One More Chance
Chapter 139: Reminiscing

~~~Let me tell you now all that's on my mind for a love like yours is oh so very hard to find. Looked inside myself now I'm very sure there can only be you for me, I need you more and more. You turned me inside out and you showed me what life was about only you, the only one that stole my heart away. I wanna do all I can just to show you, make you understand, only you the one that stole my heart away~~~

-Lionel Richie-

I've been staring blankly at the TV screen for almost 30 minutes since I entered my apartment and came face to face with my ex-husband. I don't know how to manage my emotions. I haven't even fully recovered from the shock I felt when I met him at the coffee shop a few days ago and here we are... going to be neighbors--- no, we're already neighbors.

"The End." Two words I've read on the TV screen.

"The end," I repeated until I realized its meaning. "The end----what the heck! I didn't even understand the movie and it ended already?" I closed my eyes, leaning on my seat. "Haist! How would I understand it when I fell asleep when it was just starting and when I went out to check what's going on outside I was pulled by Hailey in her apartment? And oh, not to mention that seeing my ex-husband made me completely forget about the movie. So yeah, I think I have no choice but to watch it some other time." I stood up, walking towards the TV stand, and was about to take the CD off from the player but someone knocked outside.

"Maybe it's Hailey," I said letting out another sigh. How would I tell her that our new neighbor, the man she's fantasizing is none other than my ex-husband?

I shrugged those thoughts for a while and decided to head for the door. And since in my mind I was sure it was Hailey, I didn't look at the peephole and just opened the door only to be surprised when it's Luke I found standing outside. "Huh!" A small gasp escaped my lips when he smiled.

"Hi, I've prepared some snacks, would you like to join me?"

And that was just then I realized that he's holding a brown tray with a cover.

"Uhm..." But I was too late to express my thought as he already entered my apartment, uninvited.

"Come on, this is kinda hot."

"Huh?" I thought he was just asking me to join him for snacks?

"Show me your kitchen,"

"Ahh... Uhm... this is just a small apartment, I'm sure you can find it even I don't guide your way." So he's inviting me to join him in my own kitchen I see.

"Oh, alright, do you mind if I'll go ahead and wander around your kitchen?"

"It's alright, go ahead." I smiled, shaking my head. -'Tss! You've already entered my apartment uninvited and then now you're asking me if I do mind if you wander around my kitchen?'-

I just watched him walk towards the kitchen until he disappeared from my sight.

I closed the door, slapping my forehead. I should have refused to let him in when he offered his snacks, but I don't know why I didn't.

"Sam?"

"Y-Yes?" I was suddenly pulled out of my thoughts when I heard him call my name.

"Can you please help me find your utensils?"

"Yeah, wait a second." Sighing, I walked towards the kitchen. And guess what I saw? He's comfortably moving inside my little counter as if it's his.

"Oh, you're there, come here," I hitched my breath, trying so hard not to raise an eyebrow at him. "I've prepared creamy mushroom alfredo, come on, have a taste."

"I thought you can't find the utensils so you need my help?"

"Yes, but I've already found them." He smiled, giving me a quick glance, and continued transferring a small amount of pasta into a plate. "Sit down, I'll get you a fork." He said placing the plate of pasta in front of me. He then turned around...

"It's in the second drawer to your left." I was referring to the spoons and forks.

"I know,"

-'Yeah, I know you already knew it.'- I muttered under my breath and nodded.

Once he gave me the fork, I started digging into his pasta, fully aware of his gaze.

"Hmm..." I moaned and looked at him.

"So, how is it?"

"This is good!" I exclaimed, my mouth was still full and he chuckled.

"Come on, take it slow, sweetheart, you'll choke on your food."

And because I was surprised by the taste of the food in front of me or should I say, to the fact that he knew how to cook, I didn't notice that he called me sweetheart for the second time this day. "When did you learn to cook?" I asked not looking at him as I was busy shoving the pasta into my mouth.

He chuckled. "Well, Patrick taught me how to cook two years ago and..." He paused and I got curious so I looked at him.

"And?"

"Two years ago I already prepared you a meal like this with Cali."

I frowned and stopped chewing as I noticed the hint of sadness in his eyes when he said those words.

"You already prepared us a meal?" I asked, studying his expression.

"Yes, when we sell the mansion, the old mansion." He nodded, smiling. And even though his lips were curled into a smile, his eyes couldn't hide the certain sadness.

"Ahh... yeah..." I said nodding. I now remember when he told me about it.

How could I forget that when that was also the time he admitted his feelings and asked for a chance, but I refused and chose the other way, so we ended up into this.

"I guess you've learned a lot from him." I smiled, shrugging off the lonely memory that popped up into my head.

"Yup, his mother owns a restaurant and she helped me a lot too."

"Hmm..." I mumbled and a few seconds later silence had stretched between us.

"I'm sorry, Sam."

I suddenly held my breath when I heard him speak after a while.

"Why?" Shock and confusion laced in my voice as I looked at him. "I mean, why are you apologizing and for what?"

"For everything I've done in the past." He said having a dreary smile. His eyes mirror the emotion he has in his smile.

Taking a deep breath, I straightened my seat and stared at him. I realized that maybe, after all these years, this is the right time for us to talk not as ex-husband and ex-wife but as two happy individuals who have already been matured and have already moved on from what happened in the past. Besides, I'm sure we wouldn't have reached what we have right now if we hadn't gone through all those things. "Luke, you've already told me how sorry you were for what happened and I've already forgiven you."

"I know, but I just want to say it again. I don't know, but every time I see you, I always have this urge to tell you those words, those simple words." "Luke..."

"And I will never stop---"

"Luke, wait---listen..." I interrupted him, lifting my left hand in the air. "It's all in the past, so let's forget about it and everything that happened. I've already forgiven you a long time ago and I know we both have already moved on." I paused, giving him a warm and sincere smile. "You know what, honestly, I was thankful for what happened, I mean, not because we ended up divorced and separated and that Cali was left with a broken family, but because, I realized it has taught everyone a lesson and everything happens for a reason. I became independent, Cali and I have become closer as she grew and you, it made you a better person and a better father. Oh, well, I knew you were from the start, but what happened has made you a better man."