He's Not Just My Boss (Published under PSICOM)

Epilogue

Epilogue

 
My heart was beating erratically as I wait for my cousin, Liam, to answer my call. I know I shouldn't panic but I can't help it. I can't afford to lose her.

"Answer my goddamn call!" I demanded as I paced back and forth Mary Claire's small condo unit. I can feel my body shaking and my hands sweating in fear. This is exaggerated, I know, but when it comes to Mary Claire, everything I feel is larger than life.

After a few rings, Liam answered. "Fuck naman, bro. Natutulog yung tao, eh." 

"This is emergeny, Liam. Nawawala si Mary Claire! I need your help!" 

"Na naman? 'Lang 'ya! Ang hina mo naman. Buntisin mo na lang kasi para hindi na lumayo. " He sounded irritated. Siya kasi ang laging inuutusan kong mag-track kay Mary Claire tuwing nawawala siya.

That happens usually because she wants to leave me, but it's different this time. I can sense it in my heart.

"This is serious! We already made up last night and everything was going okay this morning until I came back and found her gone in her unit." 

"It's twenty-fifteen, Warren! Use your fucking phone!" Liam shouted over the phone and I felt my heart beats in rage.

"I can't call her. Hawak nga ni Wayne ang cellphone niya, 'di ba? Dumbass, just track her! Ang dami mo pang sinasabi!" I clenched my fist as I took a pattern of sighs to calm my nerves.

"Gago ka pala, edi ikaw na lang ang gumawa! Ikaw na nga 'tong may kailangan, ikaw pa 'tong galit at pinagmumura ako!" He shouted back irately.

I gritted my teeth. "Liam, 'pag may nangyaring masama kay Mary Claire papatayin kita!" 

"Liam, ang ingay mo!" I heard a familiar voice of a woman over the line before I heard a loud thud.

"Aray ko. Tang ina naman." I heard him say and that made me smile wryly despite the circumstances. Alam kong isang babae lang ang may kakahayaang manakit kay Liam nang hindi siya nagagalit.

 "I'll call you back, man. Why don't you ask the lobby clerk or the security personnel to kill time as I track her?" From being an asshole, he became serious and I'm so thankful for that.

"I will. Make it fast, man."

"Yes. Don't worry," he said before he ended the call. 

I picked up my keys and other important things before I head down the lobby. Nagtanong ako sa babaeng nagbibigay ng pass sa visitors, pati na rin sa mga security guard na nagbabantay sa building maging sa main gate.

"She has a long, jet black hair, round expressive eyes, tiny upturn nose, small red lips and she has a fair skin. She's about this tall," tinapat ko ang kamay ko sa balikat ko para imuwestra ang range ng height ni Mary Claire. 

I pictured her in my mind. The only woman I fell in love with and the exact moment I fell for her.

Napansin kong tahimik ang batang anak ni mama Barbs. Matagal na siyang pinakilala ni Mama sa akin, akala ko pa naman madadagdagan ang kalaro ko sa pagdating niya sa bahay, pero hindi man lang niya ako kinakausap o tinatapunan ng tingin.

"Hi," it took a lot for me to greet her after a few minutes of just watching her sit in the back garden. Lagi lang siyang nandoon. Hindi siya mahilig mag-laro tulad ng ibang batang babaeng kakilala ko na puro Barbire ang inaatupag. 

She looked at me and did not reply. Napasimangot ako. "Ang sungit mo naman."

"Hindi mo naman ako kilala sinasabihan mo na agad akong masungit," she miraculously replied.