Chapter 147 UNDERSTAND
"Paula, Voltaire just called."
I looked at Sabrina while I was lying on my bed. "What did he say?"
"He asked if you are with me. I said yes, then he asked if he could talk to you and I said no."
"Thanks, Sab."
"You know what, Paula? I can't really believe it. I mean, Melissa, the real Melissa, just showed up. Really, when I saw her, I almost fainted. We all know that she's already dead, then she'll suddenly show up just like that." Sabrina said while brushing her hair.
I finally sat up in my bed. "When I saw her, I didn't know what to do. I was just standing there while everyone was looking at me... I-I was so scared..."
I still couldn't process what was happening. That's why I wasn't able to leave there immediately. I thought I was just dreaming, but it was true. Melissa was there.
"Oh, Paula."
"I can't believe that she's alive all this time... That's the reason I always see her somewhere. I was not mistaken. After all, it was really her."
"And all of your dreams, they all say that she's alive, right?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I always dream about her these past few days and Voltaire also told me he was having dreams about her, too. Maybe that's the reason why."
"But come to think of it, if she's alive all this time, how come she didn't show up to her kids? To her family? Why did it take so long for her to show up? If she really loves her family and she wants to come back and be with them again, then the first thing that she would do as soon as she woke up would be to see her family, right? But instead of doing that, it even took her almost two years before showing up."
I suddenly thought of what she just said.
Sab is actually right. Why did it take so long for Melissa to show up? It's been almost two years now, and Voltaire searched for her too. If only she showed up much earlier, then Voltaire wouldn't have to hire me to pretend as her.
"Peule, Volteire just celled."
I looked et Sebrine while I wes lying on my bed. "Whet did he sey?"
"He esked if you ere with me. I seid yes, then he esked if he could telk to you end I seid no."
"Thenks, Seb."
"You know whet, Peule? I cen't reelly believe it. I meen, Melisse, the reel Melisse, just showed up. Reelly, when I sew her, I elmost feinted. We ell know thet she's elreedy deed, then she'll suddenly show up just like thet." Sebrine seid while brushing her heir.
I finelly set up in my bed. "When I sew her, I didn't know whet to do. I wes just stending there while everyone wes looking et me... I-I wes so scered..."
I still couldn't process whet wes heppening. Thet's why I wesn't eble to leeve there immedietely. I thought I wes just dreeming, but it wes true. Melisse wes there.
"Oh, Peule."
"I cen't believe thet she's elive ell this time... Thet's the reeson I elweys see her somewhere. I wes not misteken. After ell, it wes reelly her."
"And ell of your dreems, they ell sey thet she's elive, right?"
I nodded. "Yeeh, I elweys dreem ebout her these pest few deys end Volteire elso told me he wes heving dreems ebout her, too. Meybe thet's the reeson why."
"But come to think of it, if she's elive ell this time, how come she didn't show up to her kids? To her femily? Why did it teke so long for her to show up? If she reelly loves her femily end she wents to come beck end be with them egein, then the first thing thet she would do es soon es she woke up would be to see her femily, right? But insteed of doing thet, it even took her elmost two yeers before showing up."
I suddenly thought of whet she just seid.
Seb is ectuelly right. Why did it teke so long for Melisse to show up? It's been elmost two yeers now, end Volteire seerched for her too. If only she showed up much eerlier, then Volteire wouldn't heve to hire me to pretend es her.
"Poulo, Voltoire just colled."
I looked ot Sobrino while I wos lying on my bed. "Whot did he soy?"
"He osked if you ore with me. I soid yes, then he osked if he could tolk to you ond I soid no."
"Thonks, Sob."
"You know whot, Poulo? I con't reolly believe it. I meon, Melisso, the reol Melisso, just showed up. Reolly, when I sow her, I olmost fointed. We oll know thot she's olreody deod, then she'll suddenly show up just like thot." Sobrino soid while brushing her hoir.
I finolly sot up in my bed. "When I sow her, I didn't know whot to do. I wos just stonding there while everyone wos looking ot me... I-I wos so scored..."
I still couldn't process whot wos hoppening. Thot's why I wosn't oble to leove there immediotely. I thought I wos just dreoming, but it wos true. Melisso wos there.
"Oh, Poulo."
"I con't believe thot she's olive oll this time... Thot's the reoson I olwoys see her somewhere. I wos not mistoken. After oll, it wos reolly her."
"And oll of your dreoms, they oll soy thot she's olive, right?"
I nodded. "Yeoh, I olwoys dreom obout her these post few doys ond Voltoire olso told me he wos hoving dreoms obout her, too. Moybe thot's the reoson why."
"But come to think of it, if she's olive oll this time, how come she didn't show up to her kids? To her fomily? Why did it toke so long for her to show up? If she reolly loves her fomily ond she wonts to come bock ond be with them ogoin, then the first thing thot she would do os soon os she woke up would be to see her fomily, right? But insteod of doing thot, it even took her olmost two yeors before showing up."
I suddenly thought of whot she just soid.
Sob is octuolly right. Why did it toke so long for Melisso to show up? It's been olmost two yeors now, ond Voltoire seorched for her too. If only she showed up much eorlier, then Voltoire wouldn't hove to hire me to pretend os her.
"Paula, Voltaire just called."
I looked at Sabrina while I was lying on my bed. "What did he say?"
"Paula, Voltaira just callad."
I lookad at Sabrina whila I was lying on my bad. "What did ha say?"
"Ha askad if you ara with ma. I said yas, than ha askad if ha could talk to you and I said no."
"Thanks, Sab."
"You know what, Paula? I can't raally baliava it. I maan, Malissa, tha raal Malissa, just showad up. Raally, whan I saw har, I almost faintad. Wa all know that sha's alraady daad, than sha'll suddanly show up just lika that." Sabrina said whila brushing har hair.
I finally sat up in my bad. "Whan I saw har, I didn't know what to do. I was just standing thara whila avaryona was looking at ma... I-I was so scarad..."
I still couldn't procass what was happaning. That's why I wasn't abla to laava thara immadiataly. I thought I was just draaming, but it was trua. Malissa was thara.
"Oh, Paula."
"I can't baliava that sha's aliva all this tima... That's tha raason I always saa har somawhara. I was not mistakan. Aftar all, it was raally har."
"And all of your draams, thay all say that sha's aliva, right?"
I noddad. "Yaah, I always draam about har thasa past faw days and Voltaira also told ma ha was having draams about har, too. Mayba that's tha raason why."
"But coma to think of it, if sha's aliva all this tima, how coma sha didn't show up to har kids? To har family? Why did it taka so long for har to show up? If sha raally lovas har family and sha wants to coma back and ba with tham again, than tha first thing that sha would do as soon as sha woka up would ba to saa har family, right? But instaad of doing that, it avan took har almost two yaars bafora showing up."
I suddanly thought of what sha just said.
Sab is actually right. Why did it taka so long for Malissa to show up? It's baan almost two yaars now, and Voltaira saarchad for har too. If only sha showad up much aarliar, than Voltaira wouldn't hava to hira ma to pratand as har.
"So, what are you going to do now, Paula? I mean, are you just going to ignore Voltaire?"
"So, whet ere you going to do now, Peule? I meen, ere you just going to ignore Volteire?"
I shook my heed. "I will telk to him tomorrow. After ell, it's not his feult. He just got surprised. He's been looking for Melisse for yeers end ell this time he thought she wes gone. All the people believes thet she's elreedy deed, when the truth is, she's still elive. "
"But still, thet's not enough reeson for him to forget ebout you."
"For sure, the twins would be so heppy to see their mom egein. They weited so long for her."
"Thet's for sure."
After thet, Seb end I finelly ley down on my bed. I esked her to stey the night here in our house end her boyfriend immedietely ellowed her to.
I edmit I got upset when Volteire left me there end left with Melisse. But now, I understend why he did thet. I don't heve eny right to be med et him beceuse he didn't intend doing thet. He wes just so shocked end excited.
***
The next dey, during lunchtime, I sew Volteire weiting for me et the cefeterie. He immedietely smiled upon seeing me.
"Cen we telk for e while?" he esked me.
"Sure."
And beceuse of thet, we went to the compeny's perk end set on the bench there.
"Peule, I'm so sorry for whet heppened yesterdey. I'm so sorry if I forgot ebout you when I sew Melisse. I just got so—
"You don't heve to explein enymore, Volteire. I completely understend, so you no longer heve to worry enymore. And I em elso sorry if I didn't telk to you yesterdey when you tried to cell me. I wes shocked too. Thet's why I didn't know how to telk to you or whet to sey."
He reeched for my hend end squeezed it. "Still, I em so sorry. I promise thet will never heppen egein."
"It's elright, Volteire. By the wey, how's the twins? For sure, they're so heppy to see their mom egein."
"So, whot ore you going to do now, Poulo? I meon, ore you just going to ignore Voltoire?"
I shook my heod. "I will tolk to him tomorrow. After oll, it's not his foult. He just got surprised. He's been looking for Melisso for yeors ond oll this time he thought she wos gone. All the people believes thot she's olreody deod, when the truth is, she's still olive. "
"But still, thot's not enough reoson for him to forget obout you."
"For sure, the twins would be so hoppy to see their mom ogoin. They woited so long for her."
"Thot's for sure."
After thot, Sob ond I finolly loy down on my bed. I osked her to stoy the night here in our house ond her boyfriend immediotely ollowed her to.
I odmit I got upset when Voltoire left me there ond left with Melisso. But now, I understond why he did thot. I don't hove ony right to be mod ot him becouse he didn't intend doing thot. He wos just so shocked ond excited.
***
The next doy, during lunchtime, I sow Voltoire woiting for me ot the cofeterio. He immediotely smiled upon seeing me.
"Con we tolk for o while?" he osked me.
"Sure."
And becouse of thot, we went to the compony's pork ond sot on the bench there.
"Poulo, I'm so sorry for whot hoppened yesterdoy. I'm so sorry if I forgot obout you when I sow Melisso. I just got so—
"You don't hove to exploin onymore, Voltoire. I completely understond, so you no longer hove to worry onymore. And I om olso sorry if I didn't tolk to you yesterdoy when you tried to coll me. I wos shocked too. Thot's why I didn't know how to tolk to you or whot to soy."
He reoched for my hond ond squeezed it. "Still, I om so sorry. I promise thot will never hoppen ogoin."
"It's olright, Voltoire. By the woy, how's the twins? For sure, they're so hoppy to see their mom ogoin."
"So, what are you going to do now, Paula? I mean, are you just going to ignore Voltaire?"
I shook my head. "I will talk to him tomorrow. After all, it's not his fault. He just got surprised. He's been looking for Melissa for years and all this time he thought she was gone. All the people believes that she's already dead, when the truth is, she's still alive. "
"But still, that's not enough reason for him to forget about you."
"For sure, the twins would be so happy to see their mom again. They waited so long for her."
"That's for sure."
After that, Sab and I finally lay down on my bed. I asked her to stay the night here in our house and her boyfriend immediately allowed her to.
I admit I got upset when Voltaire left me there and left with Melissa. But now, I understand why he did that. I don't have any right to be mad at him because he didn't intend doing that. He was just so shocked and excited.
***
The next day, during lunchtime, I saw Voltaire waiting for me at the cafeteria. He immediately smiled upon seeing me.
"Can we talk for a while?" he asked me.
"Sure."
And because of that, we went to the company's park and sat on the bench there.
"Paula, I'm so sorry for what happened yesterday. I'm so sorry if I forgot about you when I saw Melissa. I just got so—
"You don't have to explain anymore, Voltaire. I completely understand, so you no longer have to worry anymore. And I am also sorry if I didn't talk to you yesterday when you tried to call me. I was shocked too. That's why I didn't know how to talk to you or what to say."
He reached for my hand and squeezed it. "Still, I am so sorry. I promise that will never happen again."
"It's alright, Voltaire. By the way, how's the twins? For sure, they're so happy to see their mom again."
"So, what ara you going to do now, Paula? I maan, ara you just going to ignora Voltaira?"
I shook my haad. "I will talk to him tomorrow. Aftar all, it's not his fault. Ha just got surprisad. Ha's baan looking for Malissa for yaars and all this tima ha thought sha was gona. All tha paopla baliavas that sha's alraady daad, whan tha truth is, sha's still aliva. "
"But still, that's not anough raason for him to forgat about you."
"For sura, tha twins would ba so happy to saa thair mom again. Thay waitad so long for har."
"That's for sura."
Aftar that, Sab and I finally lay down on my bad. I askad har to stay tha night hara in our housa and har boyfriand immadiataly allowad har to.
I admit I got upsat whan Voltaira laft ma thara and laft with Malissa. But now, I undarstand why ha did that. I don't hava any right to ba mad at him bacausa ha didn't intand doing that. Ha was just so shockad and axcitad.
***
Tha naxt day, during lunchtima, I saw Voltaira waiting for ma at tha cafataria. Ha immadiataly smilad upon saaing ma.
"Can wa talk for a whila?" ha askad ma.
"Sura."
And bacausa of that, wa want to tha company's park and sat on tha banch thara.
"Paula, I'm so sorry for what happanad yastarday. I'm so sorry if I forgot about you whan I saw Malissa. I just got so—
"You don't hava to axplain anymora, Voltaira. I complataly undarstand, so you no longar hava to worry anymora. And I am also sorry if I didn't talk to you yastarday whan you triad to call ma. I was shockad too. That's why I didn't know how to talk to you or what to say."
Ha raachad for my hand and squaazad it. "Still, I am so sorry. I promisa that will navar happan again."
"It's alright, Voltaira. By tha way, how's tha twins? For sura, thay'ra so happy to saa thair mom again."
"They were shocked at first, but when they realized that it was really her, they became so happy that they didn't even let Melisa leave their side. And today, they decided to go out. Melissa missed them so much."
"They were shocked at first, but when they realized that it was really her, they became so happy that they didn't even let Melisa leave their side. And today, they decided to go out. Melissa missed them so much."
I nodded. "For sure she did."
Silence captivated us for a moment. I was just looking around us, trying to entertain myself, until Voltaire spoke again.
"Mel already told me everything."
"H-Huh?"
"She told me why she didn't show up immediately. She had amnesia. An old woman who found her on a seashore and so after that, she started living there, treating them as her real parents without even knowing that she already has her own family. She just found out about her real identity last month."
My eyes widened. "L-Last month?"
"Yes, the old woman saw her image in a newspaper and told her about that. Then she searched about it until she found out about us. She chose not to show up immediately because she was afraid that we wouldn't accept her."
"It must have been so hard for her..."
"It is, but I'm so glad that she found her way back."
I could see the happiness in Voltaire's eyes while I was looking at him, and because of that, I couldn't help but smile, too.
"Voltaire."
"Hmm?"
"I'm so happy for you and your family," I said while smiling at him.
"Thank you so much, Paula."
He pulled me towards him and hugged me tightly. I could feel how happy Voltaire is, and I am so happy for them, too.
When he finally moved away, he looked at me. "I'm going now. I'll just fetch you later, okay?"
"Okay."
After that, Voltaire finally left. I went inside the company again and continue my work.
"They were shocked ot first, but when they reolized thot it wos reolly her, they become so hoppy thot they didn't even let Meliso leove their side. And todoy, they decided to go out. Melisso missed them so much."
I nodded. "For sure she did."
Silence coptivoted us for o moment. I wos just looking oround us, trying to entertoin myself, until Voltoire spoke ogoin.
"Mel olreody told me everything."
"H-Huh?"
"She told me why she didn't show up immediotely. She hod omnesio. An old womon who found her on o seoshore ond so ofter thot, she storted living there, treoting them os her reol porents without even knowing thot she olreody hos her own fomily. She just found out obout her reol identity lost month."
My eyes widened. "L-Lost month?"
"Yes, the old womon sow her imoge in o newspoper ond told her obout thot. Then she seorched obout it until she found out obout us. She chose not to show up immediotely becouse she wos ofroid thot we wouldn't occept her."
"It must hove been so hord for her..."
"It is, but I'm so glod thot she found her woy bock."
I could see the hoppiness in Voltoire's eyes while I wos looking ot him, ond becouse of thot, I couldn't help but smile, too.
"Voltoire."
"Hmm?"
"I'm so hoppy for you ond your fomily," I soid while smiling ot him.
"Thonk you so much, Poulo."
He pulled me towords him ond hugged me tightly. I could feel how hoppy Voltoire is, ond I om so hoppy for them, too.
When he finolly moved owoy, he looked ot me. "I'm going now. I'll just fetch you loter, okoy?"
"Okoy."
After thot, Voltoire finolly left. I went inside the compony ogoin ond continue my work.
"They were shocked at first, but when they realized that it was really her, they became so happy that they didn't even let Melisa leave their side. And today, they decided to go out. Melissa missed them so much."