When Our Wives Are Not Around (Set B)

CHAPTER 353 - ROSE

“Nikki? Hindi magandang biro ‘yang sinasabi mo sa akin,” naibulalas ni Rose sa sinabi ni Nikki sa kanya. She had recently told her na paano raw kung mayroong tinatagong relasyon ang asawa nitong si Helix at ang boyfriend niyang si Aki, in which Rose finds it very non-sensical. Bahagya siyang natulala nang sinabi ito ni Nikki sa kanya pero nang tumawa ito ay dahan-dahan din naman siyang nakaramdam ng kapanatagan sa kanyang kaninang maalon na isipan.

“Sorry, nagbibiro lang. Pinapatawa lang kita, Rose…” Nikki smiled at her. Tumayo na ito mula sa pagkakaluhod. Tumagilid lang si Rose at hindi na ito tinignan.

“At ano ka ba? Si Helix at Aki? Magiging mag-jowa?” Tumawa si Nikki ng sobra. Umagik-ik pa ito na tila kinikiliti ng pitong demonyo. “Sobrang imposible at tsaka nakakadiri…” dagdag ni Nikki. Kinalma na nito ang sarili.

“Bayaran niyo ang bill ko rito…” ani Rose. She’s calm now. Hindi rin siya nakitawa kay Nikki. Hindi naman sila ganoong ka-close.

“Okay. No problem. Basta, pinapatawad mo na ako ha? Kasi kung hindi, luluhod ulit ako.”

Napairap si Rose dahil sa sinabi nito.

“Alis na ako…” sabi nito at paglabas ay natawa ulit ito na parang gaga. Ipinikit ni Rose ang mga mata niya. Iyung biro ni Nikki sa kanya, hindi niya iyun nagustuhan, dahil paano nga kaya kung…

Napailing-iling si Rose. Suddenly, she remembers so many moments para patunayan ang birong sinabi ni Nikki sa kanya. First was the day she finally came back from Dubai at may napansin siyang kakaiba sa kuwarto nilang dalawa ni Aki. The scent of the whole room smells like someone had been there aside from Aki and her. Amoy panlalaking permfume ito na kay Helix niya lang naamoy pagkatapos ng ilang araw. Second was the day Aki and Helix came back from senior’s ball. Nang magbihis si Aki ay napansin niyang ibang underwear ang sinuot nito. She checks if the underwear was new pero hindi. Tila nasuot na ito ng makailang beses at tila pagmamayari rin ito ng lalaking mas matanda ng kaonti kay Aki dahil sa size nito. Aki is just 33 habang ang size naman ng underwear na nakita niya say 38. Third and last, Aki and Helix’s actions. Tila tumitindi araw-araw ang pagiging malapit ng dalawa dahil madalas itong matagpuan ni Rose na nagaasaran sa parang may halong pisikalan gaya ng yakapan. Minsan din ay nagkakadikit ang mga hindi kaaya-ayang parte ng mga katawan nito ng hindi sinasadya. Iba rin ang mga ito kung magkatitigan.

Napailing-iling ulit si Rose. Imposible. Some guys are just like that. Sweet and touchy. Lalong-lalo na na parang kuya na rin ni Aki si Helix, at si Helix naman ay parang bunsong kapatid na rin si Aki. She had decided that she should not put malice on it. Kilala niya si Aki. Lalaking puro ito at hindi ito pumapatol sa kapwa lalaki.

But why the heck did he say to her that he can no longer love her just like before? Dahil ba baka may nagugustuhan na itonng iba o baka, nalayo lang ang loob nito sa kanya sa kadahilanang nawawalan na siya ng oras dito?

Rose choses the latter. Tama! Sa palagay niya ay nagiging malamig na nga si Aki sa kanya dahil hindi niya na ito maasikaso gaya ng dati. Rose had overworked to the point that she wasn’t able to look over Aki. He said that he still doesn’t want her to leave him at doon humuhugot ng lakas si Rose. Puwede niya pang isalba ang pagasasama nilang dalawa at gagawin niya ang lahat para maayos ulit iyun.

Ngumiti si Rose nang makaramdam ng pag-asa. A tear escaped from her right eye. Pinahiran niya iyun nang dumating na ulit si Aki.

“The doctor had said na puwede ka na raw umuwi ngayon. Do you want to go home already?” tanong ni Aki sa kanya. Hinalikan siya nito sa noo niya. Napapikit si Rose nang gawin iyun ni Aki sa kanya.

“Yes, please,” sagot ni Rose. “I want to go home already,” dagdag niya.

Tumango si Aki.

“Ikaw ba, Aki? Are you okay? How about your injuries? Kaya mo na bang umuwi? Can you already go home with me?” tanong ni Rose rito.

“Aish!” Ginulo ni Aki ang buhok niya. “Why is it that my future wife is thinking of me instead of herself?” Aki asked her.

“Because, just like what you said, I’m your future wife Aki and it is my duty to take care of my future husband,” Rose answered.

Hinawi ni Aki ang nagkagulo niyang buhok papunta sa likod ng kanyang tainga. Nakaupo na ito sa gilid niya.

“From now on Rose, I want you to give up that role on me. Ako dapat ang nagaalaga at nagmamahal sa’yo.” Aki kisses her lips.

Rose closes her eyes for a while and opens it again when their lips parted. “Bakit pakiramdam ko, napipilitan ka lang sabihin sa akin ang mga bagay na ‘yan Aki? If you’re not comfortable saying things like that, ayos lang sa akin. Ayaw kong nakikitang nahihirapan at napipilitan ka lang. Kasi nasasaktan din ako ‘pag ginagawa mo ‘yan sa akin.”

Aki bites his lips, tries not to cry, as he kisses her hand, “Uwi na tayo?”

Tumango si Rose. “Uwi na tayo.”

“Helix says he’ll give us a ride,” sagot ni Aki.

Umiling-umiling si Rose. “Aki, I don’t no longer want to be affiliated with them. What happened tonight was to much for me. Helix is a nice guy, but his wife, Nikki, is just very scandalous. Ayaw ko nang makasalamuha silang dalawa.”

Aki nods at her. “Then, what do you want to happen?”

“Let’s just book a nearby hotel tonight at kinabukasan, lumipat na tayo ng apartment.”

Nakita si Rose na natigilan si Aki sa sinabi niya. He looks stunned and at the same time, want to hide by smiling fake.

“I only said that we’ll switch apartment, not cut ties with Helix. Helix is important to you, right?” tanong ni Rose kay Aki.

“Yeah,” Aki answers nervously.

Ipinikit ni Rose ang mga mata niya. Then she smiles, “If he’s important to you, then he’s also important to me Aki. Lahat ng importante sa’yo, importante rin sa akin.”

Tumango-tango lang si Aki.

Disappearing shot.

Sabay-sabay nating iiwan si Aki at Rose sa emergency room na iyun. It’s a bit dark there but we can still see them despite of dimness of the place.

A tilt shot. Papalabas na tayo and Aki and Rose are still on the frame of our screen.

The moment we’ll finally exit this place, mas lalo pang magti-tilt ang shot natin.

This will also cue for an insertion of a French Song entitled:

La Vie En Rose, which is cover version of Laura and Anton.

We’ll pass through the door without losing the sight of Rose and Aki not until an image disrupts our frame.

Slowly, we’ll see Helix standing outside the emergency room. He’s crying. Narinig niya lang naman kasi ang pauusap ni Aki and Rose. Narinig niya. Lahat-lahat.

Maya-maya pa ay aalis si Helix doon at susundan natin siya hanggang sa parking lot. The moment he’ll enter his car, our shot transefer inside too. We see Nikki already sitting inside. Helix immediately starts the engine. La Vie En Rose is still playing.

“Si Rose at Nikki? Akala ko ba---” putol na tanong ni Nikki.

“They’ll no longer coming home with us…” sagot ni Helix. “They’ll no longer…” Helix suddenly cries.

Natulala si Nikki nang makitang umiyak ang asawa niya. Iyun nga lang, hindi na siya naka-imik nang pinaandar na ni Helix ang kotse. As their car sweeps along the lonely night road, our shot goes upward. We’ll see the whole city scape. But our center view is nothing but the high rise hospital and Helix’s car slowly disappearing from our sight. La Vie En Rose is already ending, and on the night sky, we’ll see a text written in a typewriter font:

TO BE CONTINUED.