You're Always In My Heart

Chapter 38

1000 Times by Sara Bareilles

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“You married Quen. He is your husband.”

“Grace is your daughter.”

“The accident was my fault.”

“Quen almost died. He was in ICU for two months.”

“He waited for you.”

“He loves you, Kath.”

“I was just a small glitch on your memory. You thought I was your husband. And you forced yourself to believe that. But your heart, your heart was telling you the truth. You don’t love me, Kath, you just thought you did. Your memory may have failed you but your heart remembers. It remembered Quen. That’s why you love him, not me.”

“I’m sorry.”

They all kept running around her head. She did not reject them. It was a surprise how they easily sunk into her. She didn’t have time to deny nor question them. Because she knew they were true. She knew because she finally remembered. She dreamt about it last night. But a tiny part of her mind doubted them. DJ was able to kick what little doubt she had about them. Finally, she remembered. So that explains everything: the different feeling she had for Gracie, the scar on her pelvis, Greg, her dreams, and Quen. “Oh, Quen!” She thought. With tearful thanks and comforting hug, she sprinted towards the veranda and down the stairs. Clutching her necklace that now bore a ring—her wedding ring. DJ had given her back her blue sphere necklace after finding it sprawled on the sand on the night he and Quen had a brawl. He smashed the sphere on the marble table which earned an angry shriek from Kath. As the sphere broke into tiny pieces, it revealed a silver ring. Engraved inside the ring were the words: “Mi Amor.”

“You threw your ring when you woke up. He thought it made you upset so he encased it with the sphere.”

Warm morning breeze caressed her face as she ran and her hair flew in the air gracefully. The white sand sinking as her feet came in contact with it. She felt as if she was floating—into reality. It was so surreal. Her arms were longing for her daughter and her husband. As she climbed up the stairs to the veranda, Manang Fe greeted her. Her face fell when she noticed Kath catching her breath and her face stained with tears. Tears of joy, that is.

“Kath?”

“Manang Fe, where’s Quen?”

“He—uhh “ She frowned as Kath walked past her and went inside the house calling out Quen’s name. “Is there something wrong?”

“No, Manang Fe. Nothing’s wrong. Everything’s right!” Kath squealed with excitement, tears brimming in her eyes. “I remember everything! Where’s my daughter? Where’s my baby Gracie?”

Manang Fe stood awe-struck. Tears eventually fell down her cheeks as she cupped Kath’s face. “We’ve all been waiting for you, Kath. Welcome home!” She led Kath to Gracie’s room where she was still sleeping soundly.

Tears instantly poured as she held her daughter’s little hand. It took her two years to recognize her own child. A child she never knew she had. She had always thought that Grace was special ever since she laid eyes on her. Somehow, she felt anger and guilt against herself. It must’ve been hard for her daughter and Quen to live without her. But extreme happiness and excitement replaced those feelings, knowing that she has her own family with her. She can’t wait to spend her life with her daughter and her husband, Quen, who she knew she had hurt and pushed away. But deep in her heart, she never wanted to hurt him, because she loves him. Greatly loves him. And this little girl, in front of her, right now, is the ultimate living proof.