Sunshine

LI

CARLOS came to a busy airport. It is filled with people pulling suitcases and luggages either coming in or going out, some alone while some are fetched or sent off. Both smiles and cries are present, but those are stories for the next time and definitely not the story for today.

Carlos inevitably got stucked on the traffic and now he is worried he made the VIP visitor wait for long. He ran to the departure area, holding up a placard that says Stephanie. He tried not to mix with the people in the area but the place is just flocked. He raised the placard as high as he could until his arms went numb. Even his neck is hurting by extending it among the sea of people.

Hi.” Carlos heard on his side, feeling a finger poke his shoulders. He looked to the direction. His eyes met the owner of the fingers, beaming awkwardly at him. He slowly put down the placard. The lady in front of him smiled once again, now more relaxed. She even managed a wave while smiling her words.

“Long time no see?”

“You still remember?” Carlos beamed back, taking the lone suitcase from his VIP guest and carried it. He also guided her, giving her a way among the sea of people. That made Stephanie laugh.

“Can we just walk side by side? Are you an escort or something?”

“That’s definitely what I came as, Ms. Stephanie.”

They chuckled. Finally they are now out of the sea of people. Carlos who was walking ahead slow down his pace, waiting for Stephanie to reach his side. They went on walking to the parking area now in matched pace, side to side. Stephanie’s heels sang next to Carlos’ worn out running shoes, its thin sole screeching on the cemented floor. They were still in tune, though.

“Is this your first time coming back here? Since that summer?”

Carlos started a conversation. His voice echoed on the low roof of the underground parking.

“Ahuh.” Stephanie hummed. Her eyes are on her feet as she walked,her hands put together on her back.

“You travelled the world and did not even step here again? That’s unfair.”

Stephanie only laughed at Carlos’ pretend whining. Carlos also smiled at it.

“But what made you travel the world? And helping at that?”

Stephanie stopped walking. Carlos who noticed it late continued walking. Now he had to look back to look at her.

“I’m just curious. Of the world and its countries and its people.”

“That’s so much for just curiosity though?”

Stephanie smiled and run to Carlos’ side. “And don’t you know that curiosity kills the cat?”

“It’s not bound to kill you though.”

That made Stephanie think for a while. She smiled once again. “You’re right. This curiosity has been keeping me alive.”

The continued walking once again. The suitcase started to roll noisily again. They can now see the car Carlos drove to here.

“So to where should I drive you? Where are you staying, by the way?”

“I’m staying at a hotel for now. But I’ll move to my parents’ house in the next days after the house is prepared. There’s just some repairs needed to be done since it’s been left unattended since our last visit here.”

Carlos nodded. He fished the car keys from his jacket pockets and pressed on it, making the car few steps from them beep. He loaded the luggage on the trunk. “So I’ll be taking you to the hotel?”

“No, actually.” They looked at each other. Carlos was waiting for her to continue while Stephanie kind of hesitated.

“Can you drop me off to where we first met? At the beach.”

Carlos nodded, closing the trunk. She held the door to the passenger seat for Stephanie. She giggled as she hopped in.

“And buy me ice cream too.”

JUAN’S night deepened as he remained standing outside Carlos’ house, waiting for him to arrive since the afternoon he got asked to fetch the “VIP guest” at the airport. He could have waited inside his car but the parking’s far from the actual house’s location, leaving him with no choice but to stand there and let mosquitoes fest on him. He tried lighting one of the mosquito coils on his pockets earlier but the air was strong. In the end he gave up on the mosquitoes.

Juan watched as the moon slowly rose up to the sky. The celestial body chose to be bright yellow tonight, in full circle as he proudly went up. Juan quietly observed as he followed the moon’s every steps. It was like watching a slow burn movie that bores most watching. But slow burn movies are actually all about subtle details. And the movie is silent for that reason. It meant to make the viewers focus on all the symbolic elements than just the actions. Some of them also meant to focus on the dialogues. On the words spoken by the actors which were just once words bled out by the owner of the pen. Rest assured slow burn movies always spoke of beautiful words. As if to make up with its lack of action.

Juan’s eyes shifted from the mesmerizing moon to the headlights slowly approaching him. He squinted on the strong lights, slightly putting up his right hand over his eye. That light died immediately followed by Carlos who went out of the car, giving Juan a surprised look but still with delight.

“What are you doing here?”

Juan raised the plastic bag hanging on his left hands filled with beers and chips. “I wanted to hang out all of a sudden.”

Carlos laughed. He opened the door to his humble home for them and went inside together.

“I’m glad you came. It’s been a long time since I had a taste of alcohol.”

“Right. Likewise.”

Carlos turned on the lights as Juan went to the kitchen and freely moved around, taking out the lone shot glass on the table top. He brought it to the dining table and started taking out the beers and bag of chips from the bag. He opened a bag of chip and started munching on it. Carlos joined him, opening the beer and drank using the shot glass.

“Anyways what do you have for dinner? You didn’t bought anything along the way?”

“I must have known you will come with a beer that I happened to bring sisig.” Carlos replied, then went away from the table again and coming back with a plate of sisig and leftover rice from his breakfast earlier. Juan let out an excited cheer as he throw in another piece of chip in his mouth. They started eating and drinking.

“Anyways how was it? Was the VIP really the Stephanie we know?”

Juan asked drinking his shot. His face twitched ever slightly. He poured the glass again and gave it to Carlos which he downed immediately.

“Yes, she is. She recognized me first.”

“So that must be why you took a long time to come back? You catch up with her well?”

“We just went to the beach. You know that’s where we first met.”

It was Juan’s turn. He finished the all the liquid on the glass in one go and finished it with a handful of chips. Now he’s munching while talking.

“How much did she change?”

“I can’t really tell. You know we barely know her. We were still kids at that time too.” Carlos cracked some chips on his mouth. “But she’s still amazing. I still find her amusing just like that summer.”

“She’s really one amazing woman.” Juan commented half snorting. That didn’t went notice to Carlos. “And it’s her beauty that makes her amazing, actually.”

“You’re right, she’s really pretty.” Carlos agreed. He sounded with full of admiration. That made Juan take another shot even if it’s Carlos turn already.

“Say, could you ever resist a beauty?” Juan asked handing Carlos his shot. This time Carlos did not drank it immediately.

“What do you mean?”

“I understand what kind of beauty Stephanie is. I saw it. I know it. She’s not the beauty that will make your manhood stand. She’s just a beauty. Just like how you admire murals and nature.”

Juan popped the last chips on the bag and opened another. He took few pieces from it.

“She’s a beauty you can’t help but admire. But do you think you could ever resist it?”

“Hmm,” Carlos hummed, drinking. He poured the glass again and downed it once again. “I’m still not so into her beauty, anyways.”

Juan took hope from that answer. They enjoyed the rest of the night talking over silly stuffs and a bit of work and bad mouthing everyone they could before Juan decided to go home. To his actual home, this time.