CRY OF RELEASE

TWENTY FOUR

(Sandro's POV)

Hindi ko alam... kung ano ang dapat kong maramdaman habang tinitignan ko ang napakagandang litrato ni Dominica na naka-display sa harapan ko, together with a burial jar with her ashes on it.

It's the last night of her funeral... and I don't know what to feel.

Madami ang dunalo, madami ang nagbigay simpatya sa pamilyang Falcon.

But I think I should also get that sympathy, right?

Im the husband --after all.

Fuck this!

Do I really deserve it?

I love her... but it's too late.

I don't believe it... at first, I thought they are all just putting schemes to make everyone believes that she's gone --that she's already dead... and will never be back.

But no! It's real, it's fucking real... everything is not just a show off or a prank! Dominica --my baby. Fuck this life! I didnt expect that she will left me something like this feeling, this emotion just like that.

I thought all along --its for Greta, my first love. But it's not, a realization just hit me, it hits me hard that I feel so eager to kill all of them, who just did this to my wife.

Flashback...

"I know who you really are..." napalingon ako sa taong nagsalita, it's Freda Ysabel Wilford - Apolonio --Dominica's best friend.

I thought umalis na ang mga ito, pagkatapos nilang sabihin na Dominica was delivered dead thats why we should stop searching for her, they also invited us to come to her funeral for a visit as her friends.

"What?" sagot ko lang sa babae sa aking harapan.

"Hindi ka pa din ba aattend ng burol ni Nica?" tanong lamang nito ulit sa akin. I already told them just awhile ago that I will not go to her funeral. Why should i?

Hindi ako naniniwalang patay na sya, they are just plotting it and I dont know why... if that's what they want then be it, but I will still look for her -- I will find her on my own.

"I already told you my answer, lady. I am not going..." tugon ko with a serious tone.

Nakita ko na may kinukuha ito sa kanyang bulsa.

And I am shocked... to see what it is, at alam kong nakita ng babae ang pag-igting ng bagang ko nang makita at mapagtanto ko kung ano ang bagay na kanyang ipinatong sa aking mesa.

"I knew about your real identity in Dominica's life... and that ring was found in her ring finger, when the body was about to be cremated."

Nakita ko ang pagtulo ng luha nito sa kanyang kaliwang mata nang sambitin ang mga katagang cremated... and its visible to her face --she was also hurting in losing her very own best friend just like that, actually it's not justifiable!

Because I saw everyone in this past months --hoping for her alive, and then this will happen? T*ngina lang.

"It's real, Mr. Estevan... Dominica is already gone --she's dead. So, if I were you... I will come to her funeral --as her husband. Get the sympathy that you deserve as the person, she choses to marry... and I also want you to feel the pain of losing her just like that." At lumisan na ito sa aking opisina leaving to me those meaningful, deep words. At ni hindi man lang ako nito hinayaang makapagsalita o makabigay reaksyon.

Kaya ang tanging nagawa ko lang ay tignan ang bagay na kanyang iniwan sa aking mesa.

I just stared at the ring... Dominica's wedding ring --I picked it up and looked for a symbol that will make this thing legit for me.

And there I saw it... the sign I am looking for to this small thing I am holding --her name with my surname that was deeply engraved to this thing. Damn it!

Hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman, basta na lang akong nanghina at napaupo sa aking swivel chair --I am losing it; my energy, my strength... when I get to absorbed the information that Dominica Falcon-Estevan was really gone... dead gone. She will never be back to my arms again. I cant hold her once again. And just the thought of it, is killing me little by little.

"Ow! Why are you crying, Boss?" Napadako naman ang aking tingin sa kakapasok lang na aking kaibigan --si Exael. At bigla naman akong napahawak sa aking pisngi, damn! May tumulong luha nga rito, kaya agad ko itong pinunasan gamit ang aking palad at muling tinignan si Exael na nakalapit na pala sa aking harapan.

"So... is it really true?" tanong lamang nya sabay dako ng kanyang paningin sa hawak hawak kong maliit na bagay na alam kong alam nya na kung sino ang nagmamay-ari.

Tumayo ako at tinignan ko lamang sya at inilapag sa lamesa ang singsing ni Dominica.

Tumalikod ako sa kanya at humarap sa ceiling to floor na glass window at tinanaw ang buong syudad bago nagsalita.

"Prepare a bouquet of sunflowers, its her favorite."

*End of flashback*

Nagulat pa ang pamilya ni Dominica nang makita ang presensya ko kasama si Greta Franchois, sa huling gabi ng burol ni Dominica. Nauna na kasi kanina sina Vanilli, Exael, Dexter, at Pierre. Sinadya ko talagang magpahuli dahil sa totoo lang ay hindi ko alam ang dapat gawin pag once na makita ko ang burol na inihanda ng mga Falcon para sa asawa ko, hindi ko alam ang dapat maramdaman.

I can't just accept it, easily.

Sinalubong kami ni Sen. Falcon at kanyang asawa --binati, they even thought that me and Greta are together dahil nakalingkis ang mga kamay nito sa aking braso and I just let her do it...

Nakita ko naman ang masamang titig sa akin ng best friend ni Dominica, I saw disappointment in her reaction. But who cares? Dominica is now dead so... I have the full and legal rights to be with another woman that I wanted to be with. Tss.

"I thought... Dominica Falcon was already dead, when she gone missing almost a year ago... I didnt know that-- Im sorry for your lose, Mr. and Mrs. Falcon," walang prenong sambit naman ni Greta, kaya tinignan ko lang ito ng malamig. Gets nya na yun ang gusto kong ipahiwatig.

Oh well, so far... Greta is a good dog, anyway. I can used her to know who from the mafia families killed Dominica, brutally. Alam ko hindi ito kagagawan ni Fontanilla, lalo na at halos naubos ko na ang grupo nila maliban sa dalawang anak nito na nagawang makatakas. I think may iba pang nakakaalam kung sino o kanino talaga naroroon ang librong iyon --the golden book. And also making Greta stay with me, will be the best way to know what is she really up to. I sensed it, she had other and major  agendas of helping Sen. Falcon get out of jail and putting Sen. Fontanilla behind bars. At dapat kong malaman kung ano talaga iyon kaya hinahayaan ko syang manatili sa tabi ko.

She's really difficult to handle and read her mind, that's why I will again enter her system and take over it.

********************************

(Freda's POV)

"Hey... baby, stop giving Alesandro that look." Tinignan ko naman ang aking pinakamamahal na asawa nang mapuna nya ang aking masamang tingin na pinupukol kay Alesandro Estevan nang dumating ito sa burol ni Nica kasama ang babaeng tumulong makalaya si Ninong... ang sweet nila kung titignan, they look a happy married couple. Fuck him!

"What look? I am just looking at them," maang ko pang tugon sa kanya.

"Really... just looking? You look more like want to shoot him with your laser eyes, honey..." sarkastikong sambit lang nito na nagpanguso sa akin kaya hinalikan nya na lang ako bigla na ginusto ko naman kaya di na ako sumagot. Iniwas ko na lang ang pagkakatingin kay Alesandro Estevan --Nica's husband.

Bakit ko alam?

Because...