Since Childhood

48: I Need Space

"Rhein, wait!" Timothy chase his wife na mabilis ang paglakad towards their car. Her shoulder are shaking, she is covering her mouth using her hands, hoping that she could seal her sobs. "Rhein, please."

Huminto sa paglakad si Daniela. She turn her heels at hinarap nya si Timothy.

"I wanna go home, Tim. Please."

"I'm really sorry, Rhein. Let me explain." His voice held regret and sorrow. Ganon din ang lungkot sa mata nya. Ito yung dahilan kung bakit mas pinili ni Tim na itago ang tungkol kay Tanya. Para hindi nya masaktan si Daniela pero wala ding silbi. It only worsen because he lied and above all, they ate with the harlot.

Magsasalita na sana si Rhein pero may humila naman ng marahas sa buhok nya. Tanya waited outside sa paglabas ni Rhein para baiwan ito. Hindi kasi nya matanggap na hindi sya nakaganti kanina sa loob ng restaurant.

"Hayop kang babae ka!! Dahil sayo  nawalan ako ng trabaho! Pinahiya mo pa ako sa harap bg maraming tao! Ang yabang mong babae ka eh niloloko ka lang naman nyang asawa mo!!"

While Tanya is pulling Daniela's hair na parang may balak syang kalbuhin si Daniela, mabilis na pumagitna si Timothy. He pushed Tanya away from his wife. Sa lakas ng pagkakatulak ni Tim, Tanya dive in the ground.

"Let's go home, Rhein." Kanina lang ay si Rhein ang nagyayaya na umuwi ngayon naman ay ang asawang lalaki na. They had enough trouble and gusto ni Tim na ilayo na si Rhein sa mahaderang si Tanya.

Rhein shook Tim's hold on her arms.

"Let go!" Sa ikalawang pagpupumiglas ni Daniela ay nakawala sya sa hawak ni Tim. Her tears automatically stopped. She pulled her phone out at mabilis nyang kinuhaan ng picture ang nakalugmok na si Tanya. The flash of her camera and its sound is followed one after another.

"Anong ginagawa mo! Wag mo kong kuhaan ng picture!" Tanya used her both hands to cover her face but she's too late.

"This is my last warning, you immoral woman. Leave us alone. Kapag hindi mo ako tinigilan or ang asawa ko, we will see each other in court at kung kinakailangan kong ubusin ang pera ko sa bangko just to put you in jail, I am goddamn telling you, I will do that. Madami akong pera, Tanya. I have many connection. Hindi mo alam ang kaya kong gawin. Ipo-post ko sa social media itong pictures mo as a warning to other wives na ang isang mahaderang kagaya mo is out here, nangaahas na ng ibang asawa. You will be famous. Maghintay ka lang!" Nakatungo si Rhein kay Tanya. Napakababa ng tingin ni Rhein sa mga babaing kagaya ng kaharap nya. They're using their beauty and body to commit sin. Ang mga babaeng katulad nya ang sumisira sa moral image ng mga kababaihan.

Tinalikuran ni Rhein si Tanya and she take her first three step toward Tim. After her third step, she stop at her tracks. Kahit gaano kagalit si Rhein kanina ay hindi nya sinaktan si Tanya physically but iba na ang situation ngayon. Muling pinibit ni Rhein ang kaniyang paa. She go and faced Tanya once again.

Instead of lowering her pride, nagawa pa ni Tanya na sabihing "kahit anong gawin at sabihin mo, hindi mo na mababago ang katotohanang niloko ka ng asawa mo!"

The feedback that Tanya received was a hard slap on her left cheek. Nasundan  ito ng isa pang malakas na sampal sa kabila nyang pisngi. It was followed by another slap on her left and another one on her right cheek. Bawat sampal na natanggap nya kay Daniela ay naging dahilan para magparoon at parito ang ulo nya.

"Not just a mere cheap and unworthy woman like you can tear me and my husband apart. Tandaan mo yan." After her final words, mabilis na lumakad si Daniela papasok sa kanilang sasakyan.

She didn't took the front seat. Instead, sa passenger's seat sya umupo. The interval is just seconds before Timothy joined her in the car.

"Rhein..."

"Just drive, Tim. Don't try to explain, don't talk. Ayoko nang malaman ang iba pang hindi ko pa alam. I had enough today, Tim. I just wanna go home and rest. Please, just do it for me." Ngayon na silang dalawa na lang ulit ni Tim, bumubos muli ang luha ni Daniela.

"I'm so sorry, Rhein... I didn't—"

"It's okay. Please, wag ka na magsalita, Tim. You're gonna hurt me more kapag nagsalita ka pa."

Daniela and Tim look at each other through the front mirror. Timothy shut his mouth and he listen to Daniela's cry hanggang sa makauwi silang dalawa.

Walang away na naganap, walang paguusap, there was no interaction when they got home dahil nagkulong agad si Rhein sa kaniyang kwarto. Timothy tried his best to make up with her. Buong gabi syang naka-upo sya sa tapat ng pinto ni Rhein at pinakikinggan ang pagiyak ng asawa.

On the following day, when Tim wake up with the sun already rise from east, naabutan nya si Daniela na nasa sala. Nakaupo si Daniela sa isang sofa at may katabi syang isang maleta. His heart beat pound crazily dahil sa kaba at sa ibigsabihin ng maletang iyon.

"W-why are you all dressed? At bakit may maleta? You're not leaving, right?" Timothy asked. Kunot ang noo nya habang palipat lipat ang tingin kay Rhein at sa maleta sa tabi nya.

Tumayo sa sofa si Rhein. She's smiling but the pain she's going through is still visible. Daniela put her hands in her jean's pocket.

They keep the distance between them.

"I'll go back home for a while. Mga... one or two weeks lang." She replied.

"Home? What home? This is your home, Rhein. Saan ka pupunta? Is it because of what happened last night? Are you saying goodbye now?" Hindi maiwasan ni Tim na magformulate ng kung anu-anong raso  tungkol sa pag-alis ng asawa. He is scared na baka hiwalayan sya ni Rhein.

"No, no. I told you, saglit lang akong mawawala. Kay mama at papa muna ako saglit. I will be back after the period that I told you. Mabilis lang naman ang dalawang linggo." Daniela kept the curve in her lips.

"I'll go with you. I'll just pack my things tapos we can go together."

"Tim! I told you, babalik nga ako. Bakit ba ayaw mo?"

"Because I fucking know that you are mad at me! And you're leaving because of what I did! Pwede naman natin pagusapan,bakit kailangan mo pang umalis?!"

"Hindi! It's not like that! Tim, kung aalis ako, bakit pa kita hihintayin para lang magpaalam? Kung iiwab kita, I could have just go without saying anything. But no. Here I am, nagpapaalam. The truth is I just needed space fo my own. I want to heal myself. Para na din makaiwas ako sa stress, so I could help myself while I'm in tgeraphy. Once that period of time is over, I will comeback. Babalik ako at uuwi ako sayo. But please, give me the space that I badly need."

"Two weeks?" Tim lowered his voice. Ayaw nya lakawalan si Daniela even tho she assured that she'll go back to him. Pero ayaw nyang sakalin ang asawa kaya papayag na lang sya.

"Yes. Just two weeks."

"And you will comeback? You'll comeback to me?"

"Oo naman." Daniela smiled. A type of smile that bears so much pain. "I have to go, Tim. Baka maipit ako sa traffic jam."

"Okay."

Timothy look away. Hindi nya kayang panuorin ang pagalis ni Daniela. Its too painful.

Daniela pulled her baggage hanggang sa garahe. Binuksan nya ang trunk ng sasakyan nya and she get it loaded. Mabigat din ang loob nya sa pag-alis pero yun talaga ang kailangan nya eh. Buong gabi nya itong pinagisipan. Two weeks is long enough.

Sana nga sapat na yon para makaheal ko yung sarili ko. She thought.

Ilang minuto ang lumipas. Timothy resist his urge to go out. Narinig nya ang pagbukas at lagsara ng gate, also the car's engine. When he couldn't resist it anylonger, tumakbo sya para sana yakapin man lang si Daniela. But he's too late. Nakaalis na ang sasakyan ni Rhein and he watch her go away.