My Man

Chapter 26: He missed her.

NAGMAMADALING bumaba si BJ sa sasakyan. Medyo nanginginig pa ang kanyang tuhod sa ginawang pag- atake ni Cybil sa kanya but he didn’t care. He wanted to talk to her and explained everything. “Father?” Natigilan siya sa narinig at agad na napakunot ang noo nang sinundan iyon ng sarkastikong tawa mula kay Cybil. Nagkandahaba haba ang kanyang leeg nang silipin niya ang may hindi gaanong kataasang gate. He was five feet and eleven inches kaya tanaw na tanaw niya ng mga tao sa loob. Cybil was talking to her mother at sa isang hindi niya kilalang lalaki.

Nakita niyang binalingan ni Cybil ng tingin ang lalaki. “You called yourself our father?” BJ flinched. Ama nito ang taong kaharap? Akala ba niya matagal ng patay ang ama nito. He intently looked at the guy and then at his girlfriend. Halata niyang nagtitimpi lang itong hindi saktan ang taong kaharap. Batid din niya sa boses nito kanina ang panggagalaiti nito habang binibigkas ang mga huling kataga. Galit na galit ito na para bang napakalaki ng kasalan ng lalaki rito. Napansin niyang pilit nitong kinakalma ang sarili and when she looked up again BJ saw determination and stubbornness in her eyes. With that look, he knew she’ll never ever listen to any explanations and if she does she just dismiss it after and continue hating the person. It wasn’t the first time she acted like that. Ganoon ang reaksiyon nito nang bigla nalang sumulpot ang ex- boyfriend nito at pilit na binabawi sa kanya ang dalaga.

Muli niyang sinulyapan ang lalaki. Talaga bang ama nito ang kaharap? Pero sa pagkakatanda niya patay na ito at si Cybil pa mismo ang nagsabi noon. If so, then who was the guy standing in front of her? Wala sa sariling napahilot siya sa kanyang sentido. Ang dami talagang misteryo sa buhay nito!

“Where were you when the twins were almost dying from Dengue? Where were you when they’re weak from so much blood loss, thin as if they weren’t fed for a month and when they were unconscious for days? Where were you?” Nanghihinang napasandal siya sa gate. Puno ng hinanakit ang boses nito and suddenly there was a feeling of heavy burden inside his heart as he continued listening to every word Cybil uttered. It was as if he absorbed the pain she felt at that moment. “Where were you when Mama had an attack and needed a bypass surgery? Where were you when she was so stress out for the twin’s well being and collapsed the same hour as the twins were rushed to the ICU unit? Where were you?” He unconsciously held his breath nang biglang nalang itong tumahimik. Hindi niya maiwasan mag- alala para sa kasintahan. She got asthma and it was stress induced and he was scared as hell if she had another attack. Natatakot na siyang makita muli itong nahihirapang huminga, well, after all it wasn’t a pleasant sight. “And where were you when I needed you?” Napangiwi siya nang marinig ang pagpiyok ng boses nito. Kung siya nga lang ang masusunod gusto niya itong lapitan, patigilin sa pagsasalita at patahanin. At kung puwede nga lang siya ang umako ng lahat ng nararamdaman nito nang oras na iyon gagawin niya. He didn’t want to see or hear her cried like that. Her sobs and tormented words were torture for him. Pero he can’t just leave her there. Siguro sadya lang talaga siyang masokista.

He literally jumped in surprise as he heard someone not far from him loudly cleared its throat. “You know,” he heard someone said. Hindi niya mapagsino ito. The guy was standing conveniently at the dark side of the street. “It’s a family thing. It’s better if we leave them in private so that they can talk about their issues and explain their actions.”

The guy took a step forward and instantly BJ recognized him. Dion, he thought silently as he was looking at the guy’s smiling face. Dion Rewbell…

“What do you think? And besides-” pansamantalang natigilan ito sa pagsasalita nang may bigla nalang humagulgol mula sa veranda. “You can’t talk to Mademoiselle Krizia right now. Let’s just say she’s not in the mood.”

Tinanguan lang niya ang ginoo at walang salitang naglakad papunta sa sasakyan. Napabuntong hininga siya nang muling narinig ang mga hikbi ng dalaga. Mabigat ang dibdib na pumasok siya ng sasakyan at mabilis na binuhay ang makina.