TERRIFIED

-Chapter Nineteen-

One month later...

HINDI NA ALAM ni Claude kung ano pa ang gagawin.

Kristen is pregnant. Kasalukuyan itong nag-iisa sa elevator nang bigla na lamang itong nahilo at nawalan nang malay. Buti na lang at ang boss niyang si Rafael ang nakakita dito.

He introduced Kristen to him a couple of weeks ago. In fact, Rafael even hinted of his interest to get to know his sister further. Unfortunately, masyado pang maaga para mag-entertain ito nang suitors. Isa pa, he was still hopeful na magkakabalikan pa rin ito at si Enzo. They are still married, after all.

'Please don't tell him kuya. Kapag dumating siya, iisipin kong pumunta si Enzo dahil lang sa bata. I don't think I can bear that'

His sister beg.

Claude clenched his fist. 'Well my friend, you better wake-up soon from your sorry state. Or else, ako mismo ang maglalayo sa mag-ina mo'.

NAKASALPAK SA DALAWANG tainga ni Kristen ang earphones ng iPod na hiniram niya kay Claude. Kasalukuyan siyang nakaupo sa bench ng isang park na malapit sa bahay ng kapatid na siyang tinutuluyan niya mula nang layasan niya ang asawa sa ikalawang pagkakataon.

Marahan niyang iginagalaw ang ulo at tinatambol ng kanyang kamay ang hita kasabay ng tugtog na pinakikinggan.

Nasa pinakamagandang parte na siya ng kanta nang may magtanggal ng earphones mula sa kanyang tainga. Bubulyawan na sana niya ang damuhong umistorbo sa kanya nang bumulaga sa paningin niya ang lalaking laman palagi ng kanyang isip.

"How dare you!" pambungad nitong sumbat.

Nagkrus ang kanyang kilay sa narinig. "Excuse me?" litong tanong niya. Nagulat siya nang makita si Enzo sa harapan. Ang tagal niyang naghintay na sundan siya ng asawa, pero heto at ito pa talaga ang may ganang magalit sa kanya.

"I was thinking about you all the while you weren't with me. I was beating myself up for hurting you---intentionally or unintentionally. I was picturing you crying endlessly on the bed, never touching any food. I felt so bad, pero heto't natagpuan kitang naghe-headbang mag-isa sa park."

"All the while, huh?" she remarked sarcastically. "Kaya ba halos dalawang buwan ang itinagal ng guilt feeling mo bago mo naisipang puntahan ako?"

Naupo si Enzo sa kabilang gilid ng bench, siniguradong may espasyo na nakapagitan sa kanila. He must have felt the weight of what she said. His angry expression suddenly turned remorseful.

Humugot ito nang malalim na paghinga. "I didn't know what to say to you, Kristen. I didn't know how to reach you. A big part of me was hoping you'd come back."

"How conceited." Her voice was in between disbelief and exasperation.

"I'm not conceited. I'm just not brave, at least not as brave as you," amin nito.

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me in a long while," she said mockingly. "Wait! We haven't talked in a long while, have we?"

"Shut up and let me speak," he snapped. "Save the quips and banter until I get to say everything that I came here for, okay?"

Napaawang na lang ang bibig niya dito pero sinunod niya ang kahilingan nito. Itinikom ang bibig.

"Kristen, coming over here is never easy."

Alam niyang sinusubukan ni Enzo na ilagay sa tamang paraan ang pag-e-explain. Gusto nitong maintindihan niya kung bakit ito umakto ng ganoon. Pero dalawang buwan niya itong hinintay at sagad na ang pasensya niya. Bukod pa roon, hindi man niya alam lahat ng detalye, naiintindihan niya ito. Pinatawad na niya ito sa sakit na dinulot nito sa kanya dahil alam niyang takot lang itong masaktan muli.

At that moment, she did not want to hear his life story, she wanted to start their love story. "Could you fast forward to the part where you'll say you love me?" hindi niya napigilan ang sariling sabihin iyon.

Napailing si Enzo, amused smile pasted on his lips. "All right! I love you, that's why I'm here. I want you to come back home with me."

A triumphant smile crossed her lips. In a second, ay nasa kandungan na siya ng asawa.

"What took you so long to say it?" Hinampas niya ang balikat ng asawa.

"I was scared to say it because by then it's official. Kapag sinabi ko sa iyo, hindi na ako makakapagtago sa likod ng kabaitan ko sa iyo. I was scared that if I tell you, you'd want to know everything about me. I wasn't ready to show you how badly damaged my heart had been after two failed marriages. I couldn't tell you I love you because I was still in denial.

"I'm terrified Kristen, because now that I've said it, you have me---my everything. You have the power to break my whole being. I'm terrified that if I get hurt by you, I might not be able to pick myself up again.

"Paulit-ulit na bumabalik sa isip ko ang sinabi mo. Hindi lahat ng may kakayanang manakit sa akin ay sasaktan nga ako. That I can to trust you. So here I am."

"Aw!" Sinapo niya ang dibdib. "Grabe, na-touch naman ako sa confession mo, hubby."

Natawa ito sa reaksyon niya. Sa hindi mabilang na pagkakataon ay humilig siya sa dibdib ng asawa. Katulad ng dati, niyakap siya nito. She smelled his familiar scent and smiled at the thought that she would get to enjoy moments like this for the rest of her life.

"I missed you, dear husband."

"I longed for you, sweet wife. Noong unang beses na iwan mo ako, I almost went mad with missing you. I hated to admit it at ang sabi ko sa sarili ko, malilimutan din kita."

"Kaya ka ba nambabae?" tukoy niya sa pagkakataon noon na nahuli niya itong may kahalikang iba.

"Hindi." Bahagya siya nitong inilayo para tingnan siya sa mata. "I swear, walang nangyari sa amin. Nagpilit siya na ihahatid niya ako dahil medyo nakainom ako nang gabing iyon. Galing kami sa birthday party ng boss naming. I was forcing myself to forget you kaya nung halikan niya ako pagdating sa harap ng pinto ng bahay, I let her. Noon mo nga kami nakita. But I swear, wala kaming relasyon." Tinitigan siya nito pagkatapos. "Please believe me."

Unti-unting sumulpot ang ngiti sa labi niya. "I believe you."

"Thank you." Muli siya nitong niyakap.

"Alam ko naman kasi na hindi ako ganoon kadaling makalimutan," nakangiting pagyayabang niya.

Natawa naman ito. "Right."

"Kuya Claude would definitely gloat at you. He believes that his the one that brought us together," she mused.

Hindi na ito sumagot pero naramdaman niya ang paghigpit ng mga braso nitong nakayakap sa kanya kasabay ng malalalim na paghinga. Minabuti na lang din niyang manahimik.

Everything had been said and done. It was about time they savor the moment. Ang mga tibok ng puso nila ang nagpaliwanag sa lahat ng gusto nilang sabihin sa isa't isa.

"Have you found your soul yet?" tanong ni Enzo mayamaya.

"Apparently, my soul wasn't lost. She just wanted to find her mate."

"Did she find who she was looking for?"

Tinitigan niya ito sa mata para malinaw nitong makita ang damdaming nahahayag doon. "You tell me."

A sweet smile formed in his lips. "I think she did. She found me," bulong nito bago inangkin ang mga labi niyang kanina pa naghihintay ng halik nito.

Mamaya na lang siguro niya sasabihin dito ang tungkol sa munting buhay na nabuo nila. Nakangiti siya habang marahang hinahaplos ang mukha nang lalaking itinuturing niyang soulmate.

WAKAS?