That day was an important day for Heka. It marked the beginning of a new chapter in his life, a chance to leave behind the shadows of his past and the painful memories that had tormented him for so long. Those memories clung to him like chains, heavy and unyielding, but today, he vowed to break free.
Heka rose from his bed slowly, the weight of anticipation pressing on his chest. The room was quiet except for the soft rustling of the curtains as he moved toward the window. With a gentle push, he opened it wide, letting the crisp morning air flood in.
His hands reached out, catching the first golden rays of the sun as they spilled over the horizon. The warmth seeped into his skin, a silent promise of hope and renewal.
Closing his eyes, Heka tried to summon a memory that danced just beyond his grasp. It was elusive, like a whisper in the wind, a fragment of something important he had forgotten.
Yet, his mind stubbornly resisted holding onto anything else, as if protecting him from pain.
He focused harder, willing the forgotten thought to surface. Slowly, clarity began to form.
"Tomorrow is Clancy's sister's wedding." He murmured to himself. The words unlock a flood of images, laughter, celebration, the warmth of family. It was a day he could not afford to miss.
Panic prickled at the edges of his calm as he searched the room for the wedding invitation. It should have been here, somewhere among the scattered papers on his desk or tucked inside a book.
"Where is the invitation?" He whispered, his voice tinged with urgency.
Heka checked the whole room, from the drawer to the cupboard. What he had done made his room so messy. All the stuff was scattered on the floor and he ignored it.
For him, the most important thing was finding the wedding invitation.
He spent almost half an hour searching for it, his eyes scanning every surface, every nook and cranny of the room. The invitation seemed to have vanished into thin air, as if it were playing a cruel game of hide and seek with him.
Finally, his fingers brushed against something familiar on the table. There it was the wedding invitation, resting quietly amid a clutter of everyday items. He breathed a long sigh of relief, the tension in his shoulders easing as he picked it up carefully.
What made the invitation so difficult to find was its unusual form. Clancy's sister's wedding invitation was packaged like an analog film camera roll, a nostalgic and artistic touch that reflected the couple's love for vintage aesthetics. Hence, it was reasonable that it was hard to find it.
He unrolled the invitation, "Summer, July 11, 2022. Stacy Raymond and Arnold Martins."
After that, he immediately took the cell phone and called Ansel. "Hello, Ansel." Heka said, trying to keep his voice steady.
"Heka, Hey..." Ansel's tone was hesitant, almost fragile, as if he sensed the weight behind Heka's call.
"Ansel, I'm sorry I can't come to your home today." Heka began, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Please tell your Grandpa that I want to delay Soul Delivery for a few days."
"Why?" Ansel's tone sounded very weak, it seemed he did feel very disappointed.
Heka hesitated, then spoke with quiet resolve. "I have to attend my friend's wedding."
The words hung in the air, simple yet profound. He could almost hear the faint sigh of understanding from Ansel, even if disappointment lingered beneath it.
Heka heard something falling from Ansel. Then the sound of the phone was silent for a few minutes. He remembered Ansel's words about the Bloody Marriage.
In his heart he wondered who would be covered in blood at the wedding. Both of them were completely silent without any words.
Even though the phone was still connected. Heka didn't have any words he would say. Because he knew if there was no point, he said what he wanted to say. But, there would be no answer from Ansel. Therefore, it was better for him to wait for Ansel to say something.
"Heka, can you not come to the wedding?" Ansel's voice was tinged with a mixture of concern and hesitation, as if he was trying to persuade but didn't want to push too hard.
Heka took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the question. "I have to go. It was very important to me."
He knew he couldn't possibly miss Stacy's wedding, not just because of the invitation, but because it symbolized something deeper: a friendship to reconnect. Yet, he also understood the worry behind Ansel's question. Ansel's concern wasn't just casual.
"Okay, I can't hold you back. Take care of yourself." Ansel said softly, and without another word, he hung up the phone.
Heka sat back, his mind swirling with thoughts. He looked up at the clear blue sky through the window, the sunlight streaming in and casting gentle patterns on the floor.
He realized something strange for what Ansel's worries felt deeply personal, almost like those of a family member. Yet, in reality, they barely knew each other. They had only met twice, and their connection was fragile at best.
The concern that Ansel gave this time was more than his parents' concern. As if Ansel took full responsibility for his life. He just didn't understand why Ansel did it.
"It's better to ignore him. Right now, the most important thing is to buy a gift first for Stacy's wedding." Heka muttered to himself, trying to shake off the confusion.
****
For Stacy's wedding, Clancy decided to give them a perfume gift. He bought perfume at the shop where he usually buys perfume.
"I'm asking for advice on a couple of perfumes." Heka told the shopkeeper, hoping to find something that would suit Stacy and Arnold perfectly.
The shopkeeper smiled warmly and presented several options. "These are some perfumes that are often bought for couples."
The shopkeeper gave him some perfume products for him. He inhaled one by one the perfume through the last one, savoring the delicate notes that floated in the air.
"I chose this one. Wrap this neatly, please." he said, handing over the bottles with a quiet smile.
Though he didn't know Stacy's personal taste in fragrance, Heka hoped she would appreciate the gift. It was more than just a present; it was a gesture of goodwill, a bridge to the life he was trying to rebuild.