Book 2: A Night Darker

Chapter 13: Replaced and Long Forgotten

Chapter 13: Replaced and Long Forgotten

       NAGISING si Sophia sa mumunting galaw na naramdaman niya sa kama. She'd been too drained simula ng makarating sila sa bahay at hindi niya na napansing nakaidlip na pala siya sa sofa sa loob ng kwarto. Nagmulat siya ng mata and was greeted with a drool from Flame. "Eew~" Pinunasan niya ang laway na nasa mukha at  tsaka mabilis na umupo para kilitiin si Flame. Tawa ito ng tawa and she was grinning with satisfaction. Looking at the other side of the sofa, she saw Frost with a poker face. "Little miss grumpy is on huh?" Tuluyan na siyang tumayo and fixed herself.

She checked the time at nagulat pa siya ng ma-realize na alas-nuebe na ng gabi. Apat na oras siyang nakatulog! She looked at her twin. Oras na ng pagtulog ng dalawa, but where the hell is her husband?

Then naalala niya ang mga pangyayari kanina bago sila umuwi. Is he still depressed? She hope not.

She hadn't fully understand what happened at hindi na siya nagkaroon pa ng pagkakataong magtanong. Hindi ito umimik o nagsalita man lang mula ng umalis sila sa lugar na yun. It was like having his own world. She didn't bother him, but she was hopeful that soon he would open up to her, dahil kung hindi, siya mismo ang gagawa ng paraan.

Nagpalit siya ng damit, tucked the twin in their bed, at pinatulog ang dalawa. It took a while bago mapatulog ang kambal dahil medyo hyper ang mga ito, but fortunately inantok din naman sila. She kissed them goodnight bago bumaba to check kung nasaan na ang kanyang asawa.

She looked for him at his room, sa sala, sa kusina, pero wala parin ito. Where the hell could that pig be?

Then she heard grunting. Sinundan niya ang tunog hanggang da makarating siya sa veranda. There she found Clarence together with Nickolas na nakaupo sa lamesa. Sa gitna ng dalawa ay nagkalat ang empty cans ng root beers. Clarence already passed out at nakasubsob na sa lamesa.

"What happened?" Tanong niya kay Nickolas na umiinom parin ng beer in can, unlike Clarence, mukha pa naman itong matino.

"Dunno." He answered lamely. Ni hindi man lang ito nag-abalang tapunan siya ng tingin. "Bigla na lang siyang nag-aya, and who am I to complain? I'm just an outsider. Someone replaced and long forgotten." He said. His words laced with pain. Pinili niyang wag na lang pansinin ang pasaring nito.

Nagkamali siya, hindi na pala ito matino.

"May sinabi ba siya o kinwento sayo?" Sa isipin na kay Nickolas nagkwento si Clarence at hindi sa kanya, parang gusto niyang kalmutin ang asawa.

"Yeah." He answered and her blood instantly boiled. "Pero hindi ko masiyadong maintindihan. He's talking about something like, 'bastard' 'fvcking useless bastard'." Nangunot ang noo niya. Things just became more and more complicated for her to comprehend.

Inakay niya si Clarence paakyat sa kwarto, pero nakakaisang hakbang pa lamang siya when she heard Nickolas laughed. Pero lang hindi yun ang kumuha ng atensiyon niya, it's the way he laughed. It's hallow yet full of bitterness. If that's even possible.

"Seriously Shiinel?" His voice croaked. She was about to correct him and say that its Sophia and not Shiinel, pero agad siyang napigilan nito. "No! Just let me ... just let me please. Pagkatapos nito, I promise you, hindi na kita kukulitin, I would never ever bother you kung yun ang gusto mo."

Pano kung hindi yun ang gusto ko?

Kinailangan niya pang kagatin ang dila para hindi tuluyang masabi ang mga salitang yun. That would just be plain stupid. Kaya imbes na sumagot ay hinayaan niya na lamang ito.

"Just hear me out. Let me have this one." Patuloy nito. "Shiinel ..." The way he said that name, punung-puno iyon ng pangungulila at pagmamahal na hindi niya mapigilang mainggit. "Why can't it just be me again huh? Bakit hindi na lang ako ulit?"