One More Chance
Chapter 127: Sam and Luke's story

~~~1When God pushes you to the edge of difficulty, trust him fully because two things can happen. Either He will catch you when you fall or He will teach you how to fly. Where you are today is no accident. He is just using the situation you are in right now to shape and prepare you for the place He wants to bring you into tomorrow~~~

TWO YEARS LATER...

SAM's POV:

Kringgg... Kringgg... Krnggg... "Haist!"

I slowly opened my eyes with a frown painted on my forehead as I was woken up by the loud ringing of my phone on top of the bedside table. I checked the small rectangular clock to my left and my frown got deeper when I saw where the small hand was pointing to and it's to the number five.

That means it's just five in the morning.

"Oh, my! Who on earth would call in this early morning, for God sake?" I muttered under my breath, reaching for the ringing device and my mouth hung open when I saw the face of my friend, Dana. "Argh! Dana!" I growled before swiping the answer button. "Dana, why are you calling?"

"Magandang umaga!" (Good morning!)

I rolled my eyes. "What is good in the morning when you woke me up at this early hour---" but I didn't get the chance to finish what I was about to say when she screamed on the other line. "I'm getting married, Sam!"

"So what--- wait! What did you say?" I asked getting up in an instant.

"I said I'm getting married!"

"N-No... you're kidding!"

"But I'm not, he already proposed to me!"

"Oh, come on, Dana! You just disturbed my sleep just to tell me this kind of joke?"

"But I'm not kidding, girl! He really did propose to me last night!"

"Dana---"

"I'm serious, Sam and I want you to be the first person to know about it."

"Holy cow! I'm starting to believe you! Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am!" She screamed, her voice full of excitement.

"Whoa! But how and when did it happen?" I asked again, excitement filled my sleepy mind and sanity as well.

"Well, it all happened last night!"

"Wow, congratulations, Dana! I'm happy for you! You've finally managed to tame the heart of the man of your dreams!"

"Yup, but honestly, I still couldn't believe it. It seems like a dream. I feel like I'm just dreaming, you know."

"Hmmm... well, I can't blame you, it all happened so fast. By the way, you have to tell me all the details--- as in all the details! How he propose to you and why didn't you tell me last night!"

"Oh, don't worry, I'll tell you all the details from top to bottom, so let's meet at the coffee shop by 8:00 am!"

"Fine, 8:00 am so you can help us opening the shop."

"Sure! Anyway, I have to end this call. Let's just meet later. Bye Sam."

A broad smile stretched my lips as I ended the call. And since my sleep has already been disturbed, I got up already and went to the bathroom. I have to prepare early because I know Dana will be there before 8:00 am as she sounded so excited and when she's excited she gets up early.

The smile playing on my lips widened as I stared at myself in the mirror. I sighed, shaking my head as the memories of the past two years suddenly flashed back to my head.

Yes, it's been two years since then. Since those bittersweet memories happened into my life. It's been two years since I got divorced, well, we got divorced and so many things happened after that. It's also been two years since I last saw Luke, my ex-husband and that was when he visited Cali before going to Canada for their company expansion. And since then we have never seen each other again. Well, honestly, it was me who tried to cover my ears and ignore any news or thing about him because I really wanted to move on. It was so hard at first. Making decisions that you know your heart never wanted, but at that time, I know it's the best thing I could do. It's the right thing we could do.

And to convince myself that I was fine and slowly moving forward in life, I left California and tried my luck to find myself in different cities and places my feet could go. I went to Greece, stayed in one of the exclusive hotels in Santorini. I visited Germany, explored several cities in Italy. I have travelled to London, Edinburgh, Manchester and almost all the beautiful destinations in the United Kingdom. I've also tried the famous dishes in Greece, mesmerized by the alpine scenery and scenic train rides in Switzerland and to some other countries in Europe.

I also found myself travelling around Asia and then went back to America and travelled again. I felt like my feet couldn't stay in one place, so I left again and went to the Middle East. But as I wandered almost around the world for a year, I realized that the peace I was looking for has become more elusive.

Not until I met Dana Rodriguez, a half-American and half-Filipina when I went to the Philippines. She's a psychologist and since she also has a witty personality just like my best friend Jack, we instantly became close friends. She introduced me to her circle of friends and to her family much to my surprise. They treated me like their own daughter that really warmed my heart.

I learned a lot of things from her, from learning their language, riding on a vehicle they called jeepney and of course, living a life full of hope and positivity. Through her help, I began to find myself again and learned to let go of all the grudges against the past that seemed to stop me from reaching my dreams and happiness.

We started our coffee shop business in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The same with the business I left in Los Angeles and New York. I had the courage to leave or should I say I dared to leave what I had in LA because I knew Jack was there. She was the one handling our shop in Los Angeles while her mother was in charge of our shop in New York.

And speaking of Jack, my best friend, well, she's now happily married to none other than her mortal enemy---my brother. Yes, they're already married a year after I left Los Angeles and chose to stay in the Philippines. I was surprised, no, I think surprised isn't the right word to describe what I felt when I heard the news that the two were getting married.

Dumbfounded.

Yes, I was really dumbfounded and speechless for I don't know how many minutes.

Well, it was a long time ago when I knew that they had feelings for each other, but Jack being Jack, the most stubborn woman I have ever met, always denying her feelings towards my giant of a jerk and arrogant brother. But now, she's already pregnant with their first child. 'First' because Dale said he wanted a big family and the same with Jack.

And my daughter, she's now ten years old and jeez--- my head was spinning every time she mentioned one of her classmates. A guy classmate or should I say a 'boy' because they are still young and that has a name Christian. For heaven sake, she's only ten and now starting to have a crush! But... the most beautiful thing that happened for the last two years was that we became more close.

Our relationship as a mother and daughter wasn't affected by the things that happened between me and her father. She doesn't keep a secret from me and I do the same. We often called each other and sometimes my parents took her to the Philippines to visit me.

I sighed, but not the sad kind of sigh. It was a different sigh that contained contentment and happiness. I remember my mother once said 'One day, when you remember what happened in the past and that you have already moved on, you will just smile and thank that it all happened in your life because it had made you a tough and resilient person.'

Well, upon looking myself in the mirror, I can say that what my mother said was true. I can now smile and even laugh whenever I remember those difficult moments in my life.