Love and Crosses (DELREAL SERIES #1)

FIFTY NINE

CALLIE

I sighed as I entered Zach's condo and saw bottles of alcohols. Nagkalat sa sahig, ang isa ay nasipa ko pa kaya gumulong.

Pumunta ako sa veranda at doon ko siya nakita. Nakaupo habang tinutungga ang isang bote ng jack daniels.

"What do you think you're doing?" I can't help but to burst out in annoyance. He's going back to his old life! Sobrang familiar sa'kin ng scene na 'to dahil ganito rin siya noong una siyang iniwan ni Celline at namatay si Milkah.

He didn't answer and just looked at me with his emotionless eyes.

"Instead of drinking and wasting your life here, why don't you just help us in fixing the issue?" It has been three weeks since the issue escalated. Usap-usapan pa rin pero hindi na gano'n kalala. Good thing, our management is really doing their best para hindi na kumalat ang issue.

For the second time, wala na naman akong nakuhang sagot mula sa kaniya kaya umupo na 'ko para magpantay kami.

"Nagkakaganito ka na naman ba dahil kay Celline? Zach, may I remind you? I am your girlfriend! Do you know how much it pains me seeing you this miserable because of other girl? Because of your ex?" Nakakainis. Wala na nga si Celline dito eh, bumalik na nga siya sa New York pero patuloy niya pa ring ginugulo ang relasyon namin ni Zach.

I felt the anger boiled inside me again when I remembered Celline. That relationship wrecker. She stole Zach away from me! I know I should be mad at Zach because he also cheated on me but I can't. I just love him too much. I'm willing to forget everything. I'm willing to act as if nothing happened and he didn't cheated on me, as long as he'll stay beside me. Hindi naging madali ang mga pinagdaanan ko para kahit papano ay mahalin din ako ni Zach, kaya hinding-hindi ko 'to sasayangin.

"I know everyrthing now, Callie." Zach said after a minute of silence.

"What?" I asked, confused. He glanced at me and glared.

"Your Dad told me the real reason why Celline broke up with me." I gasped as I felt the fast beating of my heart. He... He knows already?

"Z-zach, I..." I can't even utter a word! He glanced at me again and I saw the tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

"I don't care about that now, Callie. I understand Celline. I understand why she has to do that. It's between you and our relationship, of course she'll choose you. You are her sister and she loves you so much," I didn't answer. "Pero alam mo kung anong kinagagalit ko?" Tumungga na naman siya sa bote ng alak bago binalik ang paningin sa'kin. Hindi ako nakasagot. Hindi ko maintindihan kung saan nanggagaling ang sakit na nakikita ko sa mga mata niya, it was too much. I can literally see the overflowing pain in his eyes.

"You deprived me, Callie. You deprived me of being with my daughter." My eyes widen. It feels like someone just throw a bomb right infront of me. Parang nanikip bigla ang dibdib ko sa narinig, kasabay no'n ay ang pagtulo ng mga luha mula sa mga mata niya. "We had a baby, Callie. A daughter. Celline was pregnant when she broke up with me!" I flinched because of his loud voice. It was full of anger, regret, pain and disappointment.

"But she lost her. We lost our baby, Callie..." My vision is starting to get blur because of unshed tears when I saw how tears streamed down his face. "Because of you... Because of you, I didn't got the chance to be with my baby! I wasn't there when Celline is pregnant with her. I wasn't there when Celline gave birth to her. I wasn't there when she lost her life... I didn't even get to see her, to hug her one last time... Hindi man lang naramdaman ng anak ko kung gaano ko siya kamahal..." Napayuko siya at lalong umiyak. I can hear his painful sobs and it makes my heart aches even more.