Fading Echoes

Cinco

"Have you talked to your husband?" She suddenly asked, napakunot ako. Why is she asking about my husband? 

"Not yet, why ate?" tanong ko pabalik. Huling usap namin ni Greggy ay kanina pang umaga. At wala pa rin siyang kahit anong message pagkatapos nun. 

"I just saw some photos earlier today. I thought it was just normal, so I didn't bother. But, unfortunately, dad saw Danica's post--with your husband. He's upset, Irene" My jaw dropped. 

Danica?

Why are they even together? Wala naman nabanggit sa akin si Greggy.

"Huy! Irene! Ano? Andiyan ka pa ba??" 

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, I...I just.... I didn't know, okay? He didn't tell me about it. I didn't know also na andoon si Danica. And no, I haven't seen the post yet" paliwanag ko agad dahil alam ko na susunod na itatanong sa akin ni ate. 

"You better tell him then. Dad's not liking it. Pinapauwi na nga kay Tito Albert eh" Ate answered, referring to my father-in-law. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako. Hindi ko alam kung anong iisipin ko o mararamdaman ko.

It was me who told him before that he could do anything he wanted to do...

"I have to go, ate" 'yan nalang ang nasabi ko as I ended the call. I saw some texts also from kuya Bonget, at alam kong galit 'yon kaya hindi ko na muna sasagutin. 

Tinignan ko agad ang post na tukoy ni manang. At magkasama nga sila. Naka-akbay si Greggy kay Danica habang siya naman nakayakap sa bewang ng asawa ko. That's their solo picture, iba naman ay mga kasamahan na ni Greggy sa trabaho. I saw some familiar faces too, but no one bothered to tell me what's going on?

Sa inis ko, I turned off my phone. Alam kong anumang oras ay tatawag 'yon lalo na kung nalaman niyang alam ni daddy ang nangyari.

When I got home, binilin ko nalang kay manang Yeda mga pinamili ko dahil masakit ang ulo ko at gusto ko na magpahinga. 

Hindi ko alam, pero may kumikirot sa akin pagkatapos ko makita 'yon. 

Hindi naman dapat, di ba?

I suddenly remembered what Henry and I talked about the day before Greggy left. 

Yes, I went to meet him again for a legal consultation.

I am eager to end this marriage because I know we're not growing anymore as a couple. Hindi ko alam paano o kailan ko mapipilit si Greggy para pumayag pero, siguro, pag-uwi niya?

He has Danica now, anyway.

"You know Greggy wouldn't like this idea, Irene. You know how eager he is not to end your marriage as much as you're eager to do the opposite" Henry remarked as he sipped on his coffee. 

"I don't want to prolong the agony, Ry. He won't even allow me to go to work! What am I supposed to do? Every time I try to talk about it, kung hindi niya ako aawayin, he'll block my documents of resumption. Nasasakal din ako..." I ranted out of frustration. 

Honestly, hindi ko na rin siya maintindihan bakit hanggang ngayon hindi ako pinapayagan ni Greggy bumalik sa trabaho. Even there were times that my department is already struggling due to my absence, he just won't let me. 

"And you think he's not? Why are we even here in the first place, Irene? is it just because you want to end things between the two of you or do you just want to end the struggle in your marriage? there's no in-between" Henry answered as he placed down his cup on the table. Napatitig ako sa mga papeles sa harap namin. 

I cleared a lump at tinignan siya, "I... I honestly don't know. Alam mo namang ako ang nagsabi sa kaniya na I want to end things between us... Pero--"