The Enchantress

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

There was always a fine line between love and hate.

Susanna fell in love with Scott every single day, that was for sure. It had been almost three years since they got married. Everything was running smoothly.

Nagpatayo sila ng bagong bahay kahit ano pang pilit ni Christina na huwag na silang umalis. Kaya naman sa tabi lang ng mansyon nila pinatayo ang bahay ni Scott. Hindi iyon ganoon kalaki. Balak na rin kasing lumipat buong pamilya sa ibang lugar dahil iyon ang kailangan. But Veronica continued to insist that they should stay for another year.

"Mahihirapan na tayong umalis 'pag gano'n," paliwanag ni Christina.

"Pero kahit tapusin ko lang ang senior high," pakiusap naman ni Veronica.

Sa huli, pumayag na nga ang kanilang ina. But they all knew the real reason why Veronica was insisting to stay. It was because of Chad, her childhood friend. He was already eighteen, and she was trying her best to look like an eighteen-year old teenager. Ngayon, pinaplano ng binatang kumuha ng entrance exam sa kilalang unibersidad sa mas malaking syudad. Hindi pa nga lang alam ng dalaga kung saan iyon.

Samantala, halos lagi namang mag-isa si Feliciah. Susanna would sometimes find her talking to herself. Minsan nag-aalala siya para rito pero agad nililinaw ni Scott na natural lang sa mga Necromancer ang makakita ng kaluluwa.

"Edi nakakakita ka rin?" Nanlalaking matang tanong niya.

She had never seen a ghost before. Kung pwede nga lang hindi siya maniniwala doon pero dahil halos patayin na siya ng multo ng kanyang ama ay naniniwala na siya.

"It's not a ghost. It's a soul."

"May pinagkaiba pa ba?" Umirap siya sabay halukipkip.

"Malaki."

She was falling in love with all the new things he was telling her. Hindi niya mapigilang mamangha sa mga iyon. Marami kasi talagang alam ang mga Necromancer na hindi alam ng kahit na sinong nilalang. They were living in a different world.

She fell in love with him as she woke up every morning with his arms around her. She loved the warm of home he brought to her life. Kahit pa ba sabihing kasinlamig ito ng bangkay. Handa siyang yakapin ito kahit gaano man kalamig ang umaga.

Sa bawat minuto nga ay napapamahal pa siya nang napapamahal sa binata hanggang magsimula na siyang mainis. Naiinis na siya sa amoy nito, sa magulo nitong buhok, sa mga sulok ng mga labi nito na bahagyang tumataas sa tuwing inaasar siya, sa bawat hindi pagsang-ayon nito sa kanya na para bang alam nito ang lahat at sa bawat pagtawag nito sa pangalan niya. She hated her name, Susanna.

"It's Sue!" Pang-ilang ulit niya nang pagkaklaro pero ngumisi lang sa kanya ang binata.

Umirap siya bago ito binato ng unan na nahagip niya. Nasa sala sila ng kanilang bahay at nanonood lamang ng isang variety show sa telebisyon.

"Ang ganda kaya ng pangalan mo, Susanna.."

"Shut up."

"It's classy."

"I said shut up!"

"And I'm sure our daughter will love it too."

Agad siyang napatingin sa lalaki bago kumunot ang kanyang noo. Nakangiti ito sa kanya kaya naman umirap ulit siya at itinuon na lamang ang pansin sa kanyang harapan.

"Ayaw mo pa rin bang magkaanak tayo?"

"Ilang ulit na natin napag-usapan 'to ah!" Asik niya. Nilingon niya ang lalaki habang kunot na kunot ang noo. "Ano? Push na push na naman?"

"I'm just curious.." Hinuli nito ang kanyang kamay na sinibukan niyang bawiin pero mas hinigpitan ang kapit nito. "What are you going to do when you find that you're already pregnant?"

She hated it. When she knew that he was right. That whatever she would say, she won't be right no matter what. She hated how he held his her gaze softly, as if he was trying to assure her. That everything would be fine.

And yes, with Scott, everything would be fine. Everything would be possible.

"Fudge.." She cried as she held her sixteenth pregnancy test kit.

Parang ayaw pa nga niyang maniwala dahil baka hindi naman applicable sa kanila ang pregnancy test kit na ginagamit ng mga tao. Pero isa siyang manggagamot. She could sense everything. She already knew that there was another growing life inside her the moment its heart beat. But she was too afraid to accept it. She was still not sure how Scott sensed it too.

Naramdaman niya ang yakap ni Scott mula sa kanyang likuran. Lalo lang siyang naiyak. Ipinatong nito ang baba sa kanyang balikat matapos kintalan ng halik ang kanyang leeg.

"Those are tears of joy, right?" He looked at her eyes at the mirror in front of them.

Humihikbing tumango si Susanna. "I'm scared."

"I'm here.." Tumunghay ito at hinalikan ang kanyang pisngi. "You're gonna be a good mother."

She nodded again but was still scared. Hindi niya alam kung bakit pero pakiramdam niya sa dami ng kakulangan niya sa buhay hindi niya na makakayanang bumuo pa ng panibagong buhay.

Pero natural lang naman ang matakot siya. Alam niya iyon. Alam niyang kung hindi niya kakayanin ay nandoon si Scott para saluhin ang lahat ng pagkakamali niya. Punan ang lahat ng kanyang kakulangan.

"You know I love you, right?" She told him and he grinned.

"You know I love you more."

And she was sure that in less than nine months, there would be another life they would be loving too.

e n d .

★✩★

Yeheyy! Tapos na siya. I know. I know. Ang ikli naman nito. Walang masyadong ganap ang main leads. Yes, yes, yes. 'Yan din ang naiisip ko, eh. 'Lam niyo 'yun? Lol. Anyways, I would still like this story to end like this. Their love story isn't the best story ever but still I like it. Char. So, 'yun. Thank you for reading at sa pag-abot dito! Mwaps. Salamat sa mga votes at comments. Hihi. I love you guys. You're the best! Sana 'wag kayong magsawa sa pagpasok sa aking mga kakaibang mundo.

See you sa next story! Mwaps. Mwaps. Annyeong!

God bless everyone. Smile! ❤️

- M. S. Umali