Yours Forever (COMPLETED)

Forever 51

Harry Kendrick shook his head. Hinayaan muna nitong kumalma si Alden bago ito nagpatuloy. "One thing that hindered us on finding Kerry Anne's real self is the fact that she has too many phobias and fears. Sa unang mga buwan niyang pananatili sa amin ay takot siyang lumabas. She feared going outside the house. She dreaded meeting new people. Ang gusto niya lang makausap ay ako, si Tita Judith, and our doctor. Nahirapan kaming hanapin ang tunay niyang pagkatao because we don't want to leave her alone. And she does not like that as well. Parang lagi siyang takot."

Alden blinked his eyes many times before processing on his mind what Harry just said. Hindi siya makapaniwala na ganoon ang pinagdaanan ni Maine.  "I don't know what happened to her. The last time I talked to her was when she went to Pampanga for a shoot. Later that day, I received a call telling me that my wife was dead due to a collision of her car and a provincial bus. Sumabog ang dalawang sasakyan kaya pati ang mga bangkay ay nasunog din. Our driver was identified but his passenger is severely burned na halos walang pagkakilanlan. Ang tanging nagsasabi lamang na si Maine iyon ay ang wedding ring namin na nasa tabi ng narecover na bangkay. And based on the investigations, there were no missing person reported. All of them are identified."

Isang ilang ang muling pinakawalan ni Harry. "Ako rin ay hindi ko alam ang nangyari sa kanya. And forgive us if you thought that we did not make our best efforts to find her family. Later, we found out that she was pregnant. It was the first time that we saw her became happy nang malaman niyang buntis siya."

Mapait na ngumiti si Alden na punong-puno ng sarkasmo. Pati pala ang kahinaan ng asawa niya ay sinamantala ni Harry.

"Tsk!" Harry hissed. "The child is not mine."

Ang mga mata ni Alden ay biglang nanlaki sa sobrang gulat. That was a revelation.

"She was pregnant even before we found her according to the doctor. Maselan magbuntis si Kerry Anne dahil sa mga trauma niya kaya kailangang nakaantabay kami sa kanya palagi. We concentrated on her and her pregnancy kaya hindi namin napagtuunan ang paghahanap sa totoo niyang pagkatao. Sa mga panahong din iyon ay nalaman namin na may phobia siya sa pagbibiyahe. But she needed to conquer her fears for the baby."

Gustong maiyak si Alden sa mga naririnig niya. He knew it. Menard is his. His own blood. Baka iyon ang gustong sabihin sa kanya ni Maine dapat pagbumalik ito galing Pampanga but never happened. Kaya pala hindi minsan naging iba ang pakikitungo niya sa bata. And he almost considered him as his child. Marami na ring nagsabi na magkamukha sila. Even Menard and Charmaine's bond. They are siblings!

"Lumalaki na ang tiyan ni Kerry Anne and she needed a husband to father her child. Pumayag akong magpakasal sa kanya. We flew away to Nashville at doon kami ikinasal. Iyon ay para mas madali ang pagpapawalang-bisa mg kasal namin kung malaman na namin ang totoo niyang pagkatao and when she will not like to be my husband anymore. Muli kaming nagbalik ng Sagada dahil doon gustong manganak ni Kerry Anne. Then, Menard came. It was the best thing that happened to her. Natuto na siyang lumabas ng bahay at makisalamuha sa ibang tao. Siya na rin ang nagbigay ng Menard na pangalan sa bata." Harry paused and looked at him, pity in his eyes. "And to tell you, I never made love to her. Kahit asawa ko siya, kailanman ay hindi ko siya ginalaw. Oo, magkatabi kaming natutulog but nothing happened. She is not just my wife Alden. She is also my best friend. My confidant."

Alden regretted his behaviour. Kung tutuusin pala ay marami ring sacrifices sina Harry at Tita Judith. "I don't know what to say." Lumambot ang paraan ng pagbigkas niya ng bawat salita. It is not easy to humble himself but now, he admits that he was in the wrong side. "I am sorry for judging you. Now that I heard your story, I want to apologize for my outbursts and I want to thank you for everything that you have done to Maine. Hindi ko maisip kung ibang tao ang nakahanap sa kanya."

"Nothing to be sorry about." sagot ni Harry. "But I am sorry too for all the lost years."

"So, what are your plans now?"

"Sinabi mo sana noon sa akin when you saw Kerry Anne that she looked like your wife baka naayos ko pa ang mga divorce papers habang nasa Nashville ako. I believe na hindi lang basta aksidente ang naranasan ni M-maine noon kung nasa nabanggang sasakyan man siya. I think, she was tortured because of her phobias and traumas. Kung may tao mang gumawa ng ganoon sa kanya, alam kong iyon din ang dahilan nito kung bakit nito gustong patayin si M-maine ngayon. You should be the one who should know this things first."

Natigilan siya sa sinabi ni Harry. Ayaw pa niyang i-entertain ang mga bagay-bagay sa kanyang isip. "That woman was already in prison. I am going to interrogate her later."

"That's good to know." Harry stated. Kinuha nito ang sarilinh baso at lumagok ng baso. "For the meantime, I need to go to Baguio. Sa poder ko muna sina Kerry Anne at Menard hanggang maayos na ang lahat."

"You don't have too." matigas na pagtutol ni Alden. "Remember, she is my wife."

"She is my wife too Alden. Kung papipiliin din natin siya ngayon ay alam kong pipiliin niya ang manatili sa poder ko. Kerry Anne does not know you Alden. Maine did. At huwag kang mag-alala, I will still process our divorce basta hindi maapektuhan si Menard."

Muling napipi si Alden. Harry is right again. Maine was her wife. At si Kerry Anne ay asawa ni Harry. Pero may isang bagay ang muling sumundot sa puso't buong pagkatao niya. "I just have one question, mahal mo ba ang asawa ko?"

Harry did not answer immediately. Instead, he said, "All people have secrets Alden, One day you will discover mine."

Iyon lang at nagpaalam na ito. Naiwan siyang naatake namin ng maraming kaisipan at mga katanungan.