Secretly Married (English)

Chapter 42

When Kent left the room, Phoebe felt listless. She was scared and unsure-- what was she doing with her life? She didn't know what to believe anymore. And she couldn't imagine life without Kent.

After a few more minutes, Phoebe's father came into the room. "Honey?"

"Yes, Pa?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Not good, Pa. But I'll be better."

"Are you sure? Do you really want to leave?"

"Yes, Pa. I want to leave. Take me away from here."

Phoebe's father sat beside her and hugged her. "Okay. I'll fix our papers. Get some rest." He got up and before leaving the room, he said. "I'm sorry it had to come to this."

-o-

Jhone was trying to call Phoebe to explain the truth, but her phone simply kept on ringing. "Shit, shit, shit! Phoebe, answer the phone!"

Harley took the phone away from Jhone and told her to calm down. "Calm down? My best friend's leaving the love of her life because of a misunderstanding and you're telling me to calm the fvck down?"

"Call Kent." he said, giving back her phone.

"Okay." She dialled his number but only got through voice mail. "Fuck it, Kent! Listen to me. Phoebe thought you were staying in Elisa's room. She had no idea that Elisa was the one who donated her blood. Kent -- don't let my best friend leave the country, or I'll never forgive you!"

Before Jhone could shout again, Harley snatched the phone. "Kent, if you let Isabelle divorce you, you do know that I will be there to catch her, right?"

Then, he dropped the call.

"What the f-"

"Calm down. I had to say it."

-o-

The next morning, Phoebe was packing up her things. She turned her attention towards the plane tickets on her bed. They were really leaving, she and her father. But somehow, something inside of her made her doubt her resolve.

Am I really doing this? Is this the right thing to do? she thought to herself. She kept looking at the door, half-expecting Kent to barge into the room and literally restrain her from leaving. 

Then, someone knocked. She instantly got up, almost ran to the door, but she was disappointed to find Manang Lourdes instead.

"Oh." she said, not having the ability to hide her obvious disappointment.

"Were you expecting someone?" the old lady asked. She'd come there to bring some of Phoebe's stuff.

"Uh - I wanted to see Jhone, is all." she lied.

"Well..." the old lady said. She dropped off Phoebe's bag and pulled her in a hug. "I will really miss you. You take care of yourself there."

Phoebe nodded. She couldn't help herself - she started crying again. Whenever she thought about how life would be tomorrow, she cries. It seemed so scary in its emptiness.

She was truly leaving... and starting a life without Kent. She couldn't even begin to describe how scary that felt.

-o-

Kent lay on his bed, staring up the ceiling, feeling truly hopeless. He'd been trying to call Phoebe after he got the voice message from Jhone and Harley, but he couldn't reach her.

So you really want to leave me for Harley, Phoebe? he found himself thinking. Her phone simply kept ringing. When he stopped calling, his phone started ringing. He answered it without looking who it was, thinking it was probably Phoebe.

It wasn't. It was Mel, his manager.

"Kent? What's going on? The web's exploding with rumors. This is really bad for the film."

"Shut up about the film, Mel. That's your job. I don't want to do any interviews right now. My life is in shambles!"

"But Kent! You have to attend to this. It's your job, too! And everyone's getting caught in the controversy. You have to help to put out the fire."

"Mel, can't you understand? I just lost my baby, and now I'm losing my wife!"

Mel became quiet on the other end of the line. "So it's true then?" she said.

"What is?"

"That she's really leaving? There are photos of her in the airport."

"WHAT?!"

Kent dropped the phone and went out of his room. He found his father on the couch, just getting off his phone."

"Pa!"

"Kent, that was Phoebe's father. They're leaving."

Kent didn't even wait for his father to finish speaking. He got his car keys, and soon he was off."

-o-

Phoebe pulled her trolley and kept looking around her at the airport terminal. She didn't know why she kept expecting Kent to show up. Although she knew she would just push him away once he appears. But still, she hoped.

And then when she didn't see him, she thought, maybe this was indeed for the best. This was what she was meant to do -- leave Kent behind and every painful thing that happened, and start anew. Maybe it was for the better.

There was a long line at the counter for baggage check-in. Phoebe excused herself and went to the restroom. As soon as she got there, when she was finally alone, she let her tears fall.

"Don't leave." She heard a familiar faint voice say behind her.

*later*

Again, for the full Taglish version, visit forgottenglimmer and click My Works. Select Secretly Married, Completed 2011