Enigma (Dauntless Series #4)

Chapter 40

"I'll explain everything. Just please, talk to me..."

He took a step forward and I immediately stopped him through my gaze. He sighed. It's hard for the both of us and we can't just act like nothing happened. I missed him so much but I still have to process everything.

It seems like I don't even know him at all! Yes, he might be the Andronikos that I married and loved years ago, but there's something in his air and the way he carries himself that's changed. It's like he became too much. His hair is a bit longer than usual, he's sporting a beard, and his sunburned complexion makes him even more mysterious. I have no idea what happened to him in the past 7 years.

"Alam mo ba kung ano ang lagi kong pinagdadasal noon?" Tuluyan ko siyang hinarap. Nag-angat siya ng tingin at punong-puno ng pagsusumamo ang mga mata niya. "Araw-araw kong pinagdadasal na sana buhay ka. Na sana...panaginip lang ang lahat. Pero habang lumilipas ang panahon at napagtanto kong walang kasiguraduhan ang mga iyon, unti-unti na akong sumuko. Unti-unti ko nang natanggap na hindi ka na talaga babalik."

"But now you're here! Alive! After all these years. And you didn't even tried to contact us?" I laughed but there was no humor in it.

"I had to protect you both. I will be putting you and Theo in danger if I just walked through these doors when the real culprit isn't in jail. So, I waited. God knows how much I wanted to come home to you. Ilang beses kong sinubukang magpakita sa inyo pero naisip kong mas lalo lang kayong mapapahamak kapag nalaman niyong buhay ako."

Napayuko ako. Tama siya. Iniisip niya lang ang kapakanan namin. My emotions took over that I couldn't think rationally. I blamed him for not contacting us when he's just protecting our safety.

"I'm sorry for putting you in that situation. Theo told me you cried almost every day thinking about my death. If I could do something to ease your pain in those moments, I wouldn't hesitate to do it. But my hands are tied."

Hindi ko namalayang nakalapit na pala siya sa akin. Wala rin naman akong magagawa kung hindi ay hayaan siya. He brought his hand to my face and wiped my tears away.

"I'm so proud of you for staying strong. You overcoming those hardships made me love you even more."

Bumuntong hininga ako.

"Saan ka nagpunta? Saan ka tumira sa loob ng pitong taon?"

He stopped caressing my cheeks. I tried to hold an eye contact with him but he suddenly looked away. My eyes squinted when he pulled the hemline of his pants, revealing a long scar on his left leg. My hands flew to my mouth when I realized that's why he was having a hard time walking earlier.

"What happened?" halos namamaos ang boses ko nang sinabi iyon.

"I got it when the debris of the plane hit me during the crash. Good thing the infection wasn't serious or else I have no choice but to get it amputated. An old married couple who found me unconscious on the road helped me with my hospitalization and recovery. Nanirahan ako sa Masinloc ng ilang buwan habang nagpapagaling ako. Mabuti na lang at mabait ang mag-asawang iyon at pinatuloy ako sa kanila nang walang hinihinging kapalit."

Hindi mawala ang tingin ko sa peklat niya. I can't imagine how he managed to live through that times in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people.

"Nang medyo gumaling na ako, napagdesisyunan kong umalis na roon dahil sa banta sa buhay ko. Ayokong madamay ang dalawang matanda kaya kinailangan ko silang iwan nang hindi nagpapaalam ng maayos. I lived in Guimba for a year, La Trinidad for 2 years, Bayumbong for 8 months, then I settled in Baler. I contact Lieutenant Corpuz every once in a while and convinced him to work with me for your investigation."