Manila International Airport, 2:00 am. It's been two years since shehad last seen the Manila International Airport. Not much has changed.Her last memory of this airport was when Miguel dropped her off. Shewas on her way to New York to pursue a career in Wall Street."Promise me something will you? Please don't get married until I comeback?" She jokingly told him as she lifted up her backpack."LOL. Very funny. Ikaw ang mag-promise. Promise me you won't run offwith some nerdy economist in the next two years.""Let's see, shall we. Bye, Miguel. I'll call you as soon I get to New York."That was her last memory in this place. The warm Manila air made herfeel a bit restless and yet she feels excited. This is the first timein two years she'll be seeing Miguel again. She was thoughtfully goingthrough the immigration counters, thinking of how much she missedseeing Miguel. How different would he be now? Sure he sends herregular weekly e-mails and pictures but being the busy person that shehad always been, she didn't get the time to chat with him and buy awebcam.She's finally out. "Where is Miguel?" She wondered. "Ah there!" sheexclaimed when she saw the silver gray Nissan Patrol parked near theexit. TGW926. Yup, that's Miguel alright. Her heart was leaping aheadof her as the driver got off."Hey! I missed you!" He said, as he hugged her."I missed you too. So much." She said, as she hugged him back. It waswarm. It felt good to be back. It felt great to feel his hug."Let me get those." He said pointing at her luggage. "Then we'll havemore time for hugging and chika.""Okay."Edsa, 4:30 am. Miguel's cellphone rings. Mama, the name flashes on the screen."You should really get that.""No, you should get that. She's been waiting for you. She insist thatwe go straight to her after I pick you up form the airport. She alsoinsist that you spend tomorrow with her." Miguel was talking about hermother. Miguel was an only child and his mother wanted a daughter. Shewould often tell Bea that since she doesn't have a mom anymore, sheshould let Tita Doris be her second mom. She loved Bea as if she wereher own daughter."Hello? Yes, Tita. How are you nap po?... ah opo. Miguel already toldme. Sige po. Okay po. I'll see you later." She turns off the phone andlooks out the window. The phone rings again, this time the name"Sugar" flashes on the screen. Hmmm, "Sugar." He was quick. He got ahold of the phone and answered it. "Hello. Yeah. Pauwi na. I'm withher na. Yeah. Tomorrow, I will. Promise. We'll see you tomorrow."We? Is that supposed to mean me and him? See Sugar? Who is Sugar,anyway? "Who was that?" she couldn't keep herself from asking. "Sugarha?""I'll introduce her tomorrow. Uwi muna tayo sa bahay. By the way,kamusta na si Edward?""Edward?""Oo, si Edward, naalala mo yung boyfriend na iniwan mo sa New York?Anong klase ka ba naming girlfriend? Kaya hindi kita niligawan eh.Baka makalimutan mo rin ako.""Ah si Edward. Hayun. Nasa New York." Miguel has met Edward when hecame to New York to give Bea a surprise visit. He seems a nice guy.Not the geeky economist Miguel pictured Bea would end up with. He isactually a cool guy and loves Bea a lot."He called me up, a week ago, asking a lot of things about you. Parangmay balak ataā€¦""Balak na?""Tell me, did he propose to you? He sounded like he was going topropose to you kasi.""Ah look, here we are at Tita Doris."At Tita Doris', 4:45 am. A pleasantly plump woman enters the livingroom. She was in her mid-fifties, a familiar warm smile and two openarms. She welcomed Bea, gave her a big hug and kissed her on thecheek. "Hay anak, kamusta ka na? Na-miss na kita. Pinakain ka ba nitosi Miguel?""Opo, Tita." She looked around. Not much has changed in this house.She remembers spending her college days in this house. She rememberssinking into Tita Doris' arms when her mom died. She remembers onlygood things about this woman. She can't remember a time when she hadbeen unkind to her and yes, she loves her like her own mother."Iha, sabihan mo nga yang si Miguel. Sabihin mo 'wag padalos-dalos magdesisyon.""Po?""Mama naman. Let Bea rest. I'll tell her everything tomorrow." Miguelinterrupted his mother before she can spill the beans."Ha? What was that all about?" Bea was curious."Bukas na lang.""Okay. Tita, if it's okay I'll go rest now." She hugged her, andproceeded to climb the stairs. Miguel followed her carrying herluggage."Alam mo I missed this house. Uy sino ba si Sugar? Tsaka bakit parangworried nanay mo sa iyo?""Bukas na. Sugar is having lunch here.""Hmmm, intriguing, pero sige. Bukas na." They were both standing asthe door to the guest room. "Alam mo, it's really good to be back inthis house. I'll see you tomorrow."Tita Doris' 10:00 am. She woke up, sunlight flooding her bedroom. Shewas able to rest. She got up, arranged the bed sheets and took a nice,cold shower. Minutes later, she was down at the garden having brunchwith Tita Doris."Hi! Tita. Where is Miguel?""Sinundo si Sugar.""Sino ba yang Sugar na yan? Nai-intriga na ako.""Iha, I'll let Miguel tell you who Sugar is. Promise me something,though. Whatever happens you'll always be my daughter, Bea?"She felt scared. Why was Tita Doris suddenly serious? "Opo naman.""Anyway, iha. I heard from Miguel your boyfriend sounded like he wasgoing to propose a week ago. Did he propose?"Bea looked at her hands, bare of any engagement ring. She looked atTita Doris and smiled. Before she could answer, Miguel showed up. Withhim is a woman she had not seen before. She was of medium frame,shoulder length hair and looked very feminine."Sugar, the sister I never had, Bea. Bea, Sugar, my fiancĆ©e`." It feltas if somebody had thrown cold water on her. His what? Blood rushed toher head. She blushed. Her cheeks felt very warm. She couldn'tswallow. Her heart beating a hundred beats per minute."Your what?" She looked at Miguel, blushing then suddenly white aswith shock. "I'm sorry, Sugar but this is quite a surprise. Miguel hasnever mentioned you in any of his e-mails," she said as she looked atSugar with a confused look. She looked at Tita Doris, she looked backas if she was consoling her."Yeah, I got engaged. I'm keeping my promise. I'm getting married onSaturday. O di ba you're here so in essence I've kept my promise."She managed to smile faintly. She hugged Miguel and congratulated him.She even managed to tell Sugar "You got a catch here, girl. Take goodcare of him or else I will snatch him under your nose." It sounded asif she was just joking, turning over a very important possession toit's next owner. In the deepest recesses of her person, she knew shemeant it."He told me a lot of nice things about you." Sugar said, smiling ather as if they had been friends for the longest time."I'm sure he has."Lunch was served. All of Bea's favorite Filipino dishes. She and Sugarspent time chatting the afternoon away, looking at Bea's and Miguel'scollege photos and yearbooks. She found out that Sugar likes most ofthe things she does. They both came from the same high school. As shetried to get to know Sugar better during their afternoon chat, sherealized that not only was she perfect for Miguel, she also seemedlike the best gal pal Bea could find. They talked about the weddingdetails, the dress, the ring, the shoes, the tiara. They like almostthe same places, the same styles, the same shops. She told Sugar theyshould do shopping marathon together. Had it been another day, shewould be telling herself that this is really a great opportunity tofind someone who understands her shopping needs. Except that this isnot one of those daysā€¦ Except that this woman, this perfect, femininegirlfriend was Miguel's fiancĆ©e`.Bea's phone rings. The name Boyfriend flashes."You should really get that" Sugar told Bea."Yeah, I guess I should. Hello? Yes? I'm good. I'm here at Miguel's.Oh I have in front of me Sugar, Miguel's fiancĆ©e`." The words almostgot stuck in her throat, but she still managed to give Sugar a smile."Listen, I'll call you later. I have very good news for you."Miguel sat down beside Bea. Sugar was looking at them and asked "Sotell me? Was there never a time the two of you were more thanPlatonic?" Bea and Miguel looked at each other then looked at theirown hands. Miguel's gaze turned to Sugar. He answered "Of course not.Bea and I were never like that.""As in?" Sugar inquired."LOL, oo naman. She was a handful. Too much to handle for me. I can'tkeep up with her. She's never stands still." Miguel looked at Bea andsmiled, his eyes turning into slits as his dimples gloriously show."I guess that's the way for you. But not for Edward." Bea replied,with a little hint of disappointment."Okay lang yun. Edward is tough enough." Miguel was still smiling."Wait, speaking of Edward. I need to call him."Bea left the garden and went up to her room to call Edward. "Hello?Edward. Here goes. Yes. The answer is Yes."*********The wedding went well. It was one of the most elegant weddings she hadseen. Sugar had everything covered and she was a very beautiful,blushing bride."I, Miguel, take you, Sugar, as my friend and love, beside me andapart from me, in laughter and in tears, in conflict and tranquility,asking that you be no other than yourself, love what I know of you,trusting what I do not know yet, in all the ways that life may findus."Bea felt a stab of pain hitting her heart. She slowly got up, walkedaway from the spectators. Tears streaming down her flushed cheeks.**********Bea is once again on her way to the airport. Miguel is driving forher, this time with a wedding ring on his left finger."Hay, here we go again. I'm driving you to the airport. Kailan nanaman kaya tao magkikita?""Ewan ko. Tell me something," her tone all too serious. "What was itthat you love about Sugar? How did you know she was the one?" Migueljust smiled. "Dali na ano? Malay mo I need to decide in a couple ofdays dib a?""You know what I love about her? The same things I loved about youbefore. The only difference is that she's not as ambitious as you are.When you left for New York two years ago, I knew I don't have a placein the life you've chosen. I don't blame you for that. You're good inyour field and I thought to myself that it's your right to move onwithout me. Moving away was a decision you made for yourself. I knowthis sounds silly and you might nag me about it but I found the betterversion of you in Sugar. She's so much like you in so many ways butthe only difference is she loves me more than you do."She wanted to cry the tears she had kept as he witnessed him say hisvows, but kept her composure. She just chuckled a laugh. How could hemove on without her? Why was it easy for him and not for her? As shegot off the car, she gave Miguel one last hug. This time she felt herheart heavy."I guess this is goodbye?" she told Miguel."Wait, I'm not letting you out until you answer question. Did Edward propose?"Bea showed Miguel her left hand. In it was a one carat diamondsolitaire ring set in platinum. "Yes."Miguel let out a sigh and congratulated her. As Miguel turned his gazefrom the steering wheel to Bea's face, he saw a single tear fall fromher right eye and then she said, "If it gives any consolation. Edwardwas the best version of you that I can find in New York."
