Obnoxious Oxygen

Chapter Forty One

Titanium held my hand as we rode the car on the way to the hotel. Anja is driving, Tita Moana is on the front seat and I was sandwiched between Titanium and Audrey.

"Calm down, Gabby, okay? Everything is gonna be fine." Titanium said.

I wanna believe that. I wanna calm down, but my heart won't. My heart was pounding when Anja pull the car in front of the hotel. Hindi pa iyon maayos na naihihinto ay nakababa na si Tita Moana.

Maingat akong inalalayan ni Titanium pababa, nanatili sila ni Audrey sa aking tabi habang sinusundan namin si Tita Moana na siyang agad na sinalubong ni Tito Exodus pagkapasok sa lobby ng hotel.

"They're at the board room, the cops are there. Good thing Kurt was still here when they came, he didn't let the police take him-"

"Bakit mo iniwan?! Hindi mo dapat iniwan si Oxygen mag-isa doon, Exodus!" Umiiyak na sabi ni Tita Moana habang pinipindot ang control button ng lift.

"Nasa taas na si Tristan, si Blaster papunta na." Mahinahong sagot ni Tito Exodus dito. "Calm down, Moana Marie. Your son wouldn't like it if he'll see you cry. We have to be strong for him, he will need us."

Tito Exodus is right, our tears won't help. I need to be strong not just for Oxygen but for our babies, too. I wiped my tears away and tried not to replace it with a new set. We rode the lift and it stopped on one of the highest floors in the building.

The two still hold me from both sides. I'm glad they did because my legs were shaking. We reached the board room, Tito Exodus opened it and we walked in.

"I'm not gonna say anything without my lawyer here." That was Oxygen's voice we heard.

"Oxygen, nandito na 'ko." Sigaw ni Tita Moana na agad hinagilap si Oxygen.

He's seated at the center, both hands behind and were handcuffed. I bit my lower lip to keep myself from crying. I stared at him, two cops were standing on his side. Both were aggressively asking him questions.

"Bakit kailangan niyong iposas?!" Sinigawan nito ang mga pulis nang makalapit. "Hindi naman papalag ang anak ko!"

"Protocol lang po, Mrs. De Salvo," paliwanag ng pulis.

Lalabanan pa sana ito ni Tita Moana nang mag-salita si Oxygen. "Ma, okay lang ako."

Inilibot niya ang kaniyang mga mata sa aming mga dumating at huminto iyon sa akin. Agad na kumunot ang kaniyang noo, lalo kong pinigil ang pag-patak ng aking mga luha. Alam kong hindi gugustuhin ni Oxygen na nandito ako, but I want to be here and I will be here. I have to prove him that I'm okay and I'm strong enough for this. I won't leave him. Not in this situation.

"Bakit sinama niyo siya dito?" Mariin niyang tanong kay Tita Moana, akmang tatayo siya nang pigilan ng mga pulis ang kaniyang balikat.

"Bitiwan niyo nga ang anak ko!" Muling hiyaw ni Tita Moana sa mga ito.

Inakay ako ni Titanium paupo sa isa sa mga upuan sa paligid ng mahabang lamesa bago ito umupo sa aking tabi. Hindi ko maalis ang tingin ko kay Oxygen, ganoon rin siya. How bad I wanna run towards him and hug him.

Hindi ko pa rin maintindihan ang mga pangyayari, hindi ko alam kung bakit siya inaaresto pero isa lang ang alam ko, mabuting tao si Oxygen at iyon ang panghahawakan ko.

"We'll apeal for bail." Nanatiling kalmado si Tito Exodus.

"Attorney, mabigat ho ang ebidensya na meron kami laban sa anak niyo." Sabi nito. "May nagtip sa amin na nagdidistribute si Mr. De Salvo ng ilegal na droga. Ayan ho ang nakita namin sa bulsa ng pantalon niya."