Torn Apart

11

Play: The Way i Love You by Michal Leah before reading this chapter. Happy readings!

Irene's POV

"I can trust you? Right?" I ask him. Is this really my husband? Or I'm just hallucinating?

Sometimes i saw him as Lorenzo. Sometimes it's Greggy... I'm confused.

"Of course, babe..." he caressed my back. I'm still hugging him. "You can count on me..."

"Thank y-you..." i stuttered.

"I have something to tell you..." kinalas niya ang pagyakap sa'kin. He cupped both of my shoulder.

"There is someone outside... don't worry she's a girl. She will ask you and all you need to do is to answer her questions. Is that alright?" He was softly asking me.

Kinagat ko ang labi ko. What if he's lying?

"I know you're not trusting me fully right now yet. But I'm assuring you that she's a good person." Para bang nabasa niya ang nasa utak ko.

"O-okay..." tumango ako. I look at his face. His face become soft. "I will call her, okay? Will you be okay here?" I nodded again.

Lumabas siya at ako naman ay binaling ang paningin sa may bintana. It was still so fresh to me what happened.

Nahihiya ako kay Greggy at sa mga anak ko dahil ang dumi-dumi ko na. Wala na akong maihaharap sa kanila dahil nahawakan na ako ng iba...

Nahihiya ako dahil baka mandiri sila sa'kin...

"Hi... Irene, right?" I went back to my senses when i heard a voice came from the door.

"Y-yeah..." sagot ko.

"Will it be okay if i sat beside you?" She ask me nicely. Tumango ako at pilit na ngumiti ng kaunti.

"Thank you, Irene. Now can i ask you?" She smiled at me. I nodded.

"That's good!" She exclaimed. Medyo gumaan ang pakiramdam ko dahil sa presensya niya. She's bubbly.

"How are you today?"

"I don't know..." i bow and played my fingers.

"It's okay... just don't answer my question if it makes you uncomfortable..."

I nodded

"Can you tell me what's going on on in your mind right now?"

"I'm scared..."

She nodded at sinulat iyon sa notebook na dala niya. She ask me more questions. Her questions were basics that it's just actually about my feelings and self.

"Okay..." she closed her notebook and stood up. "That will be all for today. Thank you for cooperating with me, Irene..."

I nodded. Lumabas siya at sinundan ko lang siya ng tingin hanggang sa makalabas na siya ng tuloyan.

Minutes past. The door opened. It reveals Greggy. Ngumiti ako at umalis sa kama para yakapin siya.

He was stunned when i saw his face as i hug him.

Bigla akong kinabahan at nahiya. Inalis ko ang pagkakayakap sa kanya at umatras.

I saw him looking at me with puzzling look.

"I-im sorry..." i bow down my head. He don't like me? Don't he?

"What's wrong? Hmm?" He suddenly ask me with his soft voice. Lumapit siya sa'kin at tinaas ang ulo ko.

He cupped my face hanggang sa magkatinginan kami.

"You don't like me? Right?" I ask. I was nearly to cry.

"What!? Why would i don't like my wife?" His voice was so caring. Kinabig niya ako sa mahigpit na pagkayakap.

"You supposed to disgust me... ang dumi-dumi ko... Greggy, madumi na ako..." umiyak ako sa dibdib niya.

"B-babe..."

"No! Why would you love someone who was so filthy! Why? Ginagawa mo lang 'to dahil naaawa ka sa'kin? Diba?" Mas umiyak ako at pilit na umalis sa yakap niya.

"Irene... of course not..." he was still so calm.

"Ayoko ng na-aawa ka lang sa'kin kasi asawa mo'ko. If you're disgusted with me you can tell me. Dahil p-pati ako Greggy. Kinakahiya ko ang sarili ko! Ang dumi-dumi ko!"

Naramdaman ko'ng hinigpitan niya ang yakap niya sa'kin. Tiningnan ko siya at nakita ko ang mga luha niyang tumutulo na.

"Irene. You are not. Babe, listen to me... you are not disgusting... you hear me? Hindi ka madumi. You are my wife and nothing can change that. I did this because i love you. You understand?" He uttered.

"Please don't think that way. Nasasaktan ako pagsinasabihan mo ang sarili mo ng ganyan, Irene... parang sinasaksak ang puso ko pag-umiiyak ka... wag mo naman sabihan ang sarili mo ng ganyan, mahal..." this time we are not hugging each other. He said those words ng nakaharap sakin.

Bigla na lamang siyang lumuhod sa harapan ko. Nakagat ko ang pangibabang labi ko.

"Irene... you are my everything. Pagnasasaktan ka mas lalo akong nasasaktan... we will cure you, okay? Papagalingin natin ikaw, babe, mahal ko."

"I'm sorry. Sorry kasi hindi ka namin nahanap ng mas maaga..."

"G-greggy..." he stood up. Niyapus niya ako ng mahigpit. I hugged him back.

"I-i'm sorry..." i murmured. Umiling siya.

"N-no. Ako dapat humingi ng tawad sayo, babe. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Irene..." mas umiyak ako dahil sa sinabi niya.

"Mahal na mahal kita." He whispered.

He guided me to our bed. Pinahiga niya ako. He was still hugging me and caressing my back.

"Gusto mo bang maligo na? Hindi ka ba naiinitan?" He ask me.

Tiningnan ko siya at ngumiti. "Mabaho na ba ako?" I pouted. He shook his head.

"Of course not, hindi kaya bumabaho ang babe ko..." he kissed my forehead.

Hinigpitan ko ang yakap sa kanya. I closed my eyes. Cherishing our moment.

Avon's POV

I was here at my room. Gumagawa ng project ko. I was searching for a cultural things on google when i noticed that there was an unknown message in my email.

I was about to click the message when someone knock on my door.

"Avon! Kakain na daw!" Napatayo ako bigla at lumapit sa pintuan.

Binuksan ko ito at nakita ko si Kuya Alfy na nakapambahay na.

"Wow. Himala maaga umuwi, ah?" I ask him, sarcastically. He frowned.

"At least walang ballpen sa mukha." Tumawa siya ng malakas. Sinipa ko siya at lumabas na.

Sinara ko ang pinto at sabay kaming bumaba ng kuya ko. Inakbayan niya ako habang inaasar.

"Hi, Mommy ko!" I exclaimed when i saw her at our dining table. It's been a week since she was slowly recovering from her trauma.

She also can recognize my brothers right now. Hindi na rin siya masyadong takot sa mga lalaki.

Kapag nasa labas lang siya natatakot at ayaw kumawala kay Daddy. I was really happy right now because she was slowly coming back from her old self.

"Upo ka na, Anak." Nakangiti niyang sabi. I sat down next to her. Sinandukan niya ako ng kanin. Pati ang mga kuya ko.

"Thank you, Mommy ko!" I cheered up. Hinalikan niya ang noo ko.

Kumuha na ako ng ulam. I put my spoon that's already full of rice and my ulam when i heard my Mom praying.

Dali-dali kong nabuga ang pagkain ko at pumikit dala yuko. Hindi pa pala nagdadasal.

"Amen" they uttered.

"A-amen..." i murmured.