Loving, Caring Hearts Book II of Lying Cheating Hearts (Completed)

Chapter 44-A

"Hear me out. He's in LA. Baka mapuntahan nya si Chloe? Baka she's close by? Babe, we need answers kung nasaan si Chris. Erin needs him. Para sa anak nila. Maybe she has answers and maybe Ron can help us get through to her."

Babe, annoyed, considered it for a moment. Tumango at pumayag din sya pero banas sya dahil inis sya kay Ron. "Bahala ka," he said.

I called Ron's number. He answered right away naman.

"You're in LA?" tanong ko agad pagkasagot ni Ron ng phone.

"Well, hello din Aileen. How are you?And yes I'm in LA? What's up?" Ron cheerfully greeted.

"Um sorry wala ng niceties ha," I told Ron. Tumingin din ako kay Babe.

"Bilisan mo," sabi ni Babe na nanlalaki na ang butas ng ilong. "Ask him na."

"Um, can you see Chloe, I mean is she nearby?" tanong ko.

"Oh yes! As a matter of fact we're having dinner tonight," Ron said.

Dinner? Date? Agad? She knows na ba about Chris?

"You're having dinner with her?" naulit ko sa pagkagulat. I was expecting a brief chat or catch up between them but Ron coined their get-together: 'dinner'.

"Kahit sila ng kapatid ko, makikipagkita sya dyan sa taong yan?" Babe angrily said. He hit the table in front of him. The sound reverberated throughout the whole living room. I was concerned na magising si Erin, and still with no Chris. Babe had to keep his emotions in check.

"Ron, sandali lang ah," paalam ko kay Ron sa phone to deal with my husband who was being weirdly irrational.

"Go ahead," payag ni Ron. I placed the call on hold.

"Parang an' dalisay mo naman kung maka-husga ka," I told Babe. "Can you keep quiet while I ask him?"

Babe walked away from me, na still inis. He paced back and forth though, a clear sign that he's concerned, and worried, for his brother still. Natatakot na rin sya, I could tell.

Bumalik ako sa phone call. "So um, can I speak to her? I mean kasama mo na ba sya?" unsure kong tanong kay Ron. "Hindi kasi sya sumasagot eh."

"Um, yeah. I'm gonna come up to her apartment, right now actually. Sunduin ko sya then dinner. Ano bang meron?" Ron asked.

"Um..." Shall I tell him? Parang hindi dapat.

"Aileen?" Ron said.

"I'll try her one more time na lang muna siguro," I decided and told Ron. Check ko muna si Chloe ulit.

"Ow-kay," sabi ni Ron. "But is everything alright?"

"Bye Ron. Call you ulit 'pag 'di pa kami nagkakausap ni Chloe," I only said.

"Okay."

I ended the call. I decided to not tell Ron then about what was happening kasi 'di naman kailangan.

Tiningnan lang ako ni Babe.

I dialled Chloe's phone pero it's not going through talaga.

"I have to call Ron again. Chloe's not answering," I announced in the air so Babe could hear. I was stating, slash asking his permission by updating him like that.

"Go ahead. 'Di ka talaga sasagutin ni Chloe kung alam na nya na nakabuntis si Chris. We need to talk to her. Kung gusto ni Ron na maki-tsismis muna para mapasa nya yung phone kay Chloe, tell him. Pagod na 'ko, let's end this."

Sumagot naman agad si Ron when I tried him again. "Yes? Is this serious?" tanong agad ni Ron. "This has something to do with Chris?" hula nya.

"Chloe's not answering Ron eh. Please, we need to talk to her."

"Tungkol sa'n 'to?" tanong ni Ron, adamant. "If this is about Chloe, please tell me."

Biased ka. Madaya ka. I shouldn't be doing this. "Chris got Erin pregnant, yung EA ni Mommy Estanislao. Chris is nowhere to be found. Baka Chloe knows something. Erin's looking for him. If papunta sya sa kanya, we need to know. And we're worried for his safety as well."

"Puta, gago," mga nasabi ni Ron.

"Just pass the phone," sabi ko.

After several moments, I heard knocking and then a female voice. Si Chloe na.

I heard Ron's voice then...

"Aileen?" sagot ni Chloe sa phone.

"Chloe!" sigaw ko. Hay salamat! "Tumawag na ba sa'yo si Chris?" I asked.

"Oo kanina pero di ko nasagot eh," sabi nya. I felt guilty agad dahil tila wala pa syang alam at ako pa ang magsasabi. "Did something happen to Chris?" tanong nya.

How do I break this to her gently? "Um, well, he's not hurt or anything pero I suggest you listen to me first okay?" paunawa ko.

"The suspense is killing me. What is it?" I heard her say.

"I called you pero ring lang ng ring ang phone mo. Nakita ko post ni Ron sa Instagram na nasa LA din sya kaya sabi ko sana puntahan ka. Magkikita naman pala kayo. Anyways, si Chris, well hindi sya, si Erin... Ayokong manggaling sa'kin sana kasi hindi ko 'to issue pero Jake's mad at Chris, well the whole family's mad at Chris... I need your help." How do I tell her?!?! Urgh!

"Ano bang nangyari? At anong gagawin ko?" tanong nya.

Biglang inagaw ni Babe ang phone, "'Di 'ko alam kung bakit magkasama kayo ngayon ni Ron 'no, eh boyfriend mo yung kapatid ko pero hahayaan ko muna yun," sabi ni Babe. "Nakabuntis si Chris. Buntis si Erin. It looks bad and I'm sorry in behalf of my brother pero nag-layas sya. We thought he'd come to you pero we know he has not gone out of the country."

Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Babe for being blunt. Inagaw ko ang phone back from him.

"Buntis si Erin?" I heard Chloe sigh. It wasn't a good sigh.

"Hello Chloe? What we'd like to know is if he's safe. That's all. Sorry na nalaman mo like this," I offered.

Nag-antay ako ng sagot pero wala. Naputol na rin ang tawag.

"Of course she didn't take it lightly," hula ni Babe. "Wala tayong napala diba?"

I sighed. I was frustrated, exhausted. I was also disappointed in Chris for turning his back on something amazing like this, a baby of his own, of his flesh and blood. Habang tumatagal, mas naaabandona nya ang mag-ina nya.