Oct 25, 2010

Chances (Chapter Nineteen)


XIX. Departure/Arrival


James was seated anxiously in the middle of the plane. This was the best seat that he could get for the shortest period of time.  Getting reservations was the longest time of his entire life.  He was sandwiched between two burly men who probably would be going overseas to work.  But he does not care.  What keeps playing in his mind was the time when he went to Devon’s house to know where she was. 

He remembered what happened two days ago.

****

Two days ago.

James rushed to Devon’s house, upon knowing that the most important woman in her life has vanished from his life. He knocked until his fist became red.  Bren opened the door, and James forgot all his manners and barged inside. 

“Where is she?” James asked Yen, the first person he saw upon entering the apartment. 

Yen was caught by surprise and was unable to answer immediately.

“Where is she,” James asked Freya when he was unable to get some answers from Yen. 

“She’s not here,” answered Bren quietly. Pulling Freya away from James slowly.  “I told you on the phone, she’s gone.”

“Let her go, James,” Yen said sharply. “She’s finally moving on. She’s finally going to get her life back.”

James shook his head. “I can’t let her go. I can’t.”

“Why?” Freya demanded angrily. “You left her. And now you’re telling us, that you can’t let her go? Make up your mind.”

“I made a mistake,” James admitted. He sat down on a chair and cradled his head in his hands. I made a mistake.

“Bo-hoo,” Freya said sarcastically. “You realize it when it’s already too late.”

Freya and Yen started to walk away.  Obviously controlling their anger. Devon has always been the fighter among the three, she has always been their defender. It is about time that they pay her back. Even it means, throwing harsh words on a beaten man in their living room.

Bren sat down beside James.  “If you’re meant to be together, then you will be together.”

James shook his head vehemently. “I can’t just sit and wait. I can’t live a day thinking and asking myself if she would be back, when she will be back.  I need to do something to make her come back.”

Bren looked at James and saw the sincerity of his words. He looked at Freya and Yen, asking for permission. But both shook their head.  They should not tell him where Devon is. 

James looked pleadingly at Bren but he also shook his head and lowered his eyes.  James felt anger, surging.  Angry not to these people, but to himself. How could he possibly let everything slip away from him? How could he?  James heard Ryan cleared his throat. He was sitting on the chair on the far corner.

“I’m sorry, James,”  said Ryan. “We can’t tell you where she is. We promised never to tell you that she is going to Singapore.”

James nodded. “I know you can’t,” but he immediately cut his statement and looked at Ryan, unbelievably. “Singapore?”

A slipper flew across the room and hit Ryan on his cheek. “What the eff?” he remarked and looked at the direction of the flying slipper.  Yen was holding her other slipper on her hand, ready to throw it again. Ryan immediately slid out of his chair and hid behind it.

“She’s in Singapore?” James repeated.  He stood up and started to browse his phone. The good thing about travelling so much is that you get to save airline numbers on your cellphone. He quickly dialled the airline number and patiently waited for somebody to get on the phone.

It’s taking too long, he angrily mumbled.  He started to walk towards the door when suddenly somebody answered.

“I want to book a flight to Singapore, for tonight,” demanded  James. “I don’t care how much it is, I need it tonight.”

The female voice on the other end of the line calmly answered, “I’m sorry sir, all flights are grounded for tonight because of the storm.”

“What storm?” James asked angrily.

“Sir, if you would check the news, you would see that there is a storm in the Philippines and would be hitting Manila by 10 o’clock tonight.”

“What, there are no flights?” James demanded. “How about tomorrow?”

James waited, pacing back and forth.  The representative came back on the line, telling them that the flights for the next day are all booked. The earliest flight he could get would be the day after tomorrow, at three in the morning.  James was frustrated and decided to hang up on the representative. He used Freya’s phone to call all airlines. But all of them have the same news. No flights for that night, booked until tomorrow.

“When did Singapore became a freaking world destination?” James growled frustratingly.  “How could it be possible that all flights are booked?”

“Cause you’re not really supposed to go after her,” Yen insisted. But she was taken aback when she saw James’s reaction.  His eyes bear all his emotions. He is wearing them all on his sleeve, vulnerable. He does not care if he gets hurt.

“All I need is to see her and tell her what I feel,” James told them.  He started to dial again, while the lightning, thunder and heavy rain vibrates in the entire house.

****

This is why he is here now. Two days after Devon left for Singapore, he is still in the Philippines. He has never felt so helpless.  He wanted to do something but he cannot.
James tried to be patient during the four hour flight.  He took no notice of the man who was sleeping and resting his head on James’s shoulder.  He glanced and saw that he was in fact, drooling. But he does not mind. This is the earliest flight he could take, and even poor seating would not keep him away from it.

After almost four hours of flight and almost another hour in the Changi International Airport, he is already in the streets of Singapore.

He was able to talk to Jack yesterday, Devon’s officemate.  He asked him if he has any idea where Devon would be staying in Singapore.  Jack gave him a hotel where firm employees would spend their business trip, as well as the address of the firm’s office in Singapore. 

He shrugged his backpack and navigated the streets of the Central Area. James asked several people for directions, until he was able to find the building that he was looking for.  James walked inside the building, towards the receptionist area. The woman behind the desk, perhaps sensing that he is a foreigner, greeted him in English.

“Good day, what can we do for you?” asked the receptionist.

James opened his mouth and asked for Devon. “She was supposed to be here as consultant from the Philippines. I think she arrived here a couple of days ago.”

The woman motioned for him to wait and dialled with her IP phone. She talked in Chinese for a while, before she finally ended the call.

“I’m sorry sir,” said the woman as he approached James. “No Filipino consultant arrived sir.”

James eyes opened wide and looked at the woman. “That can’t be possible. She was supposed to go here.”

The woman shook her head. “No consultant came, sir. They were scheduled to come two days ago, but the date was moved indefinitely.”

James walked out of the building, several minutes after, asking the receptionist over and over again, until the lady threatened to call security unless he stop.  James continued walking.  He stopped under a tree and leaned on it.

Where are you Devon, he asked himself.

****

Devon was looking at her cellphone. She hasn’t called or texted anybody in the Philippines. Nobody knew that she is in Macau.  Devon fidgeted on her phone, it is already late in the afternoon. She arrived two days ago, and all of the problems with one of their firm offices in Macau is being straightened out. If all goes well, she may be going home early.

Home, Devon thought. Is there really a place that I can go home to?  From her hotel window, she could see the entire city.  Am I willing to stay here?  She closed the window blinds and looked at her phone again.

She took a deep breath and started to dial her mother’s number. After a brief talk with her parents, Devon felt a lot better.  She decided to call her friends to let them know that she is doing great.

Freya answered on the fourth ring. “Hello Devon.”  Devon sensed that there was something wrong and guarded with how Freya greeted her. But she did not took notice.  “How’s Singapore?” Freya asked.

“I’m not in Singapore,” said Devon. “I’m in Macau. They sent me here instead.”

“Whaaat?” Freya exclaimed. “You are not in Singapore? Since when?”

Devon started to share what happened in the airport. She noticed a commotion in the background. “What’s wrong? Why is everybody noisy?”

“There’s nothing wrong,” denied Freya. “We’re just excited that you called.”

Devon talked to her friends for a while before she hung up.  There is something going on, but she decided not to take notice of it.

****
“Have you talked to James?” Freya asked Bren for the nth time.

Bren patiently answered while holding his phone. “No, I haven’t. I’ve been trying to call him since Devon called last night.”

Yen was already strangling Ryan. “Where the heck could he be?”

Bren started to dial on his phone again, and this time he was able to get James on the phone. “Where have you been dude?”

“Sorry,” said James. “I lost my phone charger and I have to look for another one here. You have to idea how difficult it is to find another charger.”

“Well, Devon called,” Bren interrupted.

“What did she say?” James immediately asked.

“She’s not in Singapore. She’s in Macau,” Bren answered.

Bren heard James cursing on the other end of the line. “Do you have any idea what hotel she’s in? I’m going to the airport now.”

Bren gave Devon’s hotel and James ended the call, immediately.
****

Is nature working against me, James asked angrily.  Are you punishing me? 

He was able to get a flight to Macao from Singapore. Unfortunately, there were no non-stop flights and all he could get was a flight with one stop, and it was a long layover.  So the three hours of air travel from Singapore to Macau, lasted for blasted ten hours.

To make matters worse, the long layover, became longer.  There were some engine trouble and they need to wait another couple of hours before they were able to board the plane. He left early afternoon, he would be arriving in Macau the next day. 

Are you punishing me? James asked.  If you are, can you just punish me after I see her, James pleaded.  A whole half day was wasted just by changing and waiting for planes.  He would be arriving in Macau, the next day.

****

Devon closed her suitcase and looked around. Her work just wrapped up yesterday, she has the option to stay longer. But she decided, her family and friends are in the Philippines, her roots are there. Why should I be afraid of coming back? Devon thought. I did nothing wrong. I should not be afraid of being myself. It's just another heartache, she thought.

She walked outside of her room and down the hotel lobby. She decided not to inform anybody that she would be coming home today. She checked out of the hotel and went into the taxi, waiting for her.

She was quietly watching the sights while inside the cab, thinking, this is such a romantic place.  It would be great to comeback, she thought.  After a few minutes, she was already on the airport, lugging her bags behind her.  She went inside the airport and started to look for her terminal.

In a few minutes, the passengers from Devon’s flight were called.  At that same time Devon stood up to hand her ticket, James was coming out of the glass doors. He immediately called hailed a taxi and asked to be taken to the hotel that Bren told him. After a few minutes, he arrived in the hotel lobby and walked towards the reception area.

James greeted the receptionist and asked about Devon’s room number, introducing himself as the boyfriend.

The woman eyed him but still answered him, “She just checked out, more than half an hour ago.”

James slapped the counter top and cursed loudly.  He saw how surprised the lady opposite him was. “I’m sorry. But do you know where she’s heading?”

The woman looked at him again, this time pitifully. “She asked for a taxi cab that would bring her to the airport.”

James cursed under his breath and immediately left the hotel.  I hope I catch her, he thought.  He fought his way on the next taxi cab, cutting a couple who were obviously waiting for the taxi. He offered a higher tip which made the taxi driver agree to take him to the airport.

But it was too late.

When James set foot on the airport, Devon was again out of his life.

11 comments:

bianca belgica said...

kawawa naman c JAMES haiiiii naku

Lhee said...

wahahahaha! i love you lula bite

Junivel said...

ang saklap ! haha!..kawawa naman si JAmes! :))

Unknown said...

pistot hehehehe!! :) kalooy ba ni james oi gipaantos gyud sya og maau bai! pero bagay bna saiya oi hahaha!! love it1

jak said...

waaahh..lowla bite, worth the wait!!

maghirap ka ngayon james ka!!habulin mo ang beauty ni devon!!hehehe

bLaCk VaNiTy said...

..OH MY GOD!..haha..in capital letters talaga..agree aq na pahirapan c james but i think its enough..heheh..sana magkita na cla.. :)..luv it talaga ms.bite..

Unknown said...

haha wawa amn c james.. yan kc sinaktan mu sha ahihirapan ka tuloy haha..
oki lan yan in the end nmn kung kau., kau pari tlga.........

Jexy said...

kawawa naman si DD :(
don't lose hope DD, MM si for you! :D
hahaha.. like it! next chapter pls! :]

akosiadiev said...

torture...
hehehe

Unknown said...

what a bummer for James..dali bilisan mo na ang pagbalik mo s pinas nang masabi mo na ang dapat mong sabihin kay Devon.. : )

One last chapter Wowa Bite? : )

luna said...

grabe sobrang daming obstacle naman para magkita sila...naeexcite tuloy ako sa susunod na chapter...tnx!

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