He Was My Cousin

Epilogue (Part 3 of 6)

"Paolo Romualde? Romualde?" Aya suddenly said, cutting my conversation with Garie Cristobal. I could clearly see the shock and shot of betrayal on her face from across the table.

Tumagilid ang ulo ko. Bakit? Anong problema? Ayanna Celine Romualde. Aya Romualde. Bagay naman, ah?

I looked back at her. "Paolo Romualde," madiin kong sabi. "It's my father's name. I'm a Romualde."

She looked confused. How hard was it to comprehend I was no longer a Salvatorre? Is that even surprising? Alam naman na ng lahat na hindi ako totoong Salvatorre. Did she actually think I'd be a Salvatorre for the rest of my life and be her cousin?

Buti na lang ay nakaramdam agad si Riyu na hindi maganda ang kahihinantnanan nito 'pag hinayaan niyang mag-usap kami ni Aya tungkol dito sa gitna ng mesa. He dropped their announcement right there, stealing the attention from Aya and I.

But this woman is probably testing the ends of my patience. Nang lumabas ako para maghugas ng kamay ay sumunod siya sa'kin.

I almost lost it. We're alone and away from our friends. If I wanna hug her and say stupid things I'll regret later, this might be the right moment for it. Pero muli ko na namang naalala ang araw na 'yon sa New York. Because of that, things get clear again.

"You coming all the way here for what? To win her back? Get her away from her family again? Paolo Salvatorre, this isn't the kind of trouble you'd want to put her into." Lance Sarriega looked at me straight in the eye. "Don't use the you-love-her bullshit on me. Tahimik na 'yung buhay ni Ays dito. Tahimik na 'yung buhay namin dito."

You shouldn't be here, Ayanna. Not here, not with me.

"What's your deal, Aya? What are you even doing here outside? With me?" tanong ko sa kanya. I put my hands on my jacket and looked down on her, "Well then, for once, let me just remind you one thing. We are not some old friends who got reunited - I am not your Hazel; I am not your Evo. You, here... outside with me? This isn't the kind of trouble you would want to put yourself into. So cut the crap and get back inside."

She looked back at me as if I were some stranger. Her gaze bores to me and her disappointment is irrefutable. Bumalik siya sa loob ng event hall at naiwan ako sa may sink. Napatukod ako sa pader. Tangina. Kailan ba 'to matatapos?

I don't want to intrude anymore. I don't want to give Aya special attention. I didn't want to alarm our families. Alam ko namang nagbabantay pa rin sila sa mga kilos ko. I don't want them looking at us more than they already are. But I couldn't help it.

When I saw Morgan Fajardo all smiles with Aya, I couldn't just let it be. Kilala ko 'yung gagong 'yon. Kaya nang matapos niyang kulitin si Aya na siya na ang magdadala ng bag nito at itinaas niya ang kamay niya sabay sabing "Dibs!" habang nakatingin kay Aya, lumapit ako kay Japoy.

"Please get her bag," mahina kong sabi. I regret that it almost sounded like a plea.

Napa-iling si Japoy pero sinunod niya rin ako. It made me even more uneasy when Vienne started trying to be close to Aya.

"Hmm, seven months," sabi ni Aya nang tanungin siya ni Vienne kung gaano na sila katagal ni Lance.

"Seven months?" I snorted. "Ang bagal pala niya."

Kung makabakod akala mo sila na no'n, hindi pa naman pala. Just that thought infuriates me. Kung pitong buwan pa lang sila, edi taon ang inabot niya sa panliligaw. Tanginang kupal 'yan. I couldn't even do that for her. Kasi hindi pwede. Kasi bawal. Hindi ko man lang siya maligawan nang maayos noon. All that because the people I cared for all my life lied to me.

But then Aya asked how long Vienne and I have been together. Hindi ako sumagot.

"Three years," Vienne answered proudly and I almost hated her for it. Nanahimik lang ako kasi parang ang sakit. Ang sakit na pag-usapan 'yon sa harap ni Aya. I felt like I was cheating and found guilty for it... Kahit hindi naman na kami.