Yours Forever (COMPLETED)

Forever 50

OSa gitna ng mga kaguluhan ay hindi alam ni Alden ang uunahin niya. Hindi pa niya nakakausap ang mga biyenan niya kung kumusta naman sina Kerry Anne at Menard sa Baguio. Maging kay Tita Judith ay wala na siyang narinig mula dito. Nanatili pa din sa isip niya ang sinabi ng matanda na may importante itong sasabihin sa kanya ng personal.

Nailibing na din nila ang labi ni Tracy. May progreso rin ang kaso. May natanggap siyang tawag kanina mula sa kapulisan na nadakip na rin si Bea. Thankfully, Bea did not know that she was the lone suspect for the murder of Tracy kaya madali itong na-arrest. Inaantay na din ng mga ito ang pagdating ni Alden kung sasampahan niya ng kaso ang dati niyang sekretarya. Tracy's parents had already filed a case against the woman.

And just a while ago, Alden received another call from Harry Kendrick. He was saying na nasa Manila ito. The man is looking forward on meeting him. May mahalaga daw itong sasabihin sa kanya bago ito lumuwas ng Baguio. Right now, Harry is still Kerry Anne's husband kaya nararapat lamang na nandito ito para maging gabay ang mag-ina. Iyon din ang ipinaliwanag niya sa kanyang mga biyenan para hindi magulat ang mga ito sakaling dumating ang pagkakataong ito.

Hindi lang si Harry ang may mahalagang sasabihin sa kanya. He has many questions also that he need to ask from the man. Kaya kahit madami siyang inaasikaso ay ang meeting niya kay Harry Kendrick ang inuna niya.

*****

Sa isang sikat na restaurant ang tagpuan nina Alden at Harry. Although he was on time, napansin niyang kanina pa naghihintay ang lalaki. Tumayo ito nang makita siya and extended his arms. Tinaggap niya ang pakikipagkamay nito.

"I appreciate your effort on seeing me here." paunang wika nito.

Pareho silang naupo kasabay ng pagsenyas ni Harry sa waiter. Nakaorder na pala ito ng pagkain.

"I know you are a very busy person. Pero gusto ko sanang kimain muna tayo bago tayo mag-usap. You look bothered and stressed. I believe you have skipped too much meals."

Hindi sumagot si Alden sa sinasabi nito. Tama nga ito, ilang pagkain na ba ang iniwasan niya. Napilitan siyang sumunod sa lalaki. Habang kumakain sila ay hindi nawala ang tingin ni Alden kay Harry. He is studying him, trying to see any flaw from the man but he is failing, big time. Harry Kendrick is perfect.

Sa isiping iyon ay bigla siyang kinabahan. Paano kung nahulig na pala ang loob dito ni Kerry Anne aka Maine. Ilang taon na ding nagsama ang mga ito. The thought of it made him sick. May nabuong galit sa dibdib niya habang iniimagine niya na magkasama sina Harry at Kerry Anne.

Malakas na ingay ang nilikha ng kutsara niya nang mabitiwan niya iyon. Bigla kasing lumabas sa balintataw niya sina Harry at Kerry Anne na magkasama sa iisang kama. Hindi nakayanang iproseso iyon ng utak niya.

"What's the matter?" Harry inquired. Parang kanina pa pala siya nito tinitingnan. Napansin niyang natapos na rin itong kumain.

"Nothing important. Pardon me, may naisip lang ako."

Harry answered through his smile. "First of all, how's Kerry Anne and Menard."

"Alam kong alam mo na ang sagot diyan. Halos araw-araw kayong magkausap ni Kerry Anne sa telepono. And I believe Tita Judith already told you what you need to know."

"I understand your insolence and hostility towards me." Harry said looking at him straight to the eyes. "From your perspective, I want to know my wife and my son's well-being."

"Your wife?" Alden said sarcastically. Hindi niya binigyan ng pagkakataon na makapagsalita si Harry. Sinagot na niya ang tanong nito. "They are fine at the moment. Nasa Baguio sila. In my in-laws' home and care."

"In-laws?" ani Harry na medyo tumaas ang mga kilay. "You mean Maine's parents?"

"Her parents." mariing wika ni Alden na nakatitig sa mga mata ni Harry.

"I believe you have found that out by now." Harry stated calmly. "Tumawag si Tita Judith sa akin. She told me about an article she accidentally read while they were cleaning at Verdant. It was from a newspaper dated few days earlier from the day we found Kerry Anne along the road. The article is about your wife's death from a road accident."

"I don't understand." Alden said helplessly. "I want to know everything kung bakit napunta sa inyo si Maine. By the way, she is not Kerry Anne, she is my Maine!"

"She is my Kerry Anne." Harry stood his ground. He shrugged his shoulders and started telling him everything. "It was already late night. I am travelling home with Tita Judith. We came from Baguio dahil opening ng hotel ko sa Camp John Hay. My aunt insisted on going home right after the event dahil hindi siya sanay na matulog sa ibang lugar. Paakyat na kami noon sa Sagada nang makita namin ang isang tao sa gilid ng kalsada na walang malay. It was my aunt who suggested that we need to attend to the stranger. Lumabas ako ng kotse at binuhat siya at ipinasok sa kotse ko. Iniuwi namin siya at inalagaan ni Tita Judith. We even called our family doctor to tend to the woman's wounds. She have bruises all over her body and her head was bleeding from a severe wound. She was unconscious for almost a night and day."

"Oh God!" singhap ni Alden. "What happened to her?"

"We really do not know what really happened." pagpapatuloy ni Harry. "When she woke up, she can't remember anything even herself. According to our doctor's findings, she is suffering from a severe amnesia. Maraming trauma daw siyang napagdaanan kaya baka mahirap nang bumalik ang ala-ala niya. While she is recovering, we did our best to know kung sino siya at kung sino ang kapamilya niya but we failed."

"How come you did not know here? She was a very famous star at that time." galit na sabi ni Alden.

"I grew up in Tenessee. Wala pang isang taon nang bumalik kami dito ni Tita Judith kaya hindi namin alam kung sino ang mga sikat at kung anu-ano pa."

"That's a very lame excuse!" galit na wika ni Alden. Napataas ang boses nito. "You did not effort enough because you wanted my wife sa poder niyo."

"You know nothing Mr. Richards!" galit din na pasubali ni Harry. "I suggest you to hear me out first before judging us and accusing us. I am not done yet."