Perks Of Being Mrs. Valdez

45 - Turning Point

Turning point

Era's POV

"Ano ang dapat nating pag-usapan?" tanong ko kaagad ng makaupo sya sa harap ko.


Sa cafeteria lang kasi ng hospital kami nagkita.


"Bakit nakipagkita ka kay Chesca?" Direkta nyang tanong.


He's pertaining to Francesca. He calls her Chesca. Sweet diba? Duh!


"May tinanong lang ako sa kanya. Masama ba yun?" Hindi ako galit pero sa puntong ito kasi naiinis na ako. Parang malaking kasalanan na nagkausap kami ni Francesca. Ganon na ba nya kamahal si Chesca na kahit sa akin ay inilalayo nya ito? May nakakahawa ba akong sakit?


"What did you ask to her?" Muli nyang tanong.


I rolled my eyes at him. "You know what, Xymon, if you want to know everything why don't you ask your girlfriend yourself. Hindi yung ako ang kinukulit mo."


"Wait, what? My girlfriend? Who? Chesca?" Magkakasunod nitong tanong.


Napairap ako sa kanya.


"Sino pa ba? Sya lang naman pinag uusapan natin dito diba?"


The next thing I heard was his soft laugh.


Tiningnan ko sya ng masama.


"Anong nakakatawa, Mr. Valdez?!" Medyo iritado kong tanong.


He waved his hand. "I'm sorry." aniya na pilit pinipigil ang tawa. "Natawa lang ako sa girlfriend thing. By the way, your Dad called me earlier. He said that you have something important that I need to see. What is it?


Napahigpit ang hawak ko sa sa envelope na nakapatong sa aking hita. I hold it closer to me. Dapat ko bang sabihin sa kanya ang tungkol sa kasal namin? There's a part of me saying na 'wag kong sabihin dahil may isang tao na masasaktan but there's also a big part of me na nagsasabing sabihin ang tungkol sa kasal namin dahil alam ng puso ko na ito ang makapagpapasaya sa kanya. How can she be happy if there's a Francesca that will be hurt.


"That must be about his condition. Dad will be discharged in two days." Kinakabahan akong ngumiti saka palihim na nilagay sa dala kong hand bag ang envelope.


I still love him and seeing him right now really makes me happy but I can't be totally happy if someone will be hurt. Francesca loves him and I can see that he also loves Francesca. There's no way for me to interfere.


"That's good. That's a very good news." Ngumiti sya ng tipid.


"Yeah, thank you for looking after him while I was away." Nahihiya man ay pinilit kong ngumiti sa kanya. Kung hindi kasi dahil sa kanya ay baka kung ano na nagyari kay Dad.


Nawala ang ngiti nito at seryosong tumingin sa akin. I was stunned for a second pero ako na din ang umiwas ng tingin. Silence came between us. Walang nagsasalita. Naiilang na din ako sa mga tingin nya.


"Why did you do that?" He suddenly asked.


Ako naman ay naguguluhang napatingin sa kanya.


"Why did you let that man do that to you? You know how much I protected you but in just a second you gave everything to Agonza in exchange of company's reputation. You shouldn't have done that. I can handle everything if you just trusted me." Seryoso lang itong nakatitig sa akin.


Hindi ko naman magawang salubungin ang kanyang mga tingin.


"Yun ba ang dahilan kaya galit ka sa akin?" tanong ko.


I was waiting for his answer but he just stared at me.


"If you only knew me, you wouldn't think that way. You never trusted me, Phil. Tama lang ang desisyon ni Dad na paghiwalayin tayo dahil walang mangyayari sa atin kung tiwala lang hindi pa natin maibigay sa isa't isa. I loved you pero hindi sapat ang pagmamahal para mag-work ang isang relasyon. Lalo pa na alam kong hindi mo naman talaga ako minahal." Naiiyak na ako pero pinigilan ko ang sarili ko dahil ayokong magmukhang kawawa sa harap nya. I'm a strong woman.


"If you only said those things earlier hindi sana tayo nasa ganitong sitwasyon. If you only fight with me. Sana hindi tayo nagkahiwalay. But that's already in the past. What's important is today and tomorrow." aniya saka muling ngumiti ng tipid.


"You're right. Let's just focus on our own lives. Let's just be happy without each other. And you.. b-be happy with F-Francesca."


Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko. A tear rushed down my cheek na agad ko namang pinahid saka nagmamadaling umalis. I left him without saying goodbye. It hurts me to say goodbye to the one I only want for the rest of my life.


Mabilis ang mga hakbang ko palayo sa cafeteria nang may humila sa braso ko dahilan para mapahinto ako sa paglalakad. Tuloy pa din ang pagpatak ng luha ko. Only God knows how much I'm dying inside. How much it hurts letting your husband spend his forever with other woman. That should be me but I guess, God has another plan for me.


"You're running away again, Ny." I was frozed for a moment. "Paano mo malalaman ang katotohanan kung lagi mo itong tatakasan."


Ang kaninang mahigpit nyang hawak sa braso ko ay unti-unting lumuwag at bumaba patungo sa kamay ko. He intertwined his hand with mine. We're now holding each other's hand. It feels good. It made my heart skipped.


Nagtataka akong tumingin sa kamay nyang nakahawak sa kamay ko saka tumingin sa mga mata nya.


He's smiling.


"Hear me out, please. I want to make things right between us."


Naguguluhan ako. Pati ang reaksyon ko ay magulo na din. I'm happy right now but I don't know why.


"Ny, I know things were messed up between us and there are many misunderstanding. I don't know how to fix everything but trust me this time. I'll make things right. I promise. Even if it means starting from the beginning again."


His words melt my heart. Wala sa sarili akong napatango saka napangiti.


Is this really happening? Or am I imagining things again? If this is my imagination.. Please don't wake me.


"I missed those smile." sabi pa nya.


Hindi ko alam kung gaano ako kapula ngayon. Oo na! Kinikilig na ako.


Kanina lang kasi halos wala na akong pag-asa pero ngayon punong puno ako ng pag-asa at kasiyahan. This is a good turning point for us. I was in the verge of happ5nang pumasok sa isip ko si Francesca.


"Phil, what about Francesca?Masasaktan sya." Nag-aalala kong sabi. Ayoko kasi na may taong galit sa akin at nasasaktan nang dahil sa akin.


Phil flashed a smile and pulled me closer to him. "Don't worry about things that you should not worry about. Just focus on me." sabi nya saka pinindot ang tungki ng aking ilong. That's so sweet.


Napahinto lang kami sa kasweetan namin nang may tumikhim sa likuran namin.


"Bawal po ang PDA dito sa ospital." sita ng nurse sa amin.


Agad naman kaming naghiwalay ni Phil. Hindi ko alam kung paano itatago ang pamumula ko dahil sa sobrang hiya. Si Phil naman ay napatawa ng mahina. I know he's laughing at me.


I'm just happy right now.



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