Love of My Life

Know the truth

Mom appeared from the dining room and sat beside dad. She had this worried look on her face and she held my father's hand in hers. I don't know if she is trying to stop him from spilling the tea or if she would want to be the one to tell me.

"Look sweetheart, you don't need to think about him right now. All you need to do is rest and clear your mind." my mom said as he looked at me and my dad, back and forth, as if she is trying to warn my dad not to say anything stupid.

This made me all confused. It's as if they are trying to hide something from me. "Come on Mom, please tell me. I need to know" I begged and sounded desperate. My dad looked at my mom and then me. He looked really worried and he took my hand, cupped my face with his other hand.

"Sweetheart, I don't want you to rush your mind into thinking about things. The doctor said that you need more time. You have to focus and clear everything so that your memory will return. If you think about Darren, this might affect your recovery." he said with tears forming in his eyes. I love my dad so much, he makes everything look so easy. But this time, I don't think I'd buy that for an answer.

"If that's what you want if that's the real plan to help me, why don't you tell me the truth. Perhaps this can help me to ease the process. Instead of me wondering who he is. If he is part of my life, or if he is significant to me or what?" my voice trembling now.

They both looked at each other.

My dad cleared his throat and turned to my mom for approval. Mom just nodded.

"Sweetheart" my dad started talking in the softest voice, gently pressed my hands against his.

"Darren, you see, he is your fiance. He was away when you had the accident." dad continued

"I see, so that's why he sounded really concerned. But. what I don't understand is why he said it was his fault, Dad. I don't get it." I frowned.

"Darling" my mom looked really uncomfortable talking about this man. "He was away on a trip. You had a fight when that accident happened. You found out that he was having an affair...." my mom bit her lip and stopped. 

My heart skipped a beat, and then it went faster and faster. I can almost hear it. Knowing the truth made me more vulnerable. I think my dad was right. I shouldn't have forced myself to remember who he was. It would have been better if I didn't know anything about him. 

I felt something different. I had a hard time breathing. I couldn't believe what I just heard. My fiance, the man that I was about to marry, having an affair. And then....

Everything was so unclear to me. I closed my eyes and a tear fell. My mother rushed to my side and held me tight.

"Darling, this is the reason why your dad and I don't want to talk about Darren. We don't want to see you like this. We knew how heartbreaking it was. You called us that same day you found out about it. You were on the phone crying to your dad, telling him about what Darren did." my mom is now crying and couldn't believe that she had to recall that day.

"Your mom is right, we were just trying to protect you that's why we never mentioned him to you. We didn't expect that he'd have the audacity to call you after all that happened." my dad sounded really furious this time.

"I'm sorry mom, dad. I didn't know. I was just confused and I don't want to go on thinking about it." my voice trembled again.

"It's ok Honey, you deserve to know but not like this. I know it would be hard for you to process at the moment. but that's what happened." my mom looked at me and I can feel her pain.

It turned out, the day I had an accident. I received a picture message from my friend Lily. She was out of town and she said that she is celebrating an anniversary with her lover. I was happy for her. I knew her in College. She was a transferee and she didn't have many friends. We were neighbors, so I asked her to join me during lunch. That's how our friendship started, we became inseparable. We were like sisters, twins even.

She sent me a picture of a familiar man. Kissing her and hugging her. I can see that they were both so happy. The man was wearing a dark suit, well-groomed. With thick eyebrows, and that smile. I was dumbfounded when I realized the man in the picture.

It was Darren, My fiance. The man that I was about to marry.

I was confused and called Lily right away. 

She knew Darren. She was there the whole time when he courted me. When we became official. She also comes along on some of our dates as a third-wheel. She was even there when he proposed.

The phone rang on the other side, and a familiar voice answered.

"How could you do this to me?" my voice on the other line sounded like a dragon, I shouted with all my might. I was in the parking lot, just got off my shift.

She just chuckled, "You can't have everything" and then the line dropped.

I was so devastated, I called my parents and told them what I found out. My best friend and my fiance, celebrating their anniversary somewhere.  Darren told me that he will be flying out of town to attend a meeting. It's his job as the company's Director to meet up with clients and discuss about business.

Snippets of my memory are coming back to me now. I recalled that night. I was so upset and called my mom to tell her about what happened. I remember her trying to console me over the phone and I can hear dad also sounded so worried.

I was in the driveway and was about to go home when a bright light appeared from nowhere and then darkness.

----

Now that I know the truth, there is no way that I am going to talk to Darren again. 

Speaking of the devil, my phone just rang and it's his number. I saved it so I would know if he would call back so that I won't answer him. 22 missed calls before I decided to block his number.

He sent me a message asking why I'm not answering, he wanted to talk and he will come over when he comes back. He said that he needs to explain.

I don't need any of that anymore. I'm so done.  I don't want to hear from him ever again.

I don't feel anything towards him too. Maybe because of my present condition, the less I know, the less would hurt.