Our Song

Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-three

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I attended Arthur's wake until his funeral. Kahit pa ayaw ni Tita Alma na nandoon ako at obvious ang pantataboy niya sa akin. She still blamed me. And I just accepted it all. I accepted everything including the opinion of other people about me. Halatang ako ang palaging pinag-uusapan kapag nakikita nila akong pinipilit pa rin ang sarili ko doon kahit ayaw mismo ng nanay ng namatay. At malaki na rin ang tiyan ko noon at hindi naman lihim na hindi anak ni Art ang pinagbubuntis ko kahit pa siya ang naging fiancé ko noon. I got used to their disgusted stares at me. I endured it until I can just properly say my last goodbyes to Arthur.

"Aryanne, magpahinga ka muna. Makakasama ang ginagawa mo sa pinagbubuntis mo." saway na sa akin ni Kuya Steven. He sighed.

Lumapit na rin sa akin ang asawa niya. "Aryanne... Uuwi na muna kami ngayon sa bahay. Gusto mo bang doon ka na rin muna sa amin, para makapagpahinga ka." marahang ani ate sa akin.

But I didn't speak or move. Nanatili lang akong nakaupo doon at tinitingnan ang portrait ni Art na nakangiti.

Bumuntong-hininga na rin si Ate Melanie at nagkatinginan sila sandali ni Kuya Steven sa tabi ko. "Aryanne, baka may mangyari nang masama sa anak mo kung patuloy mong gagawin ito at hindi ka mag-iingat..."

Napatingin na ako kay Ate Melanie. Marahan siyang tumango sa akin. Sinubukan niyang abutin ang kamay ko at hinayaan ko naman siya. Until they succeeded to bring me to their home for a while. Pero bumabalik pa rin ako sa lamay ni Art hanggang sa libing na niya. Tita Alma was crying loudly while Art's coffin was being lowered to the ground. And I cried, too, hard but silently as I watched the scene in front of me. Wala na talaga si Art...

I hope I really did made him happy enough when he was still alive like what he had told me at his last days at the hospital... I just wanted to make him happy. I just want to know that he was really happy... That he still lived a good life despite...

It wasn't the first time that I lost someone who's dear to me. Una si Mama... Pagkatapos ay si Tita Joyce. And now Arthur... Art, wherever you are right now... I can only hope that you're in better place. I know that you are in good place because you are a good person, too. You've been nothing but a good man while you lived here on earth. Like what I promised you, I will try to do the right thing...

Pagkatapos noon ay nagdesisyon akong sundan at puntahan si Wesley sa England. Hindi ko nga lang agad nagawa dahil nauna pa akong nanganak sa anak namin. I'm grateful for my brother and his wife because they supported me and my child. May sarili rin naman akong ipon at iyon ang ginamit ko para mapuntahan namin ng anak ko si Wesley sa ibang bansa. Ilang buwan pa lang noon si Riff. Although I didn't almost knew where to start. Sa kaonting impormasyon sa tulong na rin nina Mike at Maxine ay nakarating ako sa England at nahanap si Wesley.

Pero hindi lang iyon ang nangyari... I saw him there and he was already with someone else... He's with a woman by his side when I saw him. Nalaman ko nga rin that Savannah Ortega was in Europe at that time. And according to news ay girlfriend ni Wesley Rivera si Savannah Ortega at nandoon siya para suportahan si Wesley sa pagbabalik ng banda nila. Alam kong baka nahuli na nga rin talaga ako. It's been more than a year since he left and went back here in England. At marami ang pwede na ngang nangyari...

I didn't know if my decision was right or maybe it's another mistake in my part. Pero hindi ko na pinilit iyon. Especially that when I saw him with her, he was smiling and he looked happy... Maybe she makes him happy. While I only hurt him.

I returned to the Philippines with my months old son and we went home to the province. Gusto kong sa mas payapang lugar ko palalakihin ang anak ko. And I think the province is a good place for us to start together. Together... with my child. I'm not alone...