When Monday came, everything went back to normal. Gone was the sweetness. Ano pa ba naman ang aasahan niya? She asked him to be kind at least hanggang Linggo. Pinagbigyan na siya nito. But that's it. Sunday was the extent of his kindness.
Maaga siyang pumasok sa trabaho para nawala kay Ken ang isip niya. She badly needed a distraction, and work provided it. Greg helped too. Hindi niya gustong bigyan ng malisya ang pagiging mabait nito sa kanya dahil may asawa na siya. Kahit na ba walang pagmamahal doon, kasal siya sa mata ng tao. They were bound by the law. Ayaw na niyang masabit sa kung anong issue. Baka lalong magalit sa kanya si Ken.
Tama na ang three years. Ayaw na niyang dugtungan ang paghihirap niya.
Unlike last week, lumipas ang maghapon na wala siyang naririnig mula kay Ken. Sinadya niyang mag-OT on her first day just to see if she'd get any reaction from him. Pero hindi ito nagtanong sa text o tawag.
Nang umuwi siya ng alas otso ay wala pa rin ito sa bahay.
"Manang, hindi pa po ba umuuwi si Ken?" tanong niya sa matanda.
Kumunot ang noo nito. "Hindi ba kayo magkasama? Akala ko'y magkasama kayo. Kumain ka na ba?"
"Hindi pa po."
"Ay naku, wala pa naman akong nilutong ulam!"
"Hindi pa po ba kayo kumakain?"
Umiling ito. "Kumain na ako, pero tuyo lang ang ulam ko."
"Tuyo na lang din po ang kakainin ko," sabi niya rito.
"Bakit hindi mo na lang antayin si Ken?"
"Baka po mamaya pa ang uwi nun."
"Hindi ka ba sinabihan?" takang-tanong nito.
"Hindi po e," sagot niya. Alam naman niyang wala na silang pakialamanan kapag dumating ang Lunes. She won't ask and he won't tell. And it's fine. Kung ganoon ang gusto ni Ken, she'll cooperate. It would be a lot easier that way.
She'll just let her feelings grow cold until she couldn't feel anything towards him anymore. Para kapag oras na para tapusin na ang lahat ng namamagitan sa kanilang dalawa, hindi na masyadong masakit.
Gabing-gabi na nang makauwi si Ken. She was already in bed—well, on the floor, technically, when he entered the room. Sumalampak ito sa kama, mukhang pagod at lasing. She smelled alcohol.
He was drunk, alright. He was still fully clothed. Tinanggal niya ang sapatos nito at saka inayos ang pagkakahiga. She tried to turn him on his back dahil baka maubusan ito ng hangin sa pagkakadapa. When she did, he stirred.
Everything happened so fast. One minute, she's trying to turn him around and the next, she's already locked in his embrace. Mahigpit ang pagkakakapit nito sa bewang niya kaya hindi siya makaalis sa ibabaw nito.
"Ahn..."
His eyes were half-open and hazy.
"K-Ken, let me go."
"Is that what you want?" he asked. "You want me to let you go?"
She sensed that he wasn't only talking about his tight grip on her waist.
"Yes."
Bahagyang lumungkot ang mukha nito. She felt an ache in her chest.
"Why?"
"Because you're hurting me."
"You're hurting me too," he told her.
"Then why don't we end this already, Ken?" mangiyak-ngiyak niyang tanong.
