“MR. SANTILLAN, we’re glad to see you again here,” Sister Imelda told Carlson while they’re having a tea in the Orphanage’s veranda. “We were so shocked when we heard the news about your former manager.”

Carlson shyly smiled at the elder nun. “I didn’t expect too that Kim could do that to me.”

“She looked so kind and angelic,” she said with a sigh. “But one thing that I noticed to her is that she’s not fond of children.”

Carlson nodded. “That’s true,” he agreed and have a sip of his tea. “Actually, it was her that kept on telling me to stop fostering children because it was just a waste of my time as a celebrity.”

The nun paused. “Really?” she shook her head. “And, because you refused to follow her orders, she fabricated a story against you? Did you sue her?”

“She spread the false accusations the night after I refused to marry her,” he said and sighed. “The rumors spread fast all over the internet and reached the reporters. In an instant, all my projects and endorsements were terminated. I lost it all. My agency advised me to take my hiatus in the showbiz, while we investigate the problem that Manager Kim gave us.”

Sister Imelda gasped. “That’s why we didn’t see you for almost two years.” She shook her head. “But, God is good to His children. He helped you overcame all those struggles. And, look at you now. You’re back with a new reputation and a brighter career.”

Carlson smiled warmly at the elder nun who’s been good to him for over three years of fostering care to children. Sister Imelda was like a mother to Carlson. She patiently guided him to taking care of the children up to his first day as a foster daddy. When he was just visiting the orphanage children, she told him every story of each child in the orphanage. How they came here and about their personality.

Among all those heart-touching stories, one child caught Carlson’s attention. His name is Skye, and unlike the other children inside the Orphanage, Skye was special. He was born with a speaking disorder, and according to a specialist, his case was permanent.

“I’m sure Skye is excited to see you, Mr. Santillan,” Sister Imelda said. “During the first months that you’re not paying him a visit here, Skye was always standing on the front door and patiently waiting for you.”

Carlson looked outside the veranda, where he can see some of the children running on the playground. But, Skye wasn’t with them. “Did he got tired waiting for me?”

The nun took moments to answer that Carlson thought she had left him at the veranda. “Eighteen months of waiting was too long for a five-year-old boy, Mr. Santillan.”

Carlson turned to Sister Imelda. “Is he mad at me?”

“Of course not,” she said. “Maybe Skye thought that you won’t come back for him. We tried to explain to him the reason why you couldn’t visit the Orphanage during that time, but he won’t listen to us. He often locked himself inside his room and refused to play with other children here.”

“Is that the reason why I didn’t see him when I came in?” he asked and felt bothered by Skye’s state. Knowing that a little boy experienced sadness because of his absence caused an unbearable pain inside his chest. “Can I see him now?”

Sister Imelda nodded and raised from her seat. “You’re the only one that could make him smile again, Mr. Santillan.”

_____

LUCILLE plopped down on her seat when she returned to their clinic after visiting Steven on the church and accompanied him to the cemetery. Until now, what he told her a while ago couldn’t sink into her system.

“He’s cutting our connections?” she smirked. “Is he kidding me? He can’t leave without me!” she screamed and leaned back. “He can’t even decide on what clothes to wear without sending me a message.”

“Hey, hey!” Tasha slid open the curtain from their beauty bar and scowled at her. “What’s the matter with you? You startled my client with your scream.”

Lucille covered her mouth and raise a peace sign. “I thought no one’s here.”

“Where have you been? I thought you’d gone home already after our lunch break,” she said and walked towards her. “And, what are those?” she asked, pointing at the paper bags that Steven gave her when they parted ways.

“Steven gave it to me,” she replied. “Those were dresses that he bought for me when he went to Ilocos Sur for an evangelical mission.”

“Steven? Is he the guy that you told me before that you really liked, but decided to be a seminarian?”

She nodded. “He’s a priest now,” she said with a sigh. “And, he wanted to cut our relationship.”

“Relationship?” she gasped. “You’ve got a relationship with a priest? That’s a mortal sin. How could you let yourself to be immoral—”

“Shut up, Tasha,” she said. “The relationship that we had isn’t romantic for him. It’s just pure friendship.”

Tasha waved her hand in front of her. “You can’t fool me, Lucille. We’ve been working together in this Beauty Bar for years, and I’ve known you as a lunatic bitch. I’m 101% sure that you have hidden desire with that Steven—or Father Steven.”

Lucille’s brows furrowed. “I love him,” she admitted without a second thought. “But, he loves Him.”

Tasha groaned. “At least he’s not in love with some other woman.”

Lucille heaved a sigh. “I think seeing him with other women is much better,” she said and raised from her seat.

“Where are you going? You just arrived!” Tasha called for her when she went to the door. “Aren’t you gonna resume your duty?”

“I need to breathe, Tash. I’m not in the mood to talk with demanding clients now,” she said and walked out the door.

Lucille found herself walking towards the arcade section of the mall located on the 4th floor. She doesn’t know why her feet brought her there, but maybe because she needed artificial noise coming from the arcade gaming machines to cover her thoughts.

But, Lucille knew that nothing can change the fact that Steven doesn’t want her in his life now. That thought alone brought tears in her eyes. Her chest tightened as if something hard was being pressed in her heart, making it difficult for her to breathe.

She walked towards the claw machine and stared at the stuffed toys in it. She remembered the day that Steven brought her here. They were so happy until he received his calling. And, now, it changed everything between them.

‘This will be the last time that we’ll see each other…’ Lucille’s tears fell when she heard those words again in her mind. She covered her face with her hands and wept in tears. But, she paused when she felt somebody is tugging on her blouse.

Lucille looked on her side and found a handsome kid, who looked seven years old according to his height. His brows were furrowed while looking at her.

“Cry…” he said and waved his finger in front of her. “Stop.”

Now that Lucille has heard him talk, she thought that maybe he’s just a three-year-old boy. But, he’s too tall to be a toddler. “I can’t control my tears…” she said to the kid even though she knew that he can’t understand her. “What’s your name?”

The kid pressed his lips, then spoke. “Kye…”

“Kye?” she repeated with a knotted forehead. “Kye? Is that your name?”

“Skye!” A tall man in a semi-casual suit approached the kid. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Lucille’s brows furrowed as she studied the man’s facial features. “Wait a minute… I think I know you—”

“That’s not me,” the man said in a gorgeous tone, then quickly put back his black face mask.

When he carried the child and was about to leave, Lucille stopped his arm. “Wait a second, mister,” she said and looked at him closely. “You looked familiar, are you a celebrity?”

***