One More Chance
Chapter 100: Ghosts

~~~Without you to hold me and heal my heart, to guide me and keep me from falling apart. My life is so empty, so hollow and cold. Footsteps and echoes of nowhere to go. Without you, without you I know I'm all alone, I can't go on this way, day by day. Without you, who am I? What am I to do? My life's out of focus and so are my views. I need you to give me the strength to go on~~~

-Angeline Quinto-

"I'm sorry for everything I've done, Sam. It took me years to have enough courage to face you and ask your forgiveness. If you would just give me a chance, I'd be a man, I'd be a better man for you and our family. If you would just give me another chance, I would do everything to make up for all the times I've made you cry. I love you, Sam... please give me another chance."

I leaned over and did the thing I should have done many times in the past. I kissed her on the lips and then on the tip of her nose, on her closed eyes and forehead, whispering the words I refused to give her before.

"I love you. I love you, Sam."

SAM's POV:

I woke up the next morning having a terrible headache well, not just me but also Jack. But unlike her, I can still smile at the dining table while munching my favorite chocolate waffles.

"What's with the foul face?" I asked motioning her to pass me the bottle of chocolate syrup.

"You don't know what your brother did last night, do you?"

"Uhmm..." I pretended to think. "Nope, Why? What did he do?"

"Well---"

"And how am I suppose to know what he did when you two suddenly disappeared last night and left me at the bar?" I rolled my eyes.

She sighed. "Because your asshole of a brother dragged me out! And do you know what bullshit he did before that? He fucking talked to Paul and told him to get away from me! Argh! Can you imagine that--- I mean, how dare of him talked to Paul in that way? What right does he have? He's not my boyfriend, for God's sake!"

I bit my bottom lip to stifle that laughter that wanting to escape my throat. She won't like it for sure.

"Oh, my God! But why did he do that?" I pretended not to know the reason when deep inside me, I know it was because he likes --- no, he loves her and he's jealous of Paul.

"I don't know! The only thing I know Is that he already got into my nerves and God forbid, I'm gonna smash his face!"

And that's when I let go of the laughter that I was holding back.

"Yeah, you can laugh all you want!" She playfully glared at me."

Okay, I'm sorry, but why didn't you ask him about it?"

"Huh! I did! I asked him! But you know what he did when I was hysterically asking him--- he fucking kissed me in front of everyone at the bar! Argh! That bastard!"

My eyes widened in surprise the moment I heard the word 'kissed'.

"Oh... my... God!" I screamed with widened eyes. "He kissed you?" My voice laced with excitement as I screamed again.

"He fucking stole my first kiss, Samantha! Why do you seem so excited about it?"

I couldn't help but laugh even more when she narrowed her eyes on me, especially when her face shows disgust.

"Ohh... I... I.." (I don't know what to say.) "What did you do when he kissed you?" I was about to ask 'did you kiss him back', but I held back.

"Nothing!" "Nothing?"

"Nothing because I was shocked! I was glued to my spot and was like a statue! And when I finally pulled back to reality, I ran after him and tried to ask him, but he just told me to shut up or he would kiss me again! Jeez, Sam!"

"Oh, sweet Jesus Christ, Jackeline! I'm so happy---finally!" I screamed the last word.

"What the hell---"

"My brother likes you! He likes so much in case you didn't know, my dear best friend and he's jealous of Paul!"

"What the hell! Are you insane, Samantha?" She asked and then laughed in her seat. But I'm her best friend and I know when her laugh is a sign of happiness or nervousness, and it's the latter. "How many times do I have to tell you that I would be the last woman he wants and wishes to be his girlfriend and I feel the same! Duh!" She even rolled her eyes.

"Alright, if that's what you believe in." I shrugged, still grinning. "But I'm telling you, Dale likes you and he's starting to get possessive over you."

"No way! I would rather go out with Paul than him, hmmp!"

I chuckled again, shaking my head.

"Anyway, what happened to you last night? Did you drive yourself home and what time did you leave the bar?"

Her questions suddenly turned my mouth shut.

"Hey, I saw Luke with your brother last night. What was he doing there---oh, don't tell me he was the one who brought you home?" Her eyes showed confusion.

"Yeah." I nodded. "But I fell asleep throughout the ride and the last thing I remember was we're arguing about Cali and he carried me over her shoulder. I didn't even remember how I got into my room and who changed my clothes."

I chose not to tell her about the unexplained emotion I felt last night when I saw Luke at the bar.

"But I'll just ask mom later, maybe she has an idea who changed my clothes, right?" I asked, but I frowned when I noticed her looking blankly on her plate.

-'Haist! That's the effect if your first kiss was stolen.'-

The next morning, I got a message from Luke saying if I have a free time to come with him and visit our old house as he already had a buyer and they wanted to see the whole property.

At first, I felt hesitant as I thought

about what I might feel when I see the house again. When I see myself in that same house that holds a lot of memories... sad and painful

memories of my past. How we ne

I

feel when I walked into the same old house that witnessed how miserable I was with the man I was going to come with.

But eventually, a realization hit me. Why should I still think about those memories when I know they were all in past? Besides, I've already moved on, right? I now have David and the only thing that connects us is our daughter. So after finishing our breakfast, I sent him a message that I'll go with him, but I didn't inform him that I'll take Cali with me.

Well, thank God that I still have no idea what happened last night in his car, because I'm sure this day won't turn out well.

***

"Mommy, where are we going?" Cali asked me when we were in the living room and waiting for her father.

"We're going to visit our old house, honey. Do you still remember that house?" I replied, patting the space on my left side. She then followed and sat down next to me.

"Uhm... yeah, but just a little." She nodded. "Are we visiting the house with daddy?"

"Yup, he's actually on his way to get us." I smiled, putting the loose strands of her hair behind her ear.

"Okay, but why are we going to visit the old house? Isn't it haunted now like the old house that I used to watch on Tv?"

"Ohh..." I couldn't help but laugh at her question. If she's just at my age, I would probably answer 'the only thing haunted was the old memories, but not that house. "No, they're only in the movies, my baby, they are not real."

"So ghosts are not real?"

"No, they are not real."

-'What real are ghosts of the past and I'm trying to overcome them because that's the right thing to do'-

"Are we going to live again in that house, mommy?"

"Uhm... no, baby." I shook my head. "The truth is that your Dad suggested that we sell the house and the money we can get from it, we will donate both to the foundation. Do you remember the foundation that I told you? You know, the one your daddy and I helped the last time?"

"Hmhm... Give a child love foundation?" I nodded. "Mommy, why are those kids staying in the foundation? Don't they have parents and a home?"

I stared at her and decided to lift her and sit her on my lap before answering her question.

"Yes, they have parents, but some of them have been found on the streets and abandoned by their parents and the rest are either no longer have their parents because they have already died or have been left at the foundation since they were babies." "Huh? But why did their parents leave them, mommy? Their parents don't love them, so they just left them?"

"They do. They love their children. They love them and every parent loves their children---"

"Then why did they leave if you said they love them?"

-"Haist!'- I couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Questions after questions. I haven't even finished what I was saying---but I love the way she listened to every information that I'm explaining to her.

"Because..." (How would I explain it

to her?) "...maybe because they

suffered from financial needs and they thought the foundation could give the things their child needs et compared if they kept them. Those things they couldn't give to their child I'm not saying it's the right way or the right thing to do because it's parent's responsibility and obligation to take care of them, it's just that everyone has a different story, different situation and a battle to fave. So, it's better not to judge a book by its cover."

the

And just as I expected, the question and answer portion didn't just end there. She also asked different things like where was she when her father and I met. When we got

married and so many things not

about

how I gave birth to her. I just silently thank God that she didn't ask why the earth is round or why we can't see the air.

It took almost twenty minutes before we heard the familiar sounds of Luke's car in front of the house.

"Yey, that's daddy!" Cali suddenly screamed in excitement.

She immediately got up and was about to run towards the entrance but I stopped her.

"Cali, just wait for your father here, in the meantime, get your things ready."

She pouted but I just smiled at her. She has no choice but to take her bag and her favorite stuffed toy.

We didn't wait any longer and Luke appeared at the entrance.

"I'm sorry, I got stuck in traffic." He said the moment our eyes met.

I gulped and held my breath for a few seconds. I don't know but I suddenly couldn't explain the erratic beating of my heart. He's wearing jeans, a plain white shirt and rubber shoes... the same outfit he was wearing the first time I met him when I was sixteen.

"It's okay." I shrugged. "Cali is coming with us."

"Huh?" He was a bit surprised.

"You don't mind it, do you?" I asked him after seeing his stunned expression.

"O-Of course, not. Honestly, I like it better."

And I held my breath for the second time when he smiled. The smile that has a hidden meaning and that I think I wouldn't want to know.