5th Kiss

"Arianne!" I turned my head towards the source of the shout. It was Kasey, one of my best friends. She was running towards me, and beside her was Zia, my other best friend. The three of us have shared a tight bond since our elementary years. We embraced each other tightly and then began jumping around in joy, like a trio of happy fools.

"How have you been?" I asked, genuine happiness radiating from me. "I missed you both."

"We missed you too, you know! We wouldn't have known you were back if Jiro hadn't told us. We're quite upset with you for not even calling us," Zia scolded me. I felt bad, but I always wanted to call them. It is just that I am too busy, and Jiro beat me to it.

"Yeah, seriously!" Kasey chimed in.

"I'm sorry. I immediately went back to work when I returned," I explained. "Please forgive me?"

"It depends," Zia said with a playful grin.

"Depends? On what?" I inquired.

"If you brought us souvenirs, then we might forgive you right away. Otherwise, you might have to wait till next month," Kasey teased.

"Ugh!" I retorted, laughing. "Come on, let's head inside."

I led them into my father's restaurant. It was already late in the evening, and we were about to close for the day. I took a day off.

"How have you guys been?" I asked as we settled down. "And how's your baby, Kasey?"

"Oh, she's at my mom's place. I left her there for now. You owe my mom a visit, you know," Kasey said.

"Alright, alright," I relented. "I have your souvenirs at home."

We spent time catching up, sharing the stories of our lives. I had genuinely missed them, and it warmed my heart to see that they were thriving. Kasey and Zia are both married now. As far as I knew, Zia had married into a wealthy family. She had faced challenges with her mother-in-law, but her love for her son kept her grounded in the family. On the other hand, Kasey had tied the knot just a couple of months ago. I attended her wedding in the States six months ago.

"Arianne, did you run into Joseph?" Zia suddenly asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Really? What did he say?" Kasey inquired.

"Um, nothing much. Why? Do we have something to talk about?" I asked, feeling a hint of unease.

"Did he tell you?" Zia asked me.

"Tell me what?"

"That he didn't submit the divorce papers," Kasey answered.

"What are you talking about?! That's impossible. I received a letter from my lawyer," I said defensively. It was true. Five months after I left, I received a letter confirming our divorce. They whispered among themselves.

"Hey! What are you two talking about?"

"Well, we met Joseph's mom last week. She mentioned that Joseph never filed the divorce papers. So technically, you're still married, right?"

I was rendered speechless by what they said. If that were true, then what was that email I received? Though I never actually saw the documents, I had complete trust in the lawyer I hired.

"Arianne, maybe you should ask Joseph about it," Zia suggested. A lump formed in my throat. I was scared to face Joseph at that point. I didn't want him to rub my foolishness in my face. He might just humiliate me.

"I don't know, Zia," I said, heaving a sigh. We fell silent for a moment.

"Are you happy, Arianne?" Kasey suddenly asked. Her question took me off guard, and I paused to think about it.

"Perhaps," I responded.

"Did it ever cross your mind that maybe you shouldn't have separated from Joseph?" she probed further.

"It did cross my mind, but I don't regret it. Because of what I did, I've realized many things. That I had let my world revolve too much around him. That I became overly dependent on him," I explained to them. "You're right, Zia. I was too dependent on him. Everything I did was influenced by him. That's why I chose nursing because he was studying medicine. I wanted to help him. I wanted us to work together in a hospital."

A bittersweet smile played on my lips. Yes, that was my initial reason for pursuing nursing, but now I genuinely want to be a nurse. Not because of Joseph, but because I found my true calling. He was just a catalyst for me to realize it.

"But you know, when we found out that you two had separated and that you were the one who initiated it, we felt both sad and happy," Zia added. "We were sad because we knew how much you loved him. We witnessed all the craziness you did for him. Yes, we did want you two to break up. Joseph, you know. Honestly, we never saw him taking care of you. And we were happy because you finally woke up. We thought you'd never leave Joseph."

"I don't know, Zia," I responded.

"Whatever makes you happy, you know we're here, right? You have so many people who love you. Jiro, Kristine, and of course, the two of us," Kasey assured me.

"Do you really love me?" I asked playfully.

They both shook their heads immediately.

"No way," Zia denied. "We're just saying that because we're expecting souvenirs from you."

"You guys are annoying! I was having a moment!" I retorted, and we all burst into laughter. But it wasn't long before Kasey and Zia had to leave. They had their own busy lives, and it was getting late.

"Bye!!!" I waved as they got into a taxi.

"Take care, okay? And make sure to call!" Zia shouted before the taxi drove away. I was about to head back inside when I saw my father looking at me. He surprised me; for a moment, I thought he was a ghost.

"Oh, Papa! You scared me," I said.

"Sorry about that, my dear," he apologized. I helped him close the restaurant. Winnie and Jiro had already left.

"Papa?"

"Hmmm?"

"Did you get angry with me when I separated from Joseph?" I asked softly. My father paused and looked at me again.

"No, Arianne. Why would I be angry with you?" he asked with confusion.

"Because I felt like I disappointed you. I know you wanted Joseph. I know you wanted grandchildren," I admitted. My father sighed and walked closer to me.

"Listen, my child. I wasn't angry with you. Yes, I admit I was kinda sad when you two broke up, but if you think it was for the best and that you weren't happy anymore, who am I to interfere?" he explained. I hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, pa," I said.

"Arianne, it's been two years since you and Joseph parted ways. Don't you have any plans to start dating someone else?" he asked.

"Pa, come on. I don't have that in mind right now," I replied.

"You know I'm not young anymore. Sooner or later, I might be taken by the Lord. I just want to see you happy and settled before that happens," he said.

"Papa, please don't talk like that," I scolded him.

"But it's true. I'd like to set you up with the children of our regular customers. I know quite a few," he said.

"Pa! Are you trying to pimp me out?" I teased.

"No, of course not," he denied, though his guilty expression gave him away.

"And, papa, I have something to do tomorrow. It's Sunday, right?" I asked.

"Yes, my dear."

"Well, I want to visit mama and papa. Is that okay?" I inquired. My father's face suddenly lit up, and he seemed happier than ever.

"Ben and Gina? Yes, of course, my dear," he said. "I'll send you a ton of food!"

Excited, my father headed into our house, and though I was still a bit uncertain about tomorrow, I couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm.