Till There Was You

Changes

A/N: "I don't know that love changes. People change. Circumstances change."-Nicholas Sparks

***

When it comes to challenges, there is no armor, weapon or foolproof plan that can protect or guide us on how to attack or deal with the conflict and the pain that comes with the territory.

Eto ang isang bagay na narealize ko a few months after nangyari ang incident sa condo.

Kahit araw-araw na umaattend si Jade sa rehearsals at hindi ito nalilate dahil sinisikap kong makarating siya sa mga appointments niya on time, kapag dayoff niya, ayaw nitong bumangon.

Tulad na lang ngayon.

It's a Sunday morning and it's already 10 am pero tulog pa din ito.

Or baka gising siya pero ayaw kumilos.

Alam ko na she's depressed at kahit lagi nitong sinasabi na huwag ko siyang alalahanin, alam ko ang mga telltale signs.

I've been on that road before.

But instead of allowing myself to succumb into despair, nilubog ko ang sarili ko sa trabaho.

Temporary solution lang yun kasi I never really dealt with the problem.

Kaya naman ang tagal bago ako nakamove on kasi hindi ko hinarap ang sitwasyon.

Instead of talking to Wila, I constantly blamed her and her cheating for my misery.

Hindi ko kinonsider yung sinabi niya na nawalan na ako ng time at attention for her.

This is what I saw with Jade as well.

Imbes na i-acknowledge niya ang sitwasyon, trabaho din ang kanyang pinagkakaabalahan.

Most of the time, especially at night bago kami matulog, I always asked her how she feels.

Ang standard response nito eh she's happy lalo na at magkasama kami.

Pero lagi kong binabalik ang conversation sa topic namin tungkol sa nangyari with her and Mr. Tanchingco.

Ang lagi din nitong sagot ay pagod na siya at ayaw niya muna itong pag-usapan.

Gusto ko sana siyang tanungin kung ano na ang nangyari sa agreement namin to be always honest with each other pero I stopped myself.

There are days when she worked twelve hours.

I know how exhausting it can be to prepare for a big project so iniintindi ko na lang siya.

What helped her cope were the agreed Friday visits from her brothers sa condo.

Kapag walang commitments ang mga ito, sa condo sila nagi-stay to bond.

Sometimes we go out sa bar or to see a movie.

Otherwise, sa bahay lang playing cards or singing.

I play for them kasi mapilit ang mga ito na kumanta ako.

We also invite Batchi kung hindi ito busy.

She keeps me on the loop of what's going on in showbiz kasi I barely have time dahil nagshift na ang buhay ko pati na rin ang mga activities ko.

***

The first time I visited my father sa Antipolo to drive him to his doctor's appointment sa Makati Med, the situation was weird to me.

Nag-usap kami ni Papa sa sasakyan while on the way sa hospital.

"Hindi mo ito kailangang gawin, Althea." Sabi ni Papa.