Damage On You (COMPLETED)

29: Me?

#DamageOnYouMe

I don't... get it.

Ate Mariz's daughter is happily playing on the sofa near the glass door that leads to the balcony, completely unaware, or is she, that her mother is still fighting to be conscious. The sounds coming out of her phone is at least enough to not send anyone crazy because of how bizarre and silent the room is. I fixate my eyes at Primo who's beside the bed and silently staring at Ate Mariz's sleeping state.

Perhaps he felt my blistering stare at his neck that he glances back at me with his puffy eyes and asked to sit with him. I shook my head no and remained standing, leaning on the wall, all arms crossed and thinking why this happened.

Learning what happened and what we did was a blur but we're here already and had an answer why Ate Mariz's is missing. It seems foolish for neither of us to not notice her odd disappearance but who can blame anyone if we know she wouldn't be in UW if not for singilan na ng rent?

The very next day when we're told of what happened, bumalik kami para matanong ang asawa niya kung anong nangyari. We respectfully didn't force him that night as he's tired asking for people to lend him money for the bills and when we returned, I offered them some and asked what happened.

"Normal lang na araw iyon... Naubusan kami ng grocery kaya siya na ang nagpunta dahil may trabaho ako sa kabilang bayan." he said with a little difficulty. I try not to feel guilty. I need to know. We need to know. "So umalis siya at iniwan niya muna ang anak namin sa kapitbahay kasi walang magbabantay at kung isasama niya, magpapabili lang." he laughs afterwards.

"At kahit papaano, nagpapasalamat ako na hindi naisama ang bata kasi... siyempre, malay mo kung oo, e'di kasama na rin niya ang ina na walang malay."

Primo was sobbing silently beside me. No caressing of his waist or pinching it can pacify him. "Tapos maaga rin ako nakabalik dahil maaga natapos kaya naghanda na lang ako sa bahay, nag-ayos para hindi siya magalit. Umuwi na rin ang anak at nakipaglaro uli. Pero noong... mag-gagabihan na... Wala pa rin siya."

So someone kidnapped her?

"Tinatawagan na namin siya pero ring lang nang ring. Akala namin natraffic lang at hindi marinig ang telepono habang nasa daan kaya... kaya p-pinalipas na namin muna. Pero... magmamadaling-araw na..."

So what really happened, huh? She went out for grocery and never returned home for what? Why?

"Pinatulog ko muna ang anak para ako lang ang makakalabas tapos tumulak na ako sa mall malapit sa school ninyo. Doon kasi siya nagpunta gaya ng sabi niya. Sa totoo nga, muntikan pa ako hindi seryusuhin ng mga guwardiya roon at napagbintangan na may balak ako pero hindi ko na nakayanan ang pagpigil ng iyak para magmakaawa na tingnan sa CCTV nila kung nakapasok ba at nakalabas si Mariz."

"Did she get out?" Primo asked.

Tumango siya. "Sa right wing ng mall siya lumabas at ilang minuto pa lang, may huminto na itim na van at kinausap siya. Akala nga namin ay baka kakilala niya lang dahil kita sa camera na nakipagtawanan pa siya hanggang..."

"They abduct her?"

But he said no! "Sumama siya sa kanila at hindi na nakita kung saan nagpunta. Parang bula. Wala rin gamit na plate number ang sasakyan kaya nahihirapan ang mga pulis na hanapin siya."

We watch him squeeze his wife's hand a little hard, like telling her that she can wake up now... that she has a family to return to...

"Ilang araw siya nawala?" tanong ko habang nagugulumihanan kung bakit wala man lang nagsabi sa amin nito.

"Buong April siya namin pinaghahanap. Naubos na lahat ng pera namin para sa pamasahe at pagprint ng mga missing posters para mas madali siya mahanap. Tapos nahanap lang namin siya noong pangalang linggo ng May dahil may tumawag sa amin na volunteer at may natagpuan silang babae sa tabi ng court ng UW."