Special Chapter VIII

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• HIS POSSESSION •

NIGEL

A lot had happened to us. We fell in love with each other. I was informed that we had been married for years . . . that she was a woman, that she was a secret agent who was assigned to secure my safety for years now, and . . . that she died in an ambush during a mission.

Aeickel Lavria Freezell-Ricafort died, and the thought of not seeing her again made me taste the pit of hell.

It was her burial. Her father and her sister, Leickel, didn’t permit me to attend my wife’s burial. They pushed me away, knowing how lost I felt for losing my wife.

Gusto kong magwala habang pinagmamasdan ko mula sa malayo ang pagbabaon ng kabaong niya sa lupa, pero wala akong magawa para malapitan siya. It was my fault. She died protecting me from those people who wanted to kill me. She died trying to complete her mission and obligation for me.

Sa tuwing iisipin kong nawala siya dahil sa akin, gusto kong mawala na lang din. I could never go on with my life without her. She was my life, the only reason why I chose to keep moving and going . . . and now she was gone? Hindi ko na alam.

“Nigel, ayusin mo naman ang sarili mo. Hindi gusto ni Night ng ganito. Kung buhay lang siya, sigurado akong—”

“But she’s not, Eulyssis, and she will never be. I lost my wife, and you guys want me to act all cool about it? I want to beg the whole universe to give me back my wife but that would be the most impossible thing ever,” putol ko sa kaniya at muli akong lumagok ng inumin sa baso kong puno ng alak. “Walang makakaintindi ng nararamdaman ko sa kahit na sino sa inyo dahil hindi pa kayo nawalan ng minamahal—”

“Mali ka,” ani Eulyssis sa akin. “When Night married you, you took her away from me. When she confessed to me that she’s already in love with you, you took her away from me for the second time, and . . . when she died, I lost my first love. Hindi lang niya nasuklian ang pagmamahal ko hindi gaya ng sa iyo, pero nawalan din ako,” he explained, and I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

Sa dami ng mga lalaki at babaeng naghahangad sa kaniya, she chose me, and what did I do in return? She was killed because of me. I was the most irresponsible, fucked-up, and senseless man. Kung sana nga...kung sana nga hindi na lang ako ang pinili at minahal niya, baka nabubuhay pa rin siya hanggang sa ngayon.

Tumayo ako sa bar stool at gegewang-gewang na lumakad palabas. Wala na akong pakialam sa kahit na sino sa ngayon. We were all fucked up in our own ways, but I was the most fucked-up one.

Sumakay ako sa sasakyan ko, at bago ko pa ito paandarin ay para bang nakita ko sa harap nito ang asawa ko. She was smiling at me...ang ngiti niyang hindi niya ipinakikita sa kahit na kanino kundi sa akin lang.

“Wife . . .” I whispered and I smiled at her. “. . . please, let me be with you.”

Pinaandar ko nang mabilis ang sasakyan hanggang sa dalhin ako ng pagmamaneho ko sa condo unit niya. Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero dito ko talaga napiling pumunta.

Pagpasok ko ay bumungad sa akin ang pamilyar na amoy niya, at kahit saan ako lumingon ay nakikita ko siya. Alam kong lasing na lasing na ako, idagdag pa na hilong-hilo ako.

Lumapit ako sa lamesita at kinuha ang nag-iisang picture frame doon na ngayon ko lamang nakita. It was me and her when I sang Just The Way You Are in Zambales.

Napangiti ako. Hindi ko kasi alam na may feminine side siya. All I knew was she was strong, independent, responsible, organize, and strict.

“I miss you,” I whispered at the picture. Parang may nakabara sa lalamunan ko at hindi ko na napigilan ang mga luha ko sa pagpatak. “I miss you so much, wife. I want to beg for God and all the other saints to give you back to me. Gusto kong makiusap sa kanila na hayaan nila akong makasama ka pa nang matagal at maiparamdam sa ’yo na mahal na mahal kita. Why did they have to take you away? Why did they have to let you leave me without my permission? Hindi ba dapat payag na muna ako bago ka nila kunin? Hindi ba dapat may permiso galing sa akin bago ka mawala? You said you love and I am the only man you ever loved, but . . . why did you leave me?”

Masagana na ang mga luhang naglalandas sa pisngi ko. Dahil sa hilo ay naglakad ako patungo sa kusina ngunit natumba ako at napaupo sa sahig. Minabuti ko na lamang na maupo habang nakasandal ang likod ko sa pader, nakatupi ang isang tuhod ko at nakapatong doon ang kamay kong may hawak na retrato.

“Can you come back now, wife? Puwede mo na ba akong balikan? Hindi ko na kaya. Gustong-gusto ko nang makasama ka,” muli kong anas at binunot ang patalim na nasa bulsa ng pantalon ko saka ko binitiwan ang larawan naming dalawa. “Please, wife. Come back to me. Kung hindi ka babalik, maaari na akong sumunod sa ’yo.”
Itinutok ko ang patalim sa dibdib ko at akmang itutusok na ito nang bigla na lamang akong makarinig ng isang pamilyar na tinig.

“Kapag itinuloy mo ’yan, mas lalo mo akong hindi makakasama,” anito, at nang lingunin ko ang pinanggalingan ng boses ay hindi ako makapaniwala sa nakita ko.

“W–wife?”

Hindi niya ako sinagot, sa halip ay bigla na lamang niya akong dinamba ng isang mahigpit na yakap.

It felt so real. She felt like my wife . . . my Aeickel.

“I’m back for you. I’m alive. I didn’t break my promise to you,” she whispered to my ear, but I just couldn’t believe it.

I tossed myself away from her and looked straight into her eyes. “Tell me, hindi panaginip ito?”

Ngumiti siya sa akin at umiling. “Ikaw at ikaw lang ang babalikan ko, Nigel. Hindi ako mawawala sa ’yo.”

Para akong nananaginip pero parang hindi. Sinubukan kong haplusin ang pisngi niya at napagtanto kong tunay ang bawat dampi ng palad ko roon. I was not fucking hallucinating! She was really here! My wife was here! She came back for me! She didn’t break her promise, she came back . . . my wife came back.

She was about to put her lips on mine when I smelled something awful from her scent that made me want to vomit. Sobrang baho ng amoy at nakakairita!

Tumakbo ako patungo sa banyo. At kahit pa lasing at nahihilo ako, narinig ko pa ang huling ibinulong niya.

“Confirmed, a Ricafort is on the way.”

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