Chapter 3

Whether it was a blessing or cursing, Jessica's relationship with her mother had becoming better since that day.

Jessica couldn't ask for more. She had a decent girlfriend and the best mother in the world. Jessica smiled blissfully at those thoughts. It would be great if she could keep on smiling forever; but things just never seemed to go her way.

February 21, 2006. Exactly one year since Jessica's first meeting with Yuri. That was when the happiest and saddest moment of her life happened all at once.

Why? Out of all the dates in the year? Why today?

"Is there anything special today?" Jessica asked while Yuri pulled a chair for her to sit down.

They were at a fancy restaurant.

Yuri pretended to pout as she sat down across from her. "Oh, so I can only ask you out on special occasions?"

Jessica rolled her eyes and tapped Yuri's head playfully. "You know that is not what I meant!"

But it was a special occasion indeed. Yuri had planned everything. She had planned to make this day a memorable one for Jessica. And it would. In fact, so memorable that it was out her expectation.

"I'm only kidding! There is really something special about today though." Yuri grinned mysteriously, which made latter frown in curiosity.

Yuri reached out to touch the curious girl's hand. "Jessica?"

"Yeah?"

"Umm...uh...we have been dating for a year?"

Jessica nodded in agreement.

"I...really...like...no love you...I...Jessica...ugh!"

Jessica laughed at Yuri's stutters as she cupped the girl's face with both hands. "What's wrong with you today?"

Indeed, it was quite unusual of Yuri to be nervous. But then again, it was very usual for anyone to be nervous amid their proposal.

Yuri scratched her head and confessed with a sigh, "I didn't know it's going to be this hard proposing to the one I love."

There. She said it.

"Proposal?" Jessica's lips curved into an unsure smile. The proposal was said bluntly, but it had brought great joy to her heart.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it."

"You didn't mean it?"

"No, I didn't mean what I said earlier...no, I mean I didn't mean it when I said I didn't mean it...arghh!!! I really don't know what I am saying!" Yuri dropped her shoulders and ducked her head in self-disappointment.

"Yuri yah..." Jessica raised the helpless girl's face up with her hands. "It's totally fine!"

"Sorry Jessica...I thought I had planned everything. What to say and what not to say. But I'm too nervous when sitting in front of you. And look, I'd messed up everything..."

Jessica shook her head and smiled understandingly. "I don't need any fancy words, Yuri. Your honest words are more than enough for me."

Yuri's eyes lit up. "Is that mean you’ve agreed to marry me?"

Jessica's heart screamed a 'yes', but her mind held it back.

Why?

Jessica had always wanted to be with Yuri. In fact, ever since they first started dating Jessica had thought about marriage. So why was she hesitating right now? It must be shame and fear that were thwarting her.

Shame? Jessica had a forlorn past, and it wasn't something she wanted to share with everyone. Anyone. Surely, Yuri had changed her world a lot, but her past would always be there for her to remember.

Fear? She feared once Yuri found out about her past, she would leave her. Happiness to Jessica was something close to an illusion. That was why she had never allowed herself to feel the wholesome of happiness, for she constantly feared that it would disappear all at once.

"Jessica?" Yuri worried upon seeing the distress in Jessica's eyes.

"I—" Jessica opened her mouth to speak, but her words were lost in an unexpected kiss.

Yuri knew that Jessica was still uncertain about something. She wasn't sure what it was, but she wanted to help. She wanted to prove to Jessica how much she loved her.

Yuri's lips pressed softly against Jessica's. The latter let out a surprised gasp at first, but she slowly relaxed and began to fully enjoy the sweetness of Yuri's kisses.

They finally pulled apart.

"Jessica," Yuri started as she took Jessica's hand and placed it on her chest, "Feel my heart. It's beating for you right now. Only you. I don't know what has caused your hesitation. You may think that I'm not serious, but trust me, Jessica...I love you more than I can ever express. I can guarantee that I will bring smiles to your face every day."

That was Yuri's promise. She was sincere and meant every word she said. Little did she know the opposite would come true.

"Please accept my proposal, will you?" Yuri knelt down to propose.

Happy tears formed inside of Jessica's eyes. She was deeply touched.

"Pleaseee?" Yuri pleaded as she wiped the rolling tears away from Jessica's cheeks.

Jessica let out a small chuckle before teasing her, "A proposal without a ring, huh?"

~~~

"You two will marry soon?" Her mother exclaimed in joy as soon as Jessica told her about the story.

Jessica nodded happily, and her mother's grin grew wider, "I'm happy! I really am! My daughter's going to get married soon! Thank God!"

Jessica chuckled. "Umma, you are even more excited than I am."

"Of course Umma is excited! Yuri is such a great girl. You should cherish her."

"Umma…" Jessica pulled her mother into a tight hug. She cried once again.

"What's wrong, honey?" Her mother gently pulled apart and wiped away her tears. "You should be happy right now."

"Once I’m married, I'm going to miss you a lot..."

It was as if time had been reserved because Jessica sounded just like a little child at this moment. The mother looked at her daughter and smiled while combing through her hair with her fingers, "Silly girl. It's not like you're going to marry tomorrow. Besides, we'll always be seeing each other, right?"

Jessica sniffed. "Right...always."

They stopped talking as Yuri returned after she had finished talking on the phone with a client.

"I'll go back to the kitchen." Her mother left to give them some private time.

Yuri bowed and waited until the older woman was out of sight before wrapping her arms around Jessica's waists. "What are you two talking about?"

"About you!" Jessica grinned as she pinched Yuri's cheek playfully.

"Good or bad?" Yuri raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"In my eyes, there is nothing bad about you." Jessica looked down shyly after her confession.

It was undeniable that a shy Jessica was the cutest. Yuri had to take a deep breath to overcome the overwhelming feelings that Jessica had brought to her.

Jessica finally faced the taller girl. "Yuri, promise me something..."

"I promise!"

Jessica laughed softly. "I haven't even said anything yet."

"You don't need to say anything. I will agree to whatever you say." Yuri nudged her nose against Jessica's before kissing her lips passionately.

Jessica pulled slightly apart and spoke between kisses, "No Yuri, you really need to listen to my request."

Yuri beamed and cupped Jessica's small face. "Okay, I'm listening!"

"Promise me that no matter what happens…don't ever be mad at me. Don't ever leave me..."

The request surprised Yuri a little, but she nodded in agreement anyway. "I promise."

Only if Yuri could keep it.

~~~

"Do you think we should give your servant a hand in the kitchen?" Yuri suggested all of the sudden.

Servant? Only then Jessica realized she hadn't clarified their kinship to Yuri yet.

"Yuri...actually, she's not—" Just as Jessica was about to explain, her mother walked out from the kitchen with two cups of tea.

"The food is coming soon!"

"Thanks a lot!" Yuri took a cup and placed it on the table. She scratched the back of her head lightly as she fumbled for words, "Umm...as of now I haven't asked for your name yet. I really don't know how I should refer to you as. I find it's quite rude to refer to you as a servant..."

Jessica tried to interfere, "Yuri, I wanted to tell you—"

Before Jessica could finish, her mother quickly exclaimed, "Oh God, I forgot to turn off the gas! Jessica, help me bring some plates of food out please."

She hurried to the kitchen with Jessica following right behind. Something slipped off from her pocket.

"You dropped something!" Yuri called after her, but they didn't seem to hear her so she picked it up.

A picture of Jessica and her servant, Yuri thought to herself as she flipped the picture around and read the words on the back silently.

'My Umma and I at the national park. Dec. 25, 2000'

Yuri frowned. "Umma?"

~~~

"You're a little quiet today," Jessica pointed out as they were sitting in the living room.

Yuri shook her head faintly. She looked a little lost in thoughts.

"Are you sick?" Jessica felt Yuri's forehead but stopped when seeing Yuri shift away uncomfortably. "What's wrong?"

Yuri finally spoke, "Where's your umma?"

The question stunned Jessica.

"She—"

Yuri added another question before Jessica could even answer the first one, "You and your servant must be really close, huh?"

Jessica was completely avoiding the eye contact and just chuckled nervously as she replied, "Yeah, she's really good to me. Why did you ask?"

Yuri sighed in frustration. She couldn't hold back her anger any longer. "She's good to you then why did you disown her?"

Jessica flinched at the abrupt question. She figured that Yuri had found out something though she hoped that she was wrong. "What do you mean?"

Yuri let out a bitter laugh and asked rhetorically, "What do I mean?"

She then took out the picture from her pocket and threw it harshly at Jessica. "Look at this picture yourself! Tell me you love your servant so much that you called her Umma!"

"No, I'm really her servant!"

Jessica squeezed her eyes shut upon hearing the familiar voice. Her mother once again came to her rescue. It was too late...

"Then how come it said 'My Umma and I at the national park. Dec. 25, 2000' ?" Yuri challenged.

"It's because—"

Jessica grabbed her mother's hand to prevent her from explaining any further. "Umma, don't!"

She swallowed hard before turning to Yuri.

"Yes, I lied to you, Yuri. She is my Umma..."

Yuri was speechless.

"Now that you know the truth, I have nothing to say for myself."

"Why though?" Yuri wanted to hear Jessica's explanation. She wanted to give herself a reason to forgive Jessica. "Why did you lie to me?"

Jessica inhaled deeply and spoke out the truth—denying herself the right to be forgiven.

"Because I was embarrassed. That was my only reason...I was embarrassed because of my own Umma! I didn't want you to look down on me."

Yuri shook her head in disbelief. "Jessica, I can't believe…I can't believe I'm falling in love with a girl like you. I'm not mad because of your lies. But I'm so disappointed at the fact that you even disowned your own Umma. Do you think I love you because of your background? No, I love you because of your character! But I guess I shouldn't anyway!"

The words pierced through Jessica's heart like a sharp knife.

"No, she didn't disown me! It was my idea! Don't be mad at her, Yuri!" Her mother grabbed Yuri's hand and begged earnestly.

"Please don't defend for her. She's inhumane!"

Jessica felt like it suddenly became too hard to breathe. Her heart was aching so badly. The person whom she loved had now hated her so much that she called her ‘inhumane’.

But Yuri was right. She was inhumane! She was no different from her father. He had inhumanely hurt her physically, but she had also inhumanely hurt her mother mentally.

"You are right…" Jessica turned away to hide her tears. She slid the ring off of her finger and placed it on the table.

"Yuri, I don't deserve your love...our engagement doesn't need to be honored."

Yuri hesitated. Sure she was very mad at Jessica, but she didn't expect to end their relationship. Yuri loved Jessica with all her heart, and that was why she felt deeply betrayed.

But right now she was just unable to control her temper, for it appeared as if Jessica didn't feel contrite at all. In the heated moment, Yuri snatched the ring and left.

~~~

Days had passed, but Jessica still didn't come out of her room. Her mother had knocked the door many times but no response was received.

"Honey, please come out. You haven't eaten anything for days."

Silence.

"Don't be like that. Everything can be resolved."

Still silence.

"Let me call Yuri, okay?"

BAM

That was the only sound she heard after mentioning Yuri's name.

"Jessica! What happened?"

Her mother felt so worried that she had to get someone to break into the room. When they had finally gotten the door open, Jessica was found unconscious on her bed.

"Honey, are you okay? Don't scare Umma!"

Despite the loud crying of her mother, Jessica was still lying unconsciously. She was brought to the hospital soon after.

TBC.