The Boss' Nerd

Athena's Identity (2)

May mga detalye pa din na hindi masyadong malinaw kay Richard, tulad ng bakit hindi alam ni Maine na may anak ang best friend niya.sa pagkadalaga, kung bakit sinisisi ni Maine ang sarili sa pagkamatay ng kaibigan nito, at paanong napunta sa kamay ni Ate Ruby ang bata at marami pang iba.  Pero bago ang lahat ng tanong kailangan muna niyang tingnan ang lagay ng dalaga.  Umakyat siya at tinungo ang kuwarto ng dalaga.  Nagulat pa siya ng makitang  wala na ang dalaga sa higaan nito at tanging si Athena na lang ang nakahiga doon.  Agad-agad niyang isinara ang pinto ng maingat upang hindi magising ang bata.  Agad-agad niyang hinanap ang dalaga sa baba at natagpuan niya ito sa isang upuan sa may gilid ng bahay.  Umiiyak na naman ito.

"Kasama ko siya sa barracks noon, dalawa.lamg kaming babae noong panahon na iyon.  At dahil dalawa lang kami, we decided to gang up para kayanin namin ang hirap ng training!" Maine started to talk as if sensing someone is behind her.

Richard heard it and cruise towards her slowly habang nakikinig sa kuwento ng dalaga. 

"Buddy kami, dahil nga kasi kaming dalawa lang ang babae sa platoon.  I was drawn to her dedication to finish the training.  Masyado siyang seryoso sa lahat ng bagay at she always told me na gusto niya makatulong sa bayan na mabawasan ang crime rate.  Ever since we met, she has this firm decision that once she finished her training, she will go back to the Philippines.  And there starts our friendship, she knew me loke the back of her hand and here I thought I knew everything about her.  Ang galing kong kaibigan no? I never thought na may isa siyang malaking sikreto? Kaya pala she wanted to go back to the Philippines, kasi akala ko talaga lang gusto niya na dito sa atin mag-serve, yun pala may mas malalim pang dahilan.  And to think na I send her to the enemy's that send her to heaven at mawalan ng ina ang anak niya! How unlucky she is to have a friend like me?" Maine said, crying bit a little bit calmer.
"But you didn't know that she had a kid back then, she herself even believed na patay na ang anak niya.  So how can you blame yourself for sending her to that mission?" Richard said, that made Maine a little bit startled pero hindi ipinahalata.  She just wanted to open up and upon hearing that slow and careful step behind her, some sense of comfort washed over her that made her talk.  She just didn't expect it to be Richard.
"But I claimed to be the best friend and yet I didn't know that important information of her life and because of me that kid lost her mom!  Paano ako makakatulog knowing na isa ako sa responsable sa pagkamatay ng kanyang ina na bestfriend ko pa!" Maine said. 
Richard can't help it anymore, lumapit siya sa dalaga at hinawakan ang magkabilang side ng ulo ng dalaga at hinalikan sa noo.
"Hindi ko alam kung makakagaan sa sakit na nararamdaman mo but please gusto ko malaman mo na andito ako, kami para tulungan ka.  We will help you find answer sa lahat ng mga katanungan diyan sa utak mo.  We will help you on finding the truth para maintindihan mo na wala kang kasalanan sa nangyari, na wala kang dahilan para sisihin mo ang sarili mo.  Sabay nating aalamin ang lahat at buong katotohanan tungkol sa mga pangyayaring ito!" Richard said, now hugging her. 
"Masama ba ako??" Maine suddenly blurted out.
"No! Definitely no! Alam ko gago ako, dahil isa ako sa mga nambully sa iyo, I made you believe how lowly are you when in fact ako yung marumi.  Ako yung masama and I am very sorry for that! Sorry sa lahat ng mga kalokohan ko sa iyo noon, and to tell you the truth hindi ko alam kung maniniwala ka sa akin sa paghingi ko ng tawad sa lahat ng naging kasalanan ko sa iyo.  Pero kukunin ko ang pagkakataon na ito para humingi ng tawad sa lahat!" Richard said it with all the sincerity he could muster. 
"And what makes you bad, Richard?" Maine asked out of nowhere.  Richard was taken aback by that question, clamp his mouth and look into the eyes Maine.  As he kept on looking at her eyes, he felt an inner peace that he hadn't felt since her beloved mother died.

"I am enjoying the time of my life when my mother passed away.  Sa totoo lang, nasa mission ako nung mga time na na nalaman namin na malala na ang sakit ni Mommy.  She was diagnosed having a stage four cancer.  Kaya if you remember, nung one time na nakita ko sa monitor mo na you were researching about cancer, I got affected.  Ibinabalik nito sa isip ko yung mga panahong nilalabanan ni Mommy ang sakit niya.  Yung mga pasa, mga pagsusuka pagkatapos ng treatment niya and the intensive pain everytime it attacks.  I cannot even unsee it and everytime I close my eyes, I can still see her pain filled eyes, but what hurts me most is when she tries to hide it from us! And everytime she did that,.it slowly killed me!" Richard said, closed his eyes as if seeing again his mother in front of him.

"But what double my pain that time is my dad...!" Richard suddenly opened his eyes and Maine saw the kept ill feelings on his eyes.  She felt how he is trying to hide the anger.  She took his hand at pinisil iyon as if telling him to calm down.  Richard dared again to look into her eyes, and he was relieved to see understanding on her eyes and not pity.  He was tired of being pitied. 
Maine, on the other hand was mesmerized on the pain she is seeing on his eyes but as she learned his reasons, she felt he was misjudged.  She wanted to tell him, that now she has answers, is that she now understands where h is coming from.

A/N : Should you find this update a little boring, sorry but I need to take these on para maintindihan ninyo rin kung bakit may mga hang-ups ang mga bida natin... Thank you...