He's My Cousin!

[Ch.35] When Tears Fall

Happy new year! ♥ God bless us all.

Paolo sa multimedia. GIF :))

[Ch.35] When Tears Fall

// Ayanna’s Point of View

“I-Ian?” Dahan-dahan kong tinapunan ng tingin si Paolo no’ng mga oras na iyon. I saw his eyes widened, his jaw clenched. He was about to get my phone away from me when I took a step backwards. He knew then that I wanted to handle this by my own—or at least, as of now.

“Gu-gusto lang sana kitang kumusta-hin,” Ian said, his voice hesitant. Bakas din sa boses niya ang uncertainty at pagka-ilang sa bawat salitang sinasabi niya. Ako man ay hindi ko alam ang dapat sabihin o kung dapat pa nga ba akong magsalita. Oo, napatawad ko na si Ian. I’d like to believe that I already have forgiven him, but it still has an effect to a part of me—that part of me that trusted him—that part of me that hoped that maybe one day he could wake me up from my own madness.

“I’m good.” Naramdaman kong hinawakan ako sa braso ni Paolo pero hindi ko ‘yon pinansin. I couldn’t believe for a second that I was talking to Ian after a few months, after what had happened, after all the things that took place right after knowing that he got someone pregnant. “How are—“ I was about to ask him how was he doing right now, but I decided to rephrase my question, “H-how is she?”

And I knew that that question created a barrier I don’t know if will ever go down.

“S-she’s all right—taking vitamins, the usual stuff.” Napapikit ako nang marinig ko ‘yung boses niyang ganun—‘yung halos pumipiyok na, ‘yung konti na lang ay baka umiyak na siya. Alam kong wala na kaming chance ni Ian, or so I thought, pero masakit pa rin pakinggan na nagkakaganito siya. Halos three months na rin naman ang nakalilipas.

“Take good care of her, okay?” Napasinghot na ako. I took a deep breath. “Everything’s going to be all right, Ian. I won’t tell you ‘I’m always here for you,’ because I myself wouldn’t buy that, but I just want you to know that I wish the best for you. Ella, Liz and I wish the best for you there.”

“S-salamat.” It took a few moments before he spoke again, “If only I knew—“

“There’s no use for that, Ian. Nangyari na, e. Be a man, panindigan mo na. Nand’yan na eh.” Sumulyap ako kay Paolo at bakas na sa mukha niyang naiinis na siya. Nakakunot na ang noo niya at parang at any moment ay kukuhanin niya na ‘yung phone ko at ibabato sa kung saan. Same old Paolo when dealing to an Ian Valmonte.

“I understand. I’m sorry.”

“Kung wala ka nang sasabihin pa, I’d hang up.” Hindi na rin naman siya nagsalita pero alam ko na naroroon siya, pinakikinggan ako. “Bye.”  

“Na-nakikibagbalikan ba siya sa’yo?” It was the first thing Paolo asked right after I ended the call. Tumingin ako sa kanya, ‘yung tingin niya na para bang natatakot siya, or at least it seemed like that, na marinig ang sagot.

“Hindi,” mabilis kong sabi. “Nangungumusta lang.”