DARK CHOCOLATE 4: HEARTS IN DOUBT, DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE

Epilogue - Mrs. Filomino

Let it be forgotten, as a flower is forgotten,

Forgotten as a fire that once was singing gold,

Let it be forgotten for ever and ever,

Time is a kind friend, he will make us old.

If anyone asks, say it was forgotten

Long and long ago,

As a flower, as a fire, as a hushed footfall

In a long-forgotten snow.

--- Let It Be Forgotten

Sara Teasdale

If there were a device that could take away specific memories from the brain, I would've been the first one to buy it.

When I used to look at myself in the mirror, I always associated each line with a specific event in my life. Some people look at the lines on their faces and feel proud. Those lines made them who they were. Removing them was like burning old photo albums, erasing memories that shaped their lives.

But what if those memories were all terrible and without closure? Should you still feel proud of every line on your face?

Shelley, sweet Shelley had quickly forgotten every bad thing Rori and Olivia had ever done to her. It was hard remembering those when she was very, very happy. It was her honeymoon night. Naturally, basking in joy, there was no room for thoughts about me in her head.

Alexandra, lying alone in bed, was forcing herself to forget all her worries about her husband.

AJ that night was trying to forget the situation she got herself into.

Leticia, with her Chihuahua, once again walked the lighted sidewalk of Dark Chocolate Street. She stopped in front of Isabella's house. She knocked on her door.

"Good evening, Isabella. I was wondering if we could chat a little. I knew your mother."

Ordinarily, Isabella did not want to chat with people she did not really know but a few weeks ago, when she first saw Leticia De Dios, something told her she knew this person. And she tried nightly to recall where she first saw her. She could not remember.

"Please come in."

She offered her coffee. Leticia stared at Isabella, so many memories flooding her brain.

"This may sound weird, Ma'am, have I seen you before?"

"Call me Mrs. De Dios. And yes, you might have seen me before. Like I said, your mother was my friend. I must admit it had been a long, long time since I last saw her---eighteen years ago." Tinapik niya ang kamay ni Isabella.

Isabella's hand slightly trembled. "Eighteen y-years ago? I left for the States then. How could I have met you then?"

Leticia smiled. "If you can't remember, then we probably never met before. Baka kamukha lang ako ng taong pamilyar sa 'yo. I look very ordinary."

Isabella could only nod. The woman looked anything but ordinary.

"You know AJ and PJ, yes?"

"Y-yes. Ang bilis ng panahon. Parang kailan lang noong mga bata pa kami. How did you know them? Did you use to live in Dasmariñas Village? D-did you know my father?"

"No to both questions. It's funny how things happen, really. Nagpa-advertise ako at pinapaupahan ko nga ang bahay ni Gracia. Wala ni isang gustong umupa dahil sa nangyari doon. You do know my sister was murdered in that house. I do know who killed her, by the way. Anyway, only AJ and PJ were brave enough to rent the place under my conditions. Isn't it funny how things happen? It's almost as if a higher power wants us all to live together here in Sweet Homes. What do you think, Isabella?"

"I d-don't know. It's getting late, Mrs. De Dios."

"Of course. I'll see you around."

As Isabella closed the door she thought maybe the woman knew something about her past. But what if she didn't? She could not ask her. So she called the private investigator she hired.

"Nakita mo na ba sila?"

"Hindi pa pero may balita ako. Malaking balita. Bukas na lang tayo mag-usap. Gabi na."

She hung up. She could not sleep the whole night trying hard to remember when she first saw Mrs. Leticia De Dios.

Wakas