Cold Feet (COMPLETED)

Protea

Hi beshies, sorry for not updating last night, I wasn't feeling well. Still not ok, actually but better than last night. Anyway, so many things happening, right? I hope you guys are feeling good,  were up for a long weekend next week!

Meanwhile, this fic s now moving in the present, I'm sure you're curious on why Dei didn't make it to the airport. THat will be revealed soon, but meanwhile, I've seen your guesses, and no one has guessed it right so far :)

Hope you'll still stay tuned, the pacing will be different now. Please don't draw any conclusions yet based on what you read here. ou know me, I'm the queen of plot twists, and I love to keep you guessing . Happy weekend :)

March 2017

Dei arranged her luggage on the steps of her flat, waiting for Andrew and Frank to come for her. Her three-year stay in Vietnam allowed her to save up enough money to rest comfortably for a while before working again in Manila. She was emotionally ready to go back now, ready to face whatever mess happened between her and Richard. She knew he assumed the worst, that he was angry.

For three years, he never bothered to know what really happened to her. Not one call or message, and to top that, he blocked her from all his social media accounts, changed his phone numbers. Even Andrew tried to reach him on one of his visits to Manila, but sadly, Richard refused to talk to him.

She remembered how he was so unforgiving to Shayne, a time when she also voiced her apprehension about how he might be as unforgiving to her. This thing between them now shows how he can be heartless even to her.

Andrew's car parked in front of her flat's building. Both Andrew and Frank got down fro the car and met her inside, each giving her a hug.

"I'm going to miss you, Dei," Andrew whispered to her, kissing her on the forehead. Andrew showed how much of a true friend he was through her toughest days in the past three years. He gave her moral support when she needed it, went an extra mile for her to encourage her to get over the challenges of her situation.

"Andrew, I owe you so much for these past three years. Thank you," She hugged him tightly then walked over to Frank and hugged him as well.

"Frank, thanks for everything. Please take care of Andrew, I hope you both remain happy as you are now."

She tried to hold back her tears, and hugged Linh. She became a dear friend who stayed with her in her flat, stayed up late when she needed someone to listen to her, make her stop crying, convince her to rise above all the discouraging things happening in per personal life. Linh cheered her on with her triumphs in her career as a digital strategist.

In retrospect, she considered herself lucky to have survived the last three years. She had friends who cared enough to take care of her and her needs, who supported her through the most difficult time of her life. It was actually sad that she had to leave them.

But she waited so long for this. She prepared herself to be strong enough to finally face Richard and not be discouraged if he is cold to her. She will fight for him. She will try to get him back. She will get him back.

-----

Janelle rushed forward to hug Dei as she got out of customs. They embraced and twirled like kids, giggling and crying.

"Deiiiiii.......So happy to see you! Look at you, your skin, gosh I envy your tan and your arms, someone's been working out."

"Happy to be back, Jan. I missed you, heck, I missed the traffic here too, hahaha. Unbelievable."

They both wheeled out of NAIA 3 and waited for Jan's driver to pick them up. It was mid-afternoon and all around them, she saw people getting together for emotional reunions, of families meeting, fathers carrying their babies for the first time, lovers coming home together after a honeymoon, or OFW mothers meeting their kids with lots of goodies in her bags. She felt a lump in her throat form. It would have been nice if it was Richard who came and met her here.

A hug from him would have been nice. A kiss that communicated how they missed each other, uncaring if people saw, just the two of them wrapped in their own little world. A tear escaped her eye, the rivulet quickly brushed away by her hand.

They drove past Taguig and Makati, stopping for a late lunch in Ortigas before they went up to her condo. Janelle brought her up to speed on her condo, the bank account she opened in behalf of Dei, the money transfer from her account in Vietnam to the newly opened one in Manila.

"Are you still handling accounts from Vietnam?"

"We'll see. I want to work here for good, but if I can't find work, I will be forced to still handle accounts from there."

"Hmmmm. Dei, there's an opening in this new agency, a spin-off from Pallas Digital."

"So it's finally happening."

"What is?"

"That new agency. Richard told me about it when he visited me in Vietnam. They needed another agency to handle digital PR for them, as well as handle the accounts that conflict with other accounts in Pallas, same industry. Business must be good for them. That's good."

"I can hook you up with Celine, Dei. Harvey told me their need for a strategist is urgent. But I have to warn you Dei. Richard is more active in this new agency than he is in Pallas. If you apply there, he might not like it, he'll surely block your application."

" Don't worry, I expect that. But it will all work out, you'll see."

"How can you still be so positive, Dei? After all that happened to you and him? Does he know?"

"Not yet. And please, don't tell him. I don't want his pity."

"But he should know! He's judged you wrongly. He assumed the worst ."

"It will all come out soon. Just let me do what I need to do. If we are to get back together, I don't want it to be out of pity or because he found out what happened. I want us to be together because he still loves me."

"Dei that's one more thing. It's been three years, things have changed since you were last together."

"It can't be that bad, Jan. I know deep down we still can sort this out."

"You don't understand. Dei."

"I don't understand what?"

"It's Shayne. They're back together. They've reconciled."