The Unreachable Wife

30- Someone to Shake Him

Umpisa na nang pagdating ng araw kung kelan pabigat nang pabigat ang nararamdaman kong kalungkutan sa pagkakalayo namin ni Anya. I miss her so much and I'm starting to have pieces of regrets. Sana hindi ko na lang siya hinayaang umalis. Sana pinanindigan ko na lang ang pagiging asawa ko kahit anuman ang kalabasan nito basta ang importante ay nasa tabi ko lang siya. These lonely feelings keep on bringing me heavy thoughts. But whatever amount of loneliness I have now, my love is still huge enough to conquer my selfishness. Hindi lamang ito para kay Anya kundi para na rin sa pagtahak ng tamang direksiyon ng aming relasyon.

Nagpapasalamat ako na sa gitna ng pangungulila kong ito ay nasa paligid lamang ang mga taong nagpapaalala sa aking magiging maayos din ang lahat sa huli. I have my work that keeps me being busy and people who remind me that I have a pretty wife who only have some errands to finish in a distant place. Kahit wala si Anya, parang parte pa rin siya ng Villa Rafael. She's casually living in everyone's heart. Madalas siyang banggitin ng mga tauhan ko, nina Aling Belen, Harvey at Maureen. They mention her name as if she's just a regular wife who have to temporarily go away but will surely return in time.

Anya and I have consistent communication. I call her but most of the time she calls me. Because of her busy schedules, I hesitate to contact her anytime I want to kung kaya't hinihintay ko na lamang na siya ang tumawag upang masigurong hindi ako makaistorbo sa trabaho niya. Kapag nag-uusap kami, I try not to show sign of weaknesses and wavering. Being a man, I must be the greater source of strength for this complicated relationship. 

Sa gitna ng sumusumpong kong kalungkutan, eksaktong dumalaw sa bahay si Melvin. I grabbed the chance to divert my mind  kung kaya't niyaya ko siyang uminom. We have a habit of drinking at my porch but this time I decided to have brandy at the living room. May inaabangan akong guesting ni Anya sa isang talk show na ayokong makaligtaan. I suddenly got curious about the said guesting dahil nung una ay kabilin-bilinan niyang panoorin ko ito but after she had taping with that show two days ago, medyo nag-iba ang tono niya. Panoorin ko na lang daw kung hindi ako busy. 

"Tol kelan ka pa natutong manood ng ganyang mga palabas? Akala ko pa naman may magandang laro tayong panonoorin kaya andito tayo sa sala," natatawang komento ni Melvin ilang saglit matapos kong buksan ang telebisyon.

"There's no harm in listening to other people's thoughts," I reasoned out with a shrug.

He only stopped poking fun at me when the sensational rookie Hayward Cruz happened to be on the show. 

"Kaya naman pala,  andyan ang sikat na player na yan. I'm a fan too. I watched his games and he really had great games," he said in a more serious way.

Hindi ako sumagot. I'm not a fan. I know Hayward Cruz is a good player but it's too early to decide if he'll turn out to be a great one. Masyado lang na-sensationalize yung mga laro niya dahil sa biglang paglobo ng mga tangahanga niya. Thanks to his handsome face and inexplicable charms for screaming girls. I mostly admire veteran players dahil sila ang mga manlalarong marami nang napatunayan. At first, I wondered what he was doing on a show that doesn't tackle sports but after learning that the subject was about famous stylists and their famous clients, I eventually understood. Anya happened to mention in passing that the rookie is her new client.

When the show introduced Anya, biglang nagliwanag ang mukha ng aking kaibigan at umayos ito ng upo.

Kaswal na dinampot ko ang remote. Pagkakataon ko namang makapang-asar. "Ilipat na natin. Unfortunately, shows like this isn't interesting at all." 

Mabilis niyang inagaw ang remote. "Sandali pare! Nakita mo nang nandiyan si Anya! I thought I won't see her in TV anymore. Ilang buwan din siyang nawala akala ko nasa Paris na siya."