In the Heart of Horizon (Sunset Avenues #4)

Chapter 49

Chapter 49 

Strings 

Tumatagaktak ang pawis ko. I roamed my eyes around. The winter was already over, the reason why I was sweating so bad. Dinama ko ang aking katawan, making myself believe that it was just a nightmare.

The car crash in that nightmare was so vivid.. And it happened in Pagudpud. My body shivered at the thought of him losing in that car crash. Para akong isang kandela na nauupos.

I looked at the mirror across the room and the clock.

It was quarter to three.

Mabilis pa rin ang takbo ng puso ko. Don't think about it, Asia. It's not true. It will never be true. Ilang beses kong kinumbinsi ang sarili ko hanggang sa mag-umaga.

I don't think I can wait. Hinanap ko ang aking phone. Tinanaw ko ang bintana habang hinihintay ang pagsagot niya. The press conference that we had watched the day prior, he didn't call on his way home. Kaya natatakot ako. Magkaiba man ang oras sa Pilipinas at sa America. He always adjusts and follows the time here.

I don't even know where this fear is coming from.

Hinaplos ko ang tiyan ko. It's not even logical to consider that nightmare as a premonition, as bad luck. I prayed so hard as I caressed my belly.

Vance, please come home to us.

Dahil hindi na rin naman ako makatulog, sumilip ako sandali sa room ni Hance. Pinagmasdan ko ang anak ko ilang sandali bago isinara ang kan'yang silid. Dumiretso ako sa kusina at doon ako pumangalumbaba.

Pakiramdam ko ay mababasag ang tasa na hawak ko. I couldn't get the scenario off my mind kahit pa sabihin ko nang ilang beses na hindi iyon totoo. But he wasn't answering my call at the same time. Kaya paanong hindi ako kinakabahan?

I tried to spend the remaining time until the sunrise on the balcony of the house and tried to write an article. Pinipilit kong burahin ang mga imaheng naroon sa panaginip ko. In time, Vance will be here and tell me the things that he went through for the last months that we were apart.

We'd prepare for the baby. Hindi ko na gagawing mag-isa ang mga ginawa ko sa nakalipas na buwan. The third trimester will be for the both of us.

Sumilip na ang umaga at nagising na rin si Yaya Yoli. Nagtataka rin siya kung bakit sobrang aga kong nagasing dahil normal na alas sais o alas siyete ang gising ko. Idinahilan ko ang tiyan ko. Hindi ko masabi ang tungkol sa panaginip ko.

I went to the comfort room. Pinagmasdan kong mabuti ang repleksyon ko sa salamin. Then I took some photos and videos. Hinihingi niya kasi sa akin iyon tuwina at nakakasiguro akong punong-puno na ng pictures ng tiyan ko ang phone niya. But it wouldn't still erase what I had in mind.

Natapos ang araw na iyon na walang tawag mula sa kan'ya. We had already spent our usual everyday routine. Nagtatanong na rin si ate kung kailan nga ba haharap sa pamilya ko si Vance. Kung kailan siya darating ng California gayong anim na buwan na ang nasa tiyan ko. Lumipas ang araw na iyon, and I still attributed it to the fact that, mayroon siyang inaayos bago sumunod.

One morning, ginising ako ni Yaya Yoli at sinabihang may bisita kami. Kung si Vance iyon, he could have surprised me. But it wasn't. Bumungad sa aming sala ang isang babaeng sa isang sulyap ay kamukha ni Vance. Nagdikit ang aking kilay.

Bumaba ang kan'yang mata sa aking tiyan. Tumayo siya at inilahad ang kan'yang kamay. "Hello, I am Desiree Ongpauco."

Sinuri ko siyang mabuti. I was sure that I had already seen her face before. She was hesitant as well to greet me and introduce herself. At the back of my mind, I already had an idea.