Fundamentals of Marriage | Suarez I

Chapter 24

I hold onto the table beside me for support when my knees gave up on me. Wala na si Mommy sa harapan ko pero paulit-ulit ko pa ring naririnig ang sinabi niya.

My hand touched my forehead. Sumakit ang ulo ko sa lahat ng nalaman at nangyari. I am very worried of my baby.

"I'm sorry, love. Were you scared too?"

Hindi ko na alam kung anong susunod na gagawin. It wasn't the conversation I expected to happen. I thought I can finally escape from my mother's hands but I was wrong. She will always have a string secretly tied to me. She can pull me back to her easily.

I am trying my best not to cry but how can I not when I am hopeless? Ayokong masira si Franco sa pamilya niya. I can deny it but I know how cruel his family can be once they knew he was trying to betray them.

Masakit na ang mga mata ko kakaiyak. Iyon na lang ang naging dahilan ng paghinto ng pagtulo ng mga luha ko. Siguro, sa dami kong ibinuhos simula kahapon ay wala nang natira.

I wanted to rest for an hour but having Mom around makes me in pain without her trying. I left the mansion with a pair of heavy feet. I arrived at the unit early in the evening.

Pinraktis ko kung paanong ngingiti kay Franco sa harapan ng pintuan bago pumasok. How can I look at him now? Knowing that tomorrow or the next day, I am leaving him.

Fuck, is there anything I can do to keep him?

Nawalan ng saysay ang pagpipigil kong umiyak simula kanina. I broke down again. I have to stand in front of our unit and dry my eyes first to make sure he won't notice I cried.

The lights are on when I opened the door which means he was home. My footsteps are quiet and small. Ngayon lang ako hindi nasabik na makita siya.

True enough, he is lying on the sofa, drunk. There are two bottles of alcohol on the coffee table and a glass on the floor. I exhaled my frustration with the pain I am bearing inside.

My chest compressed, giving me not enough air to breathe. Ibinaba ko ang gamit sa unang lamesang madaanan bago siya tabihan sa sofa.

He has a fresh wound on the side of his lips. Did he get into a fight?

I touched it, causing him to flinch. Hinarang niya ang kamay sa labi bago dahan-dahang nagdilat ng mata. "Rory?" He might be thinking he is in a dream right now.

I came home after a night yet it feels like I'm gone for years. It was a day and I missed him so badly, how can I endure a year or two?

He took my hand and placed it on his cheek, feeling it. He stares at me, cutting me into unrecognizable pieces.

"You're home or am I just drunk?"

"What happened to your lips?"

"Dad punched me." He chuckled. "He threw a fit."

Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. This is what Mom was saying. They will hurt Franco, they will disown him. I rather lose him than see him in pain.

"He said I'm dumb for letting you win. He didn't know I'm the winner, I have you." His eyes are close to falling. Namumungay ang mga 'yon. They look tired these days. I miss the sharpness of it and the bright colors on his face. "Did your Mom do it? Is she the person behind all of this?"

I didn't answer.

"We'll stop all our business operations for the investigation." Lumunok siya. "The court will decide if we can continue to operate or not. Do you think they will kill me if that happens?"

No. I will kill them if they hurt you. I can be a demon for you, Franco.

"Let's treat your wound?" I asked softly to divert the topic.