Love Can Wait by Santoli Pantjalogam

Love Can Wait

by : Santoli Pantjalogam / Patrick Logan

I was on the deck of an excursion ship which was sailing in the Straits of Malacca heading for Langkawi, a popular tourism island in Malaysia… It was midnight and I was alone. I looked at the sky above. I saw many many stars glittering in the clear sky amusing me as if they knew my heart. Yes, I was unhappy. Standing by the fence with a bottle of whiskey in my hand, I tried to calm myself down. But that moment was still playing on my mind. That day I found my girlfriend going out with my best friend. I was very disheartened to face the fact that they had been dating behind my back… At last, she said that she did not love me anymore. This was the hardest thing had ever happened to me. She had betrayed our love, our pure love. I did not understand. I just knew that I loved her with all of my heart - but as a result she left me! It was unfair…

I felt a bit dizzy. I attempted not to think about that matter again. I drank some more big gulps of whiskey. I wanted to be drunk, so I could forget my sadness. I was going to stay late in the open air, with the starry sky as my ceiling, which I thought was wonderful. On a wooden bench near the stern, I stared at the stars high above. I let them accompany me through the night.

All of a sudden, I saw something white fast moving across on the left side of the bench. Something in a long waving stuff was standing and shaking right there near the fence. The angel of death had arrived to try me, I thought. I numbeb myself to see that thrilling appearance. In fear, I squinted my eyes to make a clear vision to figure out what it was. Vaguely, I noticed that the shocking thing was a girl in a white long coat. The girl was crying. She cried sobbingly. Apparently something tragic had befallen her. I watched her without she realised that there was someone sitting behind her. She cried there for several minutes. Now she looked more relieved. She used her scarf to wipe her face then turned around. Uups, I was caught red handed! I grinned to her. She was embarrassed and bowed her head. I managed to talk to her.

" Hi! " That was just the word I could say firstly.

" H-h-hi, too… " She replied clumsily.

" Want some whiskey? It could ease you. I am just like you! " I offered her the bottle from my hand. I saw her standing there in doubt.

" Come on! It's great! " I encouraged her to take the drink.

The girl raised her head, smiled then came approaching me. She received the bottle from my hand and drank it repeatedly. I studied the girl from head to toes. She was young and beautiful, having the long blond hair tied neatly with a dark blue hairpin. Her narrow eyebrows bending like the crescent moon over her light blue eyes. Her nose was so match with her red lips. She got good and long legs. She was almost perfect…

Knowing that I was checking her out, she blushed.

" Thanks for the drink… " She said and continued, " Anyway, what are you doing here in this cold weather? Are you guarding this place? " She smiled again.

It looked that the alcoholic drink had made a little help on her. She was calmer. She even could make fun of me.

" No, I am not a watchman or something like that… " I explained to her in a warmer manner. This girl was funny. I knew she was only joking. " Yes, I am doing sad just like you are. Would you mind accompanying me for a while? " I invited her to sit politely. I really needed someone to hold on to.

She accepted my request. Sat along the carved old fashioned bench we stared at the stars. We said nothing - just sat there quietly watching the midnight sky. Only silence and peace were surrounded us ...

An hour had passed by. " Are you feeling better now? " She asked me first breaking the silence of the night.

" Uh - huh… " I answered in a light, more relaxed intonation. Besides funny, the girl also seemed to be nice.

I was lucky to meet her on this big ship. I could feel that something good was going to cheer me up. I felt that I had known her for a long time. I told her my sad story, what had happened to my girlfriend. She told me her sad story as well. She said that she had just broken up with her boyfriend. He just ended their love relationship through the mobile because had fallen in love with a new girl in their class at the university they were attending. Obviously, he was a playboy! We laughed aloud at our bad luck.

" It's a coincidence! " She stated. " We have the same fate. Maybe we are predestinated to meet here on this ship. Is it right? " She laughed again. She looked more beautiful when laughing.

" Yup, that's right! " I agreed to her statement. Being with her I felt peaceful. She had a good personality. She was friendly and communicative. I began to like her. The pain in us by degrees had subsided after being shared. We talked until 3 o'clock in the morning before we parted.

" Thank you, Michelle. See you! " I shook her hand to thank her." You're welcome, Patrick. See you… " She replied softly, waving her hand to me.

The following day I saw the girl sitting at the table by the window as I entered the fast food restaurant. She was having fried chicken, french fries and a glass of orange juice. She ate her breakfast while looking at the people outside the restaurant through the glass window. It was 9 o'clock in the morning. The sun was shining brightly. A lot of people were sitting on the lounge chairs enjoying the morning sun. Some of them were reading books or just talking to each other towards the sea. I came close to her table. I wanted to say hello to my new American friend.

" Hello, Michelle. How are you doing this morning? " I began the conversation.

" Hello, too Patrick. I'm fine, thank you. How are you? " She replied happily. She wore a white sleeveless shirt, stretch light brown jeans and a pair of sneakers. She let her smooth hair loose freely. We sat face to face at the oval table.

" Very well, thank you. I just got up and was hungry! " I said shyly stroking my stomach. I was a bit ashamed to my bad habit - which was often getting up late in the morning.

I ordered the same menu as she had. They were my favorite meal.

" Hmm, the fried chicken in this restaurant is still the best! I often eat them when I'm hanging out with my friends in my hometown in Medan, North Sumatera. " I commented on the delicious meat then bit a mouthful of it.

" Yeah, I like it very much! The restaurant got the greatest number of branches in my contry. " She told me elaborately regarding the restaurant and its products which was indigenous to the USA.

After having breakfast we took a little walk around the surroundings to explore the facilities equipped on the ship. All at once she stopped near the flagpole and gazed at one direction in the sea.

" Look! " She shrieked merrily. She made a gesture for me to follow her point finger was pointing at.

" Wow, there are three pairs of porpoises swimming down over there. They swim so fast chasing one another! "

I stood beside her and looked at the blue sea. " They are going to jump in the air! " I added and immediately took out my digital camera to capture the moment. The porpoises jumped over and over again to show us their fantastic attraction. We saw the whole scene enthusiastically. " Yes, I got them! " I lifted my hands to indicate that I was satisfied. " It's amazing, isn't it? " I showed her the repeating motion scene in my camera proudly.

" It's awesome! " She continued, " The porpoise is a smart animal. They would help lost fishermen to find the right direction in the sea. The porpoise is a friend to a sailor. "

I nodded. Apparently she cared about the animal. Her manner showed me the reason.

" By the way, what is your plan for today? " I wanted to know what she was going to do.

The pretty girl took off her sunglasses. She just blinked her blue light eyes…

" Don't tell me if you only want to stand here watching the sea! " I teased her.

She shrugged. " Yes, I only got such plan for today… "

I beat her left arm and she moaned. She replied with a hit on my chest. We chased each other like two little children on the playground. We really enjoyed our togetherness. We played and laughed freely.

" Alright, alright! " I stopped running breathlessly. " I give up, I give up, ooh! " I panted. " What about going to the art gallery? This morning when I went to the restaurant I read that a painting exhibition is being held there. Huh? " I proposed, still panting.

" Let's go! " Without asking twice she had grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the place.

It was day two on the excursion ship… After the art gallery, we ate at a chinese restaurant then went to a movie. At midnight we went clubbing. We spent the night splendidly. So far, we had got along very well. We really fit together. I admitted, I began falling in love with her. She with her kindness inside had captured my heart. Our relationship became closer and closer. I knew she got the same feeling as well.

Day three, Langkawi Island.

We lay side by side basking on the soft sands of the beautiful beach. We let the morning sun lick our semi nude bodies. We both wore a skimpy swimwear. We wanted to get tanned, actually…

" Wow, it's so relaxing! " She exclaimed, smoothing back her straight long blond hair. She was a voluptuous girl with the right curves on the right places. The sea wind blowed her hair firmly. It was so natural to see her in this way. I felt my heart beat faster.

" That's right! " I said. " You also can feel the same atmosphere in my contry! "

" Really? " Her eyes glared.

" Off course! Have you been to Indonesia? "

" Never. So, how is it like? " She said, sipping her fruit juice.

" For instance, in the province where I live, you can go to Nias Island with its exotic beach and landscape, Lake Toba with the island named Samosir in the middle of it, and Berastagi highland - a tourism object where you can find diverse kinds of tropical fruits there! " I introduced her the excellence of my contry.

She was enchanted with my description.

" I have an idea! What do you say if before you visit your Dad in Singapore, you come with me to my place? I will show you the richness of my homeland! " I stared at her beautiful eyes then kissed her forehead lightly.

" Oh, it’s so sweet! I’ll come with you… "

She kissed me back at my mouth then smiled - the most beautiful smile…