By Rex Catubig 

 

SHE was the joy of his heart, the love of his life. For Adams, an amiable young man who worked as a waiter in a local diner, Lyka was like no other–the beauteous surprise of his dreams.

They had met nine years earlier on a blind date, at the St John Cathedral–a match made in heavenly grounds. It was love at first sight—reinforced by a second, a third until they became inseparable.

Just then, Lyka decided to take a job in the big city. It was a move meant not just to advance her career but to build the foundation of the future they were forging together.

Nonetheless, they were separated.

But the challenge of a long-distance relationship did not faze them, as both found ways to be together–and keep their love aflame and exciting.

Tender and caring, Lyka had always been the doting affectionate type. And one of the many ways she showed her deep affection was to throw him occasional surprises, as in one of their ‘monthsaries’. With the help of friends, she set up and decorated her boarding room.  Blindfolded, Adams was led to the location–and once the blindfold was removed, the sight of the Happy Monthsary foil letters on the wall jumped at him and melted his heart.

She had been sickly all this while, but nothing serious, or she and he thought, that would get in the way of their love.

When Adams was due to leave for the States for a J1 internship that June, he asked her to come home for his birthday but she told him she could not make it. With her fragile health, he understood. Little did he know that she was in cahoots with his mom, and she was actually coming for another round of surprise.

He was leaving in a couple of days. On his birthday, his mom asked him to come with her for a simple blow-out. Instead, she took him to a nice hotel, and that surprise gesture made him wonder but he just smiled. They walked to one of the function rooms, and when he casually opened the door–his heart dropped then jumped with unbridled joy–the sight of the mylar balloons and the inflated foil letters that spelled “Happy Birthday” brightened the small room. But it was the sight of his beloved Lyka with her sweetest smile that set his heart ablaze and engulfed the room with romantic radiance.

Unbeknownst to both, it was the last of the sunny surprises of their life.

Following next was the bittersweet send off for Adams.  A parting they were resigned to owing to the promise of a better future in store for them.

But after only three months, in September came the penultimate surprise– sudden, cruel, and heart rending. It turned Adam’s world upside down: Death had irrevocably whisked Lyka away, without his being able to say neither I love you nor goodbye–deleting what could have been an ever after forever romance.

It was a thunderbolt. He was miles away working in a hotel resort and he couldn’t take off to come home to embrace and kiss her. She would be buried next day as her religion dictates, without him to see her off, to see her face and hug her for the last time. He struggled with what if’s and why’s. But saddest of all, was that he couldn’t even cry to grieve.

That September had brought inexplicable pain, hurt, and sadness. But bleak as the ensuing days were, hope lived in the snowy winter of the mountain resort, assuring that  love would spring and shine again, and console Adams and Lyka with the healing memories of the heartwarming surprises of their beautiful love.

Adams has been back for two years now, and hangs on to steadfast faith–as he moves on in God’s time.

Who knows? God in his infinite grace, might yet spring the best and biggest surprise.

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