In September of last year, my Ate Lora, a first degree cousin from my mother side, invited me to accompany her to the United States. She was about to marry her boyfriend of three years, Wilfred a.k.a. Billy. But I wasn’t able to join her because my work schedule won’t allow me to go on leave for a long period, and, of course, because of Papa’s failing health.
My Ate Lora, still single then, is in her 40s, while Billy, in his 60s. Billy is a Vietnam War veteran, and divorced with a daughter who is in her 30s with two kids. My Ate Lora, I think, was already okay with her celibate but fulfilling life until she met Billy. Billy, though looking good and healthy, has multiple sclerosis, which he developed after retiring from the service.
From Florida, I flew to Portland, Maine via La Guardia, New York to stay for four nights at my cousin’s place in Sanford, Maine. Not only was I excited to see both Lora and Billy but for the first time, I had a vacation. Vacation and relaxation are luxuries, non-existent concepts, for us stressed and toxic urbanites. I love the laid back atmosphere and cool dry weather of Maine!
The New England states of Maine and New Hampshire took my breath away. As we drove through the wide tree clad roads, I saw those big wooden houses, the pre-fabricated ones you see in old American movies. They have preserved their old structures, and when they make new ones, they use the same architecture and style.
One nice house I visited was the one of Jewel’s, Billy’s sister. It’s a big salmon-colored log house with a big big lawn. It has a Jacuzzi type swimming pool at the back of the house. It’s the durable type, I think, coz I was wondering how they go about the pool when its winter time.
I also attended the wedding of Jewel’s daughter in New Hampshire. I noticed that Americans like doing their wedding ceremonies outdoors. I was looking for a nearby shed or tree where I could hide myself from the scorching sun; problem was the ceremony was about to start.
Billy and Ate Lora took me to nice places in Maine, of course, in Lora’s Pontiac Solstice! I was so proud of Ate Lora to be first in the clan to own a sports car. It was a beauty! It was Billy’s birthday gift to Lora (how so so sweet!).
Billy and Lora’s relationship started online. Not sure if they met through a Christian singles site but both are pretty much established financially: Billy through his pension and income from their family’s farm lands in Maine; while Lora is a businesswoman, and like Billy, has a steady income from farm lands as well. Our clan is landed in Mindanao; but we all know how hard life is when you just toil the soil.
Lora finally tied the knot with Billy last year. Only a few members of her family attended the wedding, mostly from her mother side. I was supposed to attend, representing her father side, but I backed out. It was only last year that Lora personally and physically met Billy for the first time. It was a long distance relationship but thanks to computer and online technology, distance was no hindrance in keeping the love alive for two far away lovers.
Billy loves the beach. Their late afternoons are mostly spent at Wells Beach, a few miles away from Sanford. Cousin Lora is a popular figure at Wells not only because she drives a sports car but for the past three years, before they got married, Billy shared with regular beachcombers stories on his online relationship with Lora. A lot of them were intrigued because there was no Lora to look at, touch and talk with. Some were even thinking that my cousin was just Billy’s imagination.
When Ate Lora was still here in the Philippines, she would share with me tidbits of her online relationship with Billy. I am not surprised that online relationships do exist. Anything is possible in this day and age of technology. Their relationship is a living testimony that love knows no boundaries.
I understood why Billy spends time at the beach. There is something magical in Wells Beach that I could not explain. I was a bit teary eyed reading the love quotes and names of people in the benches of the beach. And I am looking forward for Lora and Billy’s names and pledge of love immortalized in one of the benches. And same here with me, would love to have my name and that special someone’s name in a bench at Wells Beach =)
It was also the first time I saw a seagull. I saw Jonathan Livingston Seagull in person! That seagull created by Richard Bach. It’s a book about a seagull learning how to fly, learning to live life to the fullest, and living a life of self-perfection and self-sacrifice; a beautiful, feel-good book to read.
I only have kind words for my new “Manong”, Manong Billy. Not only was he a great host for this vacationeer, but he loves my Ate Lora more than himself. I witnessed how he cares for my cousin, and how his life revolved around Ate Lora. But don’t get me wrong, Billy is one good soldier of Christ.
For her part, Lora is not asking for love in return because for her, what matters is she loves Billy. She would gladly, recklessly and with no condition at all, return the same love to Billy.
My thousand thank yous to Manong Billy for loving my dear Ate Lora. And to my Ate Lora, we all know that God is good. He knows all of our hearts’ desires. I know you’ve been a good daughter of the Father that is why He gave you not only a husband, but a soldier to protect you.
