STRINGS (UNDER REVISION)

Chapter 3

"No matter what happened, I'll always be your mama and your papa is always gonna be your papa. Nothing will change that." Billy took a deep breath. "Mga anak, I hope you understand me and your papa's decision. Alam kong gustong-gustong niyong umuwi na ang papa niyo sa bahay.. But... Mga anak, your papa's not going to come home with us anymore."

"What?" It was Rex. Between the two of them, he's the most emotional. "What are you talking, Mama?"

"Anak.. Papa loves you and Red so much but he doesn't love mama anymore."

"No!" He pulled his hand from her grip and stood up from the bed. "It's not true!"

"Anak, please.." Billy tried to reach for Rex's hand again but the child withdrew his hand.

"No! I don't want to hear you! You're lying! You're a liar!" Rex threw himself on the bed and covered himself with the blanket. He refused to listen to Billy. And Billy knew not to make it anymore worse.

For the sake of her sons especially to Red who seemed to understand the situation, Billy refused to cry. Especially in front of her son. She just couldn't let them see her crying.

"Red, anak.."

Red only smiled at her a little. "It's okay, Mama." He then gave her a warm hug as if he was telling her everything's going to be okay. That he understood it and that she has nothing to worry about.

Billy shut her eyes closed. She really wanted to cry so badly. She hugged Red tightly, letting herself be comforted with her own little boy. Billy didn't know what good deeds she has done in the past to receive such a caring and understanding son like Red. She wouldn't know what to do if Red also reacted the way Rex did.

"It's late. Go to sleep na, anak." Billy kissed Red's forehead and tucked him on the bed. "Sleep tight, my love." She whispered. She did the same to Rex, whispering an apology even though she knew it wouldn't change anything.

She waited for her sons to doze off to sleep before she decided to went out of the room to find some peace. And to probably cry her heart out. She saw an empty seat outside the building, near the garden. It was quiet there and perfectly isolated.

Billy dragged her feet to the bench. Hugging her knees, she rested her chin on it and looked up to the dark sky with only the stars giving light to it. Billy sat in silence as she let her tears invade her vision. She cried. As if their was no tomorrow, she cried. She bit her lips hard to stop her own voice so that no one would hear her that it almost bled.

No one heard her cries but someone saw her. Lukas. He was about to go back inside when he saw a familiar figure sitting at the bench near the garden. He knew it was Billy because she hadn't changed her clothes from earlier. He didn't know she was crying until he was a few steps away from her. Her shoulders were shaking. And he might have had the idea what's happened. Billy told her she would tell her sons about her and their father that night. He wouldn't want to meddle or what so he decided to turn his back away from her and go back inside but he just couldn't. He didn't know why but he could not.

"Billy?" He called, taking a step closer to her. "Billy are you okay?"

He scolded himself for asking a silly question. He couldn't helped it. It was the first words that came out from his mouth.

Billy sniffed and nodded her head. She did not answered him but she finally stopped her cries.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Nagpapahangin lang." she answered almost above whisper.

Lukas knew it's a lie. And for some unknown stupid reason it angered him. It's not because she was lying but because he knew the reason.

Billy thought Lukas would leave her alone when she told him she wanted to be with herself because she didn't want him to see her crying again. But he did not. Instead, he sat next to her without saying anything. And it agitated her even more. She wanted him to leave her alone.

"Lukas, please.."

"Sasamahan lang kita."

Billy suppressed her cries but it's no used. And Lukas insistence wasn't helping at all.

"Please.."

"Sasamaha—"

Billy turned to him with her eyes red and her tears rolling down her cheeks. "Iwan mo muna ako, please." She said, her voice cracked. She bit her lips again a bit harder that she didn't know it already bled. She had no idea. She didn't felt it. It was only when she tasted it.

Her tears stopped and unconsciously she  averted her eyes from him and slowly reached for her bleeding lips with her hand. But before her hand could touch her bleeding lips, her heart beat stopped along with her breath when Lukas suddenly cupped her face and kissed her.**

AN: Finally after 30 years!