicente. Is she in?”

“This is her. What do you want?”

The person Carlos thought was a man all along finally faced him. His jaw dropped.

“Carlos? You’re Carlos Ignacio, right?”

“Long time?” Carlos stuttered, his right hand raised in an awkward wave. He cleared his throat. “You recognized me? I couldn’t…”

Now that Carlos is finally seeing Alex face to face, he can’t help but wonder if time could really change someone like this. And if 5 years is enough to make this change. Her cleared his throat and tried to snap himself out of it and responded to Alex’s greetings.

“It’s alright. Our old friends failed too. How have you been? Long time no see!”

Alex went to the door to lift the sign to close. She invited Carlos to the pantry and prepared him a cup of coffee. “So, what brings you here?”

“I--” he fished his badge from his back pocket but eventually slid it back. Coming up with an excuse he said, “I’m here to invite you to this year’s reunion party. Yes.”

Laughing, Alex rebutted. “What are you saying? Who’s inviting who? You’re the one who never attended to our reunion parties! But is this you saying you’ll finally go?”

Alex’s laugh astonished him. He never knew he missed that.

“Y-Yeah. That could be the case.”

“You’re still funny.”

Alex loosened her tie. That’s when Alex’s “new look” registered to him― she’s wearing the black tie in a white long sleeves, slacks and suede shoes.

“You’re dress well.”

Alex looked over him. He suddenly felt shy. “And you still don’t know how to get dress.”

Both went quiet as they sip on their own coffee. Later on Alex asked. “What do you do for a living? I haven’t heard anything from you since we graduated college.”

“That’s right. Well, I’m on… sales. Yes, sales.”

“Oh, right. You majored in business.”

Carlos took another sip of coffee. He finally asked what he’s been meaning to when he burned his tongue.

“Were you a lesbian too when we were together? I mean… You understand why I’m asking this, right? I have nothing against this I swear. But I…” Carlos took a sip of his coffee. “I hope you don’t get me wrong.”

“Of course. I’ll be more surprise if you won’t ask.” she smiled. He always wanted to see her smile again, but that smile made him feel a pang on his chest. “I don’t know much. But all I know is...”

Alex met Carlos’ shaking eyes. Unlike him, she looks like she’s in peace. “I love Olivia. I love my girlfriend.”

“CARLOS!”

Upon hearing that his friend went to see Alex, Juan couldn’t relax on his seat. He and Carlos are friends since college and they also took the police exam together. He knew about Carlos and Alex’s past relationship, and he knows well how his friend acts around Alex. Though he’s not sure if he’s still the same, but a part of him wishes he has changed.

“Did you talk? What happened? Is Alex really a man now? How are you?”

“Stop asking me questions. I’m dizzy.”

Carlos slack back on his chair and closed his eyes. Juan sighed and went back to his seat, eyes still on Carlos. Juan still have many questions to ask and worries he would like to clear. But in the end he chose let that die inside of him. Carlos won’t be able to tend to all of them anyway.

“Master Sergeant.”

Carlos opened his eyes. He met the PEMS’ glare. “I heard everything you said to Captain. Are you doubting the evidence I found? Do you think I made all those?”

“I’m sorry but I’m tired, Dela Vega. Please let’s talk some other time.”

“Am I your friend?” Dela Vega grabbed Carlos by the collar. The made their colleagues rise up from their sits to stop them. “And why do you keep on insisting she’s innocent? You talked to her, right? Do you have her alibi now? Can you finally prove that s**t you’re saying?”

He tightened his grip on Carlos. “Look. We need a police officer here. Not a passionate ex-lover. So if you’re going to continue this, I’ll make sure you won’t ever get your hands on this case again.”

“Ah, Carlos. Captain is looking for you.”

Someone interrupted. That made Adrian let go of Carlos, as the latter went to see Captain Rivera to his office.

“How did your talk go?”

“I don’t think I have to tell you that.”

“Carlos.”

Carlos sat on the chair. He looked straight at his supervisor looking all annoyed and irritated. “Are you really summoning them?”

Captain Rivera looked straight back at Carlos keeping his face void of emotions. He also sounds the same. “We are being careful. They will soon receive it when we gather more evidences. We can’t afford to alert them.”

“Why are you―”

“We do this to every person suspected, Carlos. We always work carefully. We were always like this. You forgot already?”

Carlos didn’t answer. Captain Rivera went on.

“I want you to keep your eye on Vicente. Since you know each other, you might get something. I trust you will still do your job.”

“Captain!” Carlos went up from his seat. His hands are on his temple, massaging it. “I thought you―”

“You are a cop! And not just a college student and a fool for a woman. Get a grip, Ignacio.”

“I heard what happened.”

Marie found Carlos sulking on a swing near the police station. She sat on the other swing next to him and continued talking.

“You have a bad temper and you don’t really get along with everyone here but you don’t get too emotional. Well, there are some cases you acted according to your emotions but these days…” Marie failed to receive any reaction from Carlos. Still, she went on. “This is my first time seeing you like this. She must be so important to you?”

Marie continued waiting. After a while she saw Carlos slowly nodding his head.

“Of course, she is. But you guys must find this funny. Since we were only together in the past.”

Marie shook his head as she quietly swung her swing.

“But why are you so good to me? Members of the Special Task Force Team don’t really want me here since you guys are on a different level. But that must not be the case for you?”

“You remind me of a colleague back at States.” Carlos looked at her. “You guys… you’re just too alike. And he asked me that same question too.” Marie smiled as she reminisce her memories that never felt distant. “He’s a black-American. You know the prejudice, right? He was an outcast, but he does his job better than everyone. I too, a woman and an Asian went through the same thing. ”

“He got shot while we were in an operation. It was a bank robbery and his girlfriend was held hostage. He acted rashly.”

“His girlfriend?”

“You’re asking about his girlfriend when I haven’t told you yet what happened to my colleague?” Marie laughed at her own statement. Carlos scratched his head. “Well, she’s safe. And still grieving.”

Carlos gave his belated condolences. “It’s just that he risked his life for his girl.”

“You’re making me worry. Strangely.” Marie stood up and fixed her clothes. She then patted Carlos’ back.

“Just stay alive.”