07:  Just an old friend

The accident had left Khana with a suspected case of amnesia, erasing the memories that tied her to the hospital. The door creaked open, and Priest Henry walked in, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and relief. Khana's heart skipped a beat, and her lips were moving, but no words would come out. She was simply staring at him as he walked closer to the bed where Khana was seated.

The priest approached her bedside with a gentle smile, his voice carrying a warmth that resonated in the depths of her confusion.

"Are you feeling better, Khana?" he asked.

Khana gulped, and her gaze shifted from the priest to the door and back to the man who had visited her ward.

Without warning, the priest embraced the lady.

She could feel a threatening explosion building inside her chest. Khana looked away and refused to move, even though God knows how much she wanted to hug him back.

"I... I don't know," Khana stammered, avoiding his gaze. "I don't know who you are," she added, followed by an almost whispered request, "Please let go of me."

Priest Henry's expression softened, and he stood up to create some distance. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know you were..."

"It was a temporary memory loss," says Khana as she looked away and stared at the moving clouds.

"Don't look at me as if I'm the most pitiful person in the world," she said before the priest could finish his statement.

"I didn't mean to make you feel that way. I'm just concerned," Henry replied. By the way, I brought you this basket of fruit and a Bible. You can read it anytime, whenever you feel like it. I brought it to help you in recovery. You just have to pray, and he will hear you out."

"I don't think so," she replied and smiled bitterly.

 The atmosphere seemed heavy with unspoken emotions, and Khana's eyes held a mixture of weariness and hidden turmoil. Father Henry, sensing the weight on her shoulders, spoke in a gentle yet firm tone.

"Khana, in times of darkness, it's crucial to anchor ourselves in faith. God has a plan, even if it may seem obscure to us at times. Trust in His wisdom, and you shall find solace."

"Thank you, Father," Khana replied, accepting the bouquet with a delicate touch.

Internally, Khana wrestled with conflicting emotions. She wanted to believe, to find solace in Father Henry's words, but the bitter reality gnawed at her. In the silence that followed, she struggled to contain the questions that simmered beneath the surface of her composed demeanor.

As Father Henry offered a moment of prayer, Khana's mind echoed with unspoken thoughts. Where was God when her heart shattered into pieces? Why did He allow the love of her life to reappear, only to snatch him away in the cruelest twists?

The bitterness within her intensified, a silent rebellion against the faith that seemed to offer no tangible answers. Yet, she chose to keep her internal struggle veiled, a secret battle fought within the confines of her mind.

"Father, I appreciate your guidance," she finally said, her smile masking the turmoil within. She added, "I'll try to find peace in prayer and trust that God has a plan."

"You may have no recollection of me, but I was once your closest friend when we were young," says Father Henry. He wanted to tell her they were lovers back then, but fate had parted them. However, he thought it would be better to keep her this way. "I'm always here whenever you need me. Just come to the church, and I'd gladly offer a prayer for you," he added.

He was once again taken over by his yearning for her, enough to forget what he shouldn't be doing. It was too late when realized that he leaned in to embrace her, Khana's heart raced. She felt a surge of emotion, a flood of memories threatening to break through the dam she had constructed. His arms enveloped her, and for a fleeting moment, she let her feelings get the better of her. His touch rekindled the embers of a love she had tried so hard to extinguish.

The embrace lingered, and Khana feared the truth would betray her. She tried to pull away, but Richard had seen them embracing each other. Her eyes are downcast, unable to meet both men's gazes. 

Priest Henry, oblivious to the storm within her, continued to offer words of comfort and support.

"I'm sorry for embracing you first without asking for permission. I pray for your swift recovery," he said, his voice a soothing balm to her conflicted soul.

He walked away before the commotion started to ignite. The priest heaved a heavy sigh and murmured, "That was stupid of me. I should ask for my lord's forgiveness. I was overwhelmed by the human desire to feel the warmth of the only woman I love."

On the other hand, without pursuing the fleeing priest, Richard's raging gaze lingered on the now-closed door, his jaw clenched in frustration. The silence in the room was heavy with unspoken tension as Khana turned to face Richard.

"What... What was that, Khana?" Richard's voice cut through the stillness, his anger barely contained.

Khana, her heart pounding, struggled to find words as she faced the fury in Richard's eyes. But soon realized, why would she be afraid? Thus, she kept silent and thought of a better reply to avoid escalating his fury. She doesn't want to start a commotion in a public place.

Richard's gaze bore into her, an intensity that demanded answers. "Explain? You're embracing the priest, Khana! What the hell is going on?"

Khana was startled when the guy yelled at her face. "What are you so mad about? He said he was once my friend! How can you act that way when I am not even sure if you were telling the truth when you said you were my fiance."

Richard's eyes narrowed, skepticism etched across his face. "Oh right, you had Amnesia. Convenient, isn't it? Just when we're about to get married, you conveniently lose your memory, and now this? I'm not buying it, Khana."

" Father Henry has been kind enough to visit me and pray for my recovery. Just like what he said, he was my friend, and he supported my well-being, nothing more. How can you be so upset with a man who is serving the lord?"

Richard's fury intensified. "Support? That didn't look like support. It looked like something more. And your amnesia, Khana, feels like a convenient excuse. Are you faking this whole thing?"

"What do you mean?!" She replied, followed by tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Are you faking your amnesia?!"