"I know I am married, but I don't know who I married."
Trinity Giuliani, an agnostic woman who doesn't know love, woke up with three husbands yet unknown to her existence. Doubts devoured her as she questioned who her husband really is. A doctor who...
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DRA. TAMARA'S POV
"Patient 1 developed a blood unknown to our field."
"Patient 1 developed a blood unknown to our field."
"Patient 1 developed a blood unknown to our field."
Paulit-ulit 'yon na bumabagabag sa aking isipan. I am in the office, sitting on my swivel chair while deeply staring at my laptop, still stuck on what I found out.
"What's with you?" I asked the photo I was staring at, as if, talking to it will gave me answers. Naisipan kong magsuri na lamang ng ibang impormasyon na puwede kong makuha sa internet. After several searches, I gained nothing, I can't access information so close to what I'm researching.
Napabuntonghininga na lamang ako at ininom ang malamig ko nang kape.
While sipping the cold coffee, something suddenly popped out of my head. I remember.
When I was still studying I have heard and read of this one case so close to this patient. It wasn't unknown actually, it just that it was forbidden to re-open that case. I don't know why, but I've heard stories that. . .that study was dropped for unknown reasons. I forgot when did it happened but I know it was a long time ago.
Agad kong kinuha ang phone ko sa mesa and immediately texted Xai.
"Xai, do you remember when I was having my research in my graduate studies? That one book in the National Library na pinag-agawan natin at dahilan kung bakit tayo nagkakilalang dalawa?"
Sure that approach made me reminsce those days but, whatever, for the sake of this goddamn curiosity.
It was already midnight and I'm still here trying to connect the dots. Ilang minuto ko rin hinintay ang reply niya ngunit wala pa rin kaya hindi pa rin ako mapakali, parang binabagabag pa rin ang utak ko. Habang naghihintay ay naisipan kong i-check muna ang cctv cameras sa vacation house kung saan tumutuloy sina Trinity ngayon. Ano na kayang nangyayari sa kanila roon?
I opened the camera in the living room, it's the only camera that I can access, since I still respect their privacy. I reveiwed some and everything feels okay. I don't see any problem, not until I replayed it all back and everything that my eyes saw feels strange. I focused my attention to it and studied what I saw. I saw them with Trinity but what bothers me is that this three men looks like a void, they keep vanishing in my eyes when looking at them closely to the point that their form blinds me with a bright light.
Kinurap-kurap ko ang mga mata ko dahil baka dala lang ito ng antok ko, ngunit ilang minuto rin na gano'n ang natanaw ko sa screen. Pinukpok ko rin ang laptop ko baka sira lang ito, ngunit hindi, wala pa rin itong pagbabago.
"What is happening?" tanong ko sa sarili ko. Nagsimula na ring kumabog ng malakas ang dibdib ko at tumaas ang mga balahibo ko sa katawan saka ilang sandali pa ay tuluyan na akong nilamon ng takot.
Naputol lang ang pangamba ko ng marinig kong tumunog ang phone ko. Napataas naman ang puwít ko sa biglaang pagkagulat.
It was Xai who texted. Finally, he replied.
"Why do you miss that day?" Napabuntonghininga ako sa reply niya. Minsan hindi talaga ako makakuha ng matinong sagot sa lalaking 'to, talagang papahabain pa niya ang usapan. Mabilis at mabibigat ang pagtipa ko dahil sa inis
"No! Never! For once stop being silly. I'm doing my job and you do yours!"
Marahan kong tinapon ang phone sa mesa ko. Napahawak ako sa ulo ko dahil sa stress at pinaikot ang swivel chair. Muling nag-ring ang phone ko pero ngayon tawag na ito mula kay Xaiser.
"What!?" mataray kong sagot.
"Chill. Ang init naman ng ulo mo, nagbibiro lang ako," sabi nito sa kabilang linya at napahagikhik pa. This man won't really stop pissing me.
"I have no time for your silly jokes, Agent DeLarcko. What you do your job and I do mine. Do I need to repeat that a million time for you to know that I'm only dealing with you for the sake of our job?" inis na wika ko sa kaniya.
"You're really an ill-tempered, I'm just trying to clear the stressful atmosphere you know, because I know you're stressing yourself out," litanya naman nito. I heaved a deep sigh, well, he got it right but not today for godsake.
"Why do you even care? It's not your responsibility anymore to look after me. I'm good. So now, if you mind, can you answer what I'm asking you?" sagot kong muli. I know I'm too rude with him eventhough I know he just wanted to show that he still care. But, I don't want him to care anymore. I don't want him to have hopes that he still have a chance to come back with me. When we decided to end what we had, everything change for the both of us. Our paths doesn't aligned anymore so what we must do is move forward and never look back to the road we once walked together. It hurts but it heals. That was love for us—to let each other fly with our own wings.
"I won't tell anything if you keep blabbering, Tamara." Now I know I got into his nerves, because his tone became serious.
"Xai, please, let's not make this about us," bulyaw ko rito kaya binagsakan ako nito ng phone. Nanggigil naman ako sa ginawa niya at muntik ko pang matapon ang hawak kong phone. Mabuti na lang at kontrolado ko na ang sarili ko.
Malalim ang paghinga ko habang mariin na nagtitipa.
"You know I hate begging but for your satisfaction, I will, so please, I'm begging you, Xai. Give me this one, please. I'll owe you a coffee after this."
Pagkatapos kong pindutin ang sent button ay ilang minuto pa akong naghintay sa reply niya. Hindi ko alam kung mag-re-reply pa ba siya o tuluyan na niya akong babaliwalain.
Muli akong nagtipa.
"There is really something strange with her and these three men. Whatever it is I need to find it out."
Akala ko ay 'di na talaga ako makakatanggap ng sagot galing sa kaniya. Ngunit alam ko naman na hindi ako matatanggihan ng Xaiser. And yes, I took advantage of that, of him. May he forgive me.
Napaawang ang mga labi ko sa nabasa. I guess I have a hunch of it already. Everything that is happening is so bizarre.
