He Was My Cousin

Chapter 23

Chapter 23
A Lot

Paulit-ulit kong binasa ang text ni Lance. It just won't make sense! Paanong iyon ang iisipin niya? My family openly talks about Jiro. Kahit ako! I never hid my relationship with Jiro like how he openly tells everyone about Vienne. So how, how could he think that way?

I immediately called Lance and asked him where he was. Ang sabi niya ay pauwi na raw sila ni Kim sa bahay niya. I then got my car keys and drove to his home.

Pagkita ko sa mukha ni Lance ay agad akong napa-iwas ng tingin. Ang labi niya ay maga at may sugat ito sa may kanang bahagi. Ang isa naman niyang pisngi ay halos magkulay nangingitim na violet na.

I felt my hands getting cold. I have always known Paolo as an impatient man, but he don't just punch people! And looking at Lance right now, all mess, I did not know what to think anymore.

"Lance..." I called him, my voice shaking.

Tumawa si Lance. Agad kong nakita ang pag-ngiwi niya nang tumawa siya, marahil ay dahil sa biglaang kirot ng sugat niya. He shrugged, "Malayo sa bituka."

I sniffed. Pinagmasdan ko si Kim na ginagamot ang mga sugat ni Lance. Matapos iyon ay nilagyan niya ng bimpong may yelo ang pisngi ni Lance. She was just silent all the while she was attending to him.

"I'm sorry," I said to Kim. "I don't really know what to say... you must have been shocked and confused all at the same time. I don't understand why these all happened and... I don't know, I'm just sorry. Please don't misunderstand this," pakiusap ko sa kanya.

I'm not naive. Nabanggit na rin naman sa akin ni Lance noon na pinagseselosan ako ni Kim. We didn't mind it like Jiro's jealousy over Lance because we both know it was absurd. Pero ngayon, if she misunderstands this, hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. I've caused so much trouble to Lance already... I can't ruin this one for him.

Ibinaba ni Kim ang bimpong may yelo. And just when I thought she would go ballistic, she calmly shifted her body to my direction. For a moment, she looked into my eyes without any word and for a moment I think I saw pity in them but she shut her eyes and bit her lip.

Muli niya akong hinarap, "It's alright. I was shocked - scared even. That guy was fuming mad... bigla-bigla na lang ay..." she trailed off.

Bumuntong hininga siya. "But it's all fine now. Nai-paliwanag na naman sa akin ni Lance... ang lahat." She gave me a small smile, "I just hope Lance's bruises will soon heal. Ayaw ko namang asikasuhin ang kasal namin nang may pasa-pasa sa mukha ang groom-to-be ko."

She's not angry?

"I'm really sorry..." sabi ko sa kanilang dalawa.

"Please, Aya, for my sanity, stop saying you're sorry. Stop apologizing. Wala kang kasalanan dito," seryosong sabi ni Lance.

"But still, it was because of me. It was partially my fault," apila ko.

Tumayo si Kim at nilapitan ako. Hinimas niya ang balikat ko, "I'll leave you both so you could talk," sabi niya sa akin. Nilingon naman niya si Lance, "Babe, I'd go upstairs. Just call if you need anything."

"Thanks, Kim," he said. Nginitian naman siya nito.

Tumayo ako at tumabi kay Lance sa mahabang sofa, pumwesto ako sa kung saan naka-upo si Kim kanina. "He should apologize," sabi ko. Kinuha ko mula sa aking bulsa ang cellphone ko.

"Ays... let him cool down," sabi ni Lance. Pinunasan niya ang gilid ng kanyang labi gamit ang kanyang hinlalaki.

"No, Lance. We have to put some sense in his head the soonest!" I said as I was dialing Paolo's number.