The Man With Broken Dreams ( WATTYS 2019 )

4

My hand stopped before I was able to stab her. I handed her the knife again and started the car's engine

''scared huh?'' she laughed like a retard, she was only wearing a see through clothing and a pair of lingerie. I didn't notice how she manages to wear that kind of crap.

''no. I can kill you anytime pero di ako tutulad sayo na mamamatay tao, pahihirapan kita habang buhay ka pa to avenge my son'' I smiled at her she just nodded and shrugged

She kept silent hanggang sa makarating kami sa bahay na tinitirahan niya ''pano mo nalamang ditto ako nakatira?'' she glared at me feeling offended for what I did

''rats or should I say people like you live in the trash gut feel ko kasi bagay ka dito'' ngumiti na lamang siya at tumago lumabas siya ng sasakyan without thanking me. I just sat there waiting for the right moment when a guy with a boquet of roses came in the picture he was smiling sweetly to the slut. He kissed her forehead and bid her goodbye

Wow just wow. She's a prostitute at the same time has a sugar daddy? Di ko alam kung anong klaseng pandidiri ang mararamdaman ko sa nakikita ko. I heard a faint knock on my window

''bumaba ka na dyan. Hindi ka pa ata kumakain.'' She entered her tiny house at ako naman ay marahang sumunod na lamang. It was small very small. Barong barong ang itsura at wala masyadong gamit all she has is a sofa and a table sa maliit nyang sala and two doors I assume yung isa banyo at yung isa kwarto.

''pasensya na maliit lang ang bahay ko pang daga at basura lang'' she smiled at kumuha ng mga gamit sa ref all I did was sit on her old wooden sofa at mag contemplate kung ano ang pwede kong gawin sa bahay niya.

Naghihiwa siya ng gulay nang mahagip ng mga mata ko ang litrato sa may lamesa hindi naman ako nagsalita o nag react

''that's Edmund. Siya yung nakita mo kanina. He's an IT expert sa isang company.'' She shrugged at nagsimula na siyang magluto.

I just nodded and turned away from that shitty picture, I opened my phone para Makita ang schedule and meetings ko for the next day I informed my team sa kung ano ang gagawin namin sa babaeng to.

My mind was wandering off when I smelled chicken curry I stopped and froze for a moment imagining me and my son eating the food and how his face would look like if his mom ever cooked for him. Hindi ko maiwasang maisip ang aking anak bawat minutong magdaan bawat oras at araw pighati ang bumabalot sa aking puso longing for my son after all these years gusto ko lang makasama at Makita ang anak ko pero huli na ang lahat pinatay na siya ng babaeng kaharap ko

''nakahanda na ang pagkain mo, kumain ka na'' hinila niya ang monoblock at pinaghain ako. She smiled but I shooed her away she chuckled and left me sa dining table at pumasok sa kwarto niya I can completely tell that its her room since the bathroom only has a shower curtain as her door lumabas siya nang may maayos na kasuotan na. hindi tulad ng soot nya kanina na kulang na lang magsalita ang kaluluwa nya. Umupo siya sa sofa at nagbasa I eyed her slowly. Her dark circles, her pale lips and fair skin mukha siyang pagod at puyat. Palibasa gusto niyang kinakama siya ng ibat ibang lalaki sa gabi. I shoved my thoughts away and ate quietly tamang tama lang ang pagkakaluto nya sa chicken curry at timplado lahat ng maayos. I wonder how she feels nang patayin niya ang batang walang kaalam alam? She's just too heartless and I cant stand but hate her everytime I pause for a second.

I finished my meal and stood up I was about to clean the plates pero hinila niya ako at pinaupo siya na ang nagligpit ng pinagkainan ko. Pinaghandaan niya pa ako ng dessert it was buko pandan, it was a heartwarming meal in her house. She was washing the plates when I coughed and nilagay ang mga kubyertos na aking ginamit sa lababo.

''akin na, magpahinga ka muna dyan'' malumanay niyang sabi at ako naman ay nangangati ikutin itong bahay nya binuksan ko ang ref niya to see 1.5 bottles of coke na nilagyan ng tubig at wala nang iba pa roon kundi ang Tupperware ng buko pandan na hinain niya sakin kanina.

Hindi naman siya kumibo at hinayaan akong mangalkal ng mga gamit niya. From her small desk sa sulok to her notes and stuff. Nakatalikod siya at naisipan kong pumasok sa kwarto niya, tanging banig maliit na lamesa at sampayan ang laman nito. Naroon ang litrato ng kanyang pamilya at isang litratong madilim na naka frame at may nakaukit na ''sweetdreams'' sa gilid nito.

''uy anong ginagawa mo dyan?'' pumasok siya at nilapitan ako checking if I was doing something.

I laughed at her many things have changed drastically, unti unti akong lumapit sa kanya hanggang sa sumandal na siya sa pader ka kaatras niya. Hinawi ko ang kaunting hibla ng buhok niya tungo sa likod ng tenga nya slowly my hand caressed her face hindi ko na napigilan ang aking galit at inipit ang kanyang mukha sa aking kamay.

''how does it feel na ako ngayon ang niluluhuran? Ako ngayon ang mas mataas sa ating dalawa Addison?'' I gritted my teeth mas lalo kong pinang gigilan ang pagkakahawak ko sa kanyang mukha..