Gunita [EDITING]

veinte

We waited for the reception to end before we were able to finally get to Ali and Chen... Nang makita namin sila, hindi ko na rin napigilang maiyak. Ali... he looked so devastated. He was just staring blankly at the wall nitong nirentahan nilang Presidential Suit, ni hindi rin namin siya makausap nang maayos, he wasn't even talking at all—his bloodshot eyes and tear-stained face were already enough to tell us what really happened...

She died...

She.

Really.

Died.

And here we are witnessing Alfonso Isaiah breaking down... almost at the verge of emptiness. The whole room was too gloomy. I couldn't even explain the pain and sadness embracing the whole ambiance—nakakabaliw.

Ako na... ako na isang beses lang siyang nakausap, ni hindi ko na rin ma-explain kung gaano kasakit 'yung nararamdaman ko. What more Ali?

Ilang tao pa ba ang kailangan nilang patayin just to cover up their tracks for the sake of their image?

Wala na ba talaga silang awa... Tao pa ba talaga sila?

"We were on our way to the reception when Alex's doctor... Ali's friend... said that she passed away just minutes after the wedding ended," Chen uttered, messing her hair habang pabalik-balik na naglalakad, tears were streaming down her face but she did not even bother to wipe her cheeks. I immediately stood up and held her hand to calm her down for a bit. "Alex died, ate... and I can't even do anything about it." I pursed my lips. I was trying to find the right words to tell to calm her down, pero parang tinakasan din ako ng mga salitang dapat kong sabihin. I couldn't speak... it felt like there were no appropriate words to suffice... no assurances... kahit subukan kong mangapa ng kahit kaunti lang...

Ganito pala 'yun... 'yung pakiramdam na wala ka na talagang magawa. Na kahit anong subok mong maghanap ng paraan, mararamdaman mo na lang sa sarili mo na... mukha ka na ring tanga.

Kasi kahit subukan ko, wala talaga.

Na may nasaktan na naman nang dahil sa amin, pero wala pa rin kaming magawa.

Nakakatanga.

Napaupo na lang si Chen. I sat beside her and let her cry—I was crying, too, but as much as possible, I tried to control my tears.

Selfless; I had to stay strong.

Niyakap ko na lang nang mahigpit si Chen habang hinahagod ang likod niya.

"The suspect was immediately captured... but he won't speak the truth. Ang sabi niya nagnakaw lang naman daw talaga siya... kaya niya raw pinatay kasi baka magsalita. Hindi naman daw niya sinadyang patayin, ang kaso natuliro na raw..." paliwanag sa amin ni Chen kahit nauutal-utal nang kaunti dahil sa sunod-sunod niyang pag-hikbi. "A pre-trial will be opened soon... nakahanap din daw agad ng korte... God, ang bilis din nilang nakahanap ng Prosecutor... well, at least they still had the conscience to get a good Judge to preside the case. Nobody will know, but I'm sure it's all the work of our families."

Napapikit ako nang mariin.

"Does... does her family know about it?"

Chen nodded.

"They... they chose to shut up after getting a large amount of money. They never really cared about Alex. She was the breadwinner, but they didn't even count her sacrifices just to feed them..." she muttered, covering her face with her palms, she was still shaking... "After getting a good amount of one million pesos and a relocation somewhere far from the capital? I was sure enough they won't speak... not that they'll live long anyway."