Leap (gxg)

Part II: ALEXIS

Chapter Seven

Slowly, I started to realize over the days that we spent together that I've started comforting myself unto the care of this new side of Odessa. I truly love my wife from before, deep inside, even if she was the total opposite of what I desired. But this new woman sleeping next to me, was everything I wished for. Despite telling me that she is not my wife, I could feel her love towards me, I could feel her submitting everything hers to me. I found all the things that I wanted from her and what scared me most was if, she indeed wasn't the wife that I had married a year ago.

So, I tried to eradicated myself from her cage. From her gentle gaze, caring hands and loving smile. I refused her kindness and those little efforts she does for my wellfare. I could sense her sadness, I could sense our distances growing in length as the days flew by. Atleast, the therapy with Dr. Ace cheered her up a little bit. I saw how she came to accept her whole new self right now, she's not afraid to tell everyone that she is Julien, but she doesn't deny the fact that she also might be Odessa with the amnesia that the doctors' diagnosed her to have. She grew stronger and I envy her for that. How I wish everything would stay as they were, I want this woman by my side forever. That is why I pushed her away, knowing that one day, if my true wife will come back then I wouldn't know how to blend back. Because I know, there is no going back.

"Anak?" My thoughts shatter when Aling Bella came to me. I was trying to comfort myself on the sofa and was looking at the ceiling. Hinihintay ko rin ang oras upang masundo ko si Odessa mula sa tanggapan ni Dr. Ace.

"Aling Bella, aalis na po ba kayo?"

Si Mars ang masiglang tumango sa akin. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, may nasabi si Odessa noon sa akin na idol ako ni Mars, "Tapos na po ate."

Ngumisi ako at ginulo ang kanyang buhok, "Maraming salamat. Nga pala, may dinner kami bukas, nais niyo po bang sumama?"

"Sus! Huwag na anak, ayokong mambulabog sa hapunan niyo."

Ngumuso ako, "Hindi naman ganuon Aling Bella."

"Ate, pakamusta na lang kami kay ate Odessa. Nag-away ba kayo?"

"Mars! Ayan ka nanaman e." Babala ng kanyang ina. Duo'y kumaripas ng takbo si Mars palabas sa pinto.

"Pasensiya na iha."

"Sus, walang anu man yun."

"Ngunit hindi sa nakikialam ako iha, ngunit nung last Tuesday, mukhang malungkot ang asawa mo. May nangyari ba sa inyo?"

Napakamot na lang ako ng ulo, aminado naman ako na dahil sa aking ginagawa kung bakit nawala ang kanyang dating sigla. Handa akong masaktan, ngunit dinadamay ko pa talaga siya, "Ahh..."

"Kawawa naman ang batang iyon. Hindi ba't may amnesia siya?" Tumango ako, "Wala siyang sinu mang kakilala na malapitan. Yung lungkot niya'y itinatago niya lamang sa sarili niya, O kay bait talaga, kahit na ganuo'y sinisiguro niya pa ring masaya ang lahat."

Wala akong masabi. Dahil totoo ang kanyang mga nabitawang mga salita, "Paano kung hindi nga siya ang Odessa na kilala natin noon?"

Kumunot si Aling Bella at may nerbiyos na nagpakawala ng hininga, "Hindi po sa nagkokontrabida ako, ngunit tiyak na susungitan nanaman kami ni ma'am Des at mahihirapan lamang ang lahat." Hindi lingid sa aking kaalaman na hinihigpitan nga sila dati ng aking asawa. E minsan pa nga'y sa presensya ko pa mismo siya pinapahiya ng aking asawa.

"Ako na mismo po ang humihingi ng tawad sa nagawa ni Des."

Tumango si Aling Bella, "Anak, kung mangyayari nga iyon, sanay mabibigyan mo ng magandang alaala ang huling sandali ng Odessa na kasama natin sa kasalukuyan."