SUMMER
I was back in the manor again after everything I've experienced. It was Justice who made sure that despite all the men trying to kidnap me, I would still be safe and unharmed.
Marami sila at hindi rin biro ang lakas na mayroon sila. Each man was skilled and won't hesitate to be violent when they didn't get what they want. Ilang beses ko na rin napatunayan iyon dahil sa ilang beses nilang pagsubok na kaladkarin ako papalayo kay Florence kanina.
Speaking of Florence, hindi ko alam kung nasaan na siya ngayon. All I know is when Justice got me in his arms, we went here immediately. Nagsilbing pain si Florence para makaalis kami ni Justice roon ng tahimik.
I was still shocked on what I saw earlier, and Justice seem to know that kaya naman hindi niya ako sinubukang kausapin pagkarating namin dito. Hinayaan niya lang ako na maupo sa isang tabi upang makapagisip ng maayos at huminga.
What happened was really terrifying. The sudden shift of events really shocked me to my core. I am still questioning how a simple dinner could end up like this. I definitely didn't see this one coming.
As far as I could remember, my life was normal. I lived a normal life. Iyon rin ang sabi sa akin ng mga magulang ko. So, why is this craziness happening to me all of a sudden?
At yung kanina.. the heck, asawa ko si Justice? May asawa ako? Kinasal kami? Kailan? Saan? At bakit? Ang dami kong tanong and it frustrates me even more than no one is there to answer me.
I covered my face with both of my hands and sobbed silently to release it all out. Mas mahihirapan ako lalo kung hindi ko ito ilalabas.
Napakahirap habulin ang katotohanan lalo na kung ikaw lang ang humahabol nito.
Patuloy lamang ako sa paghikbi nang maramdaman ko ang pagyakap sa akin ni Justice, hinahaplos-haplos niya ang buhok ko upang patahanin ako. We just stayed in that position until there were no tears left in my eyes.
Justice was there to console me with his touch and forehead kisses. Kahit unang beses ko pa lang ito naranasan ay pakiramdam ko ay hahanap-hanapin ko iyon. He was like a drug to me and every time he touches my skin through his hands or his lips, it creates a feeling that I want to experience all over again. He was addicting.
Wala naman sigurong manghuhusga sa amin dahil sa posisyon namin ngayon, hindi ba? It was him who broke the news to me that I was his wife. Aren't this how married couples act? Pero paano kung makita kami ni Florence? Magagalit kaya siya?
I was busy worrying how Florence would react when Justice carried me effortlessly in a bridal style. Dinala niya ako sa kwarto niya at maingat akong inilapag sa kama niya. He then left suddenly and went back with a glass of water in his hands.
"Drink, liebe." malambing na alok niya sa akin. "You cried so much earlier; you need to replace those water that you lost."
Nahihiya kong tinanggap ang hawak niya at agad na ininom ito hanggang kalahati. I wasn't really that thirsty. Pagkatapos ay inilagay ko ito sa ibabaw ng isang maliit na lamesa sa gilid ng kama niya para inumin ang natitira kung mauhaw man ako.
Justice was just staring at me the whole time. Nakahalukipkip ang kaniyang mga braso habang nakadantay ang kaniyang katawan sa frame ng pinto.
"You done?" sambit niya.
Tumango naman at ako, "Oo. Bakit ka nandiyan?" tinapik ko ang espasyo sa tabi ko. "Dito ka oh."
"Do you really want me to sit beside you?" nakaawang ang labi na tanong ni Justice, halata sa tono ng pananalita niya ang tuwa dahil sa sinabi ko.
"Oo naman. Wala namang masama kung uupo ka sa tabi ko." natatawa kong saad.
Mabilis niyang sinabunutan ang sarili niya at pumikit, "Damn, is this fucking real?" bulong ni Justice sa sarili niya, tila kinukumbinsi na totoo ang lahat ng nangyayari.
Nang marinig ang mahinang tawa ko ay mabilis siyang umupo sa tabi ko at niyakap ako. Binaon niya ang kaniyang sarili sa leeg ko at tahimik na nanatili lang doon. I was hesitating if I will brush his hair using my fingers, but I did it anyways. Mas lalo naman niyang hinigpitan ang pagkayakap sa akin.
Naalala ko ang sinabi sa akin ng mga magulang ko tungkol sa mga Aguirre. Kung totoo talaga iyon, bakit ko ito nararamdaman ngayon? Hindi ba dapat ay makaramdam ako ng takot at kaba sa presensya nila?
This feels right. Everything right now feels right. His presence and touch make me feel at ease, that even though I saw crazy things earlier I still managed to be sane, because he was there. Justice was there to make me feel calm.
Naaalala siya ng puso ko, at natatakot ako na baka pag dating ng araw na malaman ko na ang lahat ay wala na siya sa tabi ko para pakalmahin ako. Natatakot ako na baka sa araw na ako naman ang habulin ng katotohanan ay siya naman ang makalimot. Natatakot ako sa mga posibilidad sa oras na handa akong harapin ang lahat. Would he still be by my side until then?
Kumalas sa yakap si Justice at hinawi ang ilang mga piraso ng buhok ko sa mukha ko. His facial expression remained the same, bakas pa rin doon ang pangungulila at saya. It was enough for him to tell me how much I had affected him, how everything I lost also means he lost everything too.
It still feels weird that he was my husband. Bata pa ako and never in my life I would imagine being married at such a young age. The girls and I have always imagined marrying at the age of twenty-six when our careers are stable and have babies together at the same time, which was by the way, Florence disagreed on. That thought makes me wonder even more, alam kaya ni Florence ang tungkol dito? Does she know the whole time and didn't tell me? Kasi kung oo, what secrets does she have kept from me all this time? And why didn't she tell me?
Asan na ba kasi si Flo? Her being not here really doesn't help. It just makes me curious even more for the revelations that would happen. Isa siya sa mga makakasagot ng mga katanungan ko. She is my bestfriend after all. Siya ang kasama ko sa dalawang taong hindi ko kilala ang sarili ko. She was the one who planted everything that I forgotten in my mind, kaya siya rin ang may kakayahan na bawiin ito kung hindi man ito totoo.
And from what she said earlier before the chaos happened, I know she has tons of secrets to confess, and I don't know if I can handle all of that in just one night.
Ngayon ko lang din siya nakita nang ganoon. Never ko siyang nakita na gumamit ng baril o humawak man nito. All I know is she can be aggressive because of her intermittent explosive disorder, and she is very skilled when it comes to knives. But what happened earlier is a whole new level of skills when it comes to using it.
Florence Chastity, what lies underneath your walls?
"Pwede ko na bang malaman ang lahat?" panimula kong tanong kay Justice.
Tumikhim naman siya at inayos ang pagkaupo, "Of course, liebe. Ask away."
"Sino ba talaga ako? At anong koneksyon ko sa iyo at sa mga Aguirre?" matapang kong tanong.
"I didn't expect that would be the first question." Justice laughed heartily before shifting to a much more serious expression.
"Your name is Augustine Giudicelli, you are a renowned heir of a black organization..." huminga siya ng malalim bago ipagpatuloy ang kaniyang sasabihin. "...and the last of your blood."
