SAUDADE

anim

Third Person

"Just listen. Listen first." Greggy looked at Irene. "I never told anyone. I never told what happened. We all agreed to never, ever bring that back."

Irene inhaled deeply and then exhaled, "But what's this?"

"Pinaglalaruan lang tayo niyan... But, we have to tell Yana about it... Soon." Greggy bit his lip. "Don't worry... Sinigurado kong walang nakaka-alam nun..." He whispered and she slowly nodded.

"How are you sure?" She asked him, watching him as he sat beside her on the edge of the bed.

"That... I still don't know..." He pulled Irene to him. Stroking her side and letting him calm her.

They may be dangerous to each other but they were still each other's safe haven. A touch from then is all it takes to cool one's head. And maybe that was their problem. They never did try to physically be there for each other when they needed to.

All they do is nag, fight, and argue. It was never a kiss and make up kind of situation to them.

He sighed and pursed his lips, "The only people who knows about this is us. Ang hirap naman kung nasa atin lang ang traydor..." He softly said as he turned his head to her.

"But... But it's possible right?" Irene asked him to which he nodded. "It is... But we don't want to point fingers at someone who's innocent, diba?"

Irene nodded, "Yeah... And...And it's better that we'll be the ones to tell Yana..."

And there they startled themselves as it has been a day without arguments. Irene then pulled herself out his hold and looked at him.

"Uhm... If you don't mind me asking... Are you... Are you still going out with ano... Si..." She stuttered as she find the right words to say.

Greggy frowned and looked away, "Diane?" His voice faded. Irene avoided his gaze, "Mhmm..." She hummed.

"No..." He shook his head, "It didn't last long..." He bit his lip, "Oh... Sorry, hindi ko kasi alam..." She apologized and gulped down.

"It's okay... Sabi mo nga, hindi mo alam..." He offered a small smile, "Tagal na rin nun... 2 years ago?" He thought and then looked at Irene.

"She was like a getaway car... And I'm not proud to address her that but to be totally honest... She was..." He hung his head low, "To get away from you and our haunting memories..."

Irene shifted sideways and created a certain distance between them. "I'm sorry." She apologized, again.

"It's all done now... And... And I don't want you hanging on a marriage where you're unhappy." He sadly smiled.

"I'm not unhappy..." She trailed on, "I was just disappointed." She confessed. "It's not always the same..."

He took a deep breath and laid his palms on his knees and straightened his back. "But you were less happy." He looked at her.

"I was. And to distract myself, I opened the jewelry store na tutol na tutol ka..." She looked at him, "But I never said I was happy about my decision..." She paused. "My decision on us separating..."

"But you did it." He frowned.

She nodded, "Because I thought it was right... And when you agreed on to it directly, akala ko gusto mo rin yun... Na gusto mo rin tayong maghiwalay.. And then... you moving out started, you having someone else, you making improvements and moving on... While I..." She paused.

"While I was stuck in the past." She continued, "And then you gave me mixed signals on whether or not you wanted to have divorce. Nung nalaman kong... Nung nalaman kong may iba ka nang babae... I immediately asked Yael to work on the papers..." She added.