It has already been a month since the last time I saw Wren, but I knew it wasn't the last time he saw me because I could feel him watching me wherever I go—sa Blues, sa ballet studio, at maging sa Civic Center noong binisita ko iyong mga dati kong studyante sa swimming lesson.
I couldn't see him but I could feel his presence like he was breathing on my neck and it was bothering me, pero umakto nalang ako na parang walang alam.
I haven't told Rain about us yet dahil naghahanap palang ako ng tamang tyempo at humuhugot ng sapat na lakas ng loob. Pero ang alam ni Wren ay alam na ni Rain ang tungkol sa amin, kaya hindi siya lumalapit sa akin at pinapanood nalang ako mula sa malayo.
Ngayon ang last trial ng case ni Sandra kaya lahat kami ay narito, maging siya dahil nararamdaman ko ulit ang mga mata niyang nagmamasid.
And just like always, I acted like I couldn't sense him and I wasn't dying to turn my head and look for him in the dark.
"What does she mean?" Keisha asked—tugging me back to the scene in front of us.
She was asking about the revelation of the Prosecutor.
"That they're stupid." I fisted my hands. "Kay Sandra lahat ng properties ng mga Lopez. Literally everything. Pero inangkin iyon ng Mommy niya at ng intsek na 'yan."
I glared at Kian with all of the anger and hatred I could possibly give, but then I was soothed with satisfaction when I saw the disbelief and terror on his stupid pale face.
"Wow..." Keisha uttered and nodded her head a lot of times.
Tumahimik na ulit kami at mariing nakinig sa mga nagsasalita, hanggang sa may tinawag na witness si Prosecutor Suyan.
It was a Chinese doctor and from Sandra's reaction, I guessed she knew him.
The doctor placed himself on the witness stand and we watched him take the oath to say nothing but the truth.
I could see Sandra trembling and picking up her breath from time to time kaya inihanda ko ang sarili ko sa anumang sasabihin ng doctor, hanggang sa nag umpisa na iyong magsalita at isa-isang nabunyag ang kahayupang ginawa ni Kian sa kaibigan ko.
"When Ms. Lewis was pregnant, I saw Mr. Lee slapped and choked her against the wall."
Humigpit ang hawak ko sa sarili habang unti-unti kong naririnig ang mahinang paghikbi ni Keisha sa tabi ko.
I wanted to scream and throw a chair at Kian's face but I kept myself behaving because it wouldn't help.
Baka imbes na siya ang makulong ay ako pa.
"She had a miscarriage because he pushed her down the stairs."
"What the fuck!?" Keisha shouted.
"Fucking son of a bitch," Mika muttered.
I reacted late because I was so shocked.
I didn't...we didn't know...
None of us knew that she was pregnant and had a miscarriage because her husband pushed her down the stairs...
"Tangina," I exhaled. "Anong klaseng asawa...oh, god."
Napamasahe ako sa sarili at ilang beses na pinaalala sa mga kaibigan ko na kailangan naming kumalma.
"Order in the court!" the judge hammered.
We all fell in silence despite the turmoil in our chest and palms that were dying to land on that Chinese man's face.
"How can someone do that to Sandy? She's not a bad person. She doesn't deserve all of this," Keisha said.
She was talking like she had a lump on the throat because she was trying so hard not to cry.
