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30: Epilogue

30: Epilogue

“Hendrix…are you okay?”

I heard her angelic voice when my consciousness rose up. Hindi ko sinagot ang kanyang tanong, bagkus ay hinila na lamang ito palapit sa akin at siilin siya ng yakap. Her sweet and delicate smell lingers in my nostrils the moment I inhale her scent.

“Ano ba, tinatanong kita, wala ka bang bibig?” saad niya muli. Napangiti na lamang ako sa bilis mag-iba ng ugali niya. She's always been like that. Very honest, frank, and always speaks what is in her mind. “Hay naku, hindi naman pipi ang asawa ko para hindi magsalita, baka next time putulin ko na lang kaya dila mo para literal na wala ka ng sasabihin?”

I like her brutality. Her constant nagging, her endless argument, and her non-stop tantrum. Mas lumala ata siya ngayon kaya mas lalo lamang akong nahuhulog.

“Hendrix, kanina ka pa umuungol, did you have a bad dream?” nag-aalala na tanong niya sa akin habang hinahawakan ang aking braso.

“I have a wet dream with you,” I replied slyly, which made her slap my arm. Her groans echoed in the room and my laugh followed right after. “I am kidding, Bella. It was an obvious bad but fulfilling dream, tinatanong mo pa.”

“Aba, namimilosopo ka ng hayop ka?!” singhal niya sa akin. Agad akong napalayo sa lakas ng boses niya na siyang agad niyang napansin at pinandilatan ako ng mata. “Aba, aba! Nagrereklamo ka ba Hendrix Asvameth Nilvander?! Bwisit ka, bitawan mo 'ko kundi hihiwain ko 'yang ari mo!”

I loosen my grasp and she immediately jumps out of bed, glaring at me with her watering eyelids. Ayan na naman ang pagiging sensitibo niya sa maliliit na bagay. She looked dejected as her forefinger pointed at me.

“Hindi mo na ako mahal…”

Her statement was outrageous pero sinakyan ko ang trip niya. Nag-kunwari akong nag-iisip at agad akong napatawa ng tinapon niya ang isang unan sa akin. Her tears flowed from her eyes and even if she's cute when crying, I can't stand seeing her in pain.

“I hate you!” inis na saad niya. “Nagkunwari ka pang nag-iisip, kaya ibig sabihin hindi mo na ako mahal. Sige, maghiwalay na lang tayo pero sa akin ang anak mo, bwisit ka!”

Padabog siyang umalis habang napapailing na lamang akong sinundan siya. I never knew pregnant women are like this, konting kembot nagtatampo, tapos kapag hindi sinusuyo ang raming inuungkat na kasalanan na hindi ko naman maalala kung kailan.

“Wife—”

“Hindi mo 'ko asawa,” putol niya sa sasabihin ko.

She went to our closet and started to pack her things. Napasandal na lamang ako sa pader at pinagkrus ang mga braso ko. “Itigil mo na 'yan, ikaw lang din ang magbabalik nyan mamaya, pinapagod mo lang sarili mo.”

“Hindi ko 'to ibabalik kasi aalis na talaga ako!” namumula ang mata at pisngi na sabi niya kaya napangisi na lamang ako. Ang ganda ng asawa ko, sa kaputian niya ngayon at pamumula niya, mukha siyang anghel sa paningin ko. Kung sabagay, anghel naman talaga si Bella.

She's an angel that saved me.

“You said that 23 times in the past month,” I said.

Napatigil siya at tumingin sa akin ng masama. Para niya akong sinaksak ng patalim sa uri ng titig niya. “This time, totohanin ko na. Hindi mo na ako mahal, di'ba? Look at me, ang taba-taba ko na, ang takaw ko pa, ang bigat ko tapos gigising lang pala ako na hindi na ako mahal ng asawa ko!”

“When did I say I didn't love you?” I asked.

“Kanina!" sagot niya.

I raise a brow as a response. Agad siyang napatahimik at napatulala na parang iniisip niya kung kailan ko ba sinabing hindi ko na siya mahal. Binagsak niya ang hawak na mga damit at nangingilid ang mga luhang tumingin sa akin.

“Mahal mo pa rin ako, hindi ba?” she asked.

“I never get tired of loving you, Isabella.”

“Kahit ang taba at panget ko na?” tanong niya muli.

“It's only natural for a seven month pregnant woman to be fat. You're eating twice: for you and for our child. Hindi ka mataba, sexy ka pa rin naman. Hindi nalalagasan ang ganda mo, sa katunayan, mukha kang anghel ngayon.”

“Nahahawa ka na talaga sa pagiging bolero ng Duke, Hendrix. Huwag ka ng sumama sa kanya kasi parang naghahalo na utak niyo e,” nakasimangot niyang sabi. Hinawakan niya ang kanyang malaking tyan. “Ang takaw kasi ng anak mo, kaya mukha akong balyena!”

Napangiti na lamang ako. I extended my hand for her to reach and the moment she clung her palm on it, I pulled her for a hug. “Relax, wife. You're still beautiful in my eyes. Mahal pa rin kita kahit balyena ka na— aray, Isabella!”

“Sinisigawan mo 'ko, Hendrix!”

“Hindi, masakit lang 'yong sapak mo, mahal.”

She frowned but she went back hugging me. Sinubsob niya lang ang mukha niya sa dibdib ko habang hinahagod ko ang kanyang likod. Kalaunan ay kumalas siya at tiningnan ako ng masinsinan.

“Masama ba talaga panaginip mo?”

A flash of concern flowed in her black eyes. A smile creeped my lips as I strode my fingers on her hair. “My mother visited me in my dream, Bella. She bid a farewell and a blessing.”

“Did she?” she said.

“Yes,” I quickly answered.

It was the truth. I dreamed of my mother last night, she was happily talking to me and gave her blessings to our child. It was a farewell because the moment I woke up, I was guilt-free. Since then, I have blamed myself for her death. Hindi siya mamamatay kung lumabas ako sa closet na 'yon at humingi ng tulong.

I couldn't protect her, and I carried that burden since. Sinundan pa noong kay Rafaello na siyang mas nagpalala sa sakit ko at halos gusto ko na lang itigil lahat, pero ayaw kong iwan ang asawa ko. I failed twice, and I don't want to fail again. I want to be better, and so, I accepted the fact that I must focus on my goals with my wife and my soon to be family. Po-protektahan ko ang pamilya ko at ilalayo ko sila sa panganib.

“Hendrix,” tawag niya sa pangalan ko. I always like it when she calls my name. May ibang tinig, iba ang epekto at iba ang pinapadamang saya nito sa akin.

“Gusto mo bang makarinig ng kwento?” dagdag niya agad. “May kwento ako, baka gusto mong marinig.”

“I will listen to your voice, wife.”

She lifted her head and looked at me. Her eyes flashed a beautiful and sparkling look, as her smile showed itself without her notice. Hinila niya ako paalis sa closet area at bumalik sa kama. She gently tapped the bed to let me sit while holding my hand.

Sinakyan ko na naman ang trip niya kahit umusbong ang libog ko sa katawan ng maalala kong manipis lang pala ang suot na damit ng asawa ko. I tried to control my thirst for making love to her in broad daylight. She's too beautiful to resist, and I can't be more proud that she's mine.

“This story is about a girl who wished for a happily ever after before anyone else, and she finally has it at the end. But, attaining it was very difficult for her,” she started spilling a familiar plot. Isabella looked at me with a smile on her face and a fulfilling look of merriment in her eyes.

“It is a story about my second life,” she added, which raised my eyebrows as confusion struck my system. “You always asked me why I know the future and some parts of your life. Because I had known it before, and when I told you the first time we talked that I will protect you, it was because you suffered in our past life. When I died, I had asked for the gods in heaven to grant me a wish to be reborn, and if that happens, I want to attain a happily ever after with you.”

I couldn't help my lips to smile just like what she's showing. She added her statement that made me love her more. “I want to be with you this time, forever.”

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