Burning Desire (Alejandrino Trilogy 1)

30

I stood there for a while, not knowing what to do. My breath hitched as I leaned over to pick the ring up. Hindi ako puwedeng magkamali, it's the ring I gave her. I can feel my lips quivering as my knees weakened. Napaupo ako sa sahig at natulala, is this really the end of it? Sa ganito ba talaga matatapos ang relasyon namin?

I tried to call her again, but she's not answering. I tried to message her social media accounts, pero naka-deactivate lahat. I called everyone I could think of para lang mahanap siya pero lahat sila ay walang ideya kung nasaan si Delancy. I even called Kassandra, since she's her best friend, but still nothing.

That's it. Dito na tuluyang natapos ang relasyon namin.

With a heavy heart, I forced myself to get up and take a shower. I need to rest, I still have to go back to my daughter. I just hope that when I wake up, all of this is just a horrible nightmare.

Kahit sa pag-shower, dala-dala ko ang singsing niya. Hanggang sa bago ako matulog, I held onto it. I feel like it's the only thing that's keeping me sane at this moment.

I laid in my bed as countless thoughts lingered in my head. Pinilit ko ang sarili kong matulog para kahit papa'no'y magkaroon ako ng lakas. Although I am still hurting, my daughter is still in the hospital. She and her mom still needs me to take care of them.

PARANG minamartilyo ang ulo ko nang magising ako. Dala na rin siguro ito ng matinding puyat at alak na ininom ko. May narinig akong nag-iingay mula sa kusina kaya kahit masakit ang ulo ko ay nagmamadali akong tumakbo paroon. I thought it's Delancy, pero si Kassandra ang naroon. Kasama niya si Jackson na nakaupo.

"Anong ginagawa niyo rito?" tanong ko, dahilan para lumingon sila sa direksyon ko.

"Kasper," panimula ni Kass at saka ibinaba ang pagkain. "Nag-aalala ako sa'yo kaya naisipan kong bisitahin ka. Sumama na rin sa akin ang dalawang ito."

"I'm fine, Kass. You don't need to worry." sagot ko at naupo sa silya.

Tumabi naman siya sa akin at tinapik ang likod ko.

"I'm your twin sister, kahit papa'no, alam kong hindi ka okay. What happened?"

I forgot to tell them, wala pa palang ni isa sa kanila ang may alam tungkol sa pagpunta ni Tatiana rito.

"Delancy and I..." my voice trailed off immediately. "We broke up."

It took them a while to recover, Jackson was the one who broke the silence. "Do you wanna tell us why? Makikinig kami."

For a while there, I just sat still. Hearing those words from my brother had me at the verge of crying.

"Kasper, you were there through my worst times. You've always been a great brother to me and Jackson. You took the responsibility when I ran away. I know you're strong, but looking at you now... I know you're not okay. We'll always be here for you." Kassandra blurted out and right there and then, I lost it.

I cried hard. I felt Kassandra's arms around my body. I keep asking myself why all of this must happen. Maybe this is my karma, Delancy is my karma. Nasaktan ko na siya noong binalewala ko siya, ito na siguro ang kabayaran ng lahat ng pangga-gago ko. I tried to stop myself from crying harder.

"Delancy broke up because... Tatiana came back." panimula ko.

"Tatiana, your fuck buddy?" tanong ni Jackson at kaagad naman siyang hinampas ni Kassandra.

He's really full of bullshit.

"Bakit siya nandito?"

"We have a daughter."

"What?!" halos sabay na sigaw nilang dalawa.

"Wait, are you sure? Baka naman hindi sa'yo ang bata, Kasper." Kass said.

"Nagpa-DNA test na kami. Ako nga ang ama niya. My daughter is at the hospital right now, so I need to go back later. Nagkaroon kami ng hindi pagkaka-unawaan ni Delancy kagabi, pero kailangan ako ng mag-ina ko sa hospital. Pagbalik ko kanina, wala na si Delancy at lahat ng gamit niya," none of them said a single word. "Tell me, mali bang piliin ko ang mag-ina ko? Mali bang pinuntahan ko sila?"

"Kasper, dear, walang mali sa ginawa mo. Anak mo 'yun e', hindi maling piliin sila. But know that Delancy is also hurt, syempre masakit para sa kaniya ang nangyari. Baka babalik rin siya, kailangan lang niya ng kaunting oras."

I simply nodded. Somehow, crying eased the pain. Alam kong hindi ako huhusgahan ng mga kapatid ko, despite everything, I still have them.

They stayed in my condominium for sometime. Sinabi rin nilang sasamahan nila ako sa hospital para bisitahin rin ang anak ko. The three of us went together to the hospital. Tatiana was shocked seeing them.

"Hi, Tiana," bungad sa kaniya ni Kass.

"Hi, Ma'am."

Tatiana used to work at one of out hotels na si Kassandra na ngayon ang nagmamay-ari.

Si Jackson naman ay dumiretso kay Tamara na ngayon ay natutulog na naman. Tiningnan lang niya ito nang mariin at biglang tumawa.

"Man, she got your nose, Kasper. I can't believe may pamangkin na ako," he said whilst smiling.

"How is she?" I asked Tiana.

"The doctor said she's fine. We can go home by tommorow morning."

"Alright. I'll pick you up tomorrow, you can go home and take a rest if you want. I'll look after Tamara." she just nodded and thanked me.

Naiwan kaming tatlo doon, Kass and I sat on the long chair while Jackson sat beside Tamara's bed. He's just staring at her, smiling. Nag-uusap kami ni Kass tungkol sa sitwasyon ko ngayon.

"Ano'ng plano mo sa bata?" she asked.

"Syempre, I'll take responsibility, ano pa nga ba?"

"Really? Gagawin mo talaga?"

"Kass, I know I've been an asshole before, pero hindi naman ako gan'on ka-gago. Lalaki ako nang i-kama ko si Tatiana kaya ngayon, magpapaka-lalaki ako at papanagutan ko ang anak ko sa kaniya."

Magsasalita na sana siya ulit nang gumawa ng ingay si Tamara. Tatayo na sana ako at lalapit pero kinakausap siya ni Jackson, mukhang tuwang-tuwa ito sa kaniya. Jackson is really fond of kids.

"Hey, kid! I'm your uncle Jackson," sabi niya. At first, Tamara was obviously hesitant to talk to him but after cooing her for a bit, the two of them bonded as if they've known each other for years.

"Call me tito. Say it, ti-to," Jackson said.

"Ti...to!" nakangiting sagot sa kaniya ni Tiana.

Parang manghang-mangha naman si Jack sa narinig niya. "Narinig niyo 'yon? She called me tito! Dude, your daughter called me tito!"

Natatawa kami ni Kassandra sa inasta niya. Kahit kailan para talagang baliw si Jackson. He might've fell over his head when he was young, such a crackhead.

"Back to the topic, kung papanagutan mo ang bata, paano si Delancy?" Kass asked.

I heaved out a sigh, "I don't know, hihintayin ko siya. Magpapaliwanag ako at aayusin namin ang lahat, pero sa ngayon, si Tamara ang priority ko."

"Do we have to cancel the wedding?"

"No, not yet. May plano ako,"