Angelo's Point of View
Nandito na ako ngayon sa Canada at nag-iimbistega. Yes, I am investigating about my Maica's death. That night, when I and Dwayne followed Haylee, I saw a familiar person running from their house.
"Damn man! Wala ka naman sigurong alam sa nangyari kaya bakit gan'yan bigla ang inaasta mo? You already failed as a man, binastos mo pa siya! She don't deserve all your words at kung isa man siyang maruming babae, e 'di sana, matagal ka na niyang hinarot but guess what? After your honeymoon, she said to me that honeymoon is not a part of the contract, not a part of her job. Kung isa siyang pokpok e'di nagalaw ka na niya! I just don't like the way you treated her kanina!" I shouted at Dwayne. Biglang nagliyab ang mata ko, I heard everything!
"Why? Because you like her? Because you thought she's Maica?" my teeth clenched.
"Hindi! We both know that Maica is dead. 'Wag mo siyang idamay dito. We're talking about Edrian's mother! Kung hindi mo naintindihan ang mga sinabi ko, then I am the one who will file a divorce between you two!" I let out a sigh. "And if ever that will happened, Edrian will be his old version again, he'll never smile again, he'll never talk too much again at pwede pa siyang malungkot all the time. Alam mo, napakatigas mo kasi, e! 'Wag mong pairalin ang pansarili mong panghuhusga!"
"Then why do you care?" hindi ko napigilan at nasuntok siya sa mukha.
"Seriously?! Dwayne, the fuck?! You're asking that as if I am not a part of you. I know that feeling when you can't talk for yourself so you owe an apology to Haylee. If you still don't want to believe her, then split up. But before you do that, think about Edrian's sake." tumalikod na ako't aalis na sana nang magsalita siya.
"Okay, fine. I'm sorry, I lost control of myself." bumuntong hininga ulit ako at nakangiting hinarap siya pero naghahanda na siyang umalis.
"Saan ka pupunta?" I raised a brow.
"I'll pick Haylee up." napangisi ako ng palihim, hahayaan ko sana siya pero mukhang hindi niya naman kayang humingi ng tawad kay Haylee mag-isa. May pagkatorpe si Dwayne, e. Sa mga ganitong bagay, hindi niya alam ang gagawin niya and that's why I am here, to the rescue!
"That would be his son's grave." nakatingin kami pareho kay Haylee na umiiyak sa tapat ng isang puntod. She's crying really hard. Tumingin ako kay Dwayne at nakita siyang nakatulala sa babae. "See? She's hurt, she's hiding the pain all the time. Kahit mga kapatid niya, walang alam. Imagine her going through that kind of path yet you hurt her more."
Hindi siya sumagot hanggang sa tumayo na si Haylee. Naglakad siya paalis while her tears keep on falling. Naglalakad lang siya, hindi namin alam kung saan siya pupunta pero napakalayo ng nilakad niya!
I told Dwayne to just pick her up but he refuse. He's not ready and he's ashamed of himself. Kaya wala kaming nagawa kundi ang sundan siya.
She stopped in front of a house, their house I think? Alam niya ang unlock codes. Minutes passed, bigla na lang may kung sinong babaeng balot na balot ang lumabas doon. Kasunod niya si Haylee na hawak hawak ang braso. She's hurt!
Tinaliman ko ng tingin ang babae, all I can see is her eyes.. familiar eyes. Susundan ko sana pero napansin ko ang paglakad ni Dwayne. Tumingin ako sa pupuntahan niya. Si Haylee ay may kausap na ibang lalaki, sa taranta ay pinigilan ko muna siya. We let them to talk. Until Haylee pushed the man out. Ngumiti sila sa isa't isa bago umalis ang lalaki.
Du'n na kami naglakad, the door is closed when we got there. Kakatok na sana ako nang marinig ang mahinang hikbi.. umiiyak na naman si Haylee at alam kong nasa malapit lang siya sa pinto. Hinayaan kong humupa ang hikbi bago ako kumatok, nagulat siya nang makita si Dwayne, kita ko ang pagkaba niya.
Iniwan ko sila para makapag-usap, and the rest is history.
"The accident was happened two years ago, do you think there's still a chance that she's alive? If she is, then why would she hide?" tinaasan ko ng kilay ang kasama ko.
"What if kalbuhin kita Jerus?" agad niyang tinaas ang mga kamay. Tinignan ko ang mga litrato. "We know nothing. Nasunog ang kotse hindi ba? And no bodies are there except Edrian. Sa Canada sila namatay kaya pwedeng may kumuha sa kanila for cremation and boom, abo na lang ang naibalik. If ever na buhay ang isa sa kanila.. if ever that Maica is the one who survived, pwedeng may iba pang nangyari."
"Okay, I'll take that. Kita na lang ulit tayo, I'll call you when I knew something. May business ka pang uuwian."
Matapos ang pag-uusap ay nauna na siyang umalis. Partner ko siya sa business at ex-agent din. So I hired him to interview about Maica's case. Nang makita ko ang babaeng iyon ay hindi na ako mapakali. Nabuhay ang pagbabakasakali ko sa loob kong sana ay siya iyon pero ano namang ginagawa niya sa bahay nina Haylee?
Wait.. nang una kong nakita si Haylee, I thought she's Maica. Magkamukha sila, what's their connection? Hindi naman nabanggit ni Maica ang tungkol sa pamilya niya kaya hindi ako sigurado. Pati si Haylee, walang nababanggit.
I held my chest and tears started to drip from my eyes.
"Maica, I don't know why but maybe I already lost the bet. Hindi ako seryoso sa'yo at alam nating dalawa iyon, I am just teasing and mocking you all the time but I didn't expect that.." tumingin ako diretso sa mga mata niya. "..I'll fall." she gasped.
"A-Angelo,"
"Alam kong may Xach ka na! Alam ko ang bagay na iyon pero mahal na kita. Hindi ko namalayan, nagpakampante ako. Reject me please, so I can ease the pain that easy." namumuo na ang luha sa mga mata niya.
"How can I reject you if I already love you too? I always admire you back then. At ngayon, nandito ka sa harap ko at sinasabi iyan, I felt relief."
"S-So.." I got hopes. Magsasalita pa sana ako nang unahan niya ako ng halik. After that day, we started to date. Tinago namin ang relasyon namin kay Xach which is Dwayne's brother.
Muntik na akong mahimatay nang mahuli ako ni Dwayne na kausap sa phone si Maica. We just exchanged our I love yous! I tried to talk to him pero sinabi niyang wala naman daw siyang pake. Naluwagan ako, alam kong hindi sila malapit ni Xach. Siya lang ang nakakaalam.
Not until Maica and Xach announced their engagement. I was heartbroken but Maica said she's just doing it for Xach so we continued dating even until they got married. Ilang buwan ang nakalipas matapos ang kasal ay naging mailap na siya sa akin. Hindi siya nagsasabi ng problema at lagi niya na akong iniiwasan. A year passed, isang taong hindi kami nagkausap. Nawasak muli ang puso ko nang malamang may anak na sila, they even flew to Canada.
I hated her. Nasabi ko sa sarili ko na niloko lang niya ako pero wala, e. Marupok ako. She texted me.
"I'll explain everything if I can have time. I'm sorry for everything. I love you, I loved you for real Angelo. Hate me if you want but please, don't lock your door whenever I came back. I don't know if you'll still believe and forgive me when that happens but I'll still try. Goodbye for now. Take care."
I hoped and waited. Hindi ko na siya ulit nabalitaan for years. And that tragedy came. They were found dead. Only the kid survived. My world almost shattered into pieces. She left me.
"I am willing to wait again if ever you're alive, Maica. Aasa muli ako. Naniniwala ako sayo. Sana ay tamang buhay ka nga." bulong ko sa hangin.
---
Astrid Manunulat
