Nothing Lasts Forever

PROLOGUE

"I'm excited to give this gift to daddy, mom!" Little Cali said happily, it's his daddy's birth and she's excited to give her daddy a new watch and a new shirt. Her mom smiled and kissed her temple. "Me too baby, me too." She said.

A few minutes after they got home, Cali immediately get out of the car excited to give the gift to her father. "Cali be careful!" Her mom shout but she didn't care. "Daddy, daddy i have something for you!" She screamed as she run through the stairs. She stopped running when she met a woman on the stairs, she was tall and dressed in red, she was chewing bubblegum as she walked down. Cali got confused so she asked who she is.

"Hi po, my name is Cali and you are?" She asked politely but the woman just pass her. Cali felt sad when the woman pass her without answering her question.

"Who are you? What are you doing here at my house?!" Cali immediately rush to her mom who seems furious. Just then Cali's dad came rushing downstairs looking shock. "Tine, honey i can explain." The woman scoffed and smirked. "Yes you're right i fucked your husband, happy?" The woman chuckled when she saw Cristine's mad face. "Walang hiya ka!" Cristine grabbed her hair and dropped her to the floor and sat on her belly.

Jordan tried to stop Cristine but she's just continue to slap the woman. Cali started to cry and run to her Nani. "Nana B-belle, t-they're fight-ting." Cali cried hard and hug her Nani. "Cali let's go? Let's play na lang?" She didn't wait Cali to answer and carried her outside to their garden.

Her nani placed her to the swing but she's still crying. "Cali stop crying na, papangit ka niyan, look a butterfly!" Her nani tried to cheer her up but still crying. "N-n-nana, w-why is m-mommy and d-daddg f-fight-ting?" Her nani smiled and hold her little hands. "Bata ka pa para malaman kung anong nangyayari Cali, kay mommy ka mo magtanong, okay?" She nodded still sobbing.

Few seconds later, her nani noticed Cali unable to breathe properly. She carried her immediately and rush to her inside the house. "Ma'am, Sir si Cali hindi makahinga ng maayos!" Good thing the woman was not around anymore. Her mom carried her. "Ihanda niyo yung kotse pupunta tayong ospital!" Cali turned white her mom kept calling her name but she's still catching her breathe.

"Cali, Cali, stay with mommy don't worry malapit na tayo sa ospital anak." Cristine said.

As soon as they arrived at the hospital doctor and nurses rush to them. "Doc please help my child, bigla na lang siyang hindi makahinga." Jordan shout.

***

"Kasalanan mo tong lahat, kung hindi ka sana nagdala ng babae wala sana tayo dito sa ospital!" Napalingon lahat ang mga taong nasa ospital sa sigaw ni Cristine habang itoy nakatayo sa tabi ni Jordan. "Tine wag muna, maraming tao isipin mo muna yung anak natin." Sagot ni Jordan.

"Natin? Jordan sa ginawa mo tingin mo tatanggapin ka niyang tatay?!" Napatayo si Jordan. "Oo alam kong nagkamali ako Tine pero patawarin mo naman ako. Hindi sinasadya na gawin yun." Sinubukang hawakan ni Jordan ang kamay ni Cristine pero iwinaksi niya lang ito.

"Wag mo akong hawakan Jordan pagkatapos mong humawak ng ibang babae! Masakit dito Jordan," Turo nento sa dibdin at nagsimulang tumulo ang mga luha nito.

"Akala mo mapapatawad kita nang ganun lang? Wala pa si Cali sa buhay natin nang ginawa mo na pero pinatawad kita kasi ang alam mo titino ka na at hindi mo na gagawin yun! Sayang yung mga dasal na sinabi ko sa Diyos, nagsumpaan tayo sa simbahan, sa harap ng Diyos at sa mga taong nasa harap natin nung kasal natin." Cristine's eyes went blurry because of her tears kept falling. "Tine please." Sinubukan niya ulit itong hawakan pero winaksi niya ulit. She lowered her head to wiped her tears and look him again.

"Simulan mo na magimpake ng mga gamit mo, ayoko na may maiwan na gamit mo sa bahay kahit alahas mo at mga papeles mo."
"Tine wag naman, ayoko, ayoko ko kayong iwan."
"Sana inisip mo yan bago mo ginawa yung di ko gusto." Lumuhod si Jordan sa harap nito at nagmamakaawang wag siyang palayasin. "Buo na ang desisyon ko Jordan, umalis ka na ayoko na makita ka ng anak kong kasama kita." Jordan hold her hands but this time he didn't let go and looked up to her.

"Aalis ako pero sa isang kondisyon, hayaan mo akong masilayan si Cali ngayon. Kahit ilang segundo lang, makita ko man lang siya at aalis na ako." Tumayo siya at may kinuha sa kaniyang bulsa, nilabas nito ang cellphone at tinawagan si Nancy ang katulong nila. "Nancy, pakiimpake lahat ng gamit ko." Cristine didn't dare to looked at him, she's just looking door of ER.

***
Few minutes after Cali's operation, she was a bit okay. "Doc what happened to Cali?" Cristine asked.

"Well your daughter has an asthma, she just needs to rest and don't let her get tired, you guys can go home after i'll just get some inhaler." Pagkatapos umalis nang doctor saktong nagising na si Cali. "M-mommy, where's daddy?" Tanong nito. "I'm here baby, daddy's here. How are you?" Nilingon ni Cali ang kanan niya, her face lit up when she saw her dad.

"Was that just a d-dream? Mom h-hurt someone?" Her mom brushed her hair. "Cali where do you want to go after? Do you wanna go to the park?" She said changing the topic. "May asthma siya, bawal siyang mapagod." Malumanay na saad ni Jordan.

...

Three days later Cali got home and her dad left them for good. Pinaniwala na lang nila na may business meeting ito sa ibang bansa nang limang taon para hindi na maulit ang nangyari sakaniya. "Nana Belle i want milk po." Nagsalin ito sa kaniyang paboriton baso na bear na kulay pink. "Thank you po." She said sweetly.

Ilang linggo na lang at papasok na si Cali sa school at palaging busy ang kaniyang mommy sa kaniyang bagong case. The good thing she did is that hindi nito dinemanda ang babae ng kaniyang asawa kahit isa siyang lawyer, she didn't have time to spend to the both of them.

She's focused on her daughter and her work, she's doing everything for Cali.

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