“We could still tour the museums, just not on business.I hear Cebu’s museums are beautiful, anyway.Eventually we’ll have to break it to him,” Sal said with a sigh.
And that’s how they all took a brief vacation in Cebu.
Sal entered the main room where Willow was resting on the bed, taking in the sweeping view of the ocean.
“I’ve never seen so much blue in my life,” Willow said, looking relaxed and happy.Sal pulled her attention away from her phone to take in the ocean.Perhaps the conjoined colors of the sky and glittering cerulean sea had that effect.
Willow let out a long, satisfied exhale and said, “The room and this place are beautiful.Why don’t you take a breather?I’m sure Rafa will call back soon.”
Willow was right.But the truth was she wasn’t at all worried about Rafa more than she was worried about missing her ferry to Bohol.There wasn’t enough time to explain everything to Willow.
When Sal didn’t answer, Willow followed up with, “Hey, what time did the schedule say the museum tour was?”
Sal checked her phone.“In an hour…”
Willow flopped on the bed again.“Great!We still have time to grab something to eat before going.”
Sal removed her shoes and unbuttoned her shirt in a hurry when she realized she had enough time to change before going to the ferry.
Willow propped herself up on her elbows.“Um, what are you in a rush about?”
“I’m going to take a ferry to Tagbilaran,” Sal said as she changed into a sleek, cropped white T-shirt.“That’s in Bohol.Next ferry leaves in about half an hour.”
“Why are you there when we just arrived in Cebu?”
“I am meeting someone there.”
“Okay…care to share more?”
Sal finally turned to Willow, hands on her hips and slightly out of breath.“I’m meeting Tita Evie.She was a close friend to Claire’s family.She texted me saying that she knows who Harmon is.The next ferry to Tagbilaran leaves soon; I can get to it in time and come back for dinner,” she said in one breath.
Willow stared at her for a moment.“I’m going with you then,” she said.
“No, don’t…” Sal put out her hand in a defensive gesture.“Just continue with the museum trip and go to the beach with Theola as planned.I’ll be fine, and I’ll be back by dinner.”Sal started fixing her hair and changed into distressed mom jeans, cinched at the waist with a leather belt.“I’ll join you guys as soon as I get back…” she said, jamming last-minute stuff into her old leather tote bag with the sewn slash on the front pocket.
Willow sat on the edge of the bed.“Could you at least let me know where in Bohol you’re meeting her?”she asked with a softness to her tone.
“She’s been staying at a resort called the Amorita for work, so I’ll meet her there,” Sal said rather hurriedly as she double-checked the time.“I’ll be going now.”She put a scarf around her neck and donned a pair of sunglasses.There was no time to waste.
“I’ll let the driver know,” Willow said as she walked over to Sal and patted her back.“Keep your phone on loud.”
“I will,” Sal said as she tugged at her tote bag and went on her way.“Update me?”
“Sure.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
A Bit of Brandy Helps
SAL
Cebu Harbor
Theticketinherhand said the boat would dock at Tagbilaran in two hours.Two hours was enough time to settle her thoughts and questions before meeting Tita Evie.Questions like: what made you want to share this with me now?Or what have you been up to all these years?And why didn’t you come to Claire’s funeral?
Tita Evie was the closest thing to a second mother Claire had and was one of Sal’s favorite family friends of the Liangs too.Grief took hold of Sal’s heart once more when she unearthed memories of Claire, herself, and Tita Evie.But mercifully, grief’s grip had loosened through the years, and through it, she could recall everything with more clarity: Claire moving to Manila and meeting Sal for the first time as kids, then meeting their Tita Evie each time Claire’s mother came home intoxicated or hungover the next morning.Then, when Claire’s father died, Claire and her mother moved to the US, leaving Sal behind until she moved to the US in the middle of her master’s degree with her cat Kimmy.Sal recalled her memories of Claire’s death, which had spurred her to move to St.Stephenshire.
Sal wanted to focus her thoughts on one thing, and that was figuring out Harmon’s connection to all this.Ever since he arrived, her new life had suddenly gone up in smoke.She had never met anyone like Harmon.He stirred up emotions so potent that sometimes she could barely think.She was hoping Tita Evie would give her the answers she was searching for.
