Seven Days In Paradise

Gabe's Dilemma

"Tangina! Bakit hindi nyo mahanap sa dagat ang bangkay ni Zoey?!" Bulyaw kong tanong sa mga tauhan ko.

"Boss, wala talagang inanod na bangkay. Kung meron, tatlong araw na ang lumipas, meron na sana sa Manila Bay." Henry answered me.

"Mga gunggong talaga kayo! Hanapin niyo ang bangkay ni Zoey! Siguraduhin niyong walang pulis na makakakita sa bangkay nya, dahil sasabit tayo kapag naunahan tayo." Utos ko na sa kanila.

Tumango lang si Henry at tsaka na ito naglakad palabas ng opisina ko. Bea said nahulog daw sa Manila Bay ang bangkay ni Zoey nung barilin niya ito sa ulo. I heaved a sigh and massaged my temples. Pearl came into my office, giving me a back rub. It eased my stress for the past few days.

"Baby, hinahanap mo pa din ang bangkay ni Zoey?" Pearl asked me.

"Yes, baby. Sasabit tayo sakaling hindi ko mahanap ang bangkay nya. I don't want you and our little one to be put under a compromising position." I answered her.

"You must be hungry, I cooked lunch for you, tara kain ka na muna." Pagyaya ni Pearl sa akin.

"Okay, baby. Mabuti pa nga." I said as I stood up from my chair.

I pulled Pearl close to me. She was the best thing I have ever had in my life. She calms me. I had a rough childhood, I was always bullied and was sexually abused by my bullies. One of them happened to be Bea's husband Marco. The memories still haunt me to this day.

Grade 4 ako, naabutan ako ng barkada nila Marco sa cr, they were my bullies and tormentors. They pushed my face against the wall, si Greg ang leader ng barkada nila ang naghubad ng pants ko. Ipinasok sa pwet ko ang dulo ng mop. Idiniin ito sa pwet ko. I cried in pain and anger as Marco and his friends laughed at my misery. I was never the same right after that incident.

Marco never recognized who I was, I had him killed at the altar as he and my cousin got married. Pagkatapos na pagkatapos nilang ipronounce as man and wife. As he was about to kiss my cousin Bea, came a shot straight to his heart. Killing him instantly. The last of the boys who bullied me in school. Ang iba ay napaghigantihan ko na.

They were the reason I became a ruthless man. I watched as they suffered through everything. Starting with Greg, Troy, Stephen, Dave at Finally si Marco. Looking back, I had no regrets. They deserved it.

"Baby, kain ka na." Pearl brought me out of my reverie.

Nakita ko na naipagsandok na ako nito ng pagkain. I smiled at her and thanked her. I ate heartily, sge prepared my favorite Sinigang na Baboy. Tamang-tama lang ang asim, anghang at alat nito, like how my lola makes it. Kaya naman mahal na mahal ko si Pearl. I would give anything to make her life easy.

Atter lunch, pinagpahinga ko na muna si Pearl. Habang inaasikaso ko ang mga negosyo ko. I had to hire new staff for the bar, dahil sa pag-aresto na naganap nung nakaraang araw. Zoey had put my life at risk, buti na lang at natagpuan pa din ang mga drugs na itinago nito. We made a delivery that night to a big client, before shooting Zoey.

Pearl worried and shook in anger, kaya niya nagawang barilin ito, pero tila yata pusa si Zoey, dahil nabuhay pa ito. Kaya iniutos ko kay Bea na patayin siya. My cousin was gullible enough to believe that my life was in danger at buntis ang girlfriend ko. Well she was all along. Which made me all the more determined to find Zoey's dead body.

My phone suddenly rang, I picked it up at nagsalita sa mouth piece.

"Hello?"

"May nakapag-sabi sa amin sir, namataan daw nila si Zoey at si Bea magkasama, kinakaladkad daw ni Bea palabas ng coffee shop si Zoey, parang may L.Q. pa nga daw. Pero nung tatlong araw na ang nakakaraan." Henry's voice said.

"Nasa Ilocos si Bea. Tiyak ko, nagtatago yun sa kapatid ni Marco."

"Yes boss, titignan namin."

Then the line went off, I feel ticked off that Bea might be lying to me. Parang tumataas ang presyon ko sa balitang iyon. How could she?! I thought. I pushed the thought back and concentrated on work. Dahil sa ginawang gulo ni Zoey, ,untik na akong mapatay ng client ko, mabuti na lang at nahanap ko pa ang mga drugs na tinago ni Zoey. When I think about her, kumukulo ang dugo ko. I heaved a sigh and continued to work.

The afternoon went by so fast, before I knew it, it was already dinner time. I took out Pearl for a romantic dinner at her favorite restaurant. She was dressed nicely. She wore a short black dress and her purse in hand. She looks lovely, hindi pa halata ang tiyan nito. We had dinner and ate heartily.

I have been putting off proposing to Pearl, for a year now. I figured tonight will be the right time to propose to her. She doesn't know it yet, but I was going to pop the question after we had dinner. If the plan goes exactly as I have planned it, I will be proposing to her at a park. After our dinner, we decided to go to the park across the restaurant. As we approached the dark, lights came on. Namangha si Pearl sa nakita nya, paglingon nito sa akin doon na ko nagsalita.

"Pearl, baby. You gave my life the light it needs, I love you so much babe, I can't see my future with out you. Will you marry me?" I said as I knelt. 

Naluha na si Pearl sa kinakatayuan nya, isang minuto itong natulala bago pa ito tumango.

"Yes, Babe." she says as she reaches out to me. 

I placed the diamond ring on her finger and got up to kiss her, hugging afterwards. 

A/N:

We would like to say thank you for making Seven Days in Paradise on No. 8 trending spot for Outlaws! You guys are the best!

Spread light and love always! 

-Sky