TRAPPED IN MARRIAGE

E.R.

MIKE

USA/ STATE VISIT

This is my first state visit in the USA. I was invited personally by U.S. President Michael Burnaman. Like me, he is  a young president too. Maybe that is the reason why he has invited me. For the past administration, the relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines has been in a shaky situation. Building the realtionship again with America will open gates of opportunities again for my  countrymen.

Habang nag uusap kami ni President Burnaman, may lumapit sa kanya at may ibinulong. Tumayo ang Presidente at sinabihan ako na huwag akong mabibigla. 

"Mike, the First Lady, Mrs Margaux Bustamante is rushed to the White House clinic. We needed to go."

"What happened to her?"

You see, kahit na Pinoy ako, mas matangkad ako sa Presidente ng America. So sa haba ng hakbang ko, lakad takbo ang presidente nila.

"Apparently she was standing with the the Carla when your aide approached her and told her that there was blood on her legs."

Hindi ko alam kung paano ako nakarating sa clinic ng white house or kung gaano ako kabilis nakarating dun pero alam ko nauna akong nakarating kay Margaux. Pagdating ko sa kanya. Nakita ko yung takot sa mga mata niya pero kalmado pa din siya. Niyakap ko kaagad ang aswa ko and I was asking the doctor what could have possibly happened? Hindi ko maintindihan ang sinasabi niya kasi ang iniisip ko lang ay si Margaux sa mga oras na yun. Nang marinig ko ang sinabi ng Doctor na "possible miscarriage" natakot ako. First time in my life na parang gusto kong sumigaw at magmakaawa. I looked at Margaux and the fear in me is mirrored in her eyes. We were told that Margaux will be airlifted to George Washington Hospital. I thanked the president of the United States and rode the longest chopper ride in my life to think that it only took a couple of minutes to reach the hospital. I asked for a Pilipino doctor and they gave Margaux their best Pilipino Ob Gyne, Dr. Margarette Peralta.

We were told that we lost our baby. It was the first time I saw Margaux cried. She cried while I held her. Everyone left us in that hospital room reserved for the President of their country. We lost our baby. A boy. I cried with my wife. But in the end I had to be strong for her, for the two of us. We were asked what we should do with the baby, we decided to bring him home with us. We will mourn him in our home, in our land and bury him there.

MARGAUX

Hindi ko alam kung saan ako mas takot sa galit ni Mike para sa akin o sa galit ko sa aking sarili. Magagalit si Mike kasi hindi ko inalagaan ang sarili ko, hindi ko inalagaan ang anak niya. Nakita ko ang anak ko, magandang lalaki sana, kahawig ng tatay niya. Malaki na siya. Sabi nila, hindi lang talaga siya kumapit. It was not my fault. Things like that happens. Pero hindi. Kung sana inalagaan ko ang sarili ko, kung sana nung naramdaman ko nang sumasakit ang tyan ko ay sinabihan ko na si Mike na hindi ako sasama sa America, pero hindi.Sinabi ko na okaylang ako. Sinabi ko na kaya ko.Pero hindi pala. Ano na ngayon ang tingin ni Mike sa akin? Pabaya? Palalayasin na kaya niya ako? Hihiwalayan?

Masakit na mawala ang anak ko na siyang nagtatali sa amin ni Mike. Siya sana ang magpapatibay sa relasyon namin na sa isang kasunduan lang nabuo. Siya na sana ang rason na mamahalin ako ng Tatay niya. Pero wala. Wala man lang akong ginawa para isalba ang anak ko.