(From the author: This is the beginning of John Rivera"s love story. If you like detective-type love stories, then this is for you.)John Rivera started violently and looked round to find a lady standing beside him. It was not her unnoticed arrival that shook him but the name she called herself; it was the exact name of the girl he first loved, the one he thought died six years ago.
Yes, the famous Dr. Casanova of Cebu Medical Center had been in love when he was a second-year college student but he told no one about it. It was with a girl named Diane Castillon. He believed he had moved on from his first love after all these years. Not expecting that just by hearing the girl"s name would stun him.
"Hi, I"m Dr. John Rivera. How can I help you, Miss Castillon?" He said politely, composed as ever as a professional as he waved his hand gesturing for her to take a seat, though partly unsettled.
He noted, that friendly pretty face, with wide, hauntingly beautiful eyes that seemed to reach out and touch him and made him fall in love at first, was exactly that same face he was facing now. It was frightening, but in a positive way, to see her alive after all these years. As if love rekindled after sorrowfully burying her memories inside him.
"Doc, I was sent here by Mrs. Beauty Peres. I"m the florist he recommended for your grandmother"s birthday this June 26th." She scrambled in her bag, pulled a name card, and handed it to him.
Comprehension gleamed in his eyes. "Oh, Beauty sent you." He received the card and smiled silly when he realized he was staring at her.
Diane smiled and took his breath away. "Oh my, am I falling in love again?" John thought.
John didn"t have the answers to that question any more than he knew he was utterly taken by her. He stuttered foolishly. "Ah, I, let"s see." He averted his eyes and looked at the name card as if it was elaborately made and needed a thorough look. This was to help him concentrate on the subject at hand. "I suggest you give a price list and I"ll present it to my sister-in-law. She"s the one in charge. I will inform you of her decision. Is that fine with you?"
"Actually, I already have the price list. Here." She placed a paper on the table.
He instinctively looked up to accept the paper. John could not help but stare at her again. The look in her eyes, he decided. Yes, she was attractive, and even from that distance, he could see that her eyes were a pretty shade of brownish black. Deep, dark, intense. It was the intense part that spoke to him. In the fathomless depths, he saw it there when she was happy or in pain. And it was her pained eyes the last he saw years ago.
"Doc?"
He was called back from his stupor and looked at the paper with no comprehension. John tried to scan the words, getting a hint on what to say. Then he saw "Package 1-3" on top. "I"ll call you when my sister-in-law decides which package to take."
"Thank you, doc. I"ll wait for your call then." She left him hoping he would call. Diane needed money badly for her mother"s monthly medication and other bills on hand.
Somehow, John sat there baffled, happy, miserable, puzzled and exhilarated in more or less equal proportions. He believed that Diane Castillon, who stepped out from his office right now was exactly the same person he fell in love with. However, who was that lady who died years ago?