I tried to tell myself that Lani was just another therapist who had turned me down, but I couldn’t get her out of my head. Her face, the way she carried herself, and the innocence in her voice dominated my thoughts all night. I couldn’t sleep. The more I tried to push the memory of her away, the more persistent it became. It felt as though she were standing right there in the room with me.
The following day at work, I was a mess. I couldn’t concentrate on a single task. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her smile. I was so distracted that my coworkers started to notice my restless energy. I felt like a teenager with a crush, but it was deeper than that—it was an intense, magnetic pull I couldn’t explain.
I glanced at my watch. It was finally my lunch break. I told myself, “I have to see her again. If she’s not there, I’ll take it as a sign to move on. But if she is… then maybe fate has something in store for us.”
I drove across the city of Cebu with a sense of urgency I hadn’t felt in years. I didn’t have a plan; I just knew I had to see her.
When I arrived at the spa, I immediately asked for her. The receptionist told me she was currently with a client. I waited for nearly an hour, pacing the lobby, until it was finally my turn. When she came out to greet me, a wave of genuine joy washed over me. Just her presence felt like a “fountain of youth.”
“Hi, Lani! How are you?” I asked, my voice filled with enthusiasm.
She looked surprised. “You came back, sir!”
“I came back for you,” I whispered, keeping my voice low so the receptionist wouldn’t overhear.
Once we were in the privacy of the massage room, I immediately tried to clear the air. “Lani, I’m so sorry again about yesterday. I really didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
She softened. “Forget about that, sir. Honestly, I’ve had customers who were much worse. One man the other day wouldn’t take no for an answer when asking for… inappropriate things. He even offered a lot of money, but I refused.”
“And he kept pushing?” I asked, feeling a protective spark.
“I just walked out,” she said firmly. “I didn’t finish the session.”
I realized then how much she was dealing with. “Lani, I have so many questions. How old are you? Where did you work before this?”
“I’m nineteen,” she replied. “This is my first job. I had to stop going to college because my father had a stroke. My mother works here as a therapist too, and she’s the one who got me the job so we could pay the bills.”
My heart sank. She wasn’t just a “pretty girl”; she was a daughter carrying the weight of her family on her shoulders.
“With your beauty, I’m sure you have a lot of regular customers,” I said quietly.
“Yes,” she sighed, “but it’s becoming too much. I’m tired of constantly having to defend myself. I’ve actually applied for a job as a sales lady at the mall. I’m just trying to save up enough money for all the pre-employment requirements.”
Without thinking, I pulled out 500 pesos. “Here, Lani. Please take this. It’s not for a massage—think of it as a contribution to your new job requirements.”
“Sir, we haven’t even started,” she protested.
“It’s okay. I actually have to get back to work anyway. But… can I ask for your number?”
She hesitated for a second, then took her phone and showed me her number. “Sir, please don’t share this with anyone.”
“You can trust me,” I promised.
Before I left, I leaned in and gently kissed her forehead, resting my hands on her shoulders for a brief moment. She seemed caught off guard, and for a few seconds, we just looked at each other. I saw a profound sadness in her eyes, a look that told me there was so much more she wanted to say.
“I have to go, Lani. I hope we can meet again soon. Is that okay?”
She gave me that same shy, half-smile, saying everything without uttering a single word.
Mike m. luster 