Mrs. Araneta

Chapter XXIII: Guilty ⚖️

"Every word has consequences.
Every silence, too." - Jean-Paul Sartre

GREGGY's POV:

"Now and again,
I remember how life was back then
When I held you close to me,
wrapped up in your arms so free.

Even when I'm sad, you play around in my head.
And I just have to smile.
Your memory is loving me.

Somewhere beyond ev'rything we know,
time will flow in a place we'll go.
Someday we'll find truth and peace of mind
and I'll still love you then.

Oh, then we will see
about ev'ry possibility for us.
Then forever will be ours.
We will know the power of love.

True love never leaves
and in my heart I believe.
And we don't say goodbye.
We'll meet again and I'll love you then."

***
There are a lot of things in my life that looking back, I wish to have done differently. I wasted enough time and opportunity chasing the wrong paths, playing safe for the wrong reasons that caused me a great deal of loss.

HER.

Thirty two years of her life, she's done nothing but to give and sacrifice it all for the love she have for me. And I, being this stupid and arrogant piece of shit, I took it for granted.

I always knew how much she loves me. I always knew how much she cares. And I allow this larger than life pride of mine to get the better part of my mind and heart.

Ang yabang ko ehh. Iniisip ko na nandyan lang, hindi mawawala, palaging pwede balikan. And that if she's to love someone, ako lang. I never truly realize the price I have to pay for not loving her enough until I'm not allowed to show it to her anymore.

This is how it feels like pala. This is how she must have felt. Yung ipinipilit mo ang sarili mo, yung nag hahabol ka, yung umaasa ka kahit na alam mo na wala.

It's been two weeks since she and Clea left for Ilocos. Gusto ko na mag punta. I badly wanted to! Pero sabi ni Yaya, Irene asked her to give me this message of rejection for my request.

Ang sakit ha. Gusto ko sana na bumawi sa lahat ng kasalanan ko. I wanted to spend time with her and Clea pero ayaw nya. Not to mention, that Patrick's with them. Hindi na lang para kay Irene ako nag se selos. Even for Clea. She's practically bragging about him! Ang galing mag bike, that he taught her how to play the guitar! Damn! Pati anak ko! Siya na nga naging tatay ni Alfonso, pati ba naman si Clea?

Two weeks. I have to wait for two more weeks before I get to see them again. Then we'll have a week all by ourselves for that Disneyland trip ni Clea before we enroll her for Kindergarten.

I do wonder kung sa bahay pa rin ba uuwi si Irene. I asked Ted to run background check sa Patrick na to. If he is to be around Irene and Clea, I need to know kung maayos ba siya na klase ng tao.

IRENE's POV:

Just two weeks ago, I felt like my world is slowly falling apart. Had it not been for Clea, I may have done things I never should have. But us moving to Ilocos is the best thing that happened to me so far since Clea's birthday. Ang light lang, magulo dahil sa mga bata but fulfilling.
And I know that I am loved. After dealing with my issues with Greggy, I am finally, in a way.. happy.

This change of environment is also doing us good for Clea. She's not having episodes of her asthma as frequent as before. And the physical activities she can have everyday, I think.. are also working well for the issues of her heart.