The Art of Never Letting Go (Book 2)

gabriela silang

//

Uy. Sorry. Ikaw kasi eh, sabi mo dalhin ko sila.

Okay lang, 'no. At least your wife's mind is at ease na I'm not gonna steal you any time from her.

I'm not letting you din.

Ouch.

Not to hurt you, Maine, but I think our time's over.

Yeah, alam ko naman. Don't reject me rin, I hate rejections specially when I'm not coming on you. But what kind of stories did you tell her?

Just... stories. About us. Gano'n. She asked, eh.

Wala lang.

What?

I thought... our story was... our thing. Ours.

Were you hurt? Mad?

About what? About the fact that you told her about us?

Yeah.

Hindi naman. It just felt like... my privacy was invaded. Yeah. Like that. I don't really tell people about us, you know.

But your stories were about us. Your readers know about us for years now.

Those stories are fictitious, Alden. They aren't your reality unless you make them... that. Have you read them?

Not yet.

You're scared.

Wala lang time.

You know I really don't believe that bullshit.

It happens, Maine. I didn't read your stories because I don't have the time to. It's just I'm busy.

Basahin mo ngayon, baka marami kang time. I've watched your films, you know.

That's why you came back?

No! Gaga. Hindi kita binalikan, 'no. Ang Pilipinas ang binalikan ko.

Bakit?

The country needs me?

Gabriela Silang?

Siraulo.

You're smoking again. Stressed?

It became a routine.

Masama 'yan. You'd be dead in no time.

No family to look after.

Mag-asawa ka na nga.

Walang candidate.

Foreigner o Pinoy?

Ikaw.

Tangina, you should have seen your face. Nawalan ka ng kulay sa mukha.

Don't joke around like that, Maine.

You're swayed?

Hell no. Parang wala ka lang planong mag-asawa and it worries me.

Bakit? I'm not your kid.

But somehow, you're my responsibility.

Big word.

Sort of. Or one of my responsibilities. Parang I should look after you. You wanted to meet my bachelor friends?

No, thank you.

Pero bakit nga bumalik ka rito? I'm sure there's a reason.

A project.

Yeah?

Yeah, a project. A friend asked me.

Sinong friend?

Too curious, Alden.

Okay, sorry. Anong project?

He just wants to work with me.

Ah, he. Lalaki.

Gago. He's old enough to be my father. He was a great writer, you know. He was the one who taught me things when I'm still growing. I owe him half of my writing career. And now, he's retiring and he wants to do this project with me.

Ilang taon na?

Around 50?

Sugar daddy.

Tangina. Isa pa, ha.

He's retiring now that he's fifty. And you're thirty. Two decades younger. Why treat this as your last project?

I ran out of things to write about.

People?

I ran out na rin of inspirations.

Okay. Good luck in your project. Sorry talaga today. We didn't get to talk that much. Coffee na lang ulit tayo, I'm sure Cassie won't mind.

Yeah, sure. 'Wag lang ngayon, Brent would call me anytime.

Brent? Your guy before?

Yeah, he's on production design. But we're not together anymore, tagal na. We met because of Ed.

Who's Ed?

Sheeran.

Ano nga?

Ed, 'yung tinawag mong sugar daddy. He's amazing and he's full of knowledge din, shet. Amazing. Akala ko I know life na. He knows it better.

Of course. Everything comes with age.

Except love.

Hugot. Pakasal ka na nga.

Soon. Hanap akong matandang mayaman na mamamatay na.

Si Ed.

Parang nilandi ko na Tatay ko.

Ipapakilala nga kita sa mga kaibigan ko.

Hindi nga gumagana sa'kin 'yang reto-reto na 'yan.

Gagana 'yan ngayon. Who knows? I have good workmates.

I don't care, okay? In my own time.

Life's running ahead of you, Maine. You'd be an old maid in no time.

That doesn't concern you anymore, Alden.

Aray.

Sige na, umuwi ka na. Thanks sa paghahatid. Baka hinahanap ka na ni Calley.

Calley likes you.

Yeah, he got that from you, I'm sure.

Too much confidence you've got there, lady.

Just being the usual me, Alden. Uwi na.

Yeah, wife's already calling me.

Thanks for this day. What are you up to these days, anyway? Film pa rin?

I did my last film five or six years ago, 'di ko na tanda. I'm in the corporate world now. 'Yung binigay ko sa'yo, 'yun na 'yun.

Why?

I ran out of things I could use to fuel my artistic mind, that's all.

Deep.

Just the harsh truth. Good night, Maine. Rest well.

Good night, Alden.

Drive safely.

//