Chapter 4: Encounter

Cela spent the entire Saturday afternoon browsing movies and series to watch on cable channels and streaming sites.  She ordered and ate a lot of her favorite foods.  She did everything she could to keep her mind away from the thought of meeting Nate for the first time after so many years.

It's now past midnight but she's wide awake.  It may be an old habit that will take more days to change.  She wants to keep her phone out of her sight but that's another habit that will not go away any time soon.  She hates the frustration brought by not being able to see Nate's profile.  Like her, he keeps his account private.

She wonders if he also tried even once to find her all these years and did he also get frustrated when he couldn't view her account?  Will meeting her also bring him excitement like it does to her?

Monday finally arrived.  It's the most anticipated Monday in her life for as long as she could remember.  She thought she just experienced the slowest Sunday in history wanting and waiting for this Monday to come so bad.

Standing across the street where the shop is located, she tries so hard to keep her composure.  She knows Hyun can sense her excitement but he also tries to keep it to himself.

"Are you sure this is the shop?" she asked him.

"Yes, Ms. Cela.  This is the shop," Hyun answered.

The shop is very simple.  Its façade is old but well maintained and its interior shows vintage designs with lots of sample works mostly invites and souvenirs as displays.  Hyun instantly spotted the cute guy who looks like an artist with his hippie get up.

He welcomed them to the store.

"Good morning," Hyun gladly replied.

"How may I help you today?" the cute guy asked.

"Can we look around here?" Hyun replied.

"Go ahead, help yourselves. I'll be right here in my desk if you need me," the cute guy said.

"Those invites are pretty," Hyun said. He already forgot what they came there for.

"Thank you. I actually have other designs that are not on display yet. Care to see?" the cute guy said.

"What are you doing?" Cela whispered to Hyun who seems to be mesmerized by the cute guy.

"Hi. We are actually looking for Nate Romero," she said to the cute guy.

"Nate Romero?" asked the cute guy.  He's curious.

"Yes.  Is he here?" Cela continued to ask.

"Why are you looking for him here?" the cute guy asked.

"Isn't he working here?" Cela asked to cut the chase.

"Nope, he doesn't.  Why do you think Sir Nate works here?" the cute guy asked.

"But you know him, right?" Hyun asked.

"I am sorry but I do not give my clients' addresses. Besides, I really don't know where he resides," the cute guy said like he already predicted what they would ask him next.

Cela's disappointment feels like a heavy downpour.  She feels she is being played on. She wants to leave the shop immediately.

"We thought he worked here. Anyway, can we at least leave our calling cards in case he comes back for any business that he still has with you?" Hyun said.  He tries to keep a positive attitude.

"You're working in Dreamy Stories?" the cute guy said after pon reading their calling cards.

"Yes we do," said Hyun.

"My girlfriend is a fan of the books you published recently," the cute guy said.

Now, it's Hyun's turn to feel the downpour. He rolled his eyes first before saying something.  "She's the author," he said pointing to Cela.

The cute guy is amazed.  He then got a copy of Cela's second book from his bag.  He told them that he just purchased the book yesterday and plans on giving it as a surprise gift to his girlfriend today. 

"Please, may I have an autograph?" he asked.

Cela and Hyun look to each other. Perhaps, it is the rainbow after the heavy rain.

"I honestly do not have any contact details of Sir Nate but perhaps you could take these tickets," the cute guy said.

Hyun took the tickets. "These are for an art exhibit," he said.

The cute guy nodded. "His fiancée is a curator in the on going exhibit.  We delivered the invites in her office inside the same building last week," the cute guy said.

"Invites for this art exhibit, right?" Hyun asked trying to clarify the suspicion.

"Wedding," the cute guy answered instantly.

"Can we see the invite?" Hyun asked.

"That's enough, Hyun.  Let's go." said Cela.

"Thank you for your time and sorry for the trouble," she said to the cute guy.

The two left the shop.

Hyun is uneasy with Cela being quiet inside the car.  "Are you okay, Ms. Cela?" he asked to break the ice.

Cela did not answer.  She started the car. "I'll drive you home now," she said instead.

"We can have coffee somewhere near.  I know there's a cafe a few minutes away from here," Hyun said.

"That didn't go as planned, did it?" she asked completely ignoring Hyun's suggestion to get a coffee.

"We still have a chance to meet him at the gallery.  Just tell me when you want to go this week.  The exhibit runs only until this Friday," said Hyun.  He is very careful with his answer so as not to upset her in any way.

"No, I'm not going.  Just go with any of your friends," Cela said.

Hyun glanced at Cela.  She looks really sad but still doesn't want to open up to him about Nate that she badly wanted to see and even had to ask others to help her find him.

"I will probably go tomorrow.  I might find something interesting or inspiration for the story I am going to write after the break.  I will leave this one ticket here," Hyun said not minding what Cela already told him.

One hour later, they are both standing at the entrance of the art gallery.

The room has a number of people all looking art enthusiasts.  Cela finds it really uncomfortable surrounded by people she doesn't know but Hyun seems to be enjoying the classy and sophisticated atmosphere inside the gallery.

"Is that Nina's fiancé's drawing," one of the guests asked.

"Ah yes.  She must have asked him to join.  I heard he's really good at drawing," another guest replied.

"That's one beautiful bench but I wonder why was it a symbol of the turning point in his life," the guest asked again.

Cela unintentionally heard the conversation and got interested about the drawing that the guests are talking.

"That Cedar Bench is inside the Trees Park located somewhere near Architect Nate's high school. He must have drawn inspiration from the time the park was being constructed," the other guest answered.

"So you know him?" one of the guests asked.

"I just met him twice before.  He's a good man and Nina deserves someone like him," the other guest answered.

Cela checked out the drawing that the other guests are looking at.  It's true. It's the Cedar Bench that she knew from way back. The sight of that place even in drawing makes her want to cry. She tries to compose herself so as not to create a scene in the gallery.

"Ms. Cela!" she heard Hyun call her.  It's a welcome distraction from the emotion she is having right now.

Hyun is standing a few meters and a dozen of people away from her. He looks overly excited as he waves his hand.  Next to him is a man with a face that she will never forget even after many years.  Her heart starts to beat fast.  She knows it's Nate.  He is finally here and they are in one place again.

Suddenly, the moment turned back to that day with all its important elements - the Cedar Bench, Nate, herself, the people around – everything and everyone in one place again.  And then there's another one – the last element to recreate that old scene.

"Honey!" Nina called Nate.  Yes, there is she - the fiancée.  This time, she is the reason why everything can only be gathered in one place but can never be together to make one beautiful moment.

And just what happened more than a decade ago, Cela finds herself turning her back on Nate and leaving that moment again.  She walks as fast as she can.  It is a good thing that face mask is still required so she has less effort covering her face.

She started the car as soon as she entered it.  Poor Nate must be wondering right now why she had to run away but it is a good thing that she left him there for his safety because she is now driving with a rocky state of mind.

In less than a minute, the inevitable happened.  Ambulance was called and came to the rescue.