Listen to your heart!

Dropping Lia at school, Ethan left with Giselle straight to the airport for his morning flight. He checked his luggage and had time left to spare for a brief chat. Giselle waited for him as he arrived after getting his boarding pass.

"Well, that's it for me. Now, I have to wait until check-in."

Ethan stared Giselle and wondered if she would miss her. He got tempted to ask but refrained from doing so as it might make things awkward between the two before departing. He remained in brooding silence and waited by watching fellow travelers. Giselle found the silence to be more intimidating to endure. Nonetheless, with every reunion and reuniting with her family gave new courage to the ever shy soul. She had one thing left to address, and using this as the golden chance, Giselle desperately wanted to tell Ethan, this mind-bugging subject.

***

Lillian, accompanied by Jenna, visited the five-star luxury resort where the two assembled at the lounge area for their final course of this venture.

"How come we arrived early, and he isn't here yet? I am highly disappointed in it!"

Lillian groaned while Jenna threw a sharp side glance at the Author whose favorite hobby is to arrive late to any important gathering.

Zachery Haves, the chief editor of "The Selection" Magazine, arrived looking exquisite in his business casuals- a classic pantsuit with a weird taste in color choice. His eye-catching attire received all attention, and it made the Author bleed internally.

"Why m I still sitting down with this weirdo?" Lillian whispered at Jenna.

"Well, he just got promoted to the chief Editor position, which means you did not get stuck at the same level, but frankly got promoted to being interviewed by the Chief Editor of the magazine.

Jenna explained in a low murmur.

"Sorry, GILL. I was running a little late because of my team!" Zachery exclaimed at greeting Lillian and Jenna.

"Why didn't you guys order?" he noticed the clean and empty table with only two glasses of water sitting in front of the early birds.

"It's on me, go ahead, and let's get refreshments, for it is going to take a while," Zachery smirked with a smooth wink.

Jenna glanced at Lillian to check, and to her suspect, Lillian Grey held dead eyes, a complete opposite to the person sitting in front of them.

'Oh, Lord! Please bless Ms. Grey with an abundance of patience and an everlasting smile.' Jenna silently said her prayer.

"Ah, Hell Nah, buddy boy. You might be a chief editor now, but your fat freckle face and full-grown red beard reaching till your chest is not pleasing me more and more. Oh, Lord! Please bless me with patience to not punch this punk. Oh! No! No! No! No! No!' Lillian's inner voice loudly screamed and appealed to her Almighty.

Nonetheless, Jenna's presence felicitated the atmosphere as she chose it to be the right time to place their orders. Distracted Lillian, received the menu card from the waiter. She began to read through the pages to find the drink that will aid her in this engaging early morning adventure.

"Shall we start then, Gill?" Zachery asks to reveal his comical grin that usually hides all the devilish wishes deep inside. Lillian dry coughed in despair, which made Jenna react promptly once again. She poked Lillian without letting Zachery witness it. The final interview that Lillian Grey anticipated commenced with cold refreshments.

***

Giselle stood next to Ethan. Her eyes hunted for an opening, and when the silence between them became intolerable, Giselle broke the fourth wall by herself.

"I'm sorry," she said.

Ethan turned swiftly to her voice.

"Where did that come from?" he asked in interest.

"I failed as a mother by bringing you into this when the cause of the trouble is me."

"Why would you think like that?" Ethan began to feel strange from Giselle's sudden confession.

"No, I meant it. It is my duty to talk to Lia and explain. However, you went and lifted this huge burden I carried for a very long time."

Ethan remained in silence and listened to her talk.

Giselle noticed his subtle content and continued.

"I'm sorry," she said again.

"How long are you going to keep apologizing? I don't think that I did something praise-worthy for this much attention, but I don't hate it, though," Ethan shyly chuckled.

"No, I mean it, Ethan."

"Alright. Fine! You didn't have to thank you much, but I feel it is partly my responsibility as well to let Lia know about her parents."

Giselle waited till he returned to silence and spoke again.

"Because I saw you! I saw you make a face when one of the guests asked if you were seeing someone or not!" she finally blurted.

Her sharp words caught the guy's attention, and he went voiceless.

"Am I the reason for you not to move on in your life?" Giselle asked.

Ethan's face changed when he got hit with the truth.

"What?" he asked in a trance, and his face went pale.

"Am I being a burden?" Why haven't you moved on? However, if you look at it, you fell in love with the wrong person and seeing what happened, I expected for you to forget, and move on in your life, but-" Giselle paused.

"I feel that maybe because of me, you-" she couldn't finish the words to her guilt.

"What are you talking about?" I am a father now. I can't-" Ethan stuttered as well in shock.

"You being a father was from a mistake," Giselle said.

Ethan's face lowered from the harsh yet burning facts.

"I am not blaming Lia, nor do I consider her presence to be a mistake. However, you have to move on and look after your future, properly this time. If you did not, I fell that I would hold greater regrets in ruining a person's life. You will be there for Lia, but you also need to live your own story without letting me be your concern."

When Giselle finished with her explanation, Ethan appeared speechless.

Eventually, he smiled.

"What about you then, Giselle?" he said, and his face turned serious. On the contrary, Giselle's face went pale and colorless.

"What do you mean?" she probed.

"Then what about you? You already have someone that you love, then why aren't you moving on either? Why haven't you done anything your heart says," Ethan bombarded with his inquiries.

"Because I am not like you," Giselle exploded finally from his allegations.

"Yes, you are not like me but remember, you too have a life to live. Lia can be your guardian angel, but what about when she leaves for college? Are you planning to spend the rest of your life alone?"

The announcement for boarding echoed inside the place, and Ethan and Giselle faced each other, questioning their lives, wishes as well as their future.

"Take care of Lia," Ethan says to leave. He only carried a side sling bag with him. Giselle is still stupefied from his frank talks.

Ethan took a few strides slowly to halt, turn, and call for his ex-wife.

"Giselle, it hurts none if you just take care of yourself,"

"Goodbye, Giselle."

Ethan said, and he felt the weight he carried evaporate with every step he took away from Giselle. The stunned woman watched him leave and woke up to the following announcement of the flight taking off.

***

Meanwhile, Lillian sat through a broad discussion of her recent work with the magazine's chief editor, Zachery. Landing on to a significant position changed Mr. Baldy. His freckles got pretty much covered under makeup, and his shaved head shone, reflecting any light source that falls on to its surface. His chapped lips aren't chapped anymore because Lillian sensed that Mr. Fat Face is using chapsticks to smooth that smothered piece of flesh.

It was fun for Lillian to answer his insightful questions as well as have a great time in scrutinizing this smooth face from the richness of his promotion.

Zachery almost reached the end of his interview. He recorded Lillian's answers and took insightful hints in his fancy little text notepad.

"Now, moving on to the final question of this interview, why did you choose to write this book?" Zachery asked.

'That is your final question!' Lillian's heart stopped for a second from hearing such a lame yet an open question.

"Why did I write this book, huh!" Lillian repeated slow and steady to digest the meaning behind this question.

After thinking a while, she answered the inspiration behind the idea for this novel, the real-life character influences, the morals she wished to bring to the light through this story. With that, the interview ended, and all three expired. Their cold drinks and refills lingered still inside the glass.

Lillian Grey signaled Jenna that she could no longer take another second to accompany. Jenna took the cue to act and advertised these wishes through action. Both collected their things to leave. Meanwhile, Jenna asked Lillian Grey to sign a fresh copy of her new book for Mr. Full Long Red Beard. It serves as a token of appreciation for his hard work as well as for still helping Lillian to do her interviews without exposing her identity. As the two raised from their seats, Zachery grinned his best one all through the morning.

"haha..." he laughed at a slow pace to his guests startle.

"Gill!" he called, his voice soft and smooth like he would use it for his lover or girlfriend.

Lillian's anxiety switched when he called her and internally raged when he used such a tone.

"Yes, Zach," she attended to him.

Zachery continued his sneaky grin.

"Gill, honestly, I have one last question that I always had in my mind while reading all your novels."

"Go ahead," despite the annoyance Lillian exhibited interest.

"All of your novels have subtle romance involved, let it be the protagonist, the antagonist, or even a side character. Even though it is short, the impact always hits you. From my perspective, you could be the dark horse of romance, so why don't you write one? A full love-driven plot!"

Jenna's eyes went full length in deep, whereas Lillian considered reasonably and gave it a thought. She returned to her seat, and so did Jenna.

Following several seconds of wordless waiting, Lillian replied.

"To tell you the truth, I was the luckiest person in the world when I realized that I was in love, but unfortunately, I never had the chance to confess that love."

"So what I write is all from various failed experiences that I changed into a success through my writing. What you deem to be a dark horse, was never the real, but all horrible decisions in my life. I can, but I won't write a romance novel or even include until I finally get my response. I'm no love expert. You got Jayce for that. I'm simply a defect product."

Lillian said and stood to leave the place. Jenna followed her, thanked the chief editor, and had a brief farewell before retiring.

She ran to caught up to Lillian and joined her without a signal. They left the building to catch for a cab and settled to their escort.

"Was it indeed the truth or another chapter from your hoax encyclopedia?" Jenna asked.

"Not at all. It is the truth." Lillian replied.

"Why?" Jenna insisted on knowing.

Lillian waited till she found herself an answer to that question and replied what her heart wished to say.

"I just felt like telling him."

Jenna followed no more, and they rode back to Lillian's place to rest for another decade.