Autumn (CharDawn Fanfic)

Autumn 5

"Richard, hindi ka na nasama sa'min ha?" Leo started to rants in the telephone line.

"Pare, busy tayo sa trabaho e. Pero, next time babawi ako sa inyo."

"Richard naman, ilang taon mo ng rason yan ah? May phobia ka na ba sa bars?" He chuckled after he said these words.

He sighed, "Sige Pare, on my way na ako. Kulit!"

"Ayan na si Richy the Great! Papunta na daw mga Pare." He tell to their friends whom already there.

He can't resist them after all. 8 years nya na ring di nakakasama ang mga barkada after what happened.

"Ya Pearls, nagkayayaan lang sa bar. Ikaw na muna ang bahala kay Stephen. He's still awake when I check him in his room."

"Sige na Richard, mag-iingat ka."

"Thank you."

Richard went straight to his car.

Hindi na sya palagimik simula ng maghiwalay sila ni Rachel dahil isa ito sa pinag-aawayan nila noon.

Mas inuuna raw kasi nito ang barkada kaysa sa mga bagay na mas mahalaga.

He didn't notice that he got there so fast.

As he stepped down on his car, the memories come rushing back to his mind.

"Ano Pare? Sa labas ka na lang? Di ka na papasok?" Joey said while buckling his belt. It's evident that he just went out in a comfort room.

"Loko, ito na nga." He give him a tight hug.

"Uy, nababakla ka na naman sa kagwapuhan ko Gomez!" Joey added.

"Gag* ako pinakagwapo sa ating apat!" Richard directly spanked him in his head.

"Sakit nun ah!"

They walk directly in where everyone's seated.

"Pare!" They all quickly said after they saw Richard.

"Buti naman sinipot mo kami ngayon!" Leo said while giving him a brotherly hug.

"Oo nga Ricardo, nakakamiss yang kalokohan mo!" John added while standing up and abruptly spunk him.

"Mga loko! Kamusta na kayo ha?" He asked after they ordered some drinks.

"Ako muna. Ako muna ang magbabahagi ng aking kwento, mga ginoo." They all laughed when Leo suddenly spoke like a poet.

"Sige mauna ka. Mukhang excited na excited kang magkwento e." Richard jokingly said.

"Hindi naman sa pagyayabang, kaya kasi tayo nandito ngayon mga Pare gusto ko talagang i-celebrate ang pagiging Daddy ko." They all shocked.

"Talaga Pare?! Congrats! After 1 month of marriage meron agad! Shooter talaga!" John congratulated.

"Leo, be a good father to your child. Wag puro pang chichix ituturo ha, lagot ka kay Alice nyan." Joey advised.

"Wow Pareng Joey, makapagsalita naman to! Pinakababaero ka kaya sa ating lima!" Richard joked once again.

They laughed.

"Teka lang ha. Wag mo sa'king pinapasa yang gawain mo, Gomez."

Many stories were told, until...

"Pare, e ikaw? Kayo ni Rachel, kamusta na?" John asked, concern in his friend's marriage life.

Richard seemingly drunk more than he should.

"Ito wala pa rin. Di ko na sinundan dun e. Para san pa ba? E hindi naman ako nun pakikinggan e. Ang alam nya niloko ko sya at pinagpalit sa anak ko kay Selina."

"Pare, wala kaming kinakampihan sa inyong dalawa. Alam namin na maaayos nyo pa yan, kahit pakiramdam mo malabo na." Joey said.

"Oo nga, Ricardo. Ikaw pa ba? Tama na yung walong taon na iniwan mo kami at hinayaan mo lang syang umalis." John added.

"Ginawa ko yun para wag na syang dulutan pa ng mas matinding sakit. Sya na mismo ang nagsabi, hindi nya kayang makita si Stephen sa bahay namin. Hindi ko kayang mamili sa kanilang dalawa. Parehas ko silang mahal." He stopped for a while and drink another bottle of hard drinks.

"Tanong ko sa inyo, may kasalanan ba yung bata sa nangyari sa amin?" He added.

They all quiet until Leo speak.

"Walang kasalanan si Stephen dun. Alam nating lahat. Pero masakit lang siguro sa part ni Rachel na nabuhay ang anak nyo ni Selina habang ang anak nyong dalawa ang nawala."

Richard close his eyes and bite his lips to stop himself in crying.

"Di ko naman ginusto yun, Pare. Di ko naman sinasadya. Hindi ko naman alam. Hindi ko alam na si Selina yun at hindi si Rachel."

The ambiance is too serious.

"Ikaw kasi e, basta babaeng maputi, mahaba ang buhok at mabango akala mo si Rachel agad. Ayan tuloy." He jokingly said but it's true.

"Alam mo isa lang solusyon dyan sa problema mong walong taon mong tinalikuran. Kausapin mo sya. Puntahan mo sa US ng malaman mo talaga kung ano ba talaga. Kung wala na o meron pa. At kung ano mang decision nya tanggapin mo na lang." John suggested.

"Paano kung may iba na sya dun? Bago sya umalis noon, humingi sya ng annulment. Anong gagawin ko? " Richard devastatingly asked?

"Pare, alam mo na ang dapat gawin." Leo said.

"Magtatanong ba ako kung alam ko?" Richard joked.

"Loko! Gomez, hindi ganyan pagkakakilala ko sa'yo e. Martyr ka dati e. Kahit under de saya ka ng asawa mo, proud ka pa kasi ang sabi mo sa'min at least may ganoong kaganda at katalino kang asawa." Joey reminded him.

"Kahit nga sinisigawan ka non dati sa cellphone para umuwi ka na galing dito sa bar, uuwi ka kaagad at lalambingin sya. Sabi mo pa nga, nakakatres ka lagi sa kanya pag good boy ka?" John joked once again.

They all laughed in John's last lines.

Their night ended like a true brother giving advises to their problematic sibling.

They all went apart  in their houses.

I will get you back, my Mikmik.

This would be the last time I'll cry over our past because I know in the future you'll forever be with my arms.

Mikmik, I can't let you go for a lifetime.

I'll win you back.

First thing in the morning he arranges his flight to US.

"Ya Pearls, kayo na muna ang bahala kay Stephen. Sunduin sya ni Mamita at Pappy mamaya. While I am in US kayo na rin ang bahala sa bahay. Thank you."

"Opo, Sir. Wag kang mag-alala. Mag-iingat kayo ni Rachel ha."