Chapter 172 - The Promise I Made To Myself.

Luna sits on the bench at the patio with the man named Wilson who claimed that he knows Raymond. She had a doubt about his story and decide to hear it out first. Raymond was known as cold and having 'NO' closed friends at all.

"So, how did Raymond save your daughter?" Luna scrunches her eyebrows a bit.

Inhaling deeply, the man lowered his head and look at the wooden floor. "It happens when I met him accidentally in here. I know there's a house owned by someone rich and I thought that maybe I could sneak in and take something. But I was caught by Mr. Raymond who suddenly came here at night."

"He decides to give me to the police but I beg him. I tell him my reason that I have a daughter who needs medical attention and I'm doing this all because of my daughter. He didn't believe me until I bring him to the hospital and he decides to let me go. He didn't report me to the police so I thought of at least I still have a few more days to collect money for her operation. But the next day I went to the hospital, my daughter's room was empty and I ask the nurse.

"The nurse said that my daughter's surgery and all of her medication has been cleared. When I ask, they didn't give the details of who is the generous person that paid for my daughter's surgery, and I'm thankful that my daughter got the surgery right on time. Because of that surgery, my daughter is still alive and healthy now."

"Then one day, I saw my daughter play with new toys on her hand which I never bought it for her. It's an expensive brand of toys and when I ask my daughter, she says that there's a handsome uncle who gives her the toys. That uncle lives in a cabin house in the mountains, she said. And that's how I know it was Mr. Raymond who helps me with my daughter that time."

"I came here every month to clean up the lawn and I never saw him again until today... I never know he's married and soon gonna have a baby.."

Luna smile at the man while caressing her belly. "Yeah..it's a boy they say."

"I hope he's gonna be a healthy boy and I bet, Mr. Raymond will be a great father." He looks at her and puts on his hat back.

Luna did not reply to the man when he standing up, "I guess I'll have to go now. Everything's done. If you ever need help, I just live on the valley's foot. My house just right at the junction and you are welcome anytime, ma'am." He smiles at her and went to his truck.

"Thanks," Luna said and see the man's leaving the lawn. She waited for a week but then Raymond never shows up and she returns back to Texas and packs all of her belonging. She ready to leave the country for good.

….

November 2015,

"Oh? You're here again and in November again? Is it a special month each year?" Wilson asked when he saw a woman just get down from her car and smile at him.

"Hey, Wilson." Luna waves her hand and went to the passenger seat. Taking out Alex from the car seat. "Nothing special, I just like to be here in November." She cheekily smiles and carries Alex on her arm.

"Oh, hello there, little guy...what's your name?" He asked while playing with Alex's little finger. Alex scrunched his eyebrow and pull his hands away from the man and crawl on Luna's chest before resting his head on Luna's shoulder.

"He's Alex, and he just nine months old," Luna said with a smile.

"Is Mr. Raymond not come along this time?"

Luna shakes her head. "I don't know. I'll figure it out later."

"Alright. It's almost dark now, you should go inside and like always if you need any-"

"I'll call you. Thanks, Wilson."

"No problem."

…

November 2016,

"Alex, don't go too far," Luna shout from the patio when she saw Alex was playing with the shallow water on the river with Lily. Giggling and throwing the water to each other.

"It's okay Luna, we'll take a look at them. Right, Betty?" Wilson smile at his daughter who tags along this year to this cabin house. Helping out his father to clean up the lawn.

Betty nodded her head. "Yes, dad."

"Alright, I'll make you guys some dinner. Eat with us today, okay, Betty?" Luna also looks at the girl who already turns eleven years old. She looks healthy like other kids but she can't be too active. She had heart disease and now still in her recuperate time. Even though she has been through a major surgery a few years ago, she still needs to be monitor. And yes, Raymond pays all of her medication treatment even until now.

He pays such a large sum of money and it's including all of her treatment after she was 16 years old according to her medical plan. That is another reason why Wilson could not thank him enough for what he has done to him and his family.

"Thank you, aunt Luna." She smiles and turns her head to look at the two toddlers who play at the riverside.

"How old are they, dad?" Betty asked her father while keep looking at them while Luna already went inside the cabin house.

"Hmm..around one year and 9 months?" Wilson lifts up his eyebrow a bit.

"Lily, you can't use a stick to catch a fish. They'll run away," Alex grunting and take the stick from Lily's hand.

"I don't want to catch, I just want to make them go away." Lily pout and kick her little feet to make the fish who swarm around her feet to go away.

Hearing those two little baby conversation, Wilson look at her daughter Betty, who also scrunching her eyebrow. "Can a baby talk like that, dad?"

Wilson stands up and staring at both of them. "I supposed, no. But, maybe they are special or..their mother really teaches them well since early." He tries to not think it is weird and went to his daughter. Caressing her head.

"Let's call them out from the water now."

…

November 2017

"You alone this time?" Wilson still greets her like usual.

"Yeah, the kids are now with their…daddy." Luna smile and look at the cabin house with a sad expression.

"What's wrong? You look sad." Wilson just finished his job today and was about to go home when Luna came in her car.

"Wilson…" She still looking at the Cabin house, "I think this is my final year coming here."

Frowned, he turns to look at her. "Huh? Why? I thought you love it here."

"I do... I really really do..but, each year passing by and he never came. So, I thought of giving up."

Wilson was not sure about what she talks but he inhales deeply and leans on his truck trunk.

"If you giving up now, who knows maybe he'll come next year? Or the year after that? You'll never know right?

Luna's eyes start to teary a bit. "I don't think he'll ever remember our promises. Being the one who always waiting…is hurt, you know. Its kinda tiring and I'm going to move on."

"If you feel that'll make you happy then…I have no other word to object it." He pats on Luna's back.

"You too..don't expect him to come here anymore. He'll not be here and I really grateful for what you've done in those past years, but I think, you shouldn't come here anymore. No one will come here again." Luna turns to look at the man.

Smiling at her, he said. "I'll be always coming here even though there's no chance I meet him again or you in the future. I will always show my gratitude this way. Even nobody saw it or say that I'm wasting my time, still, I hold with the promise I made to myself."

"I see.. well, goodbye Wilson. I wish you good luck." Luna gives him a hug before they both separate their ways.

…

Luna wipes her tears and put back the picture inside her purse. "I bet you still hold with your promise huh, Wilson?"

She washes her face and ready to go to bed. Today was a really long day for her.