Payb Takes Book 3

Three

November 25, 2017:

R: *holds M close to him as she sobs and cries, gently strokes her hair* Ssshhh... It's okay, Love. Tell me what's wrong.

M: *speaks in a broken voice as she continues to sob and cry* I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... Ang tanga ko...

R: Ssshhh... That's not true. *kisses her temple and hugs her tighter as the sit on the bed with her snugly wrapped in his arms, burying her face on his chest*

M: Ang tanga ko talaga. Akala ko kaibigan siya tapos ganito... I'm sorry, Love.

R: *sighs and gently kisses her hair, holding her close and letting her just cry it out, furious at whatever caused his wife to cry but knows she does not need that at the moment* Okay lang. Iyak ka lang. Andito lang ako.

M: *snuggles closer to him and cries until she falls asleep again*

//

R: Stop reading those. *tells M as he walks out of the bathroom and finds her already awake and browsing through her phone, quietly crying*

M: *sniffles and puts her phone down, sits up and looks at R, her eyes full of sadness and regret* I'm sorry. Alam ko nasasaktan ka din.

R: *sighs, walks over to M's side and sits on the bed, holds her hand and looks into her eyes* Nasasaktan ako sa mga sinasabi nila sa'yo. Nakita ko na. Nabasa ko na lahat pero kahit ano pang picture, video o kwento yang ipakita sa akin, sa'yo lang ako maniniwala. Sa'yo lang. *smiles at M and kisses her hand*

M: *starts sobbing again* I'm sorry. Kasalanan ko to. I was stupid. *looks down and closes her eyes as tears fall from them*

R: *touches her cheek and cups her face to make her face him, his heart is breaking but he knows he needs to be strong for her now* Sabi ko sa'yo lang ako maniniwala di ba? Bakit ka ba sorry nang sorry? Did you cheat on me?

M: No! No. I would never. *sobs* Mahal na mahal kita.

R: I know. Gaya nang alam kong kasinungalingan yung inumaga ka sa party dahil nang mga oras na yun, tulog na tulog ka dito sa tabi ko. Alam natin ang totoo, bakit ka papa-apekto?

M: Pero sobra kasi. Sobrang sakit. Sanay naman ako sa mga bashers pero yung ibang nagsasabing mahal nila ako, yung mga nakasama lang natin nung Friday, pati sila halos wasakin ako. *sobs* Hindi ko na kaya, Love. Hindi ko na kayang maging okay lang lahat. Hindi na.

R: Love, andito ako. Hindi kita pababayaan. Alam mo yan.

M: Alam ko at alam ko ding nahihirapan ka na din eh. Lahat kasi dapat na-aayon sa expectations nila. Naisip ko, okay? What if nangyari nga na I stayed sa party? What if we did hang out with the same group? What if may mga ibang guys nga dun sa grupo with pictures with me. Malandi agad ako? Flirt? Slut? Di pinalaki nang maayos ng magulang? Cheater? Ganoon din sila sa'yo. Trabaho na nga lang eh. Hindi pa rin pwede. Ang hirap kasi. Dapat ganito. Dapat ganoon. Bawal makipagkaibigan. Bawal magkaroon ng ibang kasama sa trabaho. Bawal mabanggit ng iba. Walang tigil ang pag-puna, walang tigil ang masasamang salita. I don't think I want this anymore. Not for me. Not for us and definitely not for you.

R: *cradles M's face in his hands and smiles* Okay lang ako. Sanay na ako.

M: Sanay ka nang makulong?

R: Wala namang kaso sa akin basta ikaw ang kasama ko.

M: Hindi ba pwedeng pareho tayong malaya? What if we leave everything behind?

R: Ikaw na nga ang nagsabi di ba? May mga obligasyon pa tayo.

M: *sighs, nods her head* You're right. It's unfair for me to ask that from you. Alam ko kung gaano mo kamahal ang trabaho mo.

R: Mas mahal kita. *leans forward and touches their foreheads together* Ikaw ang pinakamahal ko sa lahat. *whispers* You are my life, my Nicomaine.

M: *sighs and cups his cheeks, letting a few more tears trickle down her face* At ikaw din ang pinakamahal ko sa lahat. Walang iba. You are my home, Richard Faulkerson Jr.

R: Tandaan mo, sa'yo lang ako maniniwala at magtitiwala. Sa'yo lang ako. Sa'yo lang. *caresses her cheeks with his thumbs and kisses her forehead, the salty tears in each eye, her rosy nose and her cheeks before kissing her lips slowly and gently* Hayaan mo na muna sila ha? Sa akin lang muna ang tingin.

M: *closes her eyes and nods her head* Sa'yo lang. *slowly inches her lips closer to his, inhaling his sweet breath and feeling his warmth around her, then kisses him passionately, letting him take all her worries away with every kiss and every touch* 💛🍃

**********

Unbeta'ed and not proofread. Thank you for reading.