[Third Person's Point of View]
“Until now, I still can't believe that Tim can do such thing.” Gael said after drinking his shot of alcohol.
Davien, Hirro and Gael are at their favorite club. Si Tim lang ang wala dahil Davien told the other two not to invite Tim. Kanina pa pinaguusapan nina Davien at Gael ang kaibigan. Si Hirro patahitahimik lang pero naiinis na sya sa loob nya dahil sa kung anu-ano ang pinagsasasabi nang dalawa behind their friend's back. Hirro was the only one who understands Tim because they share deep and personal secrets. Because Gael and Davien are doctors, mas naging close sila.
Although close naman silang apat, meron parin talagang “pinakang” mas close.
“I don't know what he's after with marrying Daniela but one thing is for sure. He'll regret everything once na sinaktan nya si Daniela.” Davien replied to Gael.
Hirro heard enough. Hindi na nya kaya na magbingi-bingihan and let his friends bad mouthing Tim.
“Hanggang kailan nyo ba balak na pagusapan at masamain si Tim? You are talking behind his back na parang hindi nyo sya kaibigan. Is he not allowed to commit mistake? And besides, alam nyo ba yung reason nya? No. Hindi nyo alam.” Hirro have a serious face and voice.
Kumunot ang noo ni Gael.
“Bakit ikaw? Alam mo ba? And besides, all those years that we treated him good in the brotherhood, may ginagawa na pala syang di maganda. Now, how can you take his side after those?” Gael speak standing for his truth. His truth and Hirro's truth differs from each other. And Hirro is so tired in listening on his side and Davien's.
“Yan kasi ang mahirap sa atin eh. We always criticize someone without weighing the situation. It is not my story to tell pero sasabihin ko na rin. Tim is in love with Rhein since we were kids. Pero anong sinabi mo, Davien? You prohibited any of us to sway her. If we do, we become enemies. Tim value this friendship so much kaya pinilit nya kalimutan si Rhein and his feelings for her. And you two are both aware kung papaano hanapin ni Tim yung babaeng nakasama nya before Amanda left him. All those years of searching, tinatago lang pala ni Daniela yung sikreto na yun. Ngayon, think again. Kung ipagpipilitan nyo na si Timothy ang mali dito, then consider me as a traitor too. I'm sorry. I'll go first.”
Habang naglalakad palayo si Hirro, Davien and Gael are looking at him. They are speechless.
When Hirro exited the building, he received a text message from Tim. Tim is inviting him for dinner. Pinaunlakan ni Hirro ang imbitasyon ni Tim at nauwi din ang dinner nila sa inuman.
Gabing-gabi na pero binabantayan parin ni Daniela ang paligid. She's monitoring her husband. Uuwi kaya sya o hindi nanaman kagaya kagabi?
Almost one in the midnight when she heard the gate turning open and a car getting into the garage. Daniela stands up from her bed and then slid open her blinders. Pinanuod nya mula sa bintana ng kaniyang kwarto ang pagsuray ni Tim habang sinasara ang gate. Even as he walk going into the house, he's swaying in the air.
He said he will go out to eat dinner yet he go home all drunken in the middle of the night. May kinatagpo kaya talaga sya? What if pumunta pala sya ng club? Tapos nang babae? Hindi mapakali ang utak ni Daniela kakaisip ng mga posibilidad. She open her door slightly and she listen to the noises that her husband created. She can hear his footsteps; the heaviness of his hand getting support from the wall is making loud noises too. Bumubulong bulong pa sya na hindi naman maintindihan ni Daniela kung ano ang binubulong bulong ng asawa.
The next sound that Daniela heard was the opening and shutting of a door.
Pinilit ni Daniela na matulog pero kung anu-ano nang posisyon ang ginawa nya sa kama but she can't fall asleep. Her eyes are wide open until she decided to go down and have some coffee.
After having her coffee, babalik na sana sya ng kwarto nya but she noticed something bright in the darkness of the living room. Lumapit sya sa maliwanang na bagay. It was Timothy's coat and on the pocket is his phone.
She stare at his phone and then she look side-to-side, front to back making sure that no one is around. Kaya pala nagliwanag ang phone ni Tim is because it's running out of battery energy.
Daniela open the phone and it surprises her na walang password ang device. She checked the messaging app at ang unang contact na nakita nya is with the name “Secretary Jane”.
Jane? So Jane pangalan nya? What are they talking about? She asked herself. Kung ire-rate nya ang curiosity nya from 1 to 10 ay todong 10 ang isasagot nya.
Daniela tap the conversation open and she read the most recent conversation of the two.
____________________________________
Secretary Jane: Sir, okay na po ang groceries. Papunta na po ako sa bahay nyo.
____________________________________
Tim: Alright. Nabili mo ba ang lahat?
____________________________________
Secretary Jane: yes, sir. I've handle everything.
____________________________________
Tim: okay.
____________________________________
Around nine nang masundan ulit ang convo nila. The Jane girl reported to Tim.
____________________________________
Secretary Jane: I'm done cooking, sir. Uuwi na po ba ako? Hindi na ako babalik sa office?
____________________________________
Tim: yeah. You can rest now. Thank you for today. And about this morning, thank you.
____________________________________
Secretary Jane: thank you din po, sir. Nga po pala, I left your ATM Card just above your study table.
____________________________________
Tim: yeah. Take care of yourself.
____________________________________
That was the end of their conversation. It maybe short pero for Daniela, that conversation reveals too much. First, Tim is aware that the woman can go to his room as she like. Papaano nya nagagawa na magpapasok ng ibang babae sa kwarto nya gayong may asawa syang tao?
Second, anong “about this morning” ang tinutukoy ni Tim? Daniela think harder. She then realized that Tim may be referring to the day that they fought and he left home tapos di na bumalik. Nagkita kaya sila? Kaya ba umalis si Tim?
And lastly, his secretary uses his ATM Card. She used Timothy's personal ATM Card!
For Daniela, everything just don't feel right. She can feel something that's unforgivable.
* * *
The following day, right after her work, she and Fatima went out for a dinner. Sinabi ni Daniela na naghihinala syang Tim is keeping a mistress.
“How? How did you say that?”
“Kahapon. When I arrived home, there was a girl. She said she's secretary to Tim. She bought groceries for the house and she cooked dinner for Tim.”
“So...?”
“What do you mean so? It's obvious Fatima.” Daniela claimed.
“Hindi ba’t ikaw na din ang nagsabi na hindi mo sinunod si Tim nang bilinan ka nya? Maybe he was just asking his secretary to do errand. Alam mo kasi, Rhein, you mentioned your argument with him and I think Tim has the point. Ikaw kasi yung asawa eh. Hindi mo na kailangang bilinan pa. It's automatic, you know?”
“Pero papaano naman yung may access sya sa bahay? Sa kwarto ni Tim? She even used his credit card! And then he is sharing more time with her rather than me, his wife!”
“I know one way, Rhein. It depend on you if you will comply.” Fatima said opening up a plan.
“Tell me, what is it?”
Fatima remain silent for a while. At matapos ang malalim na buntong hininga, she said, “seduce him.”
“W-what?” Rhein move a little farther from Fatima.
YOU ARE READING
Since Childhood
RomanceAt the age 30, Daniela Rhein Sebastian finally reached her ultimate dream and that is to become a doctor, a licensed obstetrics-gyneology. She's always been the ethical type of woman, a professional one who wears formal attires even at her casual da...
