“M-ma..” Usal ni Venus, at mabigat ang mga hakbang na lumapit sa babae. They greeted eachother with a perfunctory, beso.
Kinabahan si Venus, ngunit hindi niya ito ipinakita. She sat on the sofa, opposite of her mother in law who looked at her with unkind eyes.
Their inlaws relationship isn't that good. At most, it is civil. Cloud's mother did not like her for a number of reasons. Kahit hindi sabihin ng tahasan ni Mrs. Riego, hindi bulag si Venus— nakikita niya ang enmity sa mga mata nito tuwing magkikita sila. Had it not been for Cloud's presence, baka talagang napagsasabihan siya ng Ina nito sa tuwina.
“How are you?”
“Okay naman po, ma.”
“Hmm... Look through these papers for me then.” At may ibinaba itong isang envelope.
She hesitantly reached for it, binuksan at binasa ang lamang papeles. Namutla si Venus, at hindi makapaniwalang tiningnan ang ginang.
“Hindi na ako magpapaligoy ligoy pa Venus. You're a smart girl, so i will just say it in a straight forward way.” Sumimsim ito sa tsaa. “Leave Cloud. Divorce him.”
Venus weakly dropped the papers. “H.. Huwag nyo po akong biruin ng ganiyan.”
“Hindi ako nagbibiro. You're well aware of his status at alam mo ri'ng nag-iisa siyang anak.” Tumigil itong saglit. “You've been married for four years, Venus. Apat na taon na kayong nagsasama, ngunit ni minsan ay hindi ka pa nagdalang tao. I can no longer sit back and watch you waste my son's prime years! You could be a barren! A tree that bears no fruit. At wala kang lugar sa Pamilya namin. Wala'ng lugar ang isang katulad mo sa buhay ng isang kagaya ng anak ko.”
Bawat salita ay parang karayom na tumutusok sa kaniyang puso. Naikuyom niya ang kamay ng mahigpit. Her fingers turned white beacause of the strenght. Venus tried her best to keep her tears from falling down.
“So name your price. Consider it, as a thankyou for being with my son for years, and a price for signing the Divorce papers. Magkano? Tatlong daang milyon? Limang daan? The sky is the limit—”
“Mawalang galang na po,” Pagputol ni Venus sa maari pa'ng sabihin nito. “Nirerespeto ko po kayo, pero wala po'ng presyo ang pagkatao ko. Maari'ng hindi ko kayang mabigyan ng Anak si Cloud, pero kaya ko'ng ialay ang puso ko sakaniya. Mahal ko po ang anak niyo. I love him, more than myself. Even without his money. Even without his power. Anyone could bear him a child, but how sure are you, that the woman you like for your son would love him even without everything?”
Nagiba ang ekspresyon ni Mrs. Riego. “You..”
Does Cloud want this? Ganon na ba ito ka-atat, na magpalit ng babae kung kaya't ang Ina na nito ang ipinadala niya?
The human heart is indeed, made of flesh. Nasasaktan. Napupunit. Nadudurog. Hindi na masaya si Cloud. Wala ng silbi pang.. Ipagsisikan niya ang sarili niya.
But she couldn't help but to think. Were all her efforts, her devotion and adoration throughout the years really nothing to him? Wala ba talaga siya, sa puso nito?
“Hindi po ako hihingi ng kahit ano. If you want me to disappear from his sight, i will. Pero ipangako niyo po sa akin ang isang bagay..” naipikit niya ang mata, as a stubborn tear fell down her eyes. “na magiging masaya siya.”
