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Kabanata 18

Kabanata 18

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Pagkatapos namin kumain ay umuwi na kami. Chi-neck ko muna ang kalagayan ng restaurant ko bago pumunta sa sasakyan ni Marcus. Nasa labas pa sila ng sasakyan at halatang hinihintay ako.

"Done?" He asked me.

"Yes,"Sagot ko. Tumango siya. He opened the front seat at pumasok kaagad ako roon. Nasa passengers seat naman ang mga bata. Kinakalikot na ang mga binili nila kanina.

Pagkarating namin sa condo ay nagulat ako kung sino ang nag-aantay sa labas. Kassandra in her usual floral dress and a designer bag was waiting outside our condo. We stopped from advancing our steps. Dahil dun, nilingon kami ni Kassandra. It weirded me when she smiled widely.

"Oh! Kaya pala walang nagbubukas sa akin because you were out," she said, still smiling.

"Kassandra..." I looked at Marcus when he said that. Gaya ng sabi ko, I'm a jealous type of woman. Alam kong si Mikael talaga ang tunay na asawa ni Kassandra but, I don't know. The past triggered my emotions.

"Hi..." I awkwardly said. Hindi ako makangiti ng maayos.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Marcus asked her.

"Hindi niyo man lang ba ako papasukin?" She asked playfully. Napatango ako roon. That was so rude of us.

Lumapit ako sa kanya. She looked more beautiful and sophisticated up close. I smiled a bit to her before swiping my key card.

"Pasok ka," I said when the door opened.

Ngumiti naman siya at pumasok. Kasunod niya si Marcus na bitbit na ang mga bata. "Greet you tita Kassandra, babies," I told my children. They were hesitant at first. Siguro naaalala parin ang nangyaring gulo dati sa school nila.

"Hello po," si Scott.

"Hello, tita," si Shara.

"Hello. How are you? How's your birthday party?" Ani Kassandra.

"It was fun po, tita," Scott answered.

"Bihis na muna kayo mga anak sa kwarto," I commanded them. Mabilis naman silang tumango at tahimik na nagpa-alam sa amin. I smiled at their politeness.

"So..." I started when the kids were gone. Kassandra seemed to be tamed now but I just don't want my children to witness if ever something bad happened.

"Why am I here?" She continued my sentence. Tumango ako. Namalayan kong lumapit si Marcus sa akin. He kept silent. He snaked his arms around my waist then rested his chin in my shoulder. I didn't mind, though.

I saw Kassandra gazed at Marcus' hand on my waist before answering. "I'm here to send you an invite. I'm launching my new project sa isang charity kasi and partner ko ron ang parents ni Marcus. Tita Maica wanted you all to come," she said then from her designer bag, she lifted a designed paper and gave it to me.

"Your mom said no buts, Marcus. She's worried when you didn't attend your own birthday celebration! And...she heard a news about your children. She wanted to meet them," napatango ako sa sinabi Kassandra.

"When is it, Kass?" He asked.

"This coming weekend," she answered.

Nanatili lang akong nakatitig sa invitation. Not wanting to join their conversation. His parents wanted to meet my children. That's a big blow to me. Hindi ko pinagdadamot ang mga anak ko but knowing Marcus' parents, they never really liked me for their son. Paano pa kaya ang mga anak ko? But then, baka ako lang talaga ang hindi nila kayang tanggapin. I just hoped that it's just me.

"Mommy?" Nabaling ang attention naming tatlo ng may magsalita sa bandang pintuan.

Sumilip ang isang maliit na pamilyar na ulo mula roon. Drew walked in wearing a dark blue bonnet. Naka jumper shorts ito at blue na t-shirt sa loob. May hawak pa itong tatlong piraso ng ice cream.

"Ah! I didnt tell you. Kasama ko pala ang mag-ama ko," the moment Kassandra said that, napansin ko ang isang lalaking nakasunod sa kay Drew. It was Mikael of course.

"Hello," bati ni Mikael. He has the same features with Marcus. The only difference is that Kael looked softer that Marcus.

Napatuwid si Marcus ng tayo pero ang mga kamay ay nanatili sa aking bewang. He looked so shock at the sight of his twin.

"Hi," naiilang kong bati. Bethany told me na balak sana nilang surpresahin si Kael noong birthday nila. Mukhang hindi natuloy yun dahil sa amin pumunta si Marcus. I felt guilty for that.

Tinanguan niya ako at saka bumaling kay Marcus. "Bro!"

Si Drew naman ay pumunta kay Kassandra na naka-upo sa sofa.

"Bro..." Mahinang tugon ni Marcus. Lumapit siya kay Kael at niyakap ito.

Kael chuckled. "Na-miss mo talaga ako ng sobra pero 'di ka pumunta sa birthday natin."

"Sorry," tanging nasabi ni Marcus ng humiwalay sa yakap. They stared at each other for a while before laughing together para silang tangang dalawa na natatawa sa pagmumukha ng isa't isa. Nangunot ang noo. Ng bumaling ako kina Kassandra ay ganoon din ang ekspresyon niya habang nakatingin kina Marcus at Mikael. Umiling nalang ako sa kalokohan nila.

"Mommy! The ice cream is melting already! You told me to buy ice cream for my cousins. Where are they now?" Drew broke the weird situation.

I chuckled because he's cute pala!

"Come on, Drew! Let's go to your cousins," si Marcus. Dali-dali namang pumunta sa kanya si Drew na dala parin ang tatlong ice cream niya.

"Sasamahan ko na sila," si Kael. Tumingin muna si Marcus sa akin na para bang nagpapaalam. Uminit ang pisngi ko at tumango nalang para payagan siyang umalis.

"My God! You're whipped, bro!" Kael exclaimed before entering my children's room. Narinig ko ang sabay nilang tawa. Ngumiti nalang rin ako at binaling ang tingin kay Kassandra. Kaming dalawa nalang ang naiwan ngayon.

I saw her looking at me too. Like she was memorizing every detail of my face. Walang akong nagawa kundi ang   hayaan siyang titigan ako.

"Please don't hurt him again," she said sadly.

"H-huh."

"Marcus. Don't hurt him again. Magkaibigan na kami dati pa and between him and Kael he may looked rougher but he has the weakest heart. Kaya nga siya lagi ang nalalapitan ko sa tuwing naiisipan kong magpakamatay. His heart is soft," she said. I looked at her and swallowed hard.

"I'm—," i tried to speak but the lump on my throat didn't let me.

"I know you're confused. Pero honestly, galit ako sayo dahil sa nagawa mo sa kanya," she paused. She's trying to weigh my expression. "Nasabi niya na rin sakin na wala naman talagang nangyari sa inyo ng lalaking iyon. But you couldn't blame him. Nasaktan at nagalit siya dahil sobrang mahal ka niya."

I pursed my lips—trying to stop my tears from pooling. Alam kong may kasalanan din ako sa nangyari. I didn't considered his feeling. Nagpadala ako sa galit ko rin. Maybe may insecurities rin dahil palaging si Kassandra ang inuuna ni Marcus dati. I felt like hindi naman niya talaga ako mahal dahil hindi niya ako kayang unahin.

"Hindi... H-hindi mo ba siya minahal?" I asked her. This had been bothering me for the longest time. Kailangan ko ng sagot.

"Nung una...oo," she started. "Kaya nga wala akong takot laslasin itong pulso ko kasi alam kong dadating siya. Magkakaroon siya ng pakialam sa akin. As I always say, he has a soft heart lalo na sa akin na bestfriend niya."

Napalunok ako. "Paanong—?"

"Paanong si Kael?" She continued cutting my sentence.

"Wala, e. Si Marcus dinadaluhan ako dahil sa awa. Si Kael palagi kong kasama kasi mahal niya ako."

I didn't dared to speak. I processed everything. Vague things in my mind are starting clear up.

I blinked once, "Kaya ba si Kael ang pinakasalan ko kahit si Marcus naman ang fiance mo?" Tanong ko.

Tumango lang siya. I sighed. Para akong nabunutan ng tinik. I didn't know that talking to Kassandra would give me this kind of relief.