Interlude
By Rona Go
Copyright 2011 Rona Go
Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
After the beautiful music which seemed to fill the entire neighborhood faded away into the silence of the night brought about by the band of five hired especially by Jerome on such an event, he finally appeared from the shadows and raised a bouquet of flowers, a dozen of white and yellow roses, sprinkled with little budding baby's breath.
Ella, from the second landing of her apartment, stood looking fondly at him, knowing too well what would come next after such an interlude—the much anticipated proposal of the man who couldn't have done any better on such an occasion.
Jerome knelt in front of her, the way perhaps a knight would have to receive an honor in the presence of a lady soon to be his bride. After all, she wanted a fairytale which pictured a princess and her knight in shining armor. And for the 20th century setting, it was the closest thing which can resemble a tale of once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there was prince and a princess…and they lived happily ever after. He thrust out a small velvety box of which she knew too well could only hold the bond which can make her belong to him.
"Say you'd marry me, Ella!" Jerome finally asked her. Not that he wouldn’t have reached that point after five long years in a relationship together. It was bound to happen. Everybody expected it.
Everything was very predictable…
"And?" Euchelle asked. She was perched like a queen amidst a pile of pillows in Ella's room the next day, listening to every detail the way a best friend was expected to.
Ella looked at the velvety box and reached for it. Never had she seen such a beautiful ring. It must have cost Jerome a fortune to have bought it. Yet, Jerome had worked so hard for it. He probably had saved three months of his salary after his big promotion for her to have it. She got the ring and slipped it on her finger. It fitted so well as if she were the princess who should have worn it. It looked so good on her hand, she was sure it was really meant for her.
"Yet, I was never really into jewelry, right?" she thought out loud for her best friend to hear.
"What did you say?' Euchelle prodded. "How did you say yes?"
"I didn't! I said no!" Ella said, lost in her thoughts. The night before was like a nightmare to her. She could still see the band stopping in mid-music. Tension filled the air. She almost expected to see lightning flashing and hear thunder clapping above her head as if the gods were also there to share their protest.
Her parents who had gone out to participate in the festivities were also shocked at her revelation. Worst of all was Jerome who received the bombshell.
Nobody wanted to look at him straight n the eye. Yet he left the small box on the ground, whispering softly, "Just think about it and call me!"
That made the whole situation worse than it already was. She would have wanted him to confront her with anger and they could have finished the whole thing off. But she should have known Jerome better to treat what happened with understanding and kindness. It would have been unlike him if he walked off cursing her to death or threatening her with an evil spell. It was just unbecoming of him if he had shown just a bit of animosity towards her.
"What?" Euchelle cried out for the whole world to hear, indifferent to what anybody would say. "What came into you, Ella? What's wrong?"
"I don't know!" she said, staring into her friend's eyes not really seeing anything there. Of course, it was the truth—she really didn't know. "I just don't think I want to marry him. I don't think I even want to see him again!"
"Has Jerome done anything which you are not telling me about?" Euchelle asked.
"No!" Ella said. "You know Jerome. He has always been too nice. He has always been almost perfect."
"So, what's wrong?"
"It's me!" Ella said. "Something's wrong with me! And for now, let's just leave it at that!"
That night, just like the other nights, Ella went out scouting for bars where she could be alone and safe. Yes, safe… safe from the prying eyes of the world. She just wanted to go on a drinking spree and create her own world, intoxicating herself in a temporary oblivion.
Ella found herself in a 24-hour Orbit Bar & Café. Just like the other nights, she could have ended up making a fool out of herself looking like a loser would. Somehow, that particular night, she felt like one. Being alone in such a cozy place brought her into an introspective mood. But unlike the other nights, there was only a cup of coffee to keep her company.
Jerome didn't know this side of her. Neither did her family and friends. Only Frederick knew. And she preferred it that way.
Frederick…the famous Rick Knight!
She met him a year ago at a bar where he worked as a disc jockey. Spinning songs on decks was just one of his stints. He also managed a band where he played as a drummer. He was three years younger than she was. He was one of those typical guys who never entered college but who could boast of knowing how to play the games of the real world where the crippling inequalities of life can shatter even those who are learned.
But from where Ella came, he was a nobody but a bum. Of course, he was not the type of a man one can bring home to be proud of and be someone's husband. Neither was he the type who would bring a woman to the altar to marry. She and Frederick had always known this. Whatever it was, a thin line would always separate them in different corners of the world. There was always the unspoken agreement that nobody was compromised to cross the borderline for the sake of the other. There was always the unwritten law to enjoy whatever they both had, if they did have something going on for both of them— while it lasted. For no matter how it was predicted to end, it was good.
It was like a small masquerade when they first met. She noticed him behind the DJ's booth with his wavy hair towering over a deck of compact discs. From where she was sitting, she had an uninterrupted look at the nineteen-year-old boy who had smooth skin, deep-set eyes and pale thin lips. She had used the name of Euchelle when they were introduced pretending to be a university student. At four feet eleven inches, she could very well pass up as a high school student.
"I know you!" she lied. "I often see you in school with a friend of mine. He's also a DJ. His name's Erwin."
Of course, Erwin was another famous disc jocky who runs his own station. To be associated with him was enough to put one in the same caliber as he was. Rick knew that and he didn't want to blow it off if in case that was the opportunity he was waiting for to be as big as DJ Erwin. "Yeah, I know him! But I don't think we've met!" Rick said.
"We actually met at a party Erwin threw at his unit. I don't think you can remember! You were pretty—uhmm—wasted then," Ella said remembering one of Euchelle's party stories. There could have been an Erwin and a guy who was pretty drunk who got introduced to Euchelle but she didn't care. She was enjoying the masquerade and she wanted to pull it off a little longer. Anyway, she didn't have to see him or go to that bar again.
"Yeah, maybe!" Rick said. "By the way, I'm Frederick! Rick!"
"I know, we've been introduced, right?" Ella said. "I'm Euchelle!"
It should have ended there. But it didn't. Night after night, Ella came. Not just for Rick and his music. But she also came for the drinks she had never had in her entire life. There were more stories told. And slowly, names of drinks were added to her list, moonlight surprise, weng-weng, flaming Ferrari and more—concoctions that made her bolder and more real. The list went longer as the lies were bared to truth. Little by little, she was no longer Euchelle, the debutant who was barely out of college, but she was Ella, the career woman.
By then, she was climbing up the ladder as a neophyte marketing assistant for an advertising agency. She had recently finished college when the job was offered to her. One big promotional c
ampaign for an upcoming fashion line would have put her to a higher position with numerous benefits of personal and financial growth.
She enjoyed the double life she was leading. During the day, she was immersed in the world of people who compete with each other to the top. She knew she was one of the best there was in her level. She had to win all the time. For then again, it wasn't just a job. It was a place in the advertising world which she had to fight for.
At night, she was a practicing Epicurean who enjoyed the pleasures of what life can offer. She needed not be anybody for there were no rules. As long as one was happy, then the party continued. She had Jerome when she was the perfect little naïve woman by his side. She had Rick by her side when she was the alcoholic wench.
Who would have known that she would end up having a problem with alcohol? She was raised properly or so it seemed, finished school from primary to tertiary level in