Spoiler
So, here's the last two chapters that made me sleepless last night. (Imagine, I slept by 4 in the morning! XD ) And I just wrote the last chapter at this very hour. :O Geez, it's the end and I will definitely miss Marky, Naddie, Ismael and the rest~ Anyway, here we go. *sigh*
Love,
Cali34rnia Summer
Love,
Cali34rnia Summer
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHANGES
Marky sat on the rocking chair at the balcony of his suite. He was looking at the dark sea and the sky was full of distant stars. Ismael watched him silently. He was reminiscing as Ismael stepped close to him.
He patted his brother's shoulder, but Marky remained frozen in his position.
"Give it a break, Marky. We'll get this problem solved," he said to comfort him.
"I don't know," Marky replied hopelessly in a cold tone, "It seemed so impossible. I didn't know why Naddie told them that I raped her."
Ismael shook his head.
"You know," Marky continued, "Her father won't get that angry at me if she told him the truth. Naddie wanted it also, why-"
Marky shook his head and sighed heavily. His breath created a puff of white cloud in the air.
"I don't know why Naddie-" Marky closed his eyes.
A month passed by..
Naddie went out with her mother from an obe-gyne's clinic. She held her stomach and smiled.
Eight months more, my baby boy, she thought. Stella held her arm and patted it. She glanced at her mother and gave her a smile.
"I think you're getting impatient for your baby's arrival," Stella smiled. Naddie forced a smile and looked down.
Is Marky impatient about your arrival too, baby?
While Naddie was in Spain, Marky stayed in Philippines, at Bella Amor resort for good. He accepted the management of Bella Amor that his father turned over to him.
Marky sat straight in his swivel chair and flipped the pages of that financial report. He closed it and threw it on the table, creating a soft thudding sound.
"Good financial report, Henry. You can go back to your work," he said formally. The employee quickly left.
When Henry left, Marky quickly turned on his laptop and browsed at the photos. He stared at Naddie's photo that he stole from her social network account. She was smiling in the photo, holding a small blue pillow. A baby's pillow. She was sitting on her bed and there were scattered clothes beside her- blue baby clothes for a baby boy. Marky grinned and shook his head.
Good grief, she'll regret it when she found out that our baby was not a boy, but a girl, Marky thought. He would love their baby, whether the child was a boy or a girl, but his instincts told him that they were going to have a baby girl.
Marky stood up and looked through the glass wall which served as his window. He looked at the lonely sunset beach.
Why don't my instincts tell me if I'll ever be with Naddie and our baby someday? he sighed as he lighted a stick of cigarette. Before he placed the stick on his lips, he paused and decided to throw it on the floor. He stepped on it.
Geez, I gotta quit smoking if I want to be a responsible father for our baby girl. His hand ran through his thick blond hair. Oh God, I can't wait to see Naddie and our baby.
Before the month ends, Ismael returned from Manila. After Naddie left Bella Amor, his client insisted to have a business meeting with him to close their business deal. It was followed by a lot of problem in his construction firm.
When he found the right time, he left and returned to Bella Amor. He didn't had a chance to change his clothes. Wearing his jeans and a white polo, Ismael rushed to the employee's quarters. He knocked at the door of Ronnie and Belinda's room. No one answered but the door was unlocked. He entered.
Ismael heard a soft sound of sobbing and cries in the bathroom. He quickly opened the door and saw Ronnie. She was holding a blade in her hand, and was about to lacerrate her left wrist.
"Oh, Damn, no!" he exclaimed in his surprise as he kneeled to pull away the blade in her hand. He threw the blade and embraced her. Ronnie's head sank on his chest as she continued to sob.
"I-Ismael.." she sobbed.
He caressed her hair with his fingers. "Hush, darling, I'm back. I will never leave you again, I love you."
"Ismael.." Her tears streamed down from her eyes as she looked up to him. She pulled down his head as she reached for his lips.
She pressed her lips gently against his lips.
Two more months later, Marky gave Germine a chance to talk to him. They sat at that ice cream parlor, and Belinda came to take their orders.
"Marky," Germine said as the waitress left, "Thank you for giving me a chance."
"Why are you following me?" he said.
Germine blinked her eyes and gently opened it. "This is important, I live in Koblenz."
"Yes."
"And you know, the time came when I get so stubborn and I asked my mom who the hell my daddy is."
"So?"
Germine rolled her eyes. "You seemed not so convinced."
"Because I don't know what you're talking about. What is your father's relation to us?"
"Look, I grew up without a father and my mother used to be a prostitute."
"Yeah, be straight to the point, Germine."
"I'm your sister."
"What?" his jaws dropped.
"Your dad had a one night stand with my mom in a nightclub and so.. I was the result."
Marky couldn't believe what he heard.
"I came here to ask for you help, my dearest half-brother."
Marky gulped. This was going to be a big trouble.
"But-" Germine added, "I changed my mind."
"W-Why?"
"I saw our dad and your mom weeks ago, they look so happy.. so why would I ruin a relationship as intimate as that?"
Marky nodded. "That's why you're not chasing me anymore, huh?"
The blonde girl nodded and took her purse which was resting on the table. "Thanks for the time, Marky."
"Wait," Marky stopped her before she stood up. Germine looked at him curiously.
"Why?" she asked after a long silence.
"I can introduce you to our dad and to my mom and be good friends."
They couldn't tell them the truth that Germine was a part of their family, but at least, she could be with her long lost father.
Her eyes became teary. "Are you really going to help me, Marky?" she asked in a shaking voice, like she was about to cry.
Marky nodded. Germine stood up to embrace him.
"Thank you, Marky! Thank you!"
"Anything for.. for my sister," he said as he embraced her back.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
FINDING WHAT'S HIDDEN
Naddie was sitting at the side of the bed. She looked at Maja and tenderly brushed her blonde hair with her fingers. The sleeping child was already one year old and she looked so cute even in her sleep. She got Naddie's long lashes and her daddy's wavy blonde hair. Her skin was soft and pinkish-white.
Stella knocked softy on the door and went inside the room. She gave Naddie a card with a red ribbon in it. She took the card and looked at it curiously.
"Me and your daddy also received the invitation," Stella said as she sat beside Naddie and looked at her grand child. "Maja still looks like an angel, isn't she?"
She smiled at her mother's remark. She glanced at Maja before she shifted her look to the white envelope, made of specialty paper. It looked like a wedding invitation. Her heart hammered.
Who's getting married? Marky? she thought. She decided to ignore it and opened the envelope. She pulled out a white elegant card and read it.
Ismael Federal & Veronica Celoza Nuptial
She smiled. So, Ismael was getting married. There was a note left inside the envelope. It was a folded bond paper. Naddie opened it and read:
Dearest Naddie,
You have been a good friend to me. The only female friend I have aside from my relatives like Sandy. Please, don't let me down.
I am expecting you to arrive at our wedding. I assume that you'll receive this invitation by Friday, March 9. You still have more days to be able to arrive at our wedding on March 31. Please, come. I also wanted to see Maja, her pictures on your Facebook account won't satisfy me.
This is a special day for me and Ronnie (Veronica). Oh, yes, do you still remember Ronnie? Marky's date? Yeah, she used to be Marky's date.
Please, please, please, Ismael is begging you (yeah, I'm begging you), please come.
Ismael
"I think we don't have a choice but to come," Stella spoke as she read Ismael's letter over Naddie's shoulder.
She looked at her mother.
"Martin Federal also included a personal letter inside the envelope of our invitation card, begging your dad and I to come," Stella continued.
"Mama.." Maja groaned.
Naddie quickly held her child in her arms. Maja noticed the wedding invitation card. It had a beautiful design that attracted the child's sight.
"What's this mommy?"
"Uh, a card?"
"Huh?"
"Hmm, we're going to a party."
Maja smiled, showing her dimples which looked similar to Marky's. Her blue eyes shone with excitement.
"Is she really coming?" Marky said as he nervously paced back and forth in his office at Bella Amor resort. March 31 had arrived and he was wearing a formal black tuxedo.
Ismael chuckled as he watched him panic. "Don't fret, I'm good at convincing people, Marky," he said as he sat comfortably on Marky's swivel chair.
"How if Naddie won't talk to me?" he said, still in panic.
"Take it easy- If you can't talk to her, then talk to Maja."
Marky paused. He turned to gaze at Ismael and he smiled. Yes, Marky already knew about Maja. He would always go to Ismael's suite to look at his laptop and see Naddie's Facebook account and her photos there, wherein Maja was also included. He tried to add Naddie as a friend in the social networking site but she kept on ignoring it until he gave up.
The beach resort had been exclusively closed for that wedding. Even the booking for suite reservations were closed. Sandy, Marky and Ismael's cousin, served as the wedding planner who kept herself busy in arranging the decorations for the wedding. The wedding ceremony would be held by the sea shore at sunset and the wedding reception would happen inside the ballroom of the hotel.
Everything was filled with the colors red and white. Even the flowers were red and white roses.
Naddie arrived at Bella Amor with her whole family and Maja. As they entered the hotel, the receptionist asked them.
"Paralejas family?"
They nodded. The receptionist gave them the keys to their suite.
"You may take suite 24."
Naddie remembered suite 25- Marky's suite. She knew that she could see the sea much better on the balcony of suite 25. She wanted Maja to see it too. Most of all, she wanted to lay her body on the bed of that suite where everything happened between Naddie and Marky.
"H-How about suite 25?" Naddie asked.
"Somebody already occupies that room, Ma'am."
Stella took the keys. "Let's go, Maja looks hungry."
Naddie glanced at her child, who was carried by Herald. She smiled and remembered her last conversation with Marky.
"S-She's in here.." Marky gasped.
"How sure are you that my baby is a girl?"
"She's our baby, Naddie."
Marky was right. They had a baby girl- Maja.
"Naddie?" a voice squeaked. They turned around and saw Sandy, coming near them. Her curly brown hair tossed against her shoulder as she walked fast and embraced Naddie.
"You're still as beautiful as ever, Naddie!" she said as she let her go and turned to look at Maja, "Gosh! So, this is Maja, no doubt!"
Sandy came to Herald and cupped Maja's face with her palms. Maja, who was too hungry to smile, pouted her lips.
"Aww, she pouts her lips like you Naddie," Sandy giggled. Maja knew that Sandy adored her and she appreciated it. She smiled at last.
"Look at those dimples!" Sandy exclaimed, "And also her blue eyes! That makes her look like Marky-"
Naddie looked at her cautiously. Sandy gulped. Naddie didn't like it when Sandy suddenly gulps. She knew that Sandy had seen something to be afraid of when she was gulping. Naddie turned around and saw two people, right behind her- Marky and Germine.
Germine didn't made her jealous, but how it hurt Naddie to see a woman's arm tied around Marky's arm. He was wearing a black tuxedo while the blonde girl was wearing a red flowing dress.
"Hi," Germine smiled. Naddie forced a smile and avoided to look at Marky, who was staring at her as if she was a strange creature that he was trying to figure out what type of creature she was.
Germine was innocent about what happened between Marky and Naddie. She looked at Stella and Herald and greeted them. The couple nodded.
"Oh," Germine let go of Marky's arm to touch Maja's hand, "What a cute little girl, and she looks like you Marky!"
Everybody fell silent, even Germine. She was beginning to feel that there was something going on.
"Let's talk to them later, Germine," Sandy forced a smile and nervously pulled her away from Maja, "They're tired from a long trip from Spain."
"Oh, I apologize," Germine said softly. The Paralejas family left, and Naddie threw a sincere smile at Germine. She returned that smile to her before she held Marky's arm.
Germine noticed Marky's stare at Naddie, who was already walking away toward the elevator with her family.
"Hey, Marky," Germine said. Marky snapped out from a dream and looked at his half-sister.
"I think there's something between you and that woman, huh?" Germine continued. Sandy had already left before she said that to Marky.
"Whatever your guess is, I know you're right," Marky sighed as they began to walk.
"So, it means, you and that girl were the parents of that cute little blonde girl?"
Marky smiled.
Ronnie looked so beautiful in her white wedding gown, decorated with tiny diamond beads and a big red ribbon tied around her waist. Her brunette hair was in a tight bun under the white veil. Everybody looked at her with fascination as she got herself ready for the wedding march. When the march began, Marky walked to her side and took her arm.
"T-They're not coming?" Ronnie said. She was smiling although her voice sounded so sad.
Marky smiled. "Don't worry, Ronnie. They're coming. They're just gonna be late. We all know that Manila was far from Bella Amor."
Ronnie nodded as a sign of agreement. Bella Amor was located at a Philippine island which was near Brunei. Marky would be a proxy while her parents was still on their way to Bella Amor. The Federal family paid for their transportation fees and other expenses.
At last, it was Ronnie's turn to walk down the aisle. As they marched slowly, Ismael looked at her and he pulled out a smile from his lips. It was undeniable, he was so happy, and it made his eyes teary. Ronnie felt the same way, and she cried tears of joy.
As Marky handed her hand to Ismael, he spoke, "Take this woman, Ismael. Right from the start, I knew that she's the one for you."
Ismael patted his shoulder and took Ronnie's hand. The wedding ceremony took place. In the middle of the wedding ceremony, Naddie came and stood behind the last row of chairs. She let Maja sleep first before she went to the wedding ceremony. She caught Marky, looking at her. He was right at the front row of seats.
She looked away, and when she returned her gaze at him, she found him gone. Naddie sighed. She assumed that Marky would come to her. She closed her eyes firmly and felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Marky-"
"Marky?" said a strange voice. Her eyes opened and she saw her father.
"Oh, daddy," she gasped.
"So, Don Martin was telling the truth," Herald said.
"W-What truth , dad?"
"Marky didn't rape you."
Naddie shook her head. "Oh, no, daddy. All this time, you thought that he raped me? I didn't even told you that!" She embraced him.
Herald patted her shoulder. "Dagnabbit, you should have still told me," he smiled and looked at her eyes. "Naddie.."
"Hmm?"
"You're already twenty-six-year-old, you can decide on your own now."
"I know, daddy."
"Hell, then talk to Marky!"
She looked at him with confusion as her jaws dropped.
"Don't look at me like that, Nadja. I don't even want Maja to grow up without a father."
She smiled and embraced Herald. "Dad, I love you."
"You may now kiss the bride," the priest declared.
Ismael raised the veil that covered Ronnie's face. His lips landed on hers. Everybody applaused as they watched that passionate kiss that sealed their marriage. A child ran to Ronnie and embrace her knees. She looked down at the curly, brown-haired little boy.
"Aw-" she cooed as she carried he one-year-old child, "Let me also kiss my little baby." She kissed the little boy's cheek. Ismael helped her to carry their son, who also served as the ring bearer in their wedding.
"Now, let daddy kiss you, Verael," he chuckled as he gently pulled his child's chin and tilted his head, facing to him. He kissed the child's forehead. Ronnie's parents were at the far end of the aisle now. They arrived at last.
"M-Mom.." Ronnie gasped, wearing a beautiful smile. Ismael took Verael from her arms and pulled Ronnie's hand. They ran toward Ronnie's parents, who looked formal in their simple clothes.
"Ronnie," her mother shuddered, not because she was afraid. It was because she was crying as she embraced her daughter.
Ronnie embraced her father and Trina, her teenage sibling who were both happy for her.
"I am so happy f-for you, Ronnie," her father choked.
"You can live here on Bella Amor- with us, dad," Ismael smiled at Ronnie's father. He took Ismael's right hand and shook it.
"I entrust my daughter's heart to you, young man. Take care of her."
Ismael nodded and glanced at Verael. "Hey, little boy, he's also your grandpa," he told his son as they stepped closer to Ronnie's father.
The child held the elder man's cheek with his small hands. "Glan.. Glampa.." he said, trying to utter, "Grandpa". His grandfather chuckled and took Verael from Ismael's arms. Ronnie's mother came to hold Verael's hand.
"They looked so fond of him, eh?" Ismael whispered in Ronnie's ear as he placed his arm around her shoulder.
Ismael paused when Ronnie replied a mysterious stare at him. "Oh, what are you staring at, darling?"
Ronnie smiled. "We're happy now. We owe this to Marky somehow. I think, he also deserves to be happy."
"You want us to help him out?"
She nodded. Ismael kissed her forehead. "No, my sweet. Marky doesn't need our help. I believe that Marky can handle everything."
"So what should we do?"
"Oh, let's just hope and pray for it."
Naddie and Herald were about to return to their suite when they met Stella. She was panting.
"Oh, Stella, what's the matter?" Herald asked when she came.
"Why did you leave Maja on our suite!" Naddie panicked.
"T-That's why I'm here-" Stella panted, "You see, Maja's asleep and I fell asleep beside her. W-When I woke up, she's gone, Naddie!"
"Gone? Oh, Mama!" Naddie rushed toward the suite. Herald was about to follow her, but Stella stopped him.
"What the-? Our grand daughter is missing, Stella!"
Stella smiled. "Everything is just a set-up, sweetheart," she said.
"A s-set-up? What set-up.. I don't understand.. Why-" Herald paused and looked at her. His eyes widened. He finally got the message. Their eyes gazed at each other, sharing a secret conversation. When Stella nodded, Herald smiled.
As Naddie reached their suite, she saw Sandy, knocking at the door of suite 25.
"Open this door! Stella would kill me!" she yelled as she continued to knock her fist on the door.
"S-Sandy?" she stepped near her. Sandy looked at her with worried eyes.
"Oh, N-Naddie, uh.." She was shaking like a leaf.
"What's the meaning of this, why would my mom kill you?"
"L-Look, Naddie, I gotta tell you something," Sandy said as she started to narrate what happened.
"Did you like the ice cream?" Marky asked, beaming at his little girl.
Maja nodded. "Want ice cream.. I want," she whined. He chuckled as he heard her tiny, whining voice. Her voice reminded him of Naddie's.
He patted her shoulder and carried the her in his arms. "Look, I'll get you more ice cream if you'll call me Daddy."
The child looked at him curiously. Marky pointed a finger to himself. "Daddy," he introduced to himself.
"Da-da," she spoke gently. Marky grinned, and Maja did the same. Their grinning faces made them look a lot alike.
"Very good, that's my girl," he said as he kissed Maja's forehead. He reminisced what they did lately. Marky sneaked away from the wedding ceremony and told his plan to Sandy. His cousin quickly took Maja from Stella and made her their accomplice to their plan.
He spent his previous hours playing with Maja. He took her to the ice cream parlor and built sand castles by the seashore.
A loud knock interrupted their silence.
"Open this door, Marky! Bring Maja out here! Right now!" he heard Naddie yell as she banged her fist on his door.
"Mama!" Maja exclaimed when she recognized her mother's voice.
Marky kissed her forehead again as they walked towards the door. "Bye sweetie," he murmured.
"Da-da.. Mama.." she replied as if she wanted him to talk to her mother.
Marky nodded. "Later, sweetie. We'll talk later."
"I love you," she smiled as she kissed his cheek.
"Calm down, Naddie! You might kill him!" Sandy hissed. She didn't sound angry, her voice just sounded like a hiss when she was speaking in a whisper.
Naddie pointed her revolver by the door when they saw the door knob turning. "Keep quiet!" she yelled.
As Marky opened the door, he let out a gasp.
"Shit, Naddie! Put the gun down, will you?" he said as he felt his knees shaking. He was born with a fear in guns.
"Bring back my daughter, right now," she said crossly.
"I will, if you'll talk with me- in private."
Naddie gulped. Marky grinned when he saw that. She looked, sort of, scared.
"What are you going to be afraid of?" he smirked.
"Damn you, I know what usually happens when we talk in private."
"I believe that you won't let anything happen this time, right?" he chuckled.
"Stop laughing."
"I'm not laughing."
Naddie rolled her eyes. "Sandy, take Maja to my mother. Now."
Sandy took Maja from Marky's arms. She winked at him. Marky simply grinned. Naddie caught that gesture, and it was too late for her to figure out what was going on. Marky quickly pulled her inside the suite.
When the door was shut, Marky pushed Naddie against the door. He positioned his hands against the door, his arms caged her.
"Talk," Naddie sneered.
"Can we be together now?"
"We're already together now," she scoffed.
"I mean, be together- forever."
"No one lives forever."
"Do you really have to be sarcastic?" He leaned his face closer to her.
"I'm just being realistic."
"Let's get serious."
"What is it do you want? Maja's already one-year-old and she couldn't really understand everybody because she wasn't fluent in any other language than Spanish."
"Shit, I should have known. I speak Spanish," he whispered to himself. So, that was why his daughter always looked puzzled when he told her about fairytales and stories at the ice cream parlor!
"Listen," he said as he placed back his focus on notice, "I don't wanna talk about these things anymore."
"Then, our private talk is over-" she said as she tried to push him away, but Marky remained frozen in his position.
"Let me out!" she hissed.
Marky smirked as his eyes wondered on her lips, to her chest, and back to her eyes. He quickly lunged to press his lips against her lips. No explanation was needed. Naddie quickly hung her arms around his neck to return that kiss.
As their kiss turned torrid, yet passionate, Naddie forgot that she was holding a gun. Her hand involuntarily held it tight, pressing the weapon which made the gunlock release a bullet. To their shock, their lips parted.
"You're shaking," Naddie chuckled. Marky really had a phobia with guns.
"Could you please, throw that gun away to continue our- private talk?"
Naddie smiled. Marky really knew how to lure her. She dropped the gun, and their bodies landed on the sofa.
Sandy was pacing back and forth. She was carrying Maja in her arms.
Dagnabbit! What's happening! she thought worriedly when she suddenly heard a gun shot.
"Damn it!" she muttered. She remained frozen for awhile. After a long silence, she decided to get inside the suite. She turned the door knob and peeked inside.
She gasped at what she saw. Naddie and Marky were on the sofa, half-naked- kissing. She quickly closed the door and looked at Maja.
"You didn't see anything, okay?" she spoke to the child. Maja smiled at her.
EPILOGUE
Stella, Herald, Sandy and Maja came to the ballroom together. Don Martin welcomed them and looked around.
"Where's Naddie?"
They shrugged their shoulders in a choreographed manner. Don Martin looked at Maja, who was carried by Herald.
"Oh, my little hija," he smiled as he took the little girl from Herald's arms.
Sandy left them and walked to the newly weds, who were dancing to a soft lively music.
"Best wishes," she smiled at them. Ronnie and Ismael stopped dancing.
"Where's Marky?" Ronnie asked.
"Is Naddie avoiding him?" Ismael added.
"I wanna see Naddie. I wanna say sorry about my behaviour when we strolled with Marky on his yacht."
"Where's Naddie?" Ismael asked.
Snady raised her hands in surrender. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Take it easy, will you? One question at a time!"
"Is Naddie hiding from Marky?"
Sandy grinned, "Nah. They are hiding in the love suite."
The couple gasped. They knew what exactly happens to a man and a woman inside the love suite. They could not help to laugh. They finally figured out that there was going to be another wedding celebration next year.
- THE END -
Spoiler
February 20, 2011 - March 9, 2011 (12:38 N.N.)
