Chapter Three: Isabel's News

Imogen’s next appointment was with her cousin and childhood best friend at a park in an exclusive, affluent neighborhood in Alabang.

They haven’t seen each other in a couple of weeks which seemed like forever so she decided to pay them a visit. 

In spite of herself, she was still thinking about that brave young man who tried to strike up a conversation with her during the long drive to Alabang from Makati.

Even at the benefit party, he was charming and easy to talk to. 

She mused that he might be one of those heirs to those large companies because he carried a laptop and ate in a trendy restaurant.

He probably knew her but she didn’t know him at all. If he knew her then he knew her net worth so he was going to try his luck to win the favor of the Little Queen. 

Imogen sighed and closed her eyes as she leaned back on the plush upholstering of their town car. She wished that every hot-blooded male in their social circle in Metro Manila didn’t want her just for her money. 

“We’re already here, ma’am.” The driver told her politely as they pulled over the side of the road.

They were parked at a sidewalk beside a large park with tall trees, green grass and a playground. She immediately got out of the car and thanked the family driver for his kindness. 

Imogen's violet-blue eyes glittered as soon as she saw Isobel Laguardia’s brown head in the distance. Her ears were filled with delighted children’s laughter, her cousin’s voice and the sound of the breeze that rustled the trees. How she loved lazy summer afternoons like this! 

The twenty-five-year old wife of Sam Laguardia took some time before she noticed the presence of her best friend and cousin.

Her attention was focused on the pair of rowdy children on the playground so she barely saw Imogen until they were standing next to each other.

"Isabel!" called Imogen cheerfully. They exchanged hugs and the children looked up from what they were doing to see the newcomer. 

"Imogen!" Isabel replied excitedly. “You’re here! I’m so glad you came to visit me in spite of your busy schedule.”

“I don’t mind coming over to see them. Mama already misses you and the kids.” Imogen said sweetly.

Imogen and Isabel Laguadia, formerly Madrigal-Montervede, were first cousins.

They were coincidentally born on the same day as their mothers who were sisters fondly told the story.

As children, they’d grown up next to each other, went to the same school and shared the same friends in Alabang. Even as adults with different lives, they continued to be best of friends. 

Isabel was cheerfully telling a story to Imogen when she heard a loud thump from the slide.

Her head whipped to her left and she yelled, "Liam, if you do that again to your sister, I'll take away your afternoon snack. Don’t test me, young man!"

"Parental warnings! You've changed already." Imogen commented, giggling. “It’s only yesterday when you used to push me off the slide too.”

“If I didn’t then you wouldn’t slide down!” Isabel replied, laughing. “But I didn’t push you so hard like my son so his sister will have a boo-boo on her forehead.”

The young women went to sit on the bench in front of the huge penguin slide in order to keep an eye on them.

Isabel had two small children before the age of 25 so she was quite used to their antics. 

"You have the knack for it," Imogen commented lightly. “I always knew you’d be a good mom.”

"We're not very good with rules," her friend answered with a mischievous smile. “Just because you’ve grown up doesn’t mean that you’re a grown-up.”

Short brown hair, green eyes and a charming smile were her most distinguishing features. In high school and college, she used to be a top cheerleader.

Imogen always thought that Isabel was very pretty and wished that she was as extroverted as her. It was quite obvious to everyone that Isabel was the leader and Imogen was the fan and devoted follower.

Of course, Imogen also thought that Isabel looked even more beautiful in young motherhood. "I regret to say that my kids take after it. Anyway, how was the benefit? I read about you in the society pages this morning…"

"It was okay," Imogen answered simply. 

Isabel gazed at her with those wise emerald eyes. Imogen hated the fact that Isabel became more intuitive and perceptive as they grew up. Her friend had the uncanny knack of guessing her feelings correctly. "Did you have fun?"

She nodded. "Singing is always fun."

"It must be lonely," Isabel said meaningfully.

"If you didn't get married early then you should have been with me at least. Then we'll get chased by rich old bachelors." Imogen teased her best friend with a raised eyebrow.

Isabel burst out laughing at her statement and clutched her stomach. “You left me alone to fend for myself!”

“You’re doing a great job! Only you can do it!” Isabel was breathless from laughing so much. “I can’t stand those parties!”

Imogen smiled painfully at that. Her best friend had gotten married at twenty to Sam Laguardia without any complaints from their family. 

Sam and Isabel were childhood sweethearts who seemed to be meant for each other. Imogen had gotten used to being their ubiquitous third wheel since they started dating at 14. 

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. By the way, where's Kevin?" she asked about Sam’s younger brother who lived with the family. 

The other woman sighed as she recalled them begging for her permission at the same time. "Kevin stayed home to watch a NBA game with Sam. They have a bet going on and I’d rather not get into it…”

"Give Kevin a break," said her friend wisely. "He's the one who rocks them to sleep and watches them when you're away."

Kevin was still a teenager who attended the local high school. He started living with Sam and Isabel when their youngest baby was born. Everyone knew that Kevin was fiercely loyal of his older brother and took care of his family.

Imogen and Kevin got along like two cats in a litter. They both loved to tease Sam and play practical jokes on him.  

Isabel was about to say something back when her older son, Liam, approached them. He was a little boy of five-years-old who inherited his father's face and his mother's eyes. "Mama, Meg wants to go home."

She gave her friend a smile before she got up to pick up her daughter. Imogen smiled down at the little boy who looked up to her like a second mother. She'd bathed him, fed him and carried him around since the time he was born. 

During those days, she'd dreamed that she might also have her own children.

Now, she satisfied herself with pretending. 

It used to be her dream: getting married, settling down and living life with love. She used to believe that she will definitely get married to her first love like Isabel. Then they could exchange stories about married life, go through pregnancies together and raise their children side by side…

Imogen smiled in spite of the small pain in her chest. "How are you, Liam? Did you have fun with the swings and the slide?"

He nodded and held out his arms. She picked him up and hugged him close. The little boy rested his head on her shoulder. She breathed in his sweet baby-smell and chocolate milk. "Auntie Gen missed you…"

Isabel approached them with her youngest daughter on her arms. She grinned when she saw how happy and content Imogen was.

For a long time, she'd worried over her friend's state of mind. After what happened, it seemed impossible for her to smile again.

"Meg, say hello."

"Hello," the younger girl said obediently. Meghan was small and delicate like a doll with longish black hair and brown eyes. At three years-old, she was used to being petted because she was the only little girl in the family. "You’re pretty, Auntie Gen."

"Why, thank you!" the dark-haired woman smiled lovingly. "Aren't you sweet? She’ll look just like Aunt Nadine, Isabel.”

Her best friend beamed with pride whenever she referred to her deceased mother, Nadine Madrigal-Saavedra, who was a famous model. 

The two women walked towards the Laguardia residence with the children walking beside them. They talked easily about their home life, their mutual friends and the latest gossip. Their conversation remained as bright and sparkling as when they were young girls.

Imogen was grateful that their house was only five minutes away from the park.

She’d carried Meg halfway to the house and realized that she’d gotten heavier. Kevin must have been feeding his charge sweets again. 

Isabel and Sam Laguardia maintained a modest residence in an exclusive area of Alabang.

It was a small and cheerful house that was very close to the park, the primary school where Isabel worked as an art teacher and to the architectural firm where Sam worked as a junior partner. Aside from their jobs, they were both scions of illustrious families with old money so they could afford their current simple but comfortable lifestyle. 

The women brought the children to the living room where they were received by their indulgent father and uncle Kevin who were both watching a very important basketball game. 

After greeting their father and uncle, the kids immediately went to play in their shared bedroom.

Sam Laguardia was every girl's dream. He was tall, handsome and loving to his wife and kids. He’d been in love with Isabel since the moment he met her when they were all freshmen in high school. Everyone knew how much he adored his wife and Imogen trusted him completely to keep her beloved Isabel happy. 

Isabel kissed her husband on the cheek. She froze on the spot when he quietly spoke to her ear. “Don’t forget to tell Imogen.”

She was grateful that her cousin didn’t notice because Imogen was busy talking to Kevin. 

Afterwards, the ladies went to the kitchen to have iced tea and cookies.

Isabel’s kitchen was painted in bright, sunshine yellow and decorated in modern, minimalist furniture. Imogen knew how much she hated clutter because she was afraid for the kids so she had designed it as an amateur interior designer to be lovely and functional to suit the young mother. 

"So," Isabel said as they settled down in the kitchen. There was a newspaper for that day on the kitchen table. She thought that Sam must have brought it home from the office. "Who's this?"

Imogen frowned slightly as she stared at the newspaper page that her friend was pointing at. She scanned the collage of pictures until she found out what her friend meant.

There was a small photograph of her talking to a guy with glasses and a smart suit.

"Honestly, I don't know him."

Ever since she was a teenager, she’d been constantly featured in the society pages of newspapers so it wasn’t a big deal for her. Working for her mother’s company was a good PR exercise so Imogen was used to being photographed at events like charity balls and benefits.  

"Are you sure?" Isabel prodded as her senses went overdrive. Her emerald green eyes glittered in amusement. "I haven't seen this smile since…"

They went silent.

Even if Isabel didn't have magic, she possessed enough empathy to sense her friend's pain behind her pretty smiles.

Nobody talked about him or even mentioned his name because it would only cause her best friend more anguish.

There was a time when Imogen graced all of the newspaper and magazine society pages with another public figure. She was always beautiful and radiant.

Everyone admired the union of two beautiful and talented people who orbited high society circles. They were perfectly well-matched.

Now, Imogen was all alone in those parties.

Her cousin smiled bravely. "It's okay. I’m okay. I’ve been okay for the past three years."

Isabel’s emerald eyes went sad. She knew that Imogen drank and smoked without telling her. It pricked her heart to know that her best friend was resorting to unhealthy vices to relieve stress.

"You're drinking again."

"They're parties. Social drinking is acceptable," Imogen retorted in defense.

"It's not healthy, Imogen." Isabel reached for her friend's delicate manicured hand and squeezed it. Her expression was sad but hopeful. 

Imogen watched Isabel’s eyes glaze over and she spoke in a soft, gentle voice. "I'm sorry I can't be there. But I think you won't be alone anymore. There's something special with this guy in the picture. He's going to be very important to your future…"

The dark-haired heiress grinned in spite of herself.

Isabel’s intuition was so strong that it bordered on magical.

When Isabel said something about the future, it almost always happened so she trusted it.

The brown-haired girl blinked after a few seconds. "What was I saying?"

"I'm going to be a millionaire," Imogen answered promptly with a perfectly straight face. 

Isabel stared at her, confused. “No, that’s not it. We’re talking about your scandalous behavior at parties!” 

They both laughed until their stomachs hurt. Imogen wiped little tears away from the corners of her eyes.

Isabel was so gullible sometimes. 

"You're going to be one anyway," Isabel declared playfully "so where's the surprise in that?”

"I'm just curious," the dark-haired woman said pensively. "I met him again at my favorite café before I went here. He was waiting for someone and we didn't get a chance to ask for each other's names. I think it's just a coincidence, of course."

"There's no coincidence in this world but there's only the inevitable,” Isabel murmured with a mysterious smile.”

“Yes, that’s true. Everything that’s supposed to happen will eventually happen. I know that already,” Imogen retorted as she reached for her glass of iced tea. She took a long sip and then set it down before she noticed the change in Isabel’s expression again. “What is it?”

“I hate to tell you this but he called the other day…" Isabel started slowly. She watched Imogen's face fall so she caught her hands. Her best friend since she was one day old was forced to look into her serious green eyes. 

Imogen's breath caught in her chest. "Why did he call you?" 

Isabel got up from her seat to hug her very tightly. Her voice was soft and compassionate. She didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news but she had to do it.

For Imogen's sake.

"He’s getting married in November."