Three Beeps for Goodbye!

During Christmas vacation since there were no electricity and no internet, I actually had the best times with my family, friends, and relatives. The aftermath of the Typhoon somehow made a good impact on us. There were no gadgets at the gatherings and even if there are no pictures, it is a moment that we can picture in our minds forever.

My cousin from Manila visited us, to check how we’re doing after the occurrence; she cannot hold any contact with us so she decided to fly from Manila to our province.

After attending the mass on Christmas eve, we celebrated Christmas simply in our house. It was raining so hard. Before the sound of the rain is soothing to the ears, now, it’s terrifying. It’s very traumatic. We played Uno cards in my room to somehow divert our minds. It was fun having quality time with them.

My cousin went to the terrace after everybody decided to go to bed. I sat with her and she told me the saddest Christmas story.

When she was still in high school, they used to live in Cebu. When my uncle was transferred to Manila, their whole family immigrated. Her room in her new house has a widow that is athwart to the neighbor’s window. She was always curious about who lived in the house next to theirs.

She was transferred to a nearby private school. She just walked going there and when going home too. When she got home early from school, she was able to meet the person that lives in the next house. My aunt got close to the parents in the next house. She learned the boy was his schoolmate, a senior, and a member of their school’s basketball team. She just heard the information from her parents.

One time, she overslept and was almost late for school, as she stepped out of their gate, timing the neighbor’s car pass by and she waved on it, hoping they could give her a lift to her school. She was shocked when it was the boy who’s in the passenger’s seat and his mom in the driver’s seat. She felt shy but she put it aside because she doesn’t want to be late. That was the start of their friendship.

They go together to school and walk home together. Until they grew feelings together, confessed, and became in a relationship. Their relationship at first was hidden because my uncle was very strict. They always spend the night exchanging sweet nothings on the windows of their rooms. As the saying goes, no smoke can be held in reserve, their relationship got exposed but both of their parents were supportive since both of them are doing great at school.

He graduated and moved to college. She was left in high school but even though they still give time to each other. The kind of relationship they have is a mature one. They are both understandings of each other. They fight but they resolve their problem. That’s why they lasted for long. When he leaves for school, he will beep his car twice as passed by their house and beep once if he will take him whether going to school or getting her from school.

When my cousin graduated high school she took nursing in college. They got a lot busier in their studies. Up until she graduated and passed the licensure exam for nursing while he proceeded to law school. They both knew their priorities that’s why fighting over petty things doesn’t have room in their relationship. He will beep twice in front of their gate, letting her know, he got home or will go to school and he will beep once his car to let her know he’s out of their house. That was their routine.

It was in 2018 where they got engaged. He proposed on Valentines’ Day. It was then time she realized that he is the only one for him. They are both each other’s first and they shared many first things.

Christmas eve in 2018 she got off early from her shift because they promised they will have a Christmas date. She was done preparing herself. She waited for him in her room waiting for that one beep from his car. The night is getting deeper and it’s almost Christmas. She checked her phone there were no calls or texts from him. It was raining hard that time. Instead of getting annoyed she just thought that maybe something came off and probably its traffic since it’s raining. She just waited for the two beeps from him to make her at ease that she got home safely.

She was about to sleep after finishing the movie she watched on Netflix when she heard him beep his car thrice. She got confused and looked at the window to check on him, she saw him in his car window smiling and mouthing her words “I love You” and he parked his car in their garage. She checked the time it’s already 1:15 a.m. She slept soundly knowing that they will have their date tomorrow.

She woke up with the loud ringing of her phone. It was not too long since she fell asleep. The news she heard on the other line, sober her up. She dropped her phone and rushed to the hospital.

She was supposed to ask him what the three beeps mean. Then she realized, it was meant for goodbye. When his mother told her that he died in an accident that happened at 11:00 pm, she cried and she told everybody what she saw at 1:00 a.m. Everybody cried hearing it. Even until the end, he makes time for her; he even said goodbye knowing that he can’t be with her anymore.