Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

**Archie’s POV**Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

I was left thinking of what might have been their family problem, that Lisa’s father will request her to go back to their ancestral house alone. I wanted to follow her but I don’t want her to think that I don’t trust her. I don’t go home straight because I don’t want her mother to ask me why I came home alone. I will wait for Lisa’s call to come home with her father. I went to my previous place with my aunt and uncle. They were surprised to see me. I just told them the truth, that Lisa was requested by her father to see him at their ancestral house.

There’s a lot of things bothering me at that time. Are they hiding secrets to me? I don’t want to speculate things but I wanted Lisa to be truthful to me. I won’t judge, just listen. In my boredom, I bought some liquor and had a drink with my uncle. Not long enough before I got drunk, Lisa called.

“Where are you? Are you home?” She asked me.

“No, I am at my uncle’s place. I don’t want to go home without you. Your mother might ask me why we are not together. Are you going home?” I asked Lisa.

“Yes, we’re going home. Father is with me. See you at home. My father has something to tell you.”

“What is it? Do I need to worry?” I asked Lisa.

“Just be home, ok. Be careful. I love you.” She hung up.

Now I am more worried than before. What could it be? I said goodbye to my uncle and left.

**Lisa’s POV**

After Leon left, my tears have all dried. I guess I have cried enough for Leon’s sake and it’s all over. I was left alone in the living room. I was surprised. June, my brother-in-law came forward to me and grabbed both of my arms.

“You have never learned your lessons, do you?” He told me.

“What are you talking about? And who are you to tell me that?” I told him.

“I was just concerned about you.” He told me.

“Concern? I never thought you were concerned about me. All I saw from you was just taking advantage of the situation. There is no concern at all. All personal advances. You call that concern?” I sarcastically told him.

“Why can’t you see how I feel for you? How am I concerned about you?”

“Oh, now you are talking. Are you confessing your feelings to me? With all honesty, in my eyes you are just a pervert!” He was raising his hand to slap me but my father came.

“You won’t dare do that to my daughter! I have helped you in so many instances, and I have allowed you to get settled with Leah. But I never thought you were targeting Lisa too? You can never be good to any of them because you are legally married to your previous wife which was not annulled, how can you say that you fall for my daughter. You are nothing compared to her previous boyfriend and not even close to her husband. Get out of my sight before I’ll send you out of this house! And never again bothered my daughter!” My father angrily told him. June left and went upstairs.

“Did he bother you before this incident?” My father asked me. I just nodded my head. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just don’t want to create misunderstanding in this house because of me. I thought, since I seldom come here, it won’t be a problem anymore. Leon knew this matter, that is why he never wanted me to come into this house unless you are here. Anyway, I won’t be staying here anymore and for sure he won’t bother me anymore.” I told my father.

“I will talk to him after I send you home. I won’t take this lightly. He’s not going to make advances to you anymore, I will make sure of it.” My father told me. “What about Leon, are you going to tell Archie about Leon?

“I want to. I don’t want to keep secrets from Archie. I guess he has all the rights to know what really happened here. I know when I told him that you wanted to talk to me personally, there was a questioning look on his face. I will let him know that Leon’s part in my life is over and he, being my husband, is my present priority and my child in my womb. So just help me to explain why you wanted to talk to me alone. Please father?”

“Ok, let’s go home. I will talk to June later.” My father told me.

“Just be careful in dealing with June. He might do something bad to you and I won’t let him go.” I warned my father.

“He won’t do that, because he is just a lazy bastard to work and dependent on me. Nevertheless, if I die, they get nothing.” My father explained.

My father and I arrived home, and a little while Archie arrived. He saw us waiting for him in the living room. “Have you had your dinner?” I asked him.

“Yes, I went to my aunt and uncle at the camp and I had my dinner there.” He told me.

“I smelled alcohol in you. Why? Was there some celebration at your aunt’s place?” I asked him.

He cannot look straight at me. But there was a question in his eyes. My father tapped his shoulder and sat beside him.

“I know you want to know why I asked Lisa to go to my house and instructed her to come alone. Though you never asked, I will tell you. But before that, I want you to understand first that it is not to create misunderstanding, instead to strengthen it. You just need to listen and keep an open mind.” My father told Archie.

“I know Lisa has told you about Leon. He just arrived at my house this afternoon, and he was asking to talk to Lisa about what happened to him and why he just disappeared. I told Lisa to come alone because they need to have a closure of what had happened. Don’t take it that I am against you. I wanted them to talk and clear everything between them so that there would be no more feelings to look back on. My daughter loved you, that’s why she married you and the past is just the past that should be left behind and never looked back. I will leave you two to talk it over and understand each other. And I have something to settle at home.” Once again, my father tapped Archie’s shoulder and I kissed him on the cheek. Then he left.

“Now, tell me what happened.” Archie asked me.

“As my father said. Leon came to my father’s house and he asked my father if he could talk to me personally. My father told him that I am already married. Though he was hesitant to grant Leon’s request, my father called me and told me the situation. I am also hesitant to what Leon requested, but I need to let Leon know that I am really married and also need a closure of what he has left.”

“Did he explain why he just left and never seen again?” Archie asked

“Yes, he did. He said he met with an accident after coming from this house and he was unconscious until the day of his departure. He needed to fulfill his contract before he was charged with breach of contract. He said that the only address and telephone number he has of me was in his cell phone and it was missing from the accident and nobody claimed to have seen it. So, he never contacted me at all, nor did he call me to inform me that he met with an accident. The only call he made was to call his sister who came for him at the hospital. Maybe it was fate that he met with an accident, if not we never have met.”

“Do you have any regret that both of you separated?” Archie asked me with sadness drawn in his face.

“Yes and no. Yes, because I thought we were meant for each other up to the end. No, because without the incident, I could have not met you. Fate really made some turn out of our life that we really don’t expect. We just need to appreciate what life has offered and what it has set us to live with. I know you have doubts about what I am talking about. Leon is just my YESTERDAY and he will be just my past and also a part of my life. And you are my present and my TODAY. I have loved you and I married you, regardless of the many obstacles we have hurdled, we are still together and we will strengthen that relationship into the future. I have no doubt of what decision I made for choosing you as my life time partner, I just hope you do the same. And since I have a child in my womb, this child is our future and TOMORROW. We will look forward now for tomorrow and the day ahead of us for our children to come. Do you think we will grow old together?” I asked Archie.

“I don’t doubt our future because I love you so much that nothing will ever come between us since we are bound by love and blessed by GOD. I am your TODAY and will be you TOMORROW together with our children to come. That is not just a promise but a covenant of my love for you. And nothing will ever break us apart anymore. I LOVE YOU love.” Archie embraced and kissed me.

We both cried in happiness that we came this far and we are still together. And now, we are waiting for a bundle of love to be delivered within seven months to complete my family. I for one, have a closure of my previous relationship to Leon. So sad that we have to end this way, but as he said fate has a great part to what we are now. I hope he will find true love in the future. Leon has been my YESTERDAY and will always be a part of my life. My husband is my TODAY that will keep me from loving him as it was promised, till death do us part. My TOMORROW is my children, because they will make up my family and out of love for Archie and me.

THE END