Girlfriends 2: Rescued Hearts (To be published under PHR)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

STOP THE WEDDING.

Iyon ang paulit-ulit na umuukil sa isip ni Caige tatlong araw matapos niyang makita si Chesca sa mall. Para bang sapat na ang saglit na pagkikitang iyon upang mapagtanto ni Caige na hindi talaga tama ang ideya na magpakasal siya sa puntong iyon. And he was such a jerk for taking up much time to analyze himself. When he thought everything was going well in the beginning, he was wrong. Dahil simula pa lamang ay naging padalos-dalos na siya sa pagdedesisyon. His fucking fear had consumed him all this time.

Muling tumungga ng alak si Caige sa kopitang hawak at muling sinalinan iyon. He was thinking that maybe he could find enough strength from it. Ngunit wala yatang alak ang makakapalis nang kalituhan na lumulukob sa kanya. He’s just fooling himself.

“Caige.”

Nabitin sa ere ang tangkang pag-inom ni Caige nang marinig ang boses na iyon. He saw Miley walking towards him from the corner of his eye. Umupo ito sa kaharap na high-chair at nagkunot-noo sa kanya. Doon ito matutulog sa bahay nila ngayon dahil na rin sa hiling ni Mama Elizabeth dahil tila hindi maubos ang pagkukuwentuhan ng mga ito.

“Bakit gising ka pa?” tanong niya.

“Can’t sleep. Ikaw? What’s up with the alcohol? Parang nagiging hobby mo na 'yan gabi-gabi, ah,” malumanay na wika ni Miley.

“Pampaantok lang.”

“For almost three weeks, nagpapaantok ka lagi sa gabi? O may tinatakasan ka?” walang paligoy-ligoy na tanong ni Miley.

“What are you talking about?”
Ngumiti ito ngunit hindi iyon umaabot sa mga mata. “I know, Caige. I know it’s Chesca.”

Hindi kaagad nakahuma si Caige sa sinabi ni Miley. He kept it because he doesn’t want to make things complicated for them. Dati, sigurado pa si Caige na ang damdamin ni Miley ang pinoprotektahan niya kaya’t hindi niya sinabi ang totoo. Ngayon ay hindi na niya alam. Natatakot si Caige na aminin sa sarili na kaya niya inilihim kay Miley ang tungkol doon ay para malaya siyang makita at makausap si Chesca nang walang paghihinala mula sa nobya. Damn, what a fucking asshole he is!

“Miley, she—“

“No, Caige. Alam kong siya ang babaeng minahal mo ng sobra. I heard it from you.” Dumaan ang sakit sa mga mata nito.

Kumunot ang noo niya. “What do you mean?”

“Maybe you were too wasted to remember. The night before your mother came, you’re too drunk. And you kept on calling Chesca’s name and asking why she had to leave you all of a sudden.”

Napasapo si Caige sa kanyang mukha bago inihilamos ang kamay sa kanyang mukha. Hinawakan niya ang kamay ni Miley na nakapatong sa ibabaw ng kitchen counter. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry.”

Mariing napapikit si Miley at huminga ng malalim. Damn. Alam niyang nasasaktan ito ng sobra ngunit wala siyang magawa dahil siya ang dahilan niyon.

“It… it was h-her all along, tama ba? You just kept it but it was never…gone. Is it, Caige?”

Napayuko siya. “Miley, matagal na iyon.”

“That wasn’t the answer I am expecting, Caige. Are you having change of plans now?”

Mataman niyang tinitigan ang abuhing mga mata ng kasintahan. Miley is a very wonderful woman. Any guy would love to have her. She took care of him. She helped him stood again. She was everything he thought he didn’t deserve. And it pained him to hurt her.

“Caige…” muling tawag sa kanya ni Miley nang hindi siya sumagot. “Caige, I want to know… Kung sasaktan mo ako, saktan mo ako nang mabilis. Kaya ko 'yong tanggapin. J-just… Just please, don’t be unfair with me… Don’t make me believe for something that won’t ever exist… If you choose her, choose her. If it’s me, then it’s me. Ayokong pumasok tayo sa isang bagay na parehas tayong mahihirapan dahil nagkamali tayo sa desisyon. I want you to be honest with me, Caige. Do you still… want this? Do you still want me?” Namumula si Miley habang binibigkas ang bawat kataga. And he knew that sign. It meant she was close to crying.