Timing's A Villain (Montenegro Series 2) -[Completed]

Kabanata 40

Kinabukasan wala na rin lagnat si Lawrence, kaya naman kumalma na rin ako.

"Lawrence, wag ka munang pumasok. I already told them you're sick."

"May exam today, Verlice. I can't afford to miss it," sabi niya.

I couldn't speak, kaya pumasok na lang siya sa loob ng bathroom. Napadyak ako sa sobrang inis ko.

Naghahanap ako ng mga gamot sa kabinet niya, para kung sakaling magkasakit ulit siya, handa na ang gamot.

Nang isara ko na ang kabinet, bigla kong nasagi ang larawan ni Lawrence. Basag na ito. Agad kong kinuha ang frame, at napansin kong nasugatan ang katawan niya sa larawan.

"Baby, what happened?" sigaw ni Lawrence mula sa loob.

"Wala, maligo ka na lang diyan," sabi ko.

Pero hindi umabot ng isang minuto, lumabas na rin siya. Kumunot ang noo niya nang makita ang larawan.

"Hindi... hindi ko sinasadya," kinakabahan kong sabi, dahil iyon lang ang larawan dito sa kwarto niya.

"Kinuha niya sa'kin ang frame at tiningnan.

"Sayang ang gwapo ko pa naman," he said as he caressed the frame.

I thought he would get angry.

"Sorry, hindi...-" he placed a finger on my lips to silence me.

"Wag mong hawakan ang mga nabasag baka masugatan ka. Maliligo lang ako. Sh*t! ang sakit ng mata ko." He put the frame in the cabinet and hurried back to the bathroom.

I picked up the frame again, and suddenly I remembered the time when my father's frame fell before he passed away.

I let go immediately.

"No... mali lang ang nasa isip ko, Verlice. Wag kang mag-iisip ng ganyan," I whispered to myself.

Nothing will happen to Lawrence. I don't believe in old superstitions.

I held my chest as my heart pounded heavily. This is exactly how I feel whenever something... no, Verlice.

I'll believe that I'm just imagining all of this.

I fixed myself up at nagbihis ng simpleng dress.

When Lawrence came out, he also removed the broken piece bago siya naghanap ng damit. I couldn't help but keep my eyes on him.

I went out of the room to look for Avi. Nandito naman si Samantha so we could leave her with her.

I picked up Avi. Avi will be in Grade 1 next year, so someone needs to watch over her when she goes to school.

"Do you want to go back to school, Avi?" tanong ko sa anak ko.

She immediately shook her head.

"I don't like school, mama. It's boring." Ngumuso siya.

I don't know where Avi got that from. I loved going to school, just like Lawrence did before, but it's the opposite with us.

I put her down because I was getting tired.

"Don't be stubborn, Avi. Baka mas mapabilis ang pagtanda ni Samantha kung lagi mong iistorbohin," sinamaan ako ng tingin ni Samantha for what I said.

"You've got nerve," she said.

I was about to speak when Lawrence came down from the room too. He kept looking back and forth between us.