When Rios FaIls In Love

"It's late," I said to myself as I glance at my wrist watch.

The rain is keep on pouring. What a shame, we're gonna welcome a brand new year but the rain spoiled it. I look at our maids preparing the table for our media noche. The table is already set, we're just waiting for my sister and her husband to arrived. I'm getting a bit anxious, it's been fifteen minutes since they called that they're on their way. I look at my wrist watch. It's 10:41 in the evening one hour and nineteen minutes left before we bid goodbye to 2030.

"Did your sister already arrived?" My mom ask me.

"Nope... they just made a call and she said they're on their way here."

"Is that so? Maybe they got stuck in a traffic knowing there are some roads that are not passable because it's already flooding." My mom said as she sat on one of the love seat.

I stand up from where I seated and grab my key fob on the center table. I was just a step away from the door when my mom spoke.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm getting worried about them. I'll just have drive outside and look for them."

I turned on the engine and I maneuvered the car out of the gate. I look at the streets outside our villa. The streets are empty the only thing that you could see is the illuminating light coming from the street lamps.

If it didn't rain supposedly around this time people are now gathered at the mini plaza. Waiting for a public count down. Sadly the rain ruined it all. I suddenly hit the brake when I saw a woman fainted in the middle of the road. I hurriedly went out of my car and go towards the unconscious woman. I kneel down to examine if she's still breathing. She's barely breathing and her pulse is weak.

I positioned myself on top of her and I started giving her a CPR. After a couple of pumping on her chest, still no response.

"Come on! Don't die!"

I keep on pumping and giving her a mouth to mouth resucitation. My dress is already wet because of the rain. Cough! Cough! Finally! I thought I would loss her. I put her in a recovery position and when I feel that she gain some of her strength I help her to stand. And I walk her towards my car. Luckily I have two extra towels in my emergency bag. I gave a towel to her as I start the ignition.

"I'll just bring you to our home first. So that our family doctor would check if you're really okay." I spoke to her as I drive back to our villa. When I park my car, I saw that my sister and her husband got out of a cab. Our househelps fetched us with two big umbrellas. "Auntie, can you prepare two hot chocolate for us? And also prepare a hot shower for our guest." I said to Aunt Bella one of our house helper after I ushered the woman to sit in our couch. "Okay ma'am." Mom shot me with her questioning look.

"Mom is it okay if you call auntie doc?"

"Why?" "I just want her to be examined if she's fine. You know she almost got hit by my car when she fainted on the road, luckily I was fast enough to step on the brake."

"Oh.. speaking of the devil." My mom said. I turn me head towards the door and I saw my tita who's wearing a red shirt dress. "Hello Leigh! My sweetest niece how are you?" Aunt Bethany said between our hug. "Thank you..uhm auntie can I ask you a favor?" "What is it?" "Could you check my guest? I saw her fainted on the road outside the villa." "Okay just give me a moment. I have to talk to your mom first." She said and she go to my mom and grandma to greet them. "Ma'am here's your hot choco," one of our house helper handed me a smoking hot chocolate. "Jess right?" I ask the young maid that brings a bottle of wine to my grandpa and other relatives that are busy talking in our lanai. "Yes ma'am?" "Could you bring here to our guestroom? She needs to take a shower. I already told aunt Bella to prepare a hot shower for her." I instructed Jess our youngest house helper. After I finish drinking my hot chocolate I went to my room to take a hot shower also. Knock! Knock! "Come in!" I shouted while I was blow drying my hair. "Make yourself comfortable," "T-thanks.." she said her head facing the floor while she keeps on biting her lips. "You're welcome. Anyways... what happened earlier? Are you sick? Are you really fine? Is something wrong with you?" I bombarded her with a couple of questions. "Yeah I'm fine.. it's just... I am looking for someone.." she said while looking straight into my eyes. "Did you found that person?" She smiled at me meaningfully. "Yes I already found her.. I'm glad that you're the first one to found me in that state. If not.. I don't know what could've happened." "No worries, btw may I know your name?" "Marie Artemis Ong. Maria for short." "It's nice to meet you Maria. I'm—"

"Mary Aruna Lim." She said.

"How??" I ask her with questioning look. Everyone knows me as Mary Aruna Rios. Not Mary Aruna Lim. Only our relatives and few close friends know that our surname is Lim. It's because of my dad, who chooses to live with his mistress.

That's why our mom told us to use her middle name us our surname because of the shameful act that my dad brought to us.

"I happened to saw your face in a newspaper.. that was ages ago, I think that was during your seventh birthday I guess. Your party was being publicize in the papers that time." Ohhh... she have a great memory.. "Is that so?" I ask while scrutinizing her. "Yeah.." My eyes fall on the wall clock. It's already 11:45, fifteen minutes before new year. Luckily the rain stopped. "Let's go downstairs, they're waiting for us." I said while offering my hand at her. I saw that my brother-in-law together with my male cousins are setting up the fire crakers and fireworks on our frontyard.

While my mom and auntie doc are helping our househelps in setting up the tables in the pool area. It looks like we're gonna eat outside. My sister and other cousins are putting some fairy lights to illuminate our surroundings. "Hey sis!" I run towards my sister who is now sitting on one of the sun lounger.

"Ya! Get off me! You're so heavy!"

"Hep! Hep! You two stop arguing!" Francis, our cousing butted in. "Hmmmp!"

"I miss you too cous!"

"I don't miss you dork!"

"Oh.. so who's this beautiful lady?" He ask me, while looking at Maria. "Shut up Francis! Be good she's my guest. And for your info. you're not her type." I said to him with a deadly glare. He raise both of his arms signalling that he will stop from pestering me. I turn to Maria and I smile at her apologetically. "I'm sorry for what my cousin said. You know he's a womanizer. So you better stick away from him." She laughs at me. "Don't worry,... I'm too old for him."

"Too old? Why? How old are you?"

"I'm on my fifties." "What?! Are you kidding me?" "No.. I'm telling the truth. It's my punishment for what I've done in my past life." "What are you talking about?" "What I'm saying is that maybe it's my punishment for what I've done in my pastlife. That's what my mother told me. She actually believes in a life after death scenario. But according to some people I have a unique kind of disease that my physical appearance don't get old." "Woah.. unbelievable, I thought you're just in your late twenties." "You know we're gonna welcome a brandnew year and a lunar eclipse in a minute. And during that time there is someone who could travel back in time that's what I heard from my grandma when I was younger." She said seriously. "I wish I could travel back to the past, during the spanish era. I want to experience how they lived their life during that time." I said as I dip my feet in the pool. "Hey guys let's gather by the pool side!" Eunice, my cousin shouted. Everyone runs toward my direction and we all stand here while waiting for a countdown.

"Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!"

Auld Lang Syne music is been playing on the background. "Happy New Year, Ma— I didn't finish my sentence because Francis grab me when his twin Nikolai, push him into the pool. We both got a bad fall the reason why I drank a couple of water and I injured my legs. Damn! I can't swim my legs got cramped. Plus the water is so cold. I keep on waving my hand hoping that they could see me. But my visions starts to blurr. And I got run out of breath. The next thing I know, I feel that my body is sinking.