Chapter 53: The Heart Beats Again

Marco Fernando Junior lay in bed, thinking about all the things he had endured in the past two years. The passing of his mother, his own child was born and then also left this world, also passed away, painful. He remembered that he could not close his eyes at night during the first three months he was away in Cavite. Guilt, anger, pain, and frustration were able to claim him during those times. In the ninth month, he felt the emotions go away one by one, until finally, he started working again, left the house where Norman and Anne were, and got a home of his own.

Two weeks after moving to Manila, he was going through his things and found a few things that Hershey had given him over the years. These items of memorabilia, held tightly to his heart, reminding him of a sentence he had written on his heart saying that he would come back one day for her. Although he wanted to go back, he wasn't sure if he wanted to see her or not. After deliberating his heart and mind, he bought a plane ticket and lo and behold, returned to Cavite, Philippines.

He took a deep breath, sat up, and put his hands to his face. He will also come back because he has something else to attend to. Getting up, he went out the door and went to his son's room. Everything is still in the right place. Nothing was deleted. As he turned on the light, he saw dust mites hanging on the furniture, in the closet where the clothes were still hanging.

Glancing around the room, he took a deep breath as he remembered the little boy he once held in his arms appeared in his mind. He walked out into the hallway to the linen closet, reached to the top shelf, and took out some cleaner, where he carried it back into the room. He gradually dismantled everything.

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The next morning, Hershey awoke with a bright disposition. She looked at the clock, she read that it was nine in the morning. Pulling the covers off her, she stretched her legs, turning to the left and then to the right to remove the creaks from her hips. She took her clothes from the closet, she took a shower.

An hour later, showered, down to breakfast, and then off to work on Molino Boulevard, Hershey focused on Marco Junior and why he was back in town. Why?

A sigh escaped as many possibilities ran through her head. Even one she didn't want to admit. Such things never happened in real life. Men never return to the woman they first loved. It is foolish to think of such an idea. Two years is definitely enough time to achieve a sweetheart in high school, right? She cleared her throat, pushed the thought aside, and then grabbed her keys from the table.

Marco Junior watched excitedly as Hershey walked out of the house, keys in hand, and into a car. When did Hershey have a car?

When he left, she was using her mother's car to go to the store, now she drives a ninety-seven Nissan Altima.

Marco Junior drove to the end of the driveway, stopping right behind the car. As the car started to move, he thought how good a driver she was. As he thought about it, the car came to a complete stop, surprising Marco Junior. She was looking out the window, her eyebrows raised.

"Do you want me to punch you?"

He laughed, "You like it?"

She smiled back, "Tempting offer, but it's against the law."

He shook his head, feeling relieved, "Do you always have to go through the book?"

"I was told it was safer this way."

He nodded. "Oh really?"

Hershey sighed, "Yeah." She looked down at her watch, "You're making me late for work."

He nodded, "I'm sorry."

He waited for Hershey to move. When she didn't, he kept quiet, "I want to go, it's going to be a long day."

Marco Junior nodded, "I suppose you would like me to move?"

Hershey laughed, "That's the idea."

He smiled at the very sweet sound. "Nice music."

She frowned, confused. "What?"

"Your laugh, the music is beautiful." He said.

Hershey peeked through the windshield and then looked back at him. "Thank-you. I really need to leave now." She was pressed for time.

Marco Junior sighed, knowing his time was up. "Okay."

With that, he moved away from the road. Hershey continued to park outside the driveway. When she waved at him, his eyes landed on hers and she calmed his excited heartbeat.

The last thing Marco Junior expected, watching her car go down the end of the road and then stop at a light, was for it to spin. Well, it happened. He looked back and saw the car coming back in his direction and then stopped in front of him. Hershey leaned on the driver's side. "Are you busy?"

Marco Junior shrugged, "No. Not at the moment."

"Do you have many plans for today?" She inquired, he looked at her.

He narrowed his eyes and stared at her, confused. What is happening here? Was God trying to tell him something?

Hershey cleared her throat, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

He sighed, "Let me be the judge of that. What were you asking?"

Hershey also sighed, "Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to go to Molino Boulevard with me, to my work. It's like you've never been."

Marco Junior shrugged, "Alright."

Hershey nodded, "You'll be there until I get off work." She said with a smile.

Marco Junior felt a pain in his heart. He wanted to take her hand and run it over her face. He missed her smile. "Ok, we can do that." He said, his eyes starting to light up at the idea.

Hershey took a breath, put the car in reverse, backed up until he reached his driveway, and then turned right back onto the street.

Hershey looked while driving the car. Her hand seemed to rest on the steering wheel. Her feet are perfectly aligned with the brakes. She had to admit, he looked comfortable. Eyes met the clothes he was wearing, the Italy blue Capri jeans, a mauve t-shirt that covered his body beautifully, and matching sandals.

His eyes landed on Hershey's hair. He noticed that she straightened it and now it was over her shoulders, held in place by a red pin.

He silently nodded to himself and then looked out the window. After a minute of silence, he looked at Hershey. "Why did you invite me?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. I thought it would be a nice experience."

He raised two eyebrows, "Really?"

"Yes why not?"

He smiled, repeating her last words. "Why not?"

They arrived at Molino Boulevard, The Young Filipino Building, Marco Junior looked up at the building. It is a three-story building, with glass windows, separating the rooms in the building. Marco Junior followed Hershey into the building. There is a thin carpet inside the lobby, located on the first floor. Hershey handed his ID Pass to the receptionist. The lady scanned it and then looked at Marco Junior, expecting his ID Pass.

Hershey sighed, "I'm with him, Laura."

The lady named Laura smiled and nodded, allowing them to pass through the metal detectors.

Marco Junior sighed, "Wow, Chocolate," Hershey smiled. "Nope.

"She said she wants the children to be safe no matter what happens?" Marco Junior asked, looking around the entire building.

"Well, it started as just a reading group from Bacoor District 2, but now, there is a computer lab, some teaching classes as well as a cafeteria, and added to the reading groups, for younger children. This year, they will be adding some activities for older children that they will welcome."

Marco Junior sighed, surprised. He followed her down the hall and into a room, located at the far end. She opened the door and went inside. It is a good-sized office with a computer, filing cabinet, a desk and chair where the computer sits and a coat rack for jackets.

Marco looked around, "Is this your office?"

Hershey smiled, "Yes, I am now the Young Filipino Coordinator for the field-trips the students take."

Marco Junior was surprised, "How old are you again, Hershey? Nineteen, Twenty?"

Hershey smiled, "I just turned twenty this coming month."

"That's a lot of responsibility for a twenty-year-old." Marco Junior said.

Hershey smiled, "Well, I did the reading groups and scheduling of activities for the group for two years before I made it as a Young Filipino Coordinator. Let me tell you, there's a-lot more dough coming in from when I first started at fifteen."

"You've been working here since you were fifteen?" Marco Junior asked in shock.

Hershey nodded, "Yep, Mom signed my work permit and off I went. I started earning five thousand pesos when I was new."

Marco Junior laughed, "Nice chunk of change."

Hershey laughed, "Yeah, but not as nice as it is now. I'm making at-least thirty thousand a month plus..plus...."

Marco Junior raised an eyebrow, "Wow."

Hershey sighed, "Yeah."

The look and sparkle in his eyes remained, as a beautiful smile. Marco Junior looked back at the day in the lake when he threw a small rock and saw the two of them, come out the other end, bounce off the rock, and then hop back into the stream. Marco Fernando Jr. felt Hershey's face turn red, he remembered that day.

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