In another lifetime

FIFTEEN

Isang linggo na akong nagstay dito kila Gwen, Dad's not home yet, dapat ay uuwi s'ya noong isang araw pero he needed to flew from Australia to USA, business as usual.

Gwen told him on the phone that I'm staying here. Of course masaya sila pareho. As for me, I get to know her more, and totoo nga si Ate Piper sobrang bait n'ya.

Humingi rin ako ng favor na wag muna sabihin sa mga kapatid ko at kahit kanino na nandito ako. Sabi n'ya magagalit daw si Ate Piper pero mas mahal n'ya ako kaya she gladly oblige.

"Aren't you going back to work?" I asked kasi sinamahan n'ya lang ako magmukmok buong linggo.

"I'm the owner, papasok ako kung kailan ko gusto" she smiled at me, "And you're more important than my clients" swerte pa rin pala ako na may kapatid akong katulad n'ya.

"Wag mo akong sisisihin when you go bankrupt" she laughed, I too as well, nakakahawa s'ya.

"That's not gonna happen and it's nice to see you laugh again"

Nag ring naman yung phone n'ya, I saw Ate Piper's name, I signaled her to answer.

She put it on loud speaker

"Nandito si Yael, nagkakagulo dito sa bahay dahil ayaw n'yang maniwala na s'ya ang ama nang ipinagbubuntis ni Ali" nagulat ako sa binungad ni Ate Piper.

"Hold on, ibig sabihin ba nagsisinungaling si Ali?" Gwen asked

"No, I don't think so," she paused, "Yael's in love with Amethy, natural lang na itanggi n'ya that he's having a child with another girl"

Hindi ganon si Yael, he's better than that. Hindi n'ya itatanggi ang sarili n'yang anak. And if I'm the reason kung bakit n'ya gagawin 'yon, mas mabuti talagang lumayo ako for good.

"Ate, I'm going home, wag mo silang paalisin lahat" I said, na halatang ikinagulat ni Ate Piper dahil natimik s'ya ng ilang segundo bago nagsalita ulit.

"Amethy..."

Hinatid ako ni Gwen, the whole ride was a total silence. Kinakabahan ako sa gagawin ko pero this is for everyone. Once and for all, I needed to sacrifice para sa ikaaayos ng pamilya ko.

"I'll wait for you here"

"No, samahan mo ako, I want you to hold my hand para hindi ako maiyak sa gagawin ko" she looked at me and I know she saw every pain I'm feeling right now.

"I'll be with you, every step of the way"

Pagtuntong ko sa bahay namin, there they are, tahimik silang lahat, maybe Ate already told them.

Napalingon sa akin si Dan, "Ate!" dali-dali n'ya akong niyakap

Lumapit rin si Yael but I chose to ignore him.

"Ali" siguro at this point she knows everything.

"Amethy, I'm sorry, hindi ko naman alam na hahantong sa ganito" She's apologizing even though she's not at fault, hindi naman kasalanan ang mabuntis. Isa pa, ginawa nila 'yon when they were still together, when I'm still not in the picture.

"Ako dapat ang mag-sorry diba? I should've not entertain your ex, I should've not fell for him," ayan na naman yung mga luha ko, agad naman piniga ni Gwen ang kamay ko, "Sorry naging mahina ako at nahulog" I wiped my tears with my free hand

"Amethy..." Yael's voice cracking also, "Hindi ko gusto ang patutunguhan nito" Sabi n'ya, hindi pa rin ako makatingin sa kanya, ayokong makita s'yang nasasaktan, baka magbago pa isip ko, "Please no" he pleaded.

"I'm calling off the wedding," huminga ako ng malalim, "Your child needs you"