The Karen Carpenter Song

Pandemic's Creepers (#2 of 5)
by Pandemic

Almira is staring at the beautiful view outside the window of their new condominium unit.

“If only he was here.” Almira thought, referring to his husband, James.

Almira and James are already husband and wife for 6 months, and Almira is three months pregnant with their baby. Almira believes the baby she carries is a girl, and she decided to name it Jamaica, after her husband’s name.

James is a Philippine Air force Pilot. His assignment isn’t really that far from Almira, but his job is sometimes demanding and took most of his time. Now, Almira is wondering when James will be back because James was sent to Mindanao to assist the Philippine military operations there. He wasn’t assigned there though, it was just some kind of an emergency help from the Philippine Air Force here in Metro Manila.
This new condominium is something that James promised her after they got married.

Too bad, James left before seeing this new condo.

While thinking about her husband, Almira muttered to the baby inside her, “Baby, when your dad is back, I promise you we will be a one big happy family.”
Almira’s and James’ family will be visiting her on the night of the same day. It’ll be the housewarming of the new condo unit. It’s only 1PM. Almira got quite dizzy. So she decided to sleep. She instructed the maid with the things that need to be done in the house while she’s asleep. She also created a list of to-buy things for the maid.

Almira set the alarm clock at 4PM. The visitors must start to arrive at 7PM, and by that time, everything’s ready.

Almira lied to the bed. And there, she dreamed something so beautiful yet something very sad, something that she’ll remember forever.

She was leaning on James’ shoulder while they were at the seashore, watching sunset. James is wearing a white polo and white pants, Almira is wearing a white dress. They are both sitting in the beautiful sand of the beach.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Almira asked James. “The sunset?”

“It is. But there’s nothing more beautiful than my wife, nothing more beautiful than you, not even that sunset, or anything else in the world. Nothing and no one can match your beauty.” James said.

“Oh, stop it. Haha. We’re already married, okay? No need with those cheesy lines.” Almira said and chuckled.

“It was what I think and what I feel. And I believe that I should tell you that.”

“How can you be any sweeter? I love you.” Almira said and smiled at James. James smiled back.

“I love you too. But Almira, I wan you to always ready yourself when I’m gone.”

“Gone?”

“Yes. Almira, you have to understand. My job is dangerous. You can lose me anytime. But don’t forget that I will always love you. I’ll never forget you. You’ll always be in my heart, you’ll always be the woman that made me crazy, the woman that I think of every minute, the only woman that I imagined myself being married with. You’re the woman that defined the word everything to me. But I want you to be happy always, even without me. When I’m gone, look for someone that will make you happy, someone that will love you more than how I loved you, someone that will teach you how to move on and how to live your life again.”

“Why are you talking like that? Please stop. You’re not going anywhere, okay?” said Almira, quite irritated.

“But Almira, listen to me. Please, do this not only for yourself, but also for me. When I’m gone, find a man that will really make you happy, that will love you more than how I did, and that will accept you fully and our daughter, Jamaica.”
Almira felt cold. James’ words somehow hit her insides. And Almira never told James about the name “Jamaica”, yet James called their baby Jamaica. Almira can’t help it, her eyes got teary.

“Are you leaving?” Almira asked and tears start to flow in her white, soft cheeks.

“I don’t want to, Almira. I love you very much. I really, really love you. You’re my life. If I could just stay with you forever, I will. I still want to build a big family with you, my dear queen. I still want to have twelve children with you and grow old with you, Almira. But, but I can’t. I love you very much. Words can’t describe how much I love you, because my love for you is immeasurable. But always remember, Almira, that as long as the sun shines, the moon glows, and the stars twinkle in the sky, I will always love you. But once again, when I’m gone, be happy. I love you.” James said. Then he stood up, looked down at Almira, his eyes are also teary, and smiled at her. Almira cried, she felt something really heavy with the smile James gave her.

“But why can’t you stay with me..?”

“You are the one who makes me happy when everything else turns gray.”

Almira opened her eyes. It was..it was the song..the wedding song of her and James.

“James?” Almira muttered, and then she sat up. The speakers in the sala are open, and the song she and James always loved is playing. Tears are still in her eyes from the bitter-sweet dream of her. But it was easily replaced when she heard the Karen Carpenter song, the wedding song of her and James.

“Yours is the voice that wakes me morning and sends me out into the day. You are the crowd that sits quiet listening to me and all the mad sounds I made. You are one of the few things worth remembering.”

Then Almira stood and ran to the sala. “JAMES!” she called, and she cried in happiness. But James was not there.

“And since it’s all true, how could anyone mean more to me than you?”

“James! James!” Almira called. Then she searched the whole condominium, but James wasn’t around. She looked at her watch, it was already 3PM.

Almira started crying. The song titled “You” sang by Karen Carpenters continues to play. She thought he was here, then she continued to weep. His absence is killing her inside. What if..what if the dream is a sign of.. no.. she thought. It was just a dream and nothing more.

“You are my heart and my soul, my inspiration. Just like the old lovesong goes. You are one of the few things worth remembering. And since it’s all true, how could anyone mean more to me than you?”

“James, please, where are you?” Almira said and continued to cry.

“You are my heart and my soul, my inspiration. Just like the old lovesong goes. You are one of the few things, worth remembering…and since it’s all true, how could anyone mean more to me than you?”


“Ma’am, are you okay?” the maid asked, she just arrived with a bag of the things Almira listed in the to-buy list.

Almira didn’t respond, but she asked, “Are you the one who played our music? I mean, mine and James’ wedding song?”

“No ma’am, I just arrived from the market.”

Almira was surprised. If not the maid, who played the song then? She turned the music off because it’s making her feel even heavier. Then she turned on the TV. What she saw in the news almost made her to break down.

“Ahhhhhhhhhh…ahhhhhhhhhhh…James…..no!!!” She screamed as she fell from her seat and lied down to the floor and started to weep heavily. The maid tried to comfort her, but no one can comfort her except his husband. But how can James comfort her..when..when he is gone?

According to the news, the airplane that James and some other pilots is flying burnt and fell down to the jungle.

While taking spy camera photos in Jolo, Sulu, the Philippine Air Force plane with James and other armies inside it fell down when hit by a missile launched by the rebels. The Phil. Air Force plane is only supposed to give some feeds to the Philippine Military in Manila through taking spy camera shots from the sky of the base and location of the rebels. Unfortunately, the rebels detected them and hit them with the missile.

Almira cried and cried and cried. Even though he was already gone, James still tried to make everything for Almira easier as he always did. He tried to tell Almira to find happiness when he’s gone and tried to ready her for his departure. He also played their wedding song, You by Karen Carpenter. Even though he was gone, he still made Almira feel how immeasurable his love for her is.