denly ficlets

keepsake

"Besh, how is she?" I asked Ella who just arrived at my condo.

"She's doing okay naman, besh. Na-pack niya na lahat ng gamit niya kanina, babalikan niya na lang yung ibang naiwan sa next off niya kasi si Bean lang dala niya kanina, e hindi magkakasya lahat," she replied.

"Did she say anything about me?" I asked her again.

"You know you're just going to get hurt, Ly. Magluto ka na nga riyan, gutom na ako oh." She answered, making me laugh at her antics.

Babalikan niya raw mga iniwan niya, kasama ba ako roon? Iniwan niya rin ako eh.

"Ay Ly, kailan ka pala pupunta sa condo para kunin yung mga gamit mo? Pinapatanong ni besh," she said, which made my eyes light up. She asked about me?

"Ayan nanaman po siya. Tinatanong niya para hindi kayo magsabay, ayaw ka na raw talaga niyang pahirapan," she immediately followed up, crushing the little ounce of hope I had right away.

Hindi pa ba ako nahihirapan sa ganitong sitwasyon namin?

I picked up the envelope Ella placed on the counter when she arrived, and I could not help but tear up when I saw what was inside. It was the deed of absolute sale for our condominium unit, the one we shared and called our home for the past six years.

"Huy, besh, okay ka lang?" Ella nudged me.

"Oo siguro, besh. Sino ba naman ako para pigilan siya sa pagkamit ng pangarap niya, diba?" I said, and went inside my room.

A week later...

I walked inside the nearly empty unit, and to my surprise, Dennise was inside, sorting a box.

"Oh, kala ko, done ka na with packing?" I spoke, startling her.

"Ah, you're here? I thought you had a meeting today?" she asked while taking a picture frame out.

"It got cancelled, so I went here to look for a folder from one of the cases I handled noon. I didn't know you were still here, akala ko kukunin mo na lang talaga yung mga gamit mo," I replied.

"Oh, yeah. Kaso I found this box in my old bedroom and wanted to return it to you. Balak ko nga sanang iwan na lang, pero I decided to check it one last time, baka may naiwan lang akong importante, and ayun, naabutan mo na ako," she explained.

"Ako, naiwan mo, pero hindi na siguro ganoon kaimportante para balikan mo pa, no?"

"Ly," she said, sternly looking at me.

"Den, can we please talk? One last time, I promise."

"We've had one last talk quite a couple of times already, Alyssa. Ano pa bang hindi malinaw sa mga sinabi ko?" she said while plopping down on the couch and covering her face with her handkerchief.

"I know, Den. I understand your reason, but I still cannot fathom that this is how we end. I cannot understand how we spent six years together and planned a future together, but this is how we go down. Hindi ba ako sapat, Dennise?"

"Alyssa, you know damn well that I love you with all of my heart, but I cannot achieve my innermost aspiration if I stay. I am grateful for the past six years that we shared together, I truly am. Pero Alyssa, you know that I have always dreamed of little kids running around; I want to experience motherhood."

"Kaya naman natin, Den ah? Marami tayong options, diba nga sabi pa natin e i-memeet natin yung mga possible sperm donors na mapipili natin? Pwede rin naman tayong mag-ampon. We have both worked so hard so that we could afford everything and live comfortably while raising a little family of ours."