CORMAC [TDH - IV]

Chapter 13

IMARI NOELLE

It has been two hours since the new attempt to harm me happened, and it has been two hours too, that Yakov was sitting across the hospital bed while maintaining his gaze at my direction.

From time to time, his men would talk to him in a way that I wouldn't be able to hear.

Ang dalawang nagtangka sa akin ay dinala sa kung saan ng mga tauhan ni Yakov, siguro ay iyon ang pinag-uusapan nila ngayon. Baka kung ano nang pagmamalupit ang pinaggagawa ng mga tauhan niya roon sa dalawang lalaki.

"Hindi pa ba kayo aalis?" I interrupted their discussion. Hinarap nila ako at tinitigan ng ilang segundo, hindi nila ako sinagot, imbes ay nagpatuloy lang sa pag-uusap.

"Pwede na ba kayong umalis? Malapit na ang out ng mga kaibigan ko, didiretso sila rito para bantayan ako kaya umalis na kayo bago pa nila kayo maabutan dito."

"Who are these people? How certain are you that those you call 'friends' are not the ones who put you in that situation?"

"Ang kapal ng apog mong i-judge mga kaibigan ko, Yakov. Kung may paghihinalaan man dapat ako, ikaw yon. Wala nang iba." matigas na tugon ko at napataas ang isang kilay niya. Niyukom niya ang mga kamao at napabuga ng hangin sa kawalan.

"Do not ever talk to me like that, Imari. You know nothing about me, so I suggest you stop testing my patience that easily."

He stood up. He went to the window near the couch and lit his cigarette. Yakov busied himself from the view outside instead of talking to me.

Lumapit sa akin si Dominic at hilaw na ngumiti.

"Miss Noelle, kung maaari ay huwag mo nalang bara-barahin si Mr. Cormac. Ako nalang ang magsasabi dahil hindi talaga maganda ugali niya kapag ginagalit."

"Takot ka sa kanya?" gulat na tanong ko. Sinuway niya ako at inutusang babaan lang ang boses ko, sinunod ko naman siya at nagbulungan nalang kami.

"Basta. Ang payo ko lang ay ingatan mo ang mga salitang binibitiwan mo kapag kausap mo siya, baka hindi mo magustuhan ang kasunod niyon." aniya at ngayon, sinsero na siyang ngumiti sa'kin. "Kamusta na pala ang pakiramdam mo?"

Nilihis niya ang usapan at huminga ako ng malalim bago sumagot.

"Medyo maayos na. Maluwag na ang paghinga ko kaya back to normal na ulit."

"Glad to hear that, Miss." Dominic retorted in a formal way. "But may I ask why these things happened to you? Considering that you have never had any foes before, I can't believe it!"

"Iyan din ang tanong ko. Hindi ko maintindihan bakit ngayon nalang nagkaroon ng pagtatangka sa buhay ko."

Gulong gulo na rin ang isip ko sa mga nangyayari. Wala akong maalalang maling bagay na ginawa ko or mga taong nagawan ko ng masama noon. Malabo naman kung katrabaho ko ang may pakana nito dahil mabait naman ako sa kanilang lahat. Pero hindi ko rin maitatanggi na nagsimulang mangyari 'to noong may dumating na papeles sa apartment ko, malakas ang kutob kong konektado ito sa kasal.

"You know what, although I don't wanna sound persuasive nor I want to dictate your thoughts, but if you really think that Mr. Cormac is part of this or he planned all of this to happen to you, Miss Noelle, you're wrong. He might be in madness but, after all, he knows what he is doing, so you should leave my boss out of the equation because I believe he's innocent in this matter."

"Of course, you would tell me that because he's your boss and you are of service to that guy, so you'd do literally everything for him, Dominic. I get that part and I do understand your intention, but thinking that all of these started the moment I got affiliated with Yakov, I couldn't help but think negatively about your boss, Dom. I hope you understand me on that part, too. I hate suspecting anyone because that only means doubting my faith to God, but I just can't help it."