The Girl in the End

XVI

XVI.

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'Travis.' At nagsimula na muling umiyak si Zoey. 'I'm sorry.' Iling nito. 'I'm sorry, I can't marry you.'

'I already signed the papers, Zoey. I'm a free man now. And I did it for you.'

'You don't have to do that. I already told you, I thought you'd understand.'

'Honey, please.' Pagsusumamo ni Travis. 'Marry me. Marry me, please.' Dagdag pa nya habang hindi tumatayo mula sa pagkakaluhod.

'No. I'm sorry.' Paulit ulit na iling ni Zoey habang umiiyak.

Dahan dahang tumayo si Travis saka niyakap si Zoey.

'I can't marry you.' She whispered. 'You knew it too well, Travis. Why do you have to do this? Hindi kita pwedeng pakasalan.'

'I'm sorry. I just love you this much.' Travis whispered back.

Zoey gently pushed Travis away from her. Nilingon nyang muli ang kanyang lolo at lola bago nya napagdesisyunang iwanan muna sila.

*********

Stanley was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel of his car while waiting on the opposite side of the hospital exit. Hindi naman nya talaga kailangang maghintay. But his gut feel told him to do so. Napabalikwas sya sa upuan matapos makita ang kanina nyang pasahero na nagmamadali na namang palabas mula sa ospital. One doesn't need rocket science as he notices that she was crying and wiping her tears. Naglakad ito patungo sa taxi bay at nakipila sa ibang taong nag-aabang rin ng taxi.

'Ano kayang nangyari kay Travis?' He can't help but wonder.

Tila nasagot naman ang katanungan nya nang nakita ang hinahanap na mabilis ding naglalakad, palinga linga sa paligid na tila may hinahanap. Napansin ni Stanley kung paanong itinago ni Zoey ang sarili sa gitna ng mga taong nasa taxi bay. Again, hindi kailangan ng rocket science para ipaliwanag sa kanyang ayaw makita ng kanyang wedding coordinator ang kanyang karelasyon. Ilang sandali pa ay bumalik na si Travis papasok sa ospital habang muling umayos sa may pila ang kanina pa nya pinagmamasdan.

Matumal ang dating ng taxi at hindi sapat iyon sa haba ng pila ng mga nag-aabang. Umaabot yata ng limang minuto bago makasakay ang isang pasahero. Napasilip sa bintana si Stanley dahil nagsimula nang kumulog at kumidlat. Laganap na rin ang dilim sa paligid. Nagmadali sya sa paglapit sa kinaroroonan ni Zoey nang unti-unti nang pumatak ang ulan. Wala kasing payong ito at tanging kamay lang nya ang gamit nya para kanlungan ang ulo.

'Sakay ka na.' Stanley said loudly after rolling down his window.

And he can sense how thankful she is at that very moment.

Zoey buckled up beside him as they drove away, her clothes wet and clinging around the form of her body.

'Basang basa ka.' He told her, reaching for a pack of tissue in his glove compartment.

'Thank you.' She whispered, pulling some sheets and dabbing it carefully on her wet clothes.

'Ok ka lang?' He asked throwing her some quick glances every now and then. 'Magkakasakit ka nyan.'

He pulled to the side and scrambled on the backseat where a spare button down shirt was hanging. He handed it to her which Zoey just looked at.

'Bakit?' Tanong lamang ni Zoey habang nakita nya kung paanong kumuha si Stanley ng ilang tissue para punasan ang mukha nya.

Umiling lamang ito saka binawi ang kamay mula sa mukha ng pasahero.

'Hinihintay mo ba ako?' Tanong ni Zoey.