The Alchemist

CHAPTER 34: Invitation

CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOUR

Invitation

It was almost midnight when Simon drifted to sleep again. Veronica was still worried that she insisted to stay with his room, but Susanna said that she also need to rest properly. Wala naman siyang nagawa kundi lumabas ng kwarto ng anak.

Feliciah was nowhere to be seen again, while Scott was already sleeping with Ysabella. Sinco was still there, in the living room sleeping soundly on the couch. Susanna was sitting on the sofa across him when Veronica went down from Simon's room. Rosalinda was not coming home yet. They could feel that she was still alive, so did Ronan. That bastard.

"He's a doctor, right?" Susanna suddenly asked as soon as Veronica stepped on the last step of the stairs.

Hindi sumagot si Veronica bagkus ay naglakad na lamang palapit sa kapatid. Umupo siya sa katabi nitong sofa at halos mapaungol sa sarap nang maramdaman ng likuran niya ang malambot na upuan. Napapikit siya at inihilig ang ulo sa likod nito.

"And he's engaged with somebody else."

Hindi pa rin nagsalita si Veronica pero napaismid naman siya sa sinabi ng kapatid. Everyone in the house already knew about that, even the kids.

"Kanina pa tumatawag 'yun hanggang namatay na 'yung phone niya."

Nagmulat siya ng mata at tiningnan ang cellphone ni Sinco na nakapatong sa babasaging lamesa sa pagitan nila. Napanguso si Veronica. She had this urge to get his phone. Bumuntong-hininga na lamang siya at ipinatong ang braso sa kanyang noo.

"What is the feeling of being a Dead one?" Veronica suddenly asked and Susanna looked at her.

"I don't know.." sagot nito. "But I already asked that to Scott. And, he doesn't exactly know how to describe it but said that it's like a battle everyday against the dark magic inside him. He feels like it is always trying to eat his whole system and needs to fight for him to live."

Natigilan si Veronica. She stared at her sister for several seconds before looking in front of her, to nothing specific.

She then decided to go to her room. Glancing at Sinco for the last time, she left the living room.

Kinabukasan ay hindi na nakauwi si Sinco sa condo niya. Dumiretso siya sa hospital para sa shift niya. He checked several patients and finished his first surgery for the day when Tamara came.

"Sinco, mag-usap tayo." Iyon ang bungad nito nang makasalubong niya ang babae. He was on his way to his office to check a patient's record. "Nasaan ka kagabi? You're not in your condo, and Francis told me that you already left at ten last night. I was trying to call you, and you didn't even pick up even just once!"

Sinco ignored her until they reached his office. He turned to face her and immediately felt tired.

"What?" Tamara asked when he didn't say anything after almost a minute.

"Umuwi ka na muna. Baka kung ano pa mangyari kay baby — "

"Umuwi?" Tamara asked angrily. "Didn't you hear me Sinco? I've been looking for you since yesterday and you wanted me to go home now?! Fuck Sinco! Can't you just tell me where did you go? Or the reason why you didn't answer your damn phone!"

"Tamara please!" He couldn't help but to yell too. "Umuwi ka na muna. Mag-usap tayo mamaya. Pupuntahan kita sa bahay niyo."

Kumunot ang noo ng babae bago tumaas ang kilay. "It's that bitch, right?"

"What?"

"Were you with her last night?"

"Tamara, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Then tell me where are you last night!"

"I was with my friends!"

"Sino sa kanila?"

"Tamara, ano ba!" Sinco angrily yelled. "Ano bang nangyayari sa'yo ha? Kasama ko ang mga kaibigan ko kagabi, 'yun na 'yun! Umuwi ka na. Mag-usap tayo mamaya."

Nagtiim ang panga ni Tamara bago umiling. Tumalikod na ito at binagsak ang pintuan nang lumabas ng opisina ni Sinco.

He immediately ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. Hindi siya makapaniwalang nagagawa niya iyon kay Tamara.

Tamara was the only one who was there with him in his worst days. Ito lang ang pumili sa kanya noong panahong iniiwan na siya ng mundo. Tamara became his only reason to live before. Mahal siya ni Tamara.

Paano niya nagagawang lokohin ang nag-iisang babaeng pumili sa kanya?

He wanted to scream. Alam niyang hindi iyon deserve ni Tamara, pero hindi niya kayang magsabi ng totoo sa babae. Tiyak na iiwan siya nito. Hindi iyon pwedeng mangyari, hindi sa pagkakataong ito.

He shook his head and proceeded to his job. Kailangan niyang mag-focus sa ginagawa.

Veronica crossed her legs as she stared at the chair she was carving. Kanina pa siyang naroon sa shop nila at nakakailang upuan na rin. She wanted to finish all of Tamara's order for their wedding to finally let Sinco go. Masyadong malalim ang dahilan niya sa pagtanggap ng mga order na iyon, pero gusto na rin niya ng tahimik na buhay.

"Magkasama ba kayo ni Sinco kagabi?!" Nagulat siya nang pumasok sa shop niya si Tamara at iyon ang bungad. Kasunod nito si Kayla na mukhang pinipigilan ang babae. Tinanungahan niya ito para umalis muna.

"Miss Tamara.."

"Ano? Magkasama ba kayo?" Halos paiyak nabang babae kaya hindi alam ni Veronica kung sasabihin niya ang totoo.

Hindi naman sila magkasama talaga na tulad ng iniisip ng babae pero sa kanila nagpalipas ng gabi si Sinco. How could she say that?

"I was with my son," she truthfully said.

Tamara stared at her angrily but didn't say anything before storming out of her shop. Sinundan niya lang ito ng tingin. Nang tuluyang mawala ay napangisi nang sarkastiko sj Veronica. Her hands were shaking. She breathed out and sat down.

She hated it.

She hated how Tamara talked to her. Para bang mas mataas ito sa kanya at kailangan niyang magpakumbaba. She faked a smile that quickly faded. She should not do anything.

"Kayla," she called her staff. "Schedule mo na deliver ng mga 'to."

Tumango naman agad ang kanyang sekretarya. Tiningnan niya ang mga carving tools na ginamit niya bago tuluyang umalis sa shop.

Pagdating niya sa bahay nila ay bumungad sa kanya si Susanna. Hindi pa rin umuuwi si Rosalinda.

"What's this?" She asked when Veronica handed her an envelope. Inabot niya naman iyon at tiningnan iyon. It looked familiar.

"An invitation to hell."

"Oh.."

Binuksan niya ang envelope at doon niya nakita agad ang pangalan ni Tamara at Sinco. Matapos siyang komprontahin ng babae kanina ay nagawa pa talaga nitong magpadala ulit ng wedding invitation.

"They moved their wedding next week."

"Next week?" Gulat na tanong niya at sa hindi malamang dahilan ay nakaramdam siya ng kaba.

"Yeah.." Kinuha ni Susanna ang invitation sa kamay niya. "I don't think tamang pumunta ka."

Hindi sumagot si Veronica at kinuha lamang pabalik ang invitation. Pumasok na siya sa loob at hinanap ang anak. Tinapon niya ang invitation sa basurahan at hindi na iyon muling inalala pa.