"You're avoiding me."
It was more of a statement than a question. I realized that while I pretend to look at the painting of the girl walking under the rain in front of me. I didn't realized that Lenos Demitri was standing before me. If I only knew, I would've runaway by now.
"I'm not avoiding you..." I answered back. I saw him smirk.
"It's been three months, Eleithiya." He said again. "Hindi ka na nagpupunta sa puntod ni Eos. Bakit hindi ko maiisip na iniiwasan mo ako?"
Muli akong napabuntong-hininga. Finally, I gained the courage to look at his green eyes.
"You kissed me." I stated. "You kissed me in front of him."
"Don't be dramatic. We were on his grave."
"That was my sanctuary. Now I can't even go there because all I can think of is that I cheated on the man who loves me."
His jaw clenched.
"If he loves you, if he really did love you, Eleithiya, why did he choose his revenge to Eos over his love for you?"
Well that hit a muscle. I couldn't control it anymore, I slapped him. I his face really hard that my palm left a mark.
"You're not him. You don't have any rights of talking to me like that!"
I walked out. I was trying so hard not to cry but when I got to my car, tears just started falling down.
I know how right he was pero hindi ko naman masisisi ang sarili ko dahil sa kabila nang lahat ng sakit na ibinigay niya sa akin, mas lamang pa rin ang pagmamahal sa puso ko.
I came home that afternoon. Sinikap kong ubusin ang iyak ko habang nasa kotse dahil ayokong makita ako ni Mama na ganito. She's been through a lot of stress lately at hindi pwede kay Mama na ma-stress nang ganoon dahil sa Alzheimer's niya.
I got to the house and looked for Mama. She was reading something on her journal. Hinagkan ko siya at saka naupo sa chair sa tabi niya.
"How's your party, Tia?"
Napansin kong tiningnan niya ang isa pa niyang journal saka ngumiti sa akin. She's my mom, I just told her that I will be going to an exhibit – which is also a party and yet I think she had forgotten it already.
"It's good, Mama. Kumain ka na ba? Uminom ka na ba ng gamot?"
"I did. You're father just went to the kitchen to get something. Tia, where's the smile and the sparkle in your eyes?" Madamdaming tanong niya sa akin. I just shook my head.
"Mama, I'm good. Ikaw ang inaalala ko. You forget things, Mama." Nakangiti ako habang sinasabi iyon. She giggled.
"I had always been forgetful, hindi ko nga lang alam na Alzheimer's ito. May nagustuhan ka bang painting?"
"The girl walking under the rain but I didn't buy it. Mama, gusto mong umuwi ng Scotland?"
"No, anak. Dito na lang ako sa bahay kasama ang Papa mo. Ikaw, gusto mong magpunta doon?"
Hindi ako sumagot dahil namataan ko si Papa na papunta na sa amin na may dalang isang baso ng tubig. He gave that to Mama. Hinalikan niya pa ako sa noo saka naupo sa tabi ni Mama. Kinuha niya ang binabasa ni Ma at tumawa.
"Your mother is back reading our love story." He kissed mama's cheek.
"Hindi ko lang kasi matandaan kung paano mo ako nauto noon ulit, Hades. I should've dated Zeus instead."
"Not if I had killed him first." Tumawa na naman si Papa. I just watched them. This moment is something that I should and I would remember forever.
"Come, let's take a picture." Sabi ko pa. Inilabas ko ang phone ko at nag-groupie kaming tatlo. Matapos iyon ay umakyat na ako sa aking silid. I took a shower and slipped into something more comfortable.
Nahiga ako sa kama ko at saka tumitig sa kisame. My heart was mourning because of Eos and at the same time I was feeling guilty because I let Lenos kiss me what's worse was that I kissed him back even if that's just a moment, kahit quick kiss lang iyon, pakiramdam ko ay hindi tama.
I cheated on him. He loves me. He said he loves me even though his revenge was bigger than his love for me, counted pa rin na minahal niya ako at dahil mahal ko siya, gusto kong damahin ang kalungkutan ng pagkawala niya sa buhay ko.
Hindi nagtagal ay may kumatok sa silid ko. I stood up and I saw one of the maids standing outside my door.
"Ma'am, dumating po dito si Atty. Ragenil." She informed me. Iyon ang abogado ni Eos Demitri. "Ipinabibigay niya po itong envelope."
Tumango ako at kinuha iyon. I was really curios kung anong laman noon kaya walang abog na binuksan koi yon. Ang nilalaman niyon ay mga folders na may lamang papers na nagsasaad na ako na ang nagmamay-ari ng halos 3.2 million pesos na halaga ng lupain niya sa Rizal. I was crying. He also left me his glass house – the place where he first claimed me as his, even his place in Greece – our haven for almost a week. Napaluha ako.
Pero natigil kaagad iyon nang mapansin ko ang isang kulay itim naa sobre. Maliit iyon kaysa sa mga narito. Nanginginig ang kamay kong kinuha ang sobre.
I opened the envelope and found letter. Sigurado akong letter iyon. Nang buksan ko iyon mula sa pagkakatupi ay nahulog ang dalawang singsing. Isang heart-shaped cut diamond at isang gold ring.
An engagement ring and a wedding ring that has my name engraved on it.
I gasped.
Dali-dali kong binuksan ang sulat.
Ganoon na lang ang hagulgol ko nang ma-realize ko na ang sulat ay mula kay Eos Demitri.
To the light of my path,
I love you. If ever there's doubt about my feelings for you, just remember that this letter exist, my love.
I love you and I will never stop loving you even if I am already n hell rotting. I love you, Eleithiya. You will be the only woman I'll ever love.
If this letter finds you, Tia, isa lang ang ibig sabihin noon, wala na ako. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako pupunta, o kung paano tayo magkikita muli. I will be on the other side, I will be watching you spread your wings. Kung sabagay ay napakatagal ko nang ginagawa ang panonood sa'yo mula sa malayo. I love you. I really did love you, Tia, and even if I am gone, I don't want you to stop your life. I want you to be happy, to find your freedom, to let go of everything that had hurt you.
I love you, Tia...
I really did...
But sometimes, some love are not meant to be, just like ours.
With love,
Eos Demitri.
