Chapter 21: 1 year later

Garu's POV

It has been a year since I asked Sarah to marry me, a year since Suralique was born, and a year since Pucca left. I keep trying to look for Pucca and being able to find her but there is no sign of her. In four days I am getting married and today is Suralique's first birthday.

" Garu is everything ready for the Suralique's birthday party?" Sarah asked.

" Yes everything is ready" I replied, and then I smiled.

" So how are you feeling" Sarah asked, noticing the sadness in my eyes.

" I am okay" I lied and then I walked away.

Suralique came crawling towards me, I picked her up and tickled her chin. She giggled and then I took her out for a walk. Everyone greeted Suralique on our way to the park. When I was on the walk I saw the green garden in which Pucca gave me my first kiss. The memories came back to life. I always expected Pucca's usual tackle and kisses. But now it was different, Pucca wasn't here anymore. I sighed and sat on the grass from that green garden. I started to cry on noticing how the years have gone by. I felt the dew that was still on the roses.

"Suralique I am going to tell you a story, would you like that?" I asked and Suralique giggled, so I proceeded.

" Once upon a time there was a beautiful young girl that used to like this boy. She used to chase him day and night. She kissed him and he used to ran away from her but one day the young boy seeking honor knew that he liked that girl, they became friends but one day the girl became a woman and the boy became a man. Now things weren't as before because there was a lot of pain with growing up. The beautiful woman left the town in which she grew up on, she left a letter to the love of her life saying goodbye. Now the man was sad and after a year he promised that he would find the woman that left the village, and will try to look for the woman to finish their happily ever after, althought the man is happy with his little girl, he feels incomplete and has the hope that one day he will find her, or that she would come back." I said as tears caressed my eyes. Suralique saw my tears and somehow she understood my sadness and she grabbed my finger and didn't let go of it. Ching showed up with Abyo.

" Hi Garu, aww how is baby Suralique doing?" Abyo asked as he did silly faces to entertain Suralique.

"Garu are you okay?" Ching asked as she noticed my tears. I quickly wiped them and gave Suralique to Ching.

" Uhm yes" I lied.

" Well we have to hurry up for the party" Abyo said as he kept tickling Suralique.

" Yes lets go, oh have any news about Pucca? I am really worried, she hasn't written any letter, I don't know if she is okay" I worriedly asked.

" I miss her so much and I am also very worried for her because just like you, I don't know anything from her" Ching said as she sobbed. Abyo hugged her.

" I am very worried for Pucca also, not even her uncles know where she is" Abyo mentioned as he scratched his chin in confussion.

I looked at the sky and closed my eyes. I felt the tears rolling down my eyes. I looked at Pucca's picture and a tear drop fell on the photograph. I then looked again at the green garden and the memories where alive. I looked at the sky and I imagened a cloud with Pucca's face. I helplessly cried as I looked into the picture I had with her. I had flashbacks of her. At first I didn't want to admit that I loved her, but with her smile and laughter she made me fall in love with her. My love with my good friend ended last year's summer.

" Garu are you okay? Abyo asked as he picked me up from the floor.

" Garu! What happened?" Ching asked while carrying Suralique.

" I can't do this anymore, I need to know how is Pucca, the feeling that she is not okay becomes bigger everytime, don't you know how hard it is to have someone for all your life and not have them anymore, to not have what you cared for anymore" I confessed as I shedded tears more than I ever did.

" We know how Pucca is, she is strong and she will be okay" They said, trying to encourage me and give me hopes. Suralique started crying and I carried her.

" Well I have to get Suralique home before the party starts" I said, I sighed and left. They came with me because they knew how I felt.

When we went back to the house and Sarah had everything done for the party. I looked down when I came in trying for Sarah not to see my swollen-teary eyes. Sarah noticed that something was wrong, I rushed towards my bedroom but Sarah stopped me, she lifted my head and saw my red swollen eyes. I couldn't look at her in the eyes so I just slowly walked away. I got ready for the party, when I came down it seemed that all Sooga was there. I noticed the concern on their eyes when they saw me. I heard the gasps from disbelief.

" My love, are you okay?" Sarah said, while carrying Suralique.

" I am okay" I lied, not looking into her eyes.

" Garu, I know you perfectly and I know that you are not okay" Sarah said.

" Trust me" I insisted not wanting her to get worried.

" Okay" She smiled.

I just stared outside the window, looking at the night sky, wondering if Pucca will be staring at the same sky I am staring at. The party was good and I carried Suralique and played with her. Everyone was there except for Pucca. I couldn't hold this pain inside any longer so I went out for a walk. I sighed because every place reminds me of her, the cruel truth that I don't have her anymore, that I don't have her succulent cherry flavored lips. I don't have her smile, her hug, and most of all her funny love. I then cried and cried and ended up falling to the cold concrete, everything then turned black. I woke up by Sarah's voice calling my name. I opened my eyes and saw the tears on her eyes thinking that I had passed out or had died. Although I do feel like if I am half-alive without Pucca. I stood up from the concrete and wiped her tears and carried Suralique. Suralique started to yawn and cried. We headed back home. I put Suralique on the crib, Sarah grabbed my hand and sat on the couch, I knew that it meant that we had to talk.

" Garu, I know that you are not okay, so don't try to persuade me on thinking that you are good because you are not, I am almost your wife and we have to tell each other what is going on just like when I told you about my fiance and my pregnancy" Sarah said as she held my hand.

" I…. I just don't feel to good" I said.

" You look very pale and sad, please tell me what is happening" Sarah begged.

" Nothing, let's just forget that this happened?" I said as I tried to forget this grief.

" Okay my love but please promise me that you will be okay" Sarah insisted.

" Okay" I said and nodded.

" Are you ready for the wedding?" Sarah said, she smiled.

" Yes, I am" I said as I hugged her.

" Okay my love, I am going to sleep, it was a long day today so I am really tired, come to bed when you are ready" Sarah said as she gave me a wet kiss on my cheek, then she left.

I guess that Pucca is gone forever as much as it hurts me, I keep asking to myself if I would ever love or smile again. The answer always seems that it is no. I have to try but how much I wish that Pucca will be here next to me so that I could kiss and hug her, to tell her my love that I didn't tell her before, to hold her tightly and never let her go so that I can love her until the end and from the end I will keep loving her, no matter what I will do, I will never forget the love that I lost, the love that I don't have anymore. The funny love I lost.

[end of Garu's POV]