FOOLISH HEART (Completed)

Thirty-three

Umuwing lumuluha si Nicole. Her vision is blurred with tears. Pagpasok niya sa bahay, madalian niyang inempake ang damit niya. The voices she heard kept repeating over and over. Now she can't look at her husband the same way as it was before.

"Ma'am san po kayo pupunta?"

"Huwag kang mag-alala Nay Ester di ko po pababayaan ang sarili ko."

And just like that, she decided to disappear from his life. She needs to protect her baby at kahit igapang niya ito sa hirap, palalakihin niya itong mag-isa. His love cannot save her now. It was his love that destroyed her.

Bumalik siya sa barrio kung saan siya lumaki. Gamut ang naipon niyang pera, nagpatayo siya ng kubo kung saan nakatirik ang dati nilang bahay. Maglilimang buwan na ang tiyan niya ngunit hindi parin ito halata. Maliit siyang magbuntis. Ganito rin siya noong kay Connor. Pumunta siya sa bayan upang bumili ng mga gagamitin niya sa panganganak. It was a hot day, nagmamadali ang mga tao.

Nang tumawid siya sa kanto, nahagip siya ng isang sasakyan. It was the same feeling... The same thumping on the floor, the same abdominal cramps, the same blood running down her thighs. "No! My baby!" At pinanawan siya ng ulirat.

***

She had the same eyes. She had the same body frame. She had the oddest similarity with her first love. Gun nga lang, mas bata itong nabundol niya. But their looks are astoundingly similar. The commonality gives him goosebumps.

"Nasan ako?"

"Nasa ospital ka, hija."

"Ang baby ko?!"

"Relax. Buhay ang baby mo. Naagapan siya ng mga doktor dito."

Silence.

"Anong pangalan mo hija?"

"Nicole po. Nicole Castañeda L--. Nicole Castañeda po."

"How are you related to Eloisa Castañeda?"

"Nanay ko po." She saw him shocked over what he heard.

"Ilang taon ka na?"

"18 po."

Then he started to cry. "Kilala mo ba si Tata Elias at Nana Salome?"

"Lolo't Lola ko po."

At mad lalo pang umiyak ang lalaki. "Ako ang... Ako ang Papa mo. Anak kita!"

She couldn't believe it. Parang sa mga drama at teleserye lang ito nangyayari. But after few more questions and a long story from him, he believed him.

"Titira ka kasama ko hija. We'll change your name and I'll hire tutors for you. Ikaw ang hahawak ng business ng pamilya natin."

"Pero hindi po ako marunong diyan."

"I'll train you. Wala kang ibang pagpipilian. Wala akong ibang asawa't anak. It's only you, Nicole. Starting today, you will be Coline Romualdez, my only heiress."