"Can you please explain to me what's the meaning of this and where is Samantha?" Pigil pigil ko ang pagtaas nang boses ko na tanong kina Tito Teddy at Tita Sabrina.
May hinala na ako kung anung nangyayari.
Masakit ramdam ko ang kirot sa puso ko pero ayaw pa din tanggapin ng puso ko ang ibinubulong nang utak ko.
Kanina after kong madiskubre na di si Samantha ang pinakasalan ko ay agad na hinila ko ito at pumunta sa kinaroronan nina Tito Teddy at nang makalapit ako sa kanila ay agad na nabasa ko sa mga mata nila ang piping pakiusap na kung maaari ay wag sa harap nang maraming tao ako gumawa ng eksena....
At bilang respeto sa kanila ay sumunod ako.
At eto nga nandito kami sa kwarto na dapat pagbibihisan ni Samantha kaming apat na nag usap.
Pinagmasdan ko ang babaeng pinakasalan ko na tahimik na nagkukuyakoy sa kinauupuan nito.
Walang duda na kamukhang kamukha ni Samantha ito maliban sa mahabang buhok nito na abot hanggang beywang at sa galawgaw na parang bata na kilos nito.
"Marcus.....Samantha ran off with who hell is she with, kahapon pagkadating namin galing airport inabot lamang ng maid namin ang sulat nya na ayaw na nyang ituloy ang kasal nyo" malungkot na paliwanag ni Tito Teddy sa akin.
Nahigit ko ang hininga ko sa kumpirmasyon ni Tito Teddy sa hinala ko.
She is with Sebastian in Boracay!! Sigaw ng isip ko.
"We don't want to do this Marcus believe us, but we have no choice ayaw namin malagay sa kahihiyan matatanda na kami at mahina ang puso nang Asawa ko at baka di makaya ni Teddy ito at alam namin pati ikaw din kaya ginawa namin ito" wika naman ni Tita Sabrina.
"Pero Tita kung sinabi nyo lamang po sa akin I'm sure makakaisip tayo iba pang paraan" teary eye na ang mga mata ko.
"Wala nang iba pang paraan Marcus, and please forgive us" si Tito Teddy.
I shook my head and smile sadly at them.
"I--i understand Tito Teddy, Tita Sabrina but did you know where Sam go?" Umiling ang mga ito.
"Honestly we don't know 'coz if we know we tell you"
"My Auntie tell me t--that my Cousin goes to Boracay with his lady friend Samantha" I said to them at kapwa gulat na nagkatinginan ang mag asawa.
"Samantha?" I nod at them.
"And I have a feeling that my Cousin's lady friend is none other than Samantha my supposed to be b---bride" basag na ang boses ko na sabi ko sa mga ito.
"Oh god Teddy how could Samantha do this to us and to you also Marcus and worst cousin mo pa?"
"Maybe Samantha find him most Attractive and Handsome more than me, most women always does most of time you know,
I used to that kind of treatment since my childhood" I shrugged at them and turn around to hide my tears. "But it sting in my heart and ego it kind of hurts really"
"Oh we are so sorry Marcus" napayakap na lamang si Tita Sabrina sa akin at isa pang mainit na katawan na nagpaigtad sa akin dahil nagulat ako sa kuryenteng bigla ay dumaloy sa akin.
Lumingon ako dito at nagulat pa ako nang makita ko ang magagandang pares ng kulay tsokolateng mga mata na binagayan ng malalantik na pilik mata.
"Wag ka nang umiyak please....... di...... bagay" sabi nito at pinunasan ang luha sa mga mata ko.
Napakurap ako at ngumiti dito.
"Art your husband is crying because masaya sya na napangasawa ka nya" wika ni Tita Sabrina dito sabay nang dalawang kamay nito sa balikat ng tinawag nitong Art.
Nanlaki bigla ang mga mata nito sa sinabi ni Tita Sabrina at napangiti ng maluwang which make my breath to skip in breathing.
"Really Mommy!" Masayang bumaling ito kay Tita Sabrina.
"Yes Darling" napangiti na lang ako nang lumingon ulit ito sa akin at ngumiti pa lalo at saka yumakap sa akin sa pagkagulat ko.
"Ahm Darling why don't you change your wedding dress, your Mommy will help your change" malambing na utos ni Tito Teddy dito.
Napasibi ito pero tumango naman ito at pumunta na kay Tita Sabrina at ilang sandali pa ay magkasang pumasok na ang mag ina sa loob ng dressing room.
"That's Artemis, Samantha's twin" wika ni Tito Teddy.
Artemis?
"A--rtemis?" Lumingon ako dito.
Tumango ito at saka malalim na bumuntunghininga saka tumingin sa akin.
"Yes her name is Artemis and base in the way she behave, I know you have been curious right?" I nodded.
"She..." again Tito Teddy heaved a sigh and smile sadly. "She diagnosed at sixteen having brain tumor that's why we go to America to have a surgery luckily she survived but..." Tito Teddy's voice thrailed off and he touched his chest as if he was in pain.
And as on instict I rushed to him afraid that something bad may happen to the man I respect so much.
Tito Teddy raised his left hand at smile at me.
"I'm alright you don't need to worry Marcus"
"Are you sure Tito Teddy?"
"Yes Marcus"
"About Artemis she survived but at the expense of her brain going back in being baby again at her mind and as of now her mind is at almost seven years old" I gasph at him.
"I'm sorry about to hear that Tito Teddy"
"It's alright Marcus masaya na kami ni Sabrina na buhay si Artemis and we're happy that the doctor said that she is free at her illness and if we took her medication and theraphy maybe she....my darling princess will be back on us" Tito Teddy said.
"But?"
"I know na mali ang ginawa namin na ipalit si Artemis kay Samantha bilang Asawa mo and we're sorry but we have no choice, me and Sabrina we have to go to America for my heart surgery and my sister is just recovering at her cancer we have no one na mapag iwanan ang aming Artemis" Tito Teddy hold my hands and have pleading look at his face. "Marcus we have no one to look for our daughter Samantha's gone but we have you Marcus please I beg you please take care of Artemis, your Wife" pakiusap nito at awtomatikong napatango ako dito.
"Thank you Marcus, I know di kami nagkamali na ipagkatiwala sa iyo ang Anak namin, please take care of her, if she always hug you, kulitin ka at mag tantrums si Artemis pagpasensiyahan mo na sana you know nun bata pa silang dalawa si Artemis ang pilya ang laging nangungulit sa amin ni Sabrina pero habang lumalaki sila, Artemis become a model student and daughter she never fails to make us proud while Samantha become jealous of her but Artemis always understand her Sister" Tito Teddy's voiced crack as he stop his self on crying.
"Tito Teddy I promise I will take care of Artemis so please promised me that you live and survived the operation and then come to us because I know it will make Artemis really happy" I said to him at he pat me at my shoulder.
"We are ready Teddy, Marcus" mula sa dressing room ay lumabas ang mag ina at ang puso ko ay muling dumagundong nang malakas pagkakita muli kay Artemis na nakapagpalit na ng baby pink gown at malaki ang ngiti na nakapaskil sa napakagandang mukha nito.
"Lika na" kumapit sa braso ko si Artemis at tumingala sa akin.
Napangiti ako dito at saka tumango.
"Okay" sagot ko dito at marahan na kaming naglakad papalabas nang kwarto para pumunta sa wedding reception.
Yeah maybe with Artemis around I will forget the pain of Samantha's cheating on me and backing out at our wedding and Sebastian my cousin who always choose of all of the people I deeply love.......
