MISSION 1: Saving You

Chapter 26 - Approval

“I love you, Jillian,” Jason whispered, kissed her temple and got up. Jillian kept her eyes close. Kahit na ba alam niyang alam ni Jason na gising na siya.

Katulad ng mga nakaraan gabi ay makatulog si Jillian na basa ng luha ang mga mata. Ang tanging ipinagkaiba lang ay nanatili sa tabi niya ang taong dahilan ng kanyang pagluha.

Jillian was so drained last night. Several sleepless night and lack of proper nourishment took a toll on her. It was actually Jason who took care of her. He brought her to the bathroom, cleaned her up, changed her clothes and put her to bed. Jason tried feeding her but she only managed to drink the milk he prepared for her. And then she lay down on her bed.

Wala nang natitirang lakas sa katawan ni Jillian para sawayin at itaboy si Jason nang mahiga ito sa tabi niya. And Jillian cried harder the moment she was inside Jason’s warm embrace. Jillian finally accepted that she belongs to him. Jason is literally the missing piece of her life that she once thought was already complete.

Jillian was being torn in two. Paano niya iiwanan ang taong humahawak na ngayon sa kanyang puso? She loves him, she wants to be with him, but she’s hesitant, she’s doubtful.

She tried to move away but Jason embraced her tightly. He whispered words of love and he promised to never hurt her again. He vowed that yesterday would be the last day she would cry sad tears because of him. And Jillian believed him.

Wholeheartedly.

And then she fell into a deep slumber, a dreamless, peaceful sleep.

Nang lumapat pasara ang pintuan ay saka lang nagmulat ng mga mata si Jillian. And tears welled up once again as a yellow marigold welcomed her sight. Nasisigurado niyang sa garden iyon kinuha ni Jason. He must have picked the flower last night when she’s asleep. Maraming flowering plants sa harapan ng bahay. May African daisy, gumamela, sampaguita, yellow bell, rose at marigolds.

She sat up, picked the flower up and looked at it. She delicately touched the petals of the flower. He usually gave her rose. This is the first time he left her a different flower. But out of all the flowers he could have picked in the garden, he picked yellow marigold.

This particular flower hold so much meaning, so many happy memories from her childhood. It reminds her of her innocence, her happy days with her mommy and how her mom would laugh and play with her in their vacation house in Batangas while they await her father’s return from deployment and missions.

She remembered playing with marigolds that her mother planted in the garden. She and her mom would pick the hundred petals one by one, waiting for the ultimate answer on ‘he loves me, he loves me not’ game. But her mom would purposely pick a couple of petals just to make sure the answer would always be ‘he loves me’. And then her mother would dance and laugh with her in the petal-filled garden, surrounded by colourful, flowering plants.

Was this her mommy’s way of telling her that she approves of Jason? Is her mother assuring her that Jason’s love for her is true?

“I missed you so, Mommy,” Jillian whispered as tears streamed down her face. Dinala niya ang bulaklak sa tapat ng dibdib. And Jillian felt as if warmth suddenly envelopes her. Her heart slowly became at peace. She let her tears flow until they naturally stopped.

She got up from the bed and quietly went inside the bathroom. Tumapat siya sa dutsa ng shower at dumiterso nang maligo. She better prepare dahil makapananghali ang flight nila pabalik ng Manila. Nasabi niya iyon kay Jason at nai-book na rin niya ang ticket nila noong makalawa habang nasa center pa sila. Nang matapos maligo ay ibinalot niya ang buhok sa tuwalya at saka isinuot ang bathrobe.