Redamancy

II.

December 1, 2018, 6:53 A.M.

Dawn woke up early. Ahhh. At last, the first day of December. The month wherein every weekend there is an invitation for a Christmas party. Her favorite season of all time.

"Hon... Wake up." She nudges her husband up so they could get ready for the day.
"5 minutes."
"Okay..."

She started preparing for the day. A quick shower, blow dried her hair, did her skincare, and applied minimal make up. Her normal daily routine.

It was a Saturday, the kids and Anton are home, that's why they decided to go to the mall to buy Christmas presents for everyone, at the same time, their family bonding as well since she and Anton got busy with work and they try to make bawi to the kids.

She prepared breakfast - pancakes and bacon (for the kids), sinangag, tinapa, danggit, and itlog na pula mixed with tomatoes for her and Anton. She started her favorite season with her favorite set of breakfast.

As they all finished eating, the doorbell rang. Dawn asked one of the helpers to kindly get the door. A few minutes later, their kasambahay is back with an invitation for Mr. and Mrs. Anton Lagdameo.

"Hon, what's that?" She asked.
"An invitation from the Congress. A reunion and Christmas Party for the past and present representatives lang."
"Oh. Pupunta ba tayo?" She asks.
"Sure. It's been a long time na rin 'no since we've been with the other representatives."
"Okay. When and where is it?"
"On December 10, sa Makati Shangri-la, hon."

They finished their food and quickly ran to the mall before it gets busy with people rushing through the Christmas season.

December 10, 2018, 6:34 P.M.

Dawn is getting ready for the Christmas Party. She did her hair and make-up since it is just a simple party for everyone in the Congress. She is wearing one of her favorite dresses, the white one with blue printed design she once wore in ASAP.

Anton knocks at the door, "Hon, are you done? We need to rush."
"Almost!" and sprayed her favorite perfume before leaving.

December 10, 2018, 8:00 P.M.

When they arrived at the function room, it is packed with representatives from past and present. Anton roams around to greet some colleagues that he used to work with, while Dawn greets the wives (some are her kumares).

From where Dawn is standing, she saw the door open and Lucy Torres walks in. Alone. Dawn gasps as she did not expect her to attend. Dawn rarely sees Lucy in parties like this and then as if an instinct, she automatically searched for him. She looked if he was just behind Lucy, but he was not.

Since Dawn and some of her friends are near the door, Lucy approached them first and greeted them with beso-beso.

"Hi, Dawn!"
"Hi, Lucy! How are you?"
"I'm good. Advance Happy Birthday nga pala, ha."
"Oh.. You remembered! Thank you!"
She gave her a genuine smile. "Are you alone?"
"Oh, Richard will try to make habol, but I don't think he can make it. He is still in a meeting pa, e."
"Oh okay. Enjoy the party and see you around!" They both gave each other another beso and Lucy was pulled by her friends to greet the other representatives.

Dawn went back to their table and checks her social media accounts - Twitter and Instagram. After checking, she put it in her purse and joined the conversation of everyone else in the table.

After an hour or so, Richard quietly sneaked inside the function room making sure no one notices him. He goes straight to Lucy's table and greeted everyone sitting with them. He roams his eyes around, as if searching for someone. And there she is, he knows that physique really well and that dress – one of his favorites of hers. He is facing her back that's why she did not notice him. She was busy chatting with her friends and occasionally laughs. How he misses those laughs and those smiles.

People are starting to recognize Richard's presence and that's where Dawn noticed him and looked at his direction. He was busy shaking hands with the friends of his wife.

"Let's roam around, and greet other reps, hon." Richard asks Lucy to come with him.
They first went to the table where Dawn and her husband are seated.

"Hi!" Richard greets.

Dawn startled a bit, but quickly composed herself, stood up with Anton, and faced Richard and Lucy. "Uy, hi!! Lucy said you're not going to make it?" And then they beso. Richard also greets Anton with a handshake.

"Yeah. Meeting took longer than expected. Pero nagmadali na rin ako, so I can go here." He smiled at her, like feeling at ease that finally after almost two years, he sees her again.
"Tara, Hon. Let's greet the other representatives pa. See you around Anton and Dawn!" and Lucy pulled Richard away from them and reach another table.

Dawn and Anton sat down again. And from where she is sitting, she can see where Richard is.

Richard was catching up with some of his wife's colleagues but still facing Dawn. He will catch her looking at him, but when he tries to lock their eyes, she will simply look away. It happened four times.

She's sure that they are asking about the life that a Richard Gomez chose.

A life that she asked him three times to think about. No, scratch that. A life that she asked him not to take, five times, to be exact.

She tries to distract herself by joining the conversation of the wives and occasionally sipping her third or maybe her fourth (she can't even remember!) glass of wine.

"Hon, napaparami ka na yata.." Anton asked her and stops her from finishing her wine.
"No, I'm still okay." She smiles and simply looks away - to where she last saw Richard.

She saw him stand and walk away towards outside the function room.
"Maybe he'll use the bathroom..." She thought.

She fights the urge not to follow him outside. To talk to him. To have a proper conversation with him. Outside. Where nobody was.

But then, her phone rings...

*to be continued*