Time After Time

Untitled Part 91

NAABUTAN nila si Nicky sa unit nito. Naglilinis. The woman was frantically flushing things down the toilet. Iniwan ito ni Olivia sa unit niya kanina, sinabihan niyang huwag lalabas. Obviously, hindi nakinig.

At si Micky Tuazon? He was telling the truth.

Sa kwartong tinutukoy nito, nagkalat ang mga syringes, tourniquets and vials of opiates. Sa gitna ng sahig, may pulang drowing na bilog, may star sa gitna. Mga kandilang itim ang nakatirik paikot sa bilog. Sa dinding, may nakaladlad na telang may mukha ng demonyo--parang kambing na malaki ang sungay. Sa isa pang dinding, mga pictures ni Hitler, ng concentration camps, nazi insignia.

Nang pigilan ng mga guards si Nicky, nagwala ito. Ipinosas na lang muna sa bedpost sa kabilang silid. Pinabantayan ni Olivia sa isang guard at sinarhan niya ang pinto. Because the woman would not stop screaming.

"She said she sings in their church." Sabi ni Micky Tuazon. "Pina-attend pa n'ya ako ng service. I heard her sing. Her voice was beautiful."

"You fell for her." Sabi ni Olivia.

"She was always...modest. Laging naka long sleeves. She looked cute and..fragile." He groaned, "What a night." Pasalampak itong naupo sa sofa ni Nicky.

"What do you do, Mr. Tuazon?" Tanong ni Olivia.

"I..ahhmm...I'm a businessman."

"Ano'ng business?"

"I sell time pieces. I also collect old watches and clocks."

"In your place, Jupiter Street." She remembered now. Tuazon. Tindahan nito ang tinutukoy ng testigo niya . Nang marinig niya ang last name ni Micky, saka lang niya naalala kung ano ang koneksyon sa kanya ng Jupiter Street. Doon rin tumira si Marife noon.

"Paano mo nalaman?"

"Let's just say your clocks will probably set a rapist free to roam the streets again."

"Client mo?"

Olivia nodded, Yes." Walang ibang lawyer na gustong magtanggol sa kliyente niya. Siya ang pinakabata sa firm na kinabibilangan, sa kanya napunta ang kaso. Brod ng isa sa partners ng firm ang ama ng defendant. At lahat naman ay may karapatan sa fair trial. "Sadly, the prosecution's doing a great job messing up the case but if I ignore their mistakes--"

"You'll look stupid."

"Not that. It's the law. I vowed to uphold it. I can't let others break it just because they wanted so bad to put someone away for life. I can't let them lie and twist everything. I can't let them get away with planting evidence. Gagawin lang nila 'yun paulit-ulit."

"Then it's on them. The prosecution. Kung ginawa nila ang tama, you'll probably lose and the rapist will go to jail."

"Right." Naupo siya sa arm chair, "Related ka ba kay Marife Alarcon?" Tuazon ang last name ng asawa ng tita ni Marife sa pagkakatanda niya.

"Sino?"

"Marife Alarcon. Fe."

"Ah, Fe." Tango ni Micky. "Yeah, I remember her." Nagtaka na naman ito, "Kilala mo ang yaya ko?"

Takang-taka rin si Olivia, "Yaya? Si Marife?"

"Hindi ko alam kung 'yun nga, pero may yaya ako na Fe noon. Ate Fe. I was nine or ten, I think. Nag-aaral s'ya sa gabi."

"Ang bahay n'yo , may parang coffee shop sa ibaba..maliit na building?"

He nodded, "My dad's a lawyer too, pero nasa Spain na sila nakatira ni Mama at 'yung sister ko. Ako na lang ang nandito. I can't leave. I don't know why."

"Father mo 'yung matangkad na mestiso..." she could see it clearly. A man reading a newspaper. A man driving a Nissan California. So handsome. So..dignified.

Micky smiled, "Siguro. Yeah. My dad's tall. Spanish ang lolo ko. Bakit mo kilala si Ate Fe?"

"K-Kaklase ko nung high school. Gaano s'ya katagal sa inyo?"

"A few months siguro...hindi ko matandaan masyado, I was sick most of the time, that time."

"Ano'ng sakit mo?"

"I was born with a hole in my heart. Nung seven ako, I got a new heart. And I got crazy."

"Crazy?"

Dumating ang kaibigan ni Nicky na tinawagan ng mga guard. Nasa ibang bansa rin ang pamilya ni Nicky and Micky gave them the name and number of the only person he knew who was close with Nicky.

A gay man. Pumasok iyon sa kwarto, pinalabas ang bantay. Pagkatapos ng mga fifteen minutes, hinarap sila. Kalmado na raw si Nicky.

"Ako na lang muna ang bahala sa kanya. Kakausapin kong mabuti para pumayag s'yang pa-rehab. Kung pwede lang sana, 'wag na natin ipa-pulis ito. Nicky needs help, mas kawawa naman s'ya kung ipapakulong."

"We'll do that." Sabi ni Olivia. "Kung papayag kang i-search itong unit, para lang sigurado na wala nang nakatagong drugs. Para ito kay Nicky." The woman was Tiff's age, Olivia could not help but feel sisterly. "May possibility na hindi pumayag si Nicky magpa-rehab, we have to force her. We have to be firm kung gusto natin s'yang tulungan. I will help you get in touch with a recovery facility."

"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you, Ma'am."

"Okay." Olivia nodded to the guards, "Search him too."