The Only Escape (Isla Julieta Series #4)

Chapter 44

CHAPTER 44

"B-Bakit... paanong... anong..."

While I'm here, so damn confused, my Valerio was just looking at me amusingly, a grin was plastered on his lips.

"¿Qué diablos, Valerio? ¡Cuatro años! Estuviste ausente durante cuatro años, sin llamadas ni mensajes de texto, sin 'Olesia, estoy viva' y sin— (What the hell, Valerio? Four years! You were gone for four years, no calls or texts, no 'Olesia, I'm alive' and no—)"

Natigil lang ako sa pagsasalita nang tumawa na siya.

"Baby, kailangan ko pang magpayaman. Kailangan ko pang magpalakas. I have to gather men to fight your mafia if ever they attack. I can't do that in just one day. Ang kaya ko pa lang gawin noon ay hindi ma-proseso yung kasal niyo."

Bumagsak ang balikat ko, "W-We thought you're... dead..." nanghihinang sabi ko, naalala ang mga pinagdaanan ko noon, kung ilang gabi akong umiiyak, pinipigilan ang pagdamdam masyado dahil makakasama sa pagbubuntis ko.

"We... including our son?" Nawala ang ngiti niya at napansin ko pa ang paglunok niya.

Dahan-dahan akong tumango. "I don't want to keep things from him. He knows that I'm married to Nikolas but his father is... dead. Taon-taon, tuwing death anniversary mo, pumupunta kami sa mga bangin dito sa Spain para alalahanin ka."

"Hmm..." he nodded, "...on my first... death anniversary, you went to Portbou in Catalonia... then on the second was in Maro-Cerro Gordo in Andalusia, then last year, Vixía Herbeira in Galicia..."

Napaawang ang bibig ko dahil... bakit alam niya?!

"H-How did you..."

He raised my hand and kissed the back of my palm. "I was there, baby. Even when you went to Hong Kong a few months ago? Umaalis lang ako kapag kailangan sa trabaho pero bumabalik din ako kaagad."

I gulped hard as I felt the water pooling in my eyes. One blink and they fell continuously until I couldn't help but sob heavily.

Hinila niya ako para yakapin. I hid my face on his chest and hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't show up. Ilang beses na gusto ko na kayong lapitan pero hindi ko magawa. I don't want to risk it, dahil hindi lang buhay natin ang nakataya rito, pero pati ang anak natin. I'm sorry, wife... pero palagi akong nasa paligid niyo. Noong kinakasal pa lang kayo ni Adriano, nandoon ako."

He was there... all the time for us... watching us from a distance.

"Malayong kamag-anak namin ang naging OB-GYNE mo kaya noong nalaman mo na lalaki ang anak natin, nalaman ko rin agad. I even... held him in my arms when they were doing tests for him before they discharged you in the hospital. Hindi mo rin hinayaan si Nikolas na sumama sa'yo sa loob ng delivery room. You didn't notice me because you were in pain from the labor and pushing our baby out, but I was there. May kamay kang hinawakan noon, 'di ba? That was me. Twelve hours kang nagl-labor but I only witnessed the three hours, I'm sorry. Then you lasted an hour pushing our baby out. I was even the one who cut the umbilical cord."

"V-Valerio..."

My heart ached but it wasn't because of pain. It was from relief and happiness.

Naiintindihan ko kung bakit hindi siya lumapit. Kung bakit kinailangan niyang magtago. Sobrang naiintindihan ko. Kahit ako, ganoon din ang gagawin ko kung nasa sitwasyon niya ako. Makita lang ang mahal ko at ang anak namin sa malayo, kuntento na ako.

"I even learned how to do magic tricks. Isa ako sa clown noong third birthday ni Vio."

Hindi ko na alam kung uunahin ko ba ang tawa o ang pag-iyak sa sinabi niya, lalo na nang natawa na rin siya.