The day turned into night and the night turned into another day. Days soon turned into a week, but Gerald didn’t budge. Kim would pass him by during the mornings when she comes in and passes him by at night when she leaves. All those while, Gerald, in obvious physical pain, never moved away. Not even an inch.

We soon learned that he got fired from his job. But, Gerald didn’t mind. HE was there to prove to Kim how sorry he was. It was as if his only purpose was to be there and exist for her...to watch her every day, ignoring him. Soon enough, the constant exposure to the elements took a toll on his kind face. His eyes deepened and his skinned darkened. Yes, he does go home at night and sleep, but he always be the first person to come in the morning. He had been such a permanent fixture the way he was standing there all the time, people that pass him everyday mistake him for a homeless junkie, but Gerald didn’t care.

All of our hearts went out to him. Who wouldn’t take pity on him? Except perhaps for Kim.

Joross, Mimi and I would often times, when Kim wasn’t looking, sneak him water or snacks, but he would politely decline them. In a matter of days, his strong built, started to give way to exhaustion. His frame became dangerously thin.

“Kim, is this what you really want?” I asked her one day.

“No, Sash...no it’s not. ” Kim admitted.

“Then, why don’t you go over there and tell him that you love him...”

“I can’t do that yet...not just yet...”

“What are you waiting for?” I asked. “Till he’s dead?”

“I just want to be sure, Sash...there are still a lot of things that I need to sort out for myself too.”

“What kind of assurance do you still need from him, Kimmy?” I asked. “Look, the guy’s a mess!”

He really was. Gerald was still in his immovable stance, looking on to us like a puppy left outside of his home. The sun was blistering and he was absorbing the full dose of it.

“I didn’t ask for him to do that...” Kim reasoned.

“Yes, but he is doing this for you now...” I answered. “What are you waiting for, Kim?”

“I don’t know, Sash...all I know is that this is not the right time yet”

“When is that going to be?” I said, looking back piteously at Gerald standing outside the window.

“Perhaps until the fear in my heart is gone...” Kim pressed on.

“And when exactly is that going to happen?” I said sarcastically.

“I hope soon...” Kim said, stealing a glance at Gerald.
“I’m telling you, Kim...if one day, that guy standing there is gone...” I warned her. “Don’t you ever dare come to me crying like a child because I will really rub it to your face and say that I told you so...”

Kim cryptically answered, “I hope I can tell my heart to heal faster but I can’t...”

“Your cruel, Kim...” I said. “You’re heartless...”

“Maybe, I am...”

And then, she turned away.

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Two nights later. Two full weeks from what we called the Gerald’s Strike for Love. A small group of media had caught on to Gerald’s story. They stood there in vigil with him. Some held posters of support for him.

Joross, Mimi and I were ready to go home that night. Kim, however, was still busy.

“Kim, let’s go...PAG-ASA (weather bureau) is predicting that there will be a tropical storm tonight...” I reminded her.

“You guys go ahead!” Kim shouted from the backroom. “I need to finish something...”

“What is it that you’re doing there?” I asked.
“Oh, it’s nothing...” she answered. “I’m almost done anyway!”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” I shouted back.

“Yeah...I’ll go home in a few minutes too...” I said.
Joross, Mimi and I decided to go ahead. As we went out, I greeted Gerald. “Uy, happy two weeks anniversary!”

“Thanks...” Gerald said wryly.

“I think you guys should leave early tonight...” Joross said. “There’s a storm coming...”

“Thanks for the warning, pare...” Gerald replied cheerily. “But, I’ll just wait until Kim leaves too...who knows, maybe tonight is the night...”

“Miss, my name is Doris Pacornia of ABS-CBN,” said the lady reporter, shoving her mike to my mouth. “Is there any indication that Miss David has changed her mind?”

“Ha? I don’t know...why don’t you ask her yourself...” I said bleakly. “And why does the whole Philippines want to know about this?”

“Maam, it’s general interest...the public has the right to know what’s going to happen to him.”

“Whatever...” I snapped at her.

“Just answer this, miss!” the reported insisted impatiently. “Is there any chance that Miss David will accept his apology tonight?”

I looked at Gerald pitifully. “Not a chance...maybe tomorrow.”

Gerald’s face fell. He simply shrugged his shoulders and gave me a dry smile. I nodded my head in acknowledgement and then left with Mimi and Joross.

Leaving with me are the reporters, who has decided to call it a night too.

“Guys, let’s go...let’s just come back tomorrow...” said Doris.

As I looked back at the journalists packing up, I was pleased with myself for having the quickness of thought.

Gerald deserves every chance he could get. Maybe tonight, he could get lucky.

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Gerald was finally left alone, waiting for Kim.

An hour later, Kim still has not left. Rains started to fall heavily. Gerald paced the front sidewalk. He started to get worried. He had two choices, first is to go home and leave Kim by herself in the shop in this weather; or to stay and be drenched in the rain waiting for her. He chose the latter.

The heavy rains made a threatening sound as the heavy droplets hit the roof of the building. Kim, however, was in a more ecstatic mood. She had done what she needed to do. She was happy with her work. She took her objet d’art and placed it on the mantel piece of the front shop. It glowed brightly.

Now, she can finally go home.

Expecting not to see Gerald there anymore, Kim gathered her things and made a mad rush towards the door. To her complete surprise, she finds Gerald leaning on one of the walls, fully wet and shivering.

The winds outside were buzzing like a thousand choppers and the rains fully inundating the drain-clogged streets.

“Are you crazy?” Kim said. “What are you still doing here?”

“I was waiting for you...” he answered softly.

“What? In this weather?” Kim replied. “You’re so stupid...”

“...and cold!” Gerald added, flashing her a needy smile.

Kim paused for a second to think and then spoke, “Come in...”

“What did you say?” Gerald said, not believing what he was hearing.

“I said, come in...” Kim repeated. “Before you get sick from pneumonia...”

Gerald hastily followed her towards the shop. His heart leaped in bounds. Imagine the opportunity of be invited back into that shop! It was like entering once again her innermost sanctum of power.

Kim briefly disappeared into the backroom and emerged seconds later with a large towel in her hand. To Gerald’s surprise, Kim draped him with the towel and began drying him off herself.

“You should get out of your wet clothes...” Kim suggested.

“Kim, I’m okay...” Gerald said, shivering but happy.

With Kim still fussing over his wet torso, Gerald softly held her hand and said, “Kim, I’m okay...”

Kim, slightly taken aback by their brief contact, stepped away from him leaving the towel fluttering to the floor.

“I’m going home now...” she announced. “You should go home too...the storm is getting bad.”

“I didn’t want to go home...I wanted to wait for you...” he said.

“W-why...?” Kim asked.

“Because, I wanted to give you this...”Gerald said, pulling a small package from his pocket.

“What is it?” Kim nervously asked.

He placed his hand inside the small paper bag. He pulled it out, opened up his hand and three small flowers popped out of his palm.

Seeing it, Kim smiled instantly.

“Bachelor’s buttons...” she murmured.

“Yes...I came across them at the mall...” Gerald explained.

Kim couldn’t speak at all. All words evaded her. She knew what those flowers meant. She did not need him to explain that to her. But, she felt that she needed to listen to him now...she needed to hear what he was about to say....

“I remember, several weeks back, you told me about them...” Gerald said.

“Yes, I did...” Kim confirmed.

“I remember you telling me distinctly about what they meant. You said that these flowers signify hope and devotion. That is why I am giving this to you...” Gerald said.

“Gerald...” Kim whispered, holding her breath.

“Kim, let me finish...”

She nodded.

“...and you said to me, back in the days of old, men would give them to the women they cherished as a symbol of their love for them...” Gerald recounted. “IF the flower wilts, then their love is not sincere, and if it flourished and bloomed...then their love is true...”

Kim’s eyes once again quivered. Her hand trembled as he placed the flowers in her palm.

“They’re plastic...” Kim cried and laughed at the same time.

“Yes...” Gerald smiled. “In that way they will bloom forever...much like my love for you...”

Kim smiled, bitterly holding back her surging tears. She slowly moved back and went into the main glass counter. She surveyed the flowers she had behind it. She slowly picked out a singular white flower from a vase.

She then faced him and offered it to him.

“What is it?” Gerald asked.

“It’s a lilly...” Kim said, breathing in deeply.

“What does it mean?”

“You’re forgiven...” Kim softly said.

With one swift motion, Gerald takes in Kim, pressing his lips hurriedly into hers. She responded with equal fervour, drinking from his demanding mouth.

All the hurt, fears, and indecisions...finally gone! That was the magic of that kiss. IN that one precious moment of tearful union...they could fully say that NOW, they understood one another.

“Thank you, Kim...” Gerald said as their heads parted. “And I love you...”

Kim can only smile. Her heart was so filled with joy, she can no longer speak. But what was needed to be spoken, is best left unspoken. What matters most is that their hearts understood one another...and there are no words for that...only feelings.

True to her word, Kim took back a different Gerald --- a new man that will truly love her and stay true to her. She had no doubts now that he loves her eternally. She had seen before her eyes the metamorphosis of a man so weak...into a man of strong character worthy of her love.

“I love you too, Gerald...” Kim said finally.

“You just don’t know how long I’ve had waited to hear that...” Gerald said.

“Then, show me...” Kim answered.

Gerald smiled and pulled her close once more. They tenderly kissed once again. Only this time, it will take a while for them to let go.

By the mantle, where Kim placed it earlier, beamed the glass figurine Gerald gave her last Christmas, painstakingly restored by Kim --- piece by piece...fragment after fragment...

She had finally figured out what it was that he gave her. It was her heart – a delicate, brittle, feeble glass heart figurine.

Like Kim’s real heart ...it was once broken and now it has mended in time.

Though there were many fissures on the surface--- evidence that it was once broken...nevertheless, there is no doubt that it shall endure in its fragility. It shall stand proudly under the scrutiny of time and circumstance...strengthened by the hope that it shall never EVER be broken again...

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END

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