THE wholeness of the surrounding is white and Ara quickly felt a kind of happiness that she had never felt in her whole life. It feels so good and there seems to be no reason for her to be sad.
That was the kind of emotion that immediately touched her heart when her foot stepped on that place.
"Am I in heaven already?" that was what she whispered asking a question as she continued to look around.
She was in such a scene when she noticed a figure that seemed familiar to her.
Ara's blue and round eyes widened as she tried to recognize the man who is now approaching where she is standing. And then from the seemingly white smoke, he came out. Then her visual of the man became very vivid.
"D-Daniel?" she whispered again along with the rapid throbbing of indescribable pleasure in her heart.
A beautiful smile tore at Daniel's lips. And that further accentuates the young man's own beauty which is one of his many beautiful qualities that captivated her heart then.
"Ara, my love," he said, extending one of his hands to her.
The corner of Ara's eyes immediately warmed up because of the intense pleasure she was feeling at that moment. That was probably the replacement for all her suffering. Because finally, after a long time, she and Daniel can be together. The only man who remained in her heart for a very long time.
It was like a movie scene she ran towards Daniel. Then she hugged him tightly and so did the man to her.
"I missed you so much, Daniel," she said crying as the man released her.
Then the man smiled and gently gazes at Ara's beautiful face. "I stayed in your heart didn't I?" he smiled and kissed her forehead.
Ara then looked up at Daniel then met his dark eyes. "You have always been in my heart and mind Daniel, because I have always loved you," that was the truth and that caused her to shed tears again.
Daniel pulled her back and hugged her tightly. Then, for the second time, he released her then cupped her face with both of his hands.
"I'm happy and we met again," Ara said as her tears continued to flow.
A meaningful and kind smile once again tore at Daniel's lips. "We can meet again at some other time and in different ways, but it will only end up with one thing, I will still fall in love with you, endlessly," he said and then kissed her hard on the lips afterward.
And that was when Ara was finally carried away by the stream of overflowing happiness in her heart. Then she eagerly responded to the warm kisses of the exceptional man that no one in her heart was able to replace. Even Timothy.
Because just like the promise she vowed to Daniel before he left the world before he died, no one can make her forget someone like him. Even if, for example, the time comes for her to marry, Daniel will remain in her heart and mind.
And just like the love she gave to Daniel before, she kept that promise. And over a long period of time, she continued to love him without asking for anything in return. Because she knew the time would come, they would be together again.
But as they always say, God has always had better plans for His children. And He proved it, right now. Because she is here with Daniel, hugging while warmly kissing the man she considers her great love.
"Are you ready to meet Him?" Daniel's eyes were glistening after he released her lips.
Ara nodded as he began to dry her tears. "We will not be separated anymore, are we?"
That was when Daniel took her hands and kissed them tenderly and then he nodded. "You remember what I promised you before? The next time we meet, it will be forever, it will be for eternity. This is that promise, Ara. I'm so sorry if you had to wait. But you know, true love is not in a hurry? Because true love is patient, timeless, and full of hope and second chances?"
Ara cried again at everything she heard. "I love you, you are worth the wait," she replied.
"I love you so much, too," Daniel said gently squeezing her hand that the man did not let go. "Let's go?" then he asked her again.
Smiling, Ara nodded as she looked up at the young man's handsome face. "Always," she replied as in her heart there was the kind of happiness she could not name.
*****
"CLEAR!" that was the cry of the doctor from inside the ICU.
He was trying hard to revive her twin sister, Ara.
The doctor repeated that several times before Bella saw the man shook his head as he looked at the other hospital staff with him inside the ICU.
It was then that Bella felt cold and decided to let go of her mother's tight hug with her, who was already crying.
She seemed to be out of her mind when she entered the open door of the ICU.
That was the time when she heard the words right from the doctor's mouth.
The kind that she did not want to hear but it happened. Words that made her cry.
"Time of death, 8:15 AM," the doctor said as a declaration of her sister's permanent departure from this world.
*****
A sad smile tore Bella's lips as she pushed open the door of her sister's room. Tomorrow will be Ara's funeral who died of Dengue disease. But still, she couldn't accept the fact that she is already gone and will not be able to see her again.
Bella sat on the edge of her bed then quietly gazing around the room. Then without any warning, her tears flowed spontaneously.
She feels that half of her died with her twin sister already.
It feels more like half of her is with Ara now, lying inside that white coffin. That was when she covered her own mouth to prevent the loss of her sobs.
"Oh Ara, why did you leave us?" that is what she said and then later she just let go of all the resentment that she had suppressed inside her chest for the past few days.
Bella stayed that way for a while.
She burst into tears, no matter how loud it was. All she wanted in those moments was to be able to loosen her chest which as if had been pinned down by some sacks of rice because of its weight.
Soon she felt the strange and cold feeling that embraced her whole body.
She knew what that was.
She knows who.
"A-Ara ..." and then she cried even more.
Bella knows her sister just hugged her.
And she knows wherever Ara is right now, she is happy.
