One More Chance
Chapter 131: The Anger Was Gone

~~~I'd like to live out all my dreams and if I could, yes if I could. The nicest one would be with you and you'd be here with me, don't you ever get lonely. You're a part of me that I can't live without. You're a part of me that dreams are all about. But you can't hold on to something that you've never had before. Love waits for the wind to bring you back again and take you away~~~

-Anne Murray-

I sighed. I know I can't escape Dana's claws. She's a psychologist and I know whether I tell her the truth or not, she still has her own way of squeezing the truth out of me anyway.

"Fine," I sighed again with my lower lip between my teeth.

"What? Who is he? What is your connection with him?"

"He's Luke, Luke Marcuz Williams, my ex-husband."

And that left her open-mouthed for a few seconds. I held my breath for I don't know how long waiting for her reaction, but to my surprise, I didn't get I was expecting in my head. Instead, it's the opposite happened. "Oh, my God, Sam! Are you serious, he's your ex-husband?"

I frowned as I hinted a sound of excitement in her voice.

"Yes, he's my ex-husband, the one I've been telling you and the father of my daughter---" but I was interrupted when suddenly she laughed out loud in front of me. "Dana!

"I'm sorry, I just can't believe it. Oh, my gosh, he is so--- the heck! He is so handsome, Sam! Your ex-husband is like a Greek God sent from above!" She then squealed in excitement.

"Holy crap!" I murmured, my eyes couldn't believe what I was seeing at that moment.

Take note---she's already engaged, for heaven's sake!

"Dana, do you know what the word 'ex' means? Ex- is a word-forming element, which in English simply means 'former'... someone who is no longer in your life. An old flame, ex-partner, ex-husband."

"Yeah, I know that girl, but I didn't say anything. I just said 'your ex-husband is so handsome' that's all. Why do you seem so defensive, duh?" She rolled her eyes while still laughing. "Haha... that's so funny!" I playfully narrowed my eyes on her.

"I know, right." She shrugged, still having the evil grin on her lips. "Anyway, do you think by now Caleb already knew that you were his friend's ex-wife?"

"Tss! Of course! You and Caleb have the same personality. You always get what you want, so for sure he won't stop bothering Luke until he finds out the truth." "Whoa! My friend!"

"What?" I turned to her confused as her eyes widened and I didn't know why or what the reason was.

"It's the first time you've mentioned his name... again." She gave emphasis on the last word and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Haist! You're crazy! What's wrong with mentioning his name?" I asked but she just gave me a naughty smile.

"Hmm... let's go back to the counter!"

My eyes widened when she stood up, so I quickly grabbed her wrist.

"Hey, Dana---"

"I have a lot of things to ask your 'ex-husband". She winked at me.

"And what for, I mean, what are the things that you have to ask him? I told you he's now my ex-husband." I said getting up but haven't released her hand yet.

"Ohh, sweetie, when I said I have a lot of things to ask your ex-husband, I meant business and not about you and his past relationship. Tsk.tsk.tsk," she said smirking that made me drop her hand in an instant.

I think I'm going crazy with this friend of mine.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go." And she started walking to the door, but then she stopped before opening it and turned to me with a wicked grin. "By the way, masyado kang apektado, girl. Tsk.tsk.tsk... at masyado ring halata!" (You're so affected, girl, and it's too obvious.)

"Huh! Jesus Christ, Dana!" I screamed but she hadn't heard it as she already exited the door.

"I have something to ask you and I hope you don't mind."

"Sure, what is it?" I asked as a reply to what Dana had said. We were back at the counter and it's been 10 minutes since we came out of the office.

Caleb and Luke were still in a meeting.

She stared at me and I don't know why it felt so weird.

"Yes?" I asked again as she kept staring at me as if she's studying what my reaction would be, but still, I waited for her to open her mouth which was obviously she's doing it on purpose.

"Have you already moved on?"

"What?" My face scrunched with what I heard.

"I mean, you know, moved on from your past, from what happened to you and him... (she pointed in Luke's direction by giving him a quick glance and then looked at me again)... 'your ex-husband." And then she shrugged.

I bit my lower lip.

That question really surprised me. I admit, knowing Dana's personality, I kinda expected to hear that question from her, but I don't know why it still surprised me. Maybe because I found myself face to face with my ex-husband again and the time I thought about that question, I didn't really expect to see Luke this soon.

But then I simply glanced in Luke's direction and asked myself silently, have I already moved on? Well, based on what I felt the moment our eyes met earlier, I noticed that something has changed. The anger was gone. The pain he had caused me a few years ago and even the weight on my chest that I was carrying for so long was gone. Yes, some memories have remained, but that's just an indication that we have and have had a relationship before and that we somehow became a family even though it didn't last.

I know those memories will no longer fade as they will remain forever in the very corner of my heart. But those were the same memories that made my yesterday and also made the person I am now. I wouldn't be who and what I am today if all of those painful memories hadn't happened. They left a mark on me, but at the same time, they also left a lesson, a lesson that over time I have used to get to know myself even better.

I can now smile if ever I meet or I will meet him along the way. I can now greet him 'hi, hello' or ask him 'how are you?' without being bothered by our past.

So to answer Dana's question if I already moved on...

"Yes, I have already moved on." I nodded with a slight smile on my lips as I still stared at my ex-husband's back.

"Hmmm..."

I looked at her and found her nodding and smiling at the same time.

"Why?" Curiosity rose to my chest.

"Nah!" She said shaking her head. "You know what, I believe you."

"Huh?" I suddenly got confused.

"I mean, I believe you when you said you have already moved on."

"Really?" I couldn't contain the smile that kept widening as I stared at her.

"Yes, because if you haven't moved on yet, I wouldn't see that kind of smile playing on your lips right now."

And a chuckle escaped my lips completely.

"See? I can see how happy you are---"

"Oh, don't get it wrong." I cut her off because I know how playful her imagination is.

"I know, but I still have another question." She turned into serious.

"Shoot it!" I said taking a deep breath. Well, I know that whatever her question would be, I'm ready.

"Have you already forgiven him?"

And that made my smile even wider. Unlike earlier, I knew that question would follow.

"Yes, I do and you know what, honestly, I've already forgiven him before he even came to me and opened his mouth to apologize. I know this is weird but, I can no longer find the anger that has occupied my heart for so long. I don't know but I'm trying to ask myself how it happened and the answer that keeps coming to my mind is that maybe... maybe I finally realized that there's a reason or purpose for every person we meet. Although some of them will make you happy or will hurt you but they will certainly leave you with an impact, a lesson. And about Luke, yeah, we may never have had many great and happy memories in the past, but it was he who gave me the most precious gift I could ever have and ask for in my life, my daughter."