Task Force Trilogy #1: Bullet

Chapter 43

ALA-SINGKO na ng hapon. Nasa labas kami ngayon, nakaupo habang nagmamasid lang sa labas. We decided to watch the sunset with the twins just playing around. Sa harap namin ay isang maliit na lamesa kung nasaan nandoon ang kape niya, at ang gatas na tinimpla ko para sa amin.

"That urn, Aurora..."

"Hmm?" Bumaling ako sa kaniya.

"The urn inside. What should we do about it?"

"Ibibigay natin iyon pabalik sa Task Force. Kailangan kasi nilang imbestigahan ang abong naroon. Honestly? I feel bad. I grieved for that urn because I thought it was you. Feels weird everytime."

He took my hand and intertwined our fingers. Dinala niya iyon sa labi at masuyong hinalikan. "What should we do for tomorrow?"

"Well. Ihahatid natin bukas ang mga bata sa school. Then hindi naman ako hanggang gabi nagtatrabaho so maybe in the afternoon, we can go in the mall, buy you some things. Sabi naman ni ate Annie ay dadalhin niya rito iyong mga dati mong gamit. So we'll just buy few ones."

His eyes smiled. "Kuwentuhan mo ako."

"Kuwentuhan? Ng ano?"

"About you."

Sumandal ako sa upuan at mahinang natawa. "Really? You want me to tell you what happened to me during those years?"

"Yeah."

"Well," Naging malikot ang mga mata ko. I know I will not tell him everything. Because half of those years are all bad things. "I am working again as a teacher. I came back to my passion. And then, yeah. I'm an elementary teacher at St. Joseph Academy. But Athena and Adonis aren't studying there. They are in a different school."

"I'm glad." He mumbled softly. "What do you do next? What's your routine, wife?"

"When I'm finished on my work, sinusundo ko ang mga bata. Pati na rin sina Jade. And then Kion would fetch us. May sasakyan kasi siya."

"I know. I saw."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Nakita mo?"

Nakangiti lang siya at umiwas ng tingin. "I was watching you from afar once. Pinapanood ko kayo ng mga bata. And then I saw him fetch you in his car. Though, the next time I did it again, you caught me. And hindi ka na nagpasundo kay Kion. You rode the taxi, right?"

"So it was you!" Napabangon ako. Mahina kong hinampas ang braso niya. "Do you know how worried I was for our safety? Gusto ko ng umalis ng bansa dahil akala ko may nagbabanta sa buhay namin!"

"I'm sorry." Malumanay niyang sabi. Muli siyang bumaling sa akin. "Pero hindi ako makalapit. And I was really too weak that time. All I could do was watch and guard you. Sinundan ko pa ang taxi na sinundan ninyo. Then that's how I found out where you live."

"Ikaw rin ba ang nagligtas sa amin doon sa parke?" Seryoso kong tanong.

"Yeah." His smile widened a little. "Pakiramdam ko mawawalan ako ng hangin sa baga no'ng makita ko na aatakihin kayo ng lalaki. That's why I didn't think twice. I pushed him."

"At nagkasugat ka. How is your wound?"

"It's fine." He lifted his arm. "Ginamot naman na ito ni ate Annie. At lininis ko na rin noon."

"You're reckless. And a stalker." I looked away.

"Sorry, baby. I just arrived in the country and I couldn't think about anything. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako magsisimula. Bumalik ako sa dating HQ pero sirang-sira na iyon. So I did research. And asked one of the soldiers of Task Force about your possible whereabouts."