Chapter 20

Andrew’s life after high school was a roller coaster ride. Sometimes he’s on the top, sometimes he’s on the bottom. Life was full of surprises and disappointments. Andrew’s mother learned that he had a baby with his pretty girlfriend Dianna and he left them. His brother Keith told her one day. Keith knew that their mother ought to know about Andrew’s long kept secret. He thought that their mother should have known of it a long time ago, but Andrew had to focus on his studies until he finished high school. Keith told her about the secret three days after Andrew’s graduation.

Mrs. Castillo folded her hands. “If that’s true, how come Dianna’s parents did not barge into this house to tell us?” She said. “A situation like that demands a confrontation. Her parents were probably upset when Andrew did not accept his responsibility as a father to their baby.” Mrs. Castillo’s eyebrows met that they formed number 11 lines on her forehead.

“Well, Dianna asked her parents not to confront Andrew and inform you,” Keith said.

“Both you and Jade knew about this all along? Everyone in this house knew except me?” His mother raised her voice.

Keith looked at the floor. Then he looked at his mother in the eyes and said yes.

When Andrew got home after running errands, his mother asked if he really had a baby with Dianna and left them. He looked away. His mother told him to answer her question.

He swallowed hard and said yes.

She slapped him so hard. Andrew felt a burning pain in his cheek. His mother’s hand left a red mark on his soft fair cheek.

“Why did you leave your girlfriend and your baby?”

“Because I’m not ready to be a father. I’m too young for this. I’m afraid that I…”

“That you will end up like your father?”

Andrew nodded weakly. He looked down on the floor deeply engulfed in shame.

“Well, by leaving them you just proved to me, to all of us, that you’re a coward just like your father!” She retorted.

“I am so ashamed of what you have done,” she said with conviction. “You have promised me and your brother that you will never be like your father. But then you broke that promise. Not only did you become just like your dad, but you also became worse.”

“Pack your bags and leave this house,” she added. “Don’t show your face to me anymore.”

Andrew obeyed his mother. He left home and rented an apartment. He stopped for a year and did not go to college immediately. He worked as a graphic designer and a barista in a Starbucks. These jobs helped him earn money for his college education.

Soon enough he became a student of Conservatory of Music in University of Santo Tomas. He was a talented and brilliant student. The professors and his fellow students adored his singing voice and guitar playing skills. He made friends among the students but he was never close to them. However, he found a confidant in the person of his favorite professor Jackson Merritt. Andrew told Jackson about his life. Jackson knew everything about Andrew: Andrew’s childhood dream of becoming a rock star, his abusive father who almost ruined their family life, and his abandoning his pregnant girlfriend. Jackson listened to all the woes and secrets of Andrew and gave him pieces of advice. Andrew took his pieces of advice. Jackson became like a father to Andrew.

Andrew formed a band with his friends in the university. His band played in the school during special occasions and events. They also played outside school in the bars at night. He dated many girls whom he met in the gigs, but he never took any of them seriously. He was afraid of commitment.

One night while drinking a couple of beers in a bar, Jackson told Andrew, “I noticed that you have had so many flings here and there. When will you decide to be in a real relationship?”

“It’s not important to me at the moment,” Andrew said after sipping a beer.

“Maybe you haven’t found the right girl yet,” Jackson said.

Andrew chuckled at that. “The right girl is a damsel in distress waiting for a prince to save her from a dungeon. She exists in a fairy tale. Real life taught me that she doesn’t exist.”

“Do you think no one will accept you and love you for who you are? Out of all the maidens out there, I’m sure one of them is willing to save you from the clutches of evil in this cruel world and give her heart to you. All you need to do is hold out your hand and place her heart in your palm. In exchange, you give your heart to her.”

“So, I’m the damsel in distress, is that what you’re saying?” Andrew grinned.

“Indeed, my friend,” Jackson said. He drank his beer.

Andrew finished his four-year course and later on became a music teacher to grade-schoolers in a private school. His trusted friend and mentor Jackson inspired him to teach music. Andrew let go of his childhood dream of being a rock star. He even quit his band to devote his time for teaching music to the youngsters.

Andrew lost two important persons in his life: his childhood best friend Fred and his mother.

Fred was killed by two muggers when he refused to give them money. One night a mugger punched Fred on the face and another plunged a knife into his stomach. Blood oozed from Fred’s stomach until it formed a scarlet river on the ground. The muggers fled. No one saw them. A man in his 30s who was walking the dark alley saw Fred bleeding on the ground. His eyes widened in shock, but then he tried to calm himself down as he removed the knife that was still jutting in Fred’s stomach and carried him in his arms. He then rushed Fred to the hospital. But Fred was dead on arrival.

Andrew’s skater buddy Jonathan informed Andrew about Fred’s death. Andrew was utterly shocked and sad. They went to Fred’s wake and funeral. Tears fell from their eyes as they listened to the beautiful eulogies of Fred’s family and friends. The two skater buddies gave their eulogies as well. Fred was more than a friend to them. He was like a brother to them.

Andrew’s mother died of cancer. On her deathbed, she apologized to Andrew for disowning him and letting him live on his own when he was still young. Andrew told her that he had forgiven her a long, long time ago. He told her that he loved her. Andrew kissed his mother on the forehead and hugged her. As he felt her last breath on his cheek, tears streamed down his face.

The deaths of Andrew’s best friend and mother were excruciatingly painful to him. It’s as if someone stabbed his heart. He got so depressed that he could hardly concentrate on work. He took a two weeks’ leave in order to recover. When he came back to work, he worked a lot and rested a little. His life became routinary. He never went out with his friends to have fun. He removed “fun” from his vocabulary. His life consisted of only three words: eat, sleep, and work. For Andrew life was no longer something he enjoyed but endured. He kept on living only because he was still breathing. There’s no reason for living.

He felt this way for three years. But when he met Kristine, things have changed.  Suddenly there was a spring in his step. He found happiness and love.

Andrew met Kristine through their common friend Jody. He was Jody’s regular client in her tattoo shop. Andrew had started getting tattoos after his best friend’s and mother’s passing. Getting tattoos was his way of handling grief. He got a tattoo of a phoenix rising from the ashes. The tattoo represented his soul continuously rising from the ashes of pain and loss. He got another tattoo of an anchor, which represented his favorite quote from the TV show Teen Wolf: “Be your own anchor.” The tattoo reminded him to be strong and self-reliant because he felt like he was the only person who could support himself.

Through the years Jody became Andrew’s confidante. She knew everything he went through. Jody sensed that Andrew was a deeply lonely man and she wanted to help him.

One hot afternoon Andrew was hanging out in Jody’s tattoo shop and looking at her portfolio and the interior of the shop. It was his way of passing the time. He liked that shop so much he frequented it whether he had an appointment with her or not.

“You know what, Andrew? You have been my client and friend these past few months. I noticed one thing about you,” Jody said. “Each time you step into this shop, you look five times older.” She smirked. Andrew grinned at her joke.

“I can suggest one thing that can fix your situation: get a girlfriend.”

He scoffed. “Pfft. As if having a relationship magically solves everything and makes one perpetually happy.”

“I did not imply that!” She said defensively. “But having a relationship with someone you really love will make life less lonely and a bit more bearable.”

He nodded. Then she added, “I have a single friend you can date. She’s a decent-looking woman. She is into music and art just like you. Maybe you’ll like her.”

“What’s her name?” He asked.

“Kristine Robles,” she answered.

“No s**t!” His eyes widened and eyebrows raised. “You knew her?”

“Why, of course. She was my classmate and friend in college,” she revealed.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

She shrugged and smiled innocently.

“We used to be tight when we were teenagers,” he revealed. “We got along pretty well and did not run out of things to talk about.” His eyes were bright and his voice was enthusiastic. “She’s interesting, smart, and nice. I like her.”

“That’s good.”

“But you do know that Kristine was Dianna’s best friend!” He said. “Do you think Kristine has forgiven me after what I did to Dianna?” His voice was worried. He looked at Jody seriously.

“Knowing Kristine for such a long period of time, I’m pretty sure she has forgiven you. She forgives easily.”

Andrew agreed to meet up with Kristine. Jody set up their date. He looked forward to his date with the lovely and meek Kristine.

They had a wonderful first date. When they became a couple, they had plenty of marvelous dates and more to come. They had a loving and healthy relationship until now that they’re married and have a baby. God continues to shower them with blessings.

Meanwhile, Dianna, Kristine and Andrew were in the corridor of the ferry, specifically in front of Kristine and Andrew’s room. He tucked his baby to sleep. A nanny watched over the baby. The three former friends went outside the room to talk. Andrew shut the door.

“So, you think I’d instantly forgive you just because you named your daughter after me?” Dianna asked sarcastically.

“We thought you knew, Dianna,” Kristine said. “We thought you had moved on after all these years.”

“Move on?” Dianna yelled. “How can I move on when the guy you married was the one who left me when I was pregnant with our kid?”

“Look, Dianna. I’m so very sorry for all the pain that I caused you after all those years. I was a teenager back then. I could not make a wise decision. I… I was afraid that I would turn out like my dad!” Andrew confessed. “But can we get past this? It’s been years since our little break up.”

“Little break up? You thought that was just a little break up? F*** you!” Dianna raised her middle finger as she screamed. People were staring at the scene. But Dianna did not care if strangers were staring at them. Everyone in the ferry should know that she had been cheated by her ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend. “You destroyed my world ever since you left me and Andrei!”

Andrew’s heart sank when he heard the name of his son with Dianna.

“I…I...” Andrew stuttered and finally said, “I’m so, so sorry Dianna.” His voice broke as tears fell from his chinky eyes.

“You better be,” Dianna said. She was glad that Andrew finally apologized to her for abandoning her and their son. But would she ever forgive him?

“Please leave, Dianna. You’re creating a scene,” Kristine pleaded.

But Dianna just slapped her. Kristine gasped in pain and shock. “That’s for marrying that douchebag, you traitor and filthy wh***!”

Dianna left, satisfied that she hurt her ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend with her words and a slap on the face. She got it all of her chest and finally said everything she wanted to say to them.