CHAPTER 39: JUST FOR TONIGHT

Two More Hours Later, in a Private Bar...

"And then—hic—they kissed me and they—huhuhu!"

Silo watched the drunk Lola across from him bawl her eyes out. Her disaster of a makeup worsened as the black eyeliner and eyeshadow dripped down her cheeks.

"Oh, god." He picked up the box of tissues on the side and handed it to her.

She didn’t hesitate to take a few and blow her nose, continuing with her sentiments. "I miss them so much! How is this even possible? Hic!"

"Lola, I think we should go," he urged, feeling defeated. "It’s already midnight."

But his words faded in her ears as she wept and wept until her eyelids were just as swollen as her fan-sized eyelashes. Silo scratched his temple and chugged his drink, just letting her cry it out.

Leaning against the side of his seat, he shook his head. "It’s been a while since I saw you cry," he muttered. "I think the last time was when we were still in high school..."

No, actually, there was that one time when he met her again four years ago. But that was Lola crying in secret.

"Well, knowing I won’t be able to talk to them again is really sad," he hummed, only to flinch when Lola wept louder upon hearing him.

"I know, right?! Huhuhu!"

"Lola, the twins aren’t dead, you know that, right?" He lowered his head and muttered. "Please stop crying now. Somebody might mistake that someone died."

"Someone died..." She slapped her chest and raised her chin. "This! My heart! It’s bleeding out! Take me to the hospital now. My heart’s dying."

"Oh, god, you are really drunk." Silo shook his head, then, right at that instant, he just conceded. "Fine, drink! Drink and cry more! Have the biggest meltdown, so tomorrow we can do some work!"

He couldn’t even tell her that Lawrence Young had reached out again and agreed to their price. But, well, that was for tomorrow. He hoped that would make her happy.

****

Thirty minutes later, Lola finally surrendered and announced she would go home. Even though she had had enough drinks, she didn’t need assistance. Since both of them had been drinking, Silo made sure to take a taxi just to be safe.

"Lola, are you sure you’re good on your own?" Silo asked, standing beside the taxi outside the building where Lola was staying.

"The trip sobered me up," she yawned while already walking away. "Go, it’s late."

Silo studied her figure. She wasn’t swaying like any drunkard despite her alcohol consumption tonight. However, she did walk as slowly as a snail.

"She’ll be fine," he told himself and watched her enter the building before leaving.

Meanwhile, Lola dragged her feet, her makeup a disaster, ten times worse than before, and her wig slightly moved back, revealing the line of white foundation and her real skin color.

"I shouldn’t have drunk too much," she mumbled once she finally reached the elevator after minutes.

Leaning against the corner, she massaged the bridge of her nose with her eyes closed. She had been drunk earlier, but after taking a short walk with Silo, she had sobered up. Not surprising. Lola rarely drank alcohol—not even wine.

However, when she did, she realized that her alcohol tolerance was high. Very high. So, it was either she’d get tipsy or sober up quickly.

"Times like this... I wish I could get drunk," she whispered, recalling the time she wished to be drunk when she lost her kid and tried to drown her sorrow in alcohol.

Shaking her head mildly, the lift finally stopped.

DING!

Lola looked up at the floor number before the door opened. She dragged her feet out of the elevator and into the hallway to her place.

Once she reached her home and entered, Lola stopped in the empty living area.

It was quiet.

"No," she whispered as sadness flickered in her eyes. "It’s not quiet."

Because at this hour, the twins were already sleeping. But rather, this entire place felt... empty.

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she tossed her bag onto the other couch and jumped onto the long one.

"Just for tonight," she whispered, slouching on it. "It’s okay."

Just for tonight, she would go through the sadness of the twins’ departure. Silo was right. Cry it all out now, so that tomorrow, they can do some work.

Tears began to trickle down her cheeks, but she wiped them away with her hands. It was all futile.

"I really miss them," she sobbed. "It’s so unfair!"

Her quiet tears slowly turned into loud sobs, which even she thought were dramatic. However, it was true that in those three days, she not only got attached to the twins, but she also fell in love with them.

Their bright smiles, their adorable voices, and laughter, and how they would call her "Mommy." Their sweet short kisses and their warm embrace.

If only she could take care of them, she would.

As she allowed sadness to take her, Lola slowly lay down on her side and cried quietly.

"Just for tonight," was what she kept repeating in her head.

And with that thought, she eventually drifted off to sleep. But as quietness slowly took over the penthouse, with only her occasional sniffles, Lola was unaware that three figures were watching her meltdown from the stair railing.

The three—Chacha, Second, and their beloved father—just stood there in their pajamas while Lola was having a meltdown. They had watched her since she started sobbing, and now, they saw her wilt on the couch.

They blinked, staring at the couch with the same puzzled look on their faces.

What did they just witness?

Their heads tilted in unison as they thought about what they had just seen, only for the twins to turn to their father.

"Daddy, it’s your fault Mommy’s crying!" Second was not pleased, and neither was Chacha. "You told us Mommy wouldn’t cry if we went home first without her! Daddy should apologize to Mommy!"