Gunned Down

CHAPTER 38

“Fuck. Fuck.”

Nasa loob pa rin si Pion ng kanyang sasakyan at pinagsusuntok niya ang manibela niyon. Hindi siya makapaniwala na nag-away sila ni Danelle lalo na’t aalis siya at matagal-tagal na mawawala. Ang isa niyang kamay ay nasa buhok niya at gigil na nakahawak doon.

Kinuha niya ang cell phone para tawagan ang babae ngunit hindi nito sinasagot kaya tinext na lamang niya ito.

*I’m going there, let’s talk.

He bowed his head and waited for her reply. He is now admitting that he’s at fault. If he wasn’t impulsive and if he just hear the woman earlier, they would have not gone far than this. And about him, leaving the country, he was about to tell her tonight and he just got time from his work.

He lifted his head up as soon as he heard his phone beeped. It was a text message from Danelle that he wished, he did not read.

*Don’t. If you do, we’re totally over.

Namumula ang mga mata ni Danelle dahil sa kakaiyak at hindi niya inaasahang nasa sala ang kanyang ina kaya’t hindi siya nakatakas dito. Mabilis naman siya nitong nilapitan, hindi nagtanong pa bagkus ay niyakap na lamang siya. She felt crying again.

“What happened? Are you okay?”

“M-mom.”

“Hush. Kung hindi ka pa handang sabihin sa’kin, okay lang. Pero kung hindi mo na kaya, I’m just a call way, anak. Uunahin kita higit sa ano pa man because you’re my family.” Her mother said as she caressed her back

Tumango-tango siya rito. Tingin niya ay hindi pa ang oras na ito para sabihin sa ina ang kung ano man ang mayroon sa kanila ni Pion. Baka mas ikalungkot lang niya iyon kung sakali man.

“Uuwi ang Dad mo mamaya kaya umayos kana para hindi siya magtaka kung bakit ka ganyan. Alam mo naman, hindi ka makakatakas doon.”

Danelle smiled slightly. “Yes, Mom. Thank you so much.” she kissed her cheeks before going upstairs.

Sa hapag…

Tahimik na kumakain ang pamilyang Greogo at hindi alam ni Danelle ngunit hindi siya makatingin sa ama. She can just hear him breathing heavily then he will look at her, and stayed silent again. She feels like her father has something to say on her. She looked at her mother who smiled at her.

“Dencil, may gusto ka bang sabihin sa anak mo? Kanina ka pa ganyan at bakit biglaan ang pag-uwi mo?”

Danelle was very anxious, she feels nervous in the moment. She doesn’t know what to say nor will her father say to her.

“May nakapagsabi sa’kin. Nakita raw kayo Danelle sa birthday ng Brigad. General at kasama mo ang sundalong si Captain Pion Pzarova. Tama ba ang ulat na ‘to sa’kin?”

Paras siyang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig dahil sa narinig sa ama. Ginising nito ang natutulog niyang diwa at ngayon ay nawawalan pa siya ng sasabihin.

“D-dad.”

“What is going on between the two of you? May dapat ba kaming malaman, Danelle?”

Hindi masalubong ni Danelle ang tingin ng mga magulang niya kaya napayuko na lamang siya. “D-dad, Mom—

“You just have to answer yes or no.”

Napatingin si Danelle sa kanyang ina na nakahawak na ang kamay sa asawa. “Let her talk.”

Umangat muli ang tingin ni Danelle. She bit her lower lip making her more ready to confess. Magsasalita na sana siya nang makitang umilaw ang kanyang cell phone na nasa mesa rin. Napatingin silang tatlo doon ngunit siya lamang ang nakabasa kung sino ang nagtext doon.