ECHOES OF OUR VOWS

CHAPTER 14

"AYAW KO na lang pala sumama, Keus," Eunice suddenly said.

Napakunot ang noo ni Keus nang marinig iyon mula sa asawa.

It was supposed to be their day together. Kahit Linggo ngayon, may kaunting issue sa kumpanya, pero hindi na siya pumasok. He promised Eunice na lalabas sila. He wanted to keep his word.

Pero dahil sa narinig, mabilis pa sa alas-kuwatro niyang isinara ang laptop sa harap niya.

"Love, anong problema?" tanong niya, eyes following Eunice hanggang sa makaupo ito sa tabi niya.

"Bakit ba "love" ka nang "love"? Alis nga riyan, naiirita ako sa 'yo!" medyo malakas na turan nito sabay tulak nang mahina sa kanya para lumayo.

Nagulat siya. Umupo ito sa tabi niya pero paaalisin din pala siya?

Huminga siya ng malalim. Lately, napapansin niyang mas nagiging moody si Eunice, and honestly, natatakot siya.

Kung anu-ano na tuloy ang pumapasok sa isip niya kapag nagkakaganito ang asawa.

Baka walang kwenta si Dr. Gregant Sanchez, kaya hindi gumagaling si Eunice. Or maybe may ibang sakit siya na hindi pa nadidiskubre.

It's not that he's paranoid, he just hates seeing her struggle. Kaya kahit mahirap, tiniis niyang intindihin at pagpasensyahan ito. At some point, natutuwa pa nga siya kasi at least, nakikita niya ang ibang side ni Eunice.

Pero kasabay niyon, guilt also hit him. Maybe, in the past years, hindi niya talaga nabigyan ng sapat na atensyon si Eunice. Maybe he failed her in ways na hindi niya napansin noon.

So he made a mental note. He'd focus more on her. He didn't want history to repeat itself. Dahil kung mangyari pa ulit, baka tuluyan nang mawala si Eunice sa kanya. And that would be his greatest nightmare.

They've never really talked about their future plans after the annulment. But for him, isa lang ang plano niya to forget about the annulment and start all over again.

Alam niyang alam din ni Eunice ang gusto niya, kahit hindi ito nagsasalita tungkol dito.

"Okay, hindi na. So... can you tell me what's on your mind?" tanong niya nang lumipat siya sa upuan malapit dito.

"Gusto kong mag-apply."

"Mag-apply? Saan?"

"To Diana's company again." Nakangiting sagot nito bago muling bumalik sa tabi niya.

Pinilit niyang huwag huminga nang malalim para hindi siya mapagalitan o mainis ito.

"Please, let me," dagdag pa ni Eunice, sabay hawak sa braso niya.

At dahil ayaw na niyang lumala ang mood nito, wala siyang nagawa kundi pumayag. Kahit ayaw niyang mapagod si Eunice, he silently planned.

I'll just ask Dwayne to lessen her workload. Para hindi siya mapagod.

Yinakap niya ito pabalik.

THE WHOLE day, wala nang ginawa si Eunice kundi matulog, kaya hindi na rin nakabalik si Keus sa trabaho.

Well, how could he say no to her kung ganito itong naglalambing?

"Dito ka lang, okay? Kapag umalis ka, sa CR ka matutulog." biro ni Eunice, kaya natawa si Keus nang bahagya. Hindi siya tumutol, at masaya na itong humiga sa kanya, gamit ang braso niya bilang unan.

Tahimik lang silang dalawa. Walang salita, pero ang simple at payapang moment na iyon felt complete. Keus absentmindedly ran his fingers through her hair, habang nakapikit lang si Eunice, clearly comfortable.

Hindi niya tuloy maiwasang mag-isip. What if nandito ang mga anak nila? Siguro mas masaya at hindi gano'n kahirap ang buhay nila.

Pero alam ni Eunice, no matter how much she looked back, wala na siyang magagawa sa nakaraan. It's all in the past. And she has no choice but to accept it, kahit masakit.

"What are you thinking?" mahina at maingat na tanong ni Keus.

"I was just wondering... kung hindi mo ba nalaman ang lahat, will you still chase after me?" she asked softly, eyes gazing up at him.

"Yes. Pero I guess it would be too late for me to make amends for what I've done." He kissed her forehead.

"What happened was too painful. I know my mistake and everything, pero I was blinded by jealousy. At noong nawala ka ng ilang buwan, doon ko lang na-realize na kahit gaano kalaki ang galit ko kay mommy sa mga kasinungalingan niya, it never erased the fact that I wasn't complete without you. I can't live without you. And I was an idiot, choosing my pride over my love for you. Kinain ako ng galit at selos kaya nasaktan kita. I know my words sound too flowery, pero... can you give me another chance? Just one more. To prove myself, to live this lifetime with you the way we planned. Because kahit ilang beses ko pang ulitin... you're my other half."

Nakatingin siya kay Eunice, at nakita niyang unti-unting pumikit ito, with tears sliding down her cheeks.

"I was planning to surprise you on our wedding anniversary, but I think I can't wait any longer. I want to fix everything between us," he whispered, gently wiping her tears.

Dahan-dahan niyang kinuha mula sa bulsa ang maliit na box na ilang buwan na niyang itinatago.

Kung tatanggi ito, he'd understand. Hindi niya pipilitin. But he didn't want to be a coward anymore. He had to take the risk.

"I want to marry you again, but I won't force you. Kung annulment pa rin ang gusto mo..." He paused, taking a deep breath, eyes glassy. "I'll arrange it right away."

He knew she wasn't fully comfortable yet. Ang tanging nais niya lang ay ang kaligayahan ni Eunice, even if it meant letting her go.

"Dumbass! Are you going to hurt me again?! Alis ka! Naiirita ako sa 'yo! Nakakarami ka na!" biglang sigaw ni Eunice, umiiyak, sabay hawak sa laptop ni Keus, tila ihahampas na sa kanya.

"Lov—" Hindi pa niya natatapos ang salita nang biglang tumakbo si Eunice papunta sa kusina.

Gulat siyang sumunod, only to find her vomiting hard inside the bathroom.

Nasa kamay pa rin nito ang laptop, now stained, pero hindi na iyon ang iniintindi ni Keus. Ang mahalaga, ang asawa niyang nahihirapan.

"Are you alright? May nakain ka bang mali?" bulong niya, rubbing her back.

Walang sagot si Eunice, dahil hirap pa rin ito.

Ilang minuto pa bago tuluyang nanghina si Eunice at lumingon sa kanya. Kaagad siyang inalalayan ni Keus, maingat na nilinis ang asawa.

"Kaya ko na," namamalat nitong sabi.

Pero hindi siya tumigil, tuloy pa rin sa pagpupunas.

"Give me that," sabi ni Eunice pagkatapos, sabay abot ng box mula sa bulsa ni Keus.

"Please, don't hurt me anymore," she whispered, before sliding the second ring onto her finger.

At bago pa siya makapagsalita, Eunice pulled out something from behind her.

Isang pregnancy test kit.

"Let's finally fix our broken vows," Eunice said, smiling through her tears.