Chapter 67: The Love Inside Her Heart

His eyes twinkled as he looked at the camera, "What do you want?" He asked in a thick Visayan accent.

Hershey felt his heart drop in his chest, overcome with emotions he couldn't quite put into words. The girl behind the camera giggled, "Danielle says that you and her are going to be together forever, and you're not going to leave her?"

Hershey watched, silent, as Marco Fernando Sr. on the monitor stood in the middle of the group, his frame, tall but muscular, similar to Marco Junior's, and the hair that made him stand out from the rest of the men. Her hair hung over her shoulders. But when his gaze landed on Danielle standing at least twenty feet away from him, his eyes darkened to a rich forest color. Hershey was almost shocked by the passion he saw in them. Marco laughed and approached Danielle. Taking her in his arms, he said, "She's right. I love this woman in my life."

Deborah, the camera girl sighed and said, "Danielle you are so lucky girl." Danielle smiled, her complexion dark olive from the happiness she reflected. Her arms around Marco Fernando, she laughed, "That I know."

Suddenly the camera is reversed. Smiling at the camera is a girl with copper-colored hair, eyes that are a deep opal color, and cheeks that seem to have a rosy glow to them. "That's it folks, Danielle and Marco will be together forever." She stopped, smiled, and sighed, "That's our latest edition of love in the works with me, your host, Deborah. Have a great night." It's just that the camera is blank.

Hershey sat quietly on the sofa, not sure how to respond to the video. Marco Junior just stood up and took the tape out of the VCR. Sighing, he turned on the light switch next to the television. Light flooded the dark room. Putting the tape back in its case, he took another one and opened it. When he did, he inserted it into the VCR. Turning off the light, he returned and sat on the sofa. Hershey swears he walks over and sits in the seat closest to her. The screen in front of them turned into a white screen.

In orange letters, it says, DANIELLE IS IN-BIRTH. The camera turned and the girl with the copper hair and deep opal eyes started videotaping again, "Listen, if you don't know, Danielle is my Aunt. Of course, because of her marriage to my Uncle Marco Fernando and I have already taped their birth. The last time I'd recorded Uncle Marco and Aunt Danielle, they were about to get married. Now, Aunt Danielle about to give birth to a boy. Her first child of hopefully many."

Hershey felt him come a little closer to her and put his arms around her on the couch where her head rested. Pulling herself up to meet him, she rested her head on his chest, feeling his heart beat a mile a minute. He put his hand on his chest and sighed. In return, his hand began rubbing her shoulder. In silence, they sat and watched the documentary in front of them. "And that folks, is how Tita Danielle gives birth to a Baby Boy. Thanks for joining us tonight. Again, this is Deborah. Thank you for watching Love in the works and good night to all."

Again, a blank screen greeted Marco Junior and Hershey. Hershey sat there staring at the screen with tears streaming down her face, thinking about their lost son and then how happy Danielle and Marco Senior were when they held their baby boy. It was the best thing Hershey had ever seen. She wiped her eyes, she stood up on the sofa. She whispered, "That's the best thing I've ever seen."

Marco Junior stood up from his seat on the couch and said, "I agree. I forgot how handsome my dad is."

Hershey laughed, grinning up at him, "He looks like you, just different hair and face shape."

"I have my mother's hair and face shape."

"I can see that." Marc smiled at him, "Speaking of hair, why'd you straighten yours?"

Hershey sighed, "I thought it was time to change my look."

"Why? You're beautiful because your hair is natural."

Hershey put a hand on her hip. "I'm not pretty with straight hair?"

Marc sighed, "No, you're beautiful either way, but I absolutely worship those curls."

Hershey smiled, "Why?"

Marc came and stood in front of her, once he'd put everything back in its proper place, "Because, they represent you and who you really are; individuality. I loved that."

Hershey raised an eyebrow, "Most guys don't like the natural."

Marc shook his head, "I'm not most guys."

Hershey felt de ja vu. As he said those words, he was taken to the state he was in before. So, when he reached his hand over her face, tracing her features, she remembered. A deep release of breath and he swallowed the weakness that felt in his heart. The love he felt enveloped him. His hands stopped and he smiled tiredly. "Good night Chocolate."

Hershey swallowed, throat dry, "Can't I kiss?" Marc raised two eyebrows.

"One kiss?"

Hershey nodded, "Yes, a kiss. I want one. Can I have one?"

Marc teased it. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Midnight Chocolate Hershey, you must be tired."

Feeling slightly angry, Hershey grabbed Marco Junior and pulled him towards her. Grabbing his neck, she pulled his head down until their lips met. The kiss was soft, leisurely. When it finally broke, she stood there her skin flushed and her heart thumping hard inside her chest. He just stood there staring at her, his stormy stare. "Good night."

Hershey smiled, "Good night." She stayed there, lingered for a minute or two, thinking, but decided on something and continued upstairs. Hershey lay in bed, unable to sleep, unable to think of anything except what he saw in Marco Fernando's eyes. He had seen the adoration in Marco's eyes several times before. When she saw that look in his father's eyes, she regretted everything she had given Marco Junior. It really touched his heart to see how his mother interacted with his father, wishing she could take back all the hurtful things she said to Marc Junior. Wishing she could take back all of those times she'd been such a bitch to him when all he'd done was try to love her. She felt tears running down her cheeks, and she cried.

Marco Junior listened as Hershey cried in the other room. He felt a heavy heart when he heard her cry. He didn't know what was wrong, but he bet it had something to do with the videos she saw. Sighing, he pushed the covers off himself and went to the door, opening it, he stepped out into the hallway. Knocking on the door, he called Hershey's name. Hershey took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Yes."

"Are you all right, Chocolate?"

Hershey snorted, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm fine." She stated, that her throat hurts. She constantly wiped away the tears that did not stop falling.

"Well, you know where I am if you need me."

Because of that, Marc turned his back on the door and went back to his room. He fell under the blanket and stared at the ceiling.

Hershey wiped the last tears from her eyes. Staring at the ceiling, she thought about how much she really loved Marco Junior, even after two years, she was still weak in the knees. She never thought she would miss him as much as he does now, opposite his room. She took a deep breath, she whispered, "If I get the chance, I'll show him how much I love him, how much he means to my heart. I love him very much. I'm sorry for all the stupid. Things I did. I'm sorry for taking him for granted. I'm sorry that I left what I shouldn't have done. I should have stayed here in the Philippines and loved him in the way I was supposed to."

Sighing, she lay in the dark, wondering what she would do if he walked into her room and kissed her, showering her with his love. Does she like it? Will she reject it? Did she have a chance? With tears in her eyes, she sat there for ten minutes and turned the idea over in her mind. Pushing the covers away from her, she got out of bed and crossed the hall. She knocked on the door of Marco Junior, she waited for him to answer. Without answering, she turned the knob.

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