After All This Time

Focus On Your Goals.

Ricci's POV

From: Mrs. Ricci Rivero
1:03 pm

Our flight is scheduled on Wednesday. You can come to our house to visit him... if you're still interested to see your son.

It's thursday today. I have exactly six days to spend time with my son. Alam ko mali ang mga nasabi ko when we argued a couple of days ago. Nadala lang ako ng galit kaya lumabas yun sa bibig ko. I didn't mean to say those words.

Sa mga nakalipas na araw, nakapag-isip isip ako. Tama si Pat. It would be better kung magiging malayo muna kami sa isa't isa. Mali kasi talaga lahat eh. It's been two years pero parang wala pa rin kaming pinagbago. Padalos-dalos kami sa lahat ng bagay. Akala ko kasi ganun lang kadali lahat. I thought everything would be so much easier because we have each other. Pero hindi namin alam, mas nagiging komplikado ang sitwasyon namin kapag magkasama kami. Sobrang toxic kasi ng relationship namin. At alam ko na kung ipipilit lang namin lahat dahil lang gusto namin na magkasama kami, hindi lang kami ang mahihirapan. Maraming tao yung pwedeng madamay. And we can't disregard our safety. Hindi na lang kaming dalawa ang involved dito. We have Ryle now. We can't let anything happen to him. Tama siya na we should just stay as friends muna. Because being together would cause a lot of destruction and damage. Para sa ikatatahimik namin at para sa ikatatahimik ng lahat.

Ang nakakafrustrate pa, ang daming taong nagiging involved sa relasyon na dapat pang-dalawang tao lang. Alam ko naman na it's because of me kaya ganito yung nangyayari eh. Siguro nga loving me is that hard.

I already told my family about what happened to us. They all respected our decision. Sabi ni dad and mom sakin, they both support me and Patrice's decision of ending our relationship. Wala naman daw silang magagawa about that. Sinabi ko rin sa kanila na Pat told me na hindi niya ipagdadamot ang anak niya sakin. Alam naman daw nila na Pat would let me see my child. Hindi naman daw siya yung tipo ng babae na porket hindi nagwork out yung sa amin, idadamay na rin niya ang ibang tao. Sa totoo lang, for the past couple of days, laging nagfa-facetime si mom and Pat. Syempre kasama rin si Ryle.

—

After ng klase ko, dumiretso ako sa condo and took a quick shower. I'll be going to Pat's house. Susulitin ko na yung time ko kasama si Ryle.

Pagdating ko sa bahay nila, si Patrice ang nag-bukas ng gate.

"Nasa kwarto ko si Ryle. Nilalagnat siya since Tuesday."

"Ganun ba? Have you brought him to the doctor?"

"Sabi ko kapag hindi pa bumaba yung lagnat within today, dadalhin ko na siya sa ospital. Pasok ka."

She left the front door open kaya pumasok na ko at dumiretso sa kwarto niya. Pagpasok ko, nanonood si Ryle ng Spongebob Squarepants. He was lying on the bed and was too focused on the TV kaya hindi niya namalayan na tumabi ako sa kanya.

"Ryle, anak."

Lumingon siya sakin.

"Daddy."

He was a little bit pale at mapungay yung mga mata niya. Namumula rin yung pisngi niya.

"Namiss ka ni daddy, anak."

I put my hand on his forehead. Grabe sobrang init niya.

He was focused on the TV kaya sinabayan ko na lang siya sa panonood. Maya-maya, pumasok si Pat na may dalang tray.

"Umm... kain muna Ricci."

"Thanks."

"Sa labas muna ko. May mga kailangan akong tapusin na trabaho. Paki-bantayan mo muna siya."