Bini: In Parallel Universe

VIII. Co-parenting

Colet POV

As I entered Jhoanna's condo, I can her our daughter sobbing. Nakayuko lang siya habang tinatakpan ang mga mata niya kaya't nagmadali akong puntahan siya.

"Hey, baby. Are you okay? Why are you crying? We'll go out today, right?" I am firing her questions now because I'm panicking. Seeing my daughter like this breaks my heart.

"M-mommy Colet, Mommy Jho is dead." she managed to say in between her little sobs. "Mom, I tried waking her up but she's not responding po." she added and cried even more.

"What? Where's mommy?" I asked her and she pointed their room. I rushed to their room and saw Jhoanna laying on the floor.

Pinuntahan ko siya at pinulsuhan. Her heart's still beating, bakit nasabi ng anak namin na patay na siya?

I looked around saw bottle of alcoholic drinks in the table, nagkalat din ang pictures nilang dalawa ni Gelo. Yes, Gelo Rivera, her boyfriend now. Punit-punit ito at 'yong iba ay crumpled na.

I went to my daughter and hugged her para kumalma. "Anak, Mommy Jho is not dead. She's just sleeping." I told her.

"Eh? Why is she sleeping on the floor po?" tumahan na siya and looked up to see me. I can now see her curiousity.

"I don't know, baby. Maybe mas malamig sa floor?" I answered at medyo natawa pa ng unti sa rason ko.

"Mommy can we sleep on the floor like mommy Jho po? Let's sleep together as a family!" she exclaimed and clapped her hands.

"Oh, I forgot. Mommy Jho saw a cockroach pala so she chased it and she ended up sleeping there na." I told her.

"Cockroach, mommy? No! I don't like cockroaches! They're ugly!" With that, she hugged me at pilit na nagpakarga.

Tinawagan ko ang mga kaibigan ko para sunduin ang anak ko, her mom and I needs to talk. Ayaw kong naaapektuhan ang anak namin sa kung anong problemanh mayroon siya.

After some time, they're already here.

"What happened?" Maloi asked.

"Same old shit." I shortly replied. Napa-ilang nalang sila at hinarap ang anak ko. Pero bago umalis si Mikha, she said something that made me confuse.

"Dude, talk to her. Ever since you guys broke up, ganyan nalang nangyayari kay Jhoanna. I heard from Aiah she stopped living when you left." she told me and gave me a pat on my back.

Pagkaalis nila ay inayos ko ang condo niya at naghanda ng pagkain for her. This condo is used to be ours. Hindi niya pa rin tinanggal ang picture frames namin at hindi niya pa rin iniiba ang set up ng condo. Kagaya pa rin ng kung paano namin ito plinano.

"What are you doing here? Where's baby Sky?" she asked nang makita niya akong naglalagay ng pancakes sa plate.

"Jho, what happened to you? Nadatnan ko 'yong anak natin na umiiyak kanina dahil akala niya patay ka na." I told her. Kahit na medyo naiinis ako ay pinili ko pa ring maging kalmado. This is not the right time to add fuel to the fire.

"Look, I'm sorry. Akala ko kasi kila mommy siya matutulog at akala ko susunduin siya so I decided to have an alone time." she reasoned out.

"And your alone time was drowning yourself with alcohol?" I sarcastically asked but she didn't respond.

"Jhoanna! Ano bang nangyayari sa'yo? I didn't let you go for this. Huwag mo naman sanang sayangin 'yong hiningi mong freedom from me para lang sirain ang buhay mo!" I told her.

"I know. It's just that, ang hirap hirap humanap ng taong tatanggapin ako sa kung sino ako. I kept dating someone but they all broke me. Kung hindi naman nila ako niloloko, ako ang nang-iiwan because no matter how much I tried forgetting you, ikaw pa rin nakikita ko sa kanila." she's now crying and slowly opening up.

"How about Gelo?" I asked.

"I broke up with him after I caught him with another girl." she replied.

"Gago talaga 'yon! Nagpromise pa siya sa akin na aalagaan niya kayo ng anak ko." I shook my head out of disappointment.

"My ego was hurt. I was supposed to break up with him naman na talaga, naunahan lang ako." she said.

"Jhoanna naman! Hindi dapat ganito eh. Dapat masaya ka! Dapat free kang gawin lahat ng gusto mo dahil iyon 'yong hiniling mo sa akin." pagmamaktol ko.

"D-do you still love me?" she asked.

"Jhoanna, I was supposed to be in Thailand now. With my family. Pero bakit andito pa rin ako? Kasi mahal na mahal kita at gusto ko siguraduhing worth it ang sacrifices ko. Jho, andito pa rin ako oh!" and now, I'm the one tearing up.

"Colet, I made a mistake of letting you go." she said.

"Then take me back." I told her and went closer to her.

With too much emotions inside us, we slowly closed the gap between us. As I crashed my lips to hers, I remembered all our memories together.

"Fix yourself, we'll go to our daughter na after breakfast." I told her.

She nodded, and said. "I love you, Colet. I always will."

"I love you, Jho. I never stopped."