Stay Alive

PART THIRTEEN: FREEDOM

"AVERY! SAGLIT!"

Humihingal si Tyler nang sundan si Avery pero hindi man lang ito lumilingon sa kaniya. Kasalukuyan silang nasa airport at hinihintay lang ang flight nila.

"AVERY!" sigaw niyang muli pero tuloy-tuloy lang ito. Nakasuot ito ng puting pur jacket, itim na sunglasses at high-heels.

Doon huminto si Tyler sa paglalakad habang  hatak-hatak ang dalawa nilang maleta. He had enough. Pagod na pagod siya at simula pa kanina ay sinusuyo niya si Avery pero hindi siya nito pinapansin. He heaved a deep sigh before shouting her name again.

"QUEEN AVERY!"

Doon huminto si Avery at lumingon. Nang magtama ang paningin nila ay ngumiti ito nang tipid.

"Oh, nandiyan ka pala?" she said sarcastically.

"Nandito pala?" inis na sabi ni Tyler at nilapitan siya. Huminto si Tyler sa harap mismo ni Avery at hindi man lang ito nagpatinag. She just looked up at him, as if she wasn't intimidated at all.

"Kanina pa kita hinahabol," reklamo ni Tyler. "Bakit ka ba nagtatampo?"

"Ako? Magtatampo?" Avery scoffed and took her sunglasses off. "Wake up, boy. Kaya ko sarili ko."

"Ayan ka nanaman," Tyler said. "Tell me honestly, why are you acting this way?"

"Hmmm, kasi may ginawa kang mali?" Avery asked.

"Why did I do wrong?" Tyler asked. "You could've told me directly, hindi 'yong ini-snob mo ako."

"Why can't you read my mind? Did you become dumb or something?" Avery said.

"How can I read your mind?!" Tyler asked with a slight raise of voice.

Tumaas ang kilay ni Avery. "Uh-oh, your voice, Scott!"

Parang maamong tupa na kumalma si Tyler. "I wasn't mad, but I found your response utterly ridiculous. How am I suppose to read your mind? Ano ako, si Scarlet Witch?!"

"You don't have to be Scarlet Witch to know that I am upset, Tyler," sagot ni Avery. "Especially with your patriarchal mindset."

"Ah, so that's your reason?" tanong ni Tyler at ang tinutukoy ay 'yong nakausap nilang Amerikano kanina.

Dahil delayed and flight, they stayed at the airport for too long. May kumausap bigla sa kanilang Amerikano at napasarap ang usapan nila. Bigla silang tinanong kung mag-asawa ba sila at sabi ni Tyler ay hindi pa dahil hindi pa sila nagkakasundo if whether or not Avery will retain her surname or use Tyler's.

The man then said Avery should use Tyler's surname. Ganoon daw ang pag-aasawa, two souls become one. Avery clapped back and asked why couldn't she retain her surname. She reasoned that it was too patriarchal when a woman is required to use her husband's surname just to call it a marriage.

Nagtalo sila at siya lang ang inawat ni Tyler. Avery felt betrayed.

"I'm sorry if you feel like siya ang kinampihan ko," rason ni Tyler. "Hindi kita pinahinto hindi dahil siya ang kinakampihan ko or I agree with him. Ikaw ang pinahinto ko kasi alam kong kawawa 'yon sa 'yo."

Avery rolled her eyes.

"Seryoso," sabi ni Tyler at bahagyang natawa. "Kung hindi pa ako umawat, baka may napaiyak ka nanaman."

Binitawan niya ang mga maleta at hinawakan ang kamay ni Avery.

"Don't you trust me?" he asked, eyes still worried. "Do you really think mas kakampihan ko ang ibang tao kaysa sa 'yo na super love ko?"

Avery looked at him and sighed. "I made up my mind and I stand by it loud and clear. Papayag akong magpakasal tayo but I will use my surname."

"And I respect that," Tyler said. "Hindi naman parating dapat na sundin ng mga babae ang surname ng asawa nila. That's totally fine with me, baby."