Broken Vow

20: Reborn

Elena kept  on driving until she drive thru a bridge. At the other end of the bridge, kung saan may nakalaan na emergency parking sa kalsada, huminto sya. She exited her car at dumungaw sya sa tulay. She's very weak. Hindi na nya alam pa ang ibig sabihin at dahilan ng buhay nya. Elena wanted to die.

In afterlife, there must be no problem, no pain, no heart aches. Maybe afterlife is the only answer to end her pain that she's going thru. Maybe this is the wisest decision.

Nakatitig lang si Elena sa ilog. How deep is this bay? Kapag tumalon kaya sya, can she assure that the water will drown her?

May isang lalaki na nasa gilid ng ilog na yon. His car is on the side street. There is a liquor beside him, umiinom sya mag-isa because of pain. Pain of losing his wife. Namatayan sya ng asawa just a week ago and they send her off earlier this day. He love his wife so much that it damn hurts. Parang hinihimay ang puso nya dahil sa sakit. How is he going to face the new day without his wife? How will he raise his daughter alone?

Nakatulala lang ang lalaki ng may marinig syang mga hikbi. He followed the sound  at ang nakita na lang nya ay isang babae na nakaakmang tatalon. And before he could stand, the woman jumped in the deep water. Without hesitation, tumayo ang lalaki and he jumped on the river to save the woman. He is a good swimmer but he is not confident kung makikita ang babae dahil madilim na.

He swim, hindi sya huminto hanggang sa maabutan nya ang  katawan ni Elena na lumulubog na sa tubig. The unknown man pull her up to the air surface and when he succeed, he swim back to the land, carefully pulling the woman with him.

Nang maisampa ang babae sa lupa, umahon sya. Hindi sya marunong ng CPR but he has to try dahil unconscious si Elena. He pumped her chest and he listen to her breath. There was no response from her. Inulit nya ang procedure at pagkatapos non ay pinerform nya ang mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. After few attempts, inilabas ni  Elena ang tubig na humaharang sa airway nya thru her mouth.

The man sigh in relief saka sa napaupo sa lupa. He though he will witness another death.

Elena started crying.

He doesn't want to see any of this kaya tumayo ang lalaki. His clothes are dripping because of wetness.

"Whatever your problem is, death is never an answer. It won't solve anything." Saad ng lalaki matapos nyang talikuran si Elena.

"Wasak na ang marriage ko. Niloloko lang ako ng asawa ko. Ano pa ba ang silbi ng mabuhay?!" Pagsigaw ni Elena habang umiiyak.

Humarap ang lalaki kay Elena and he look down on her. "Who do you think will benefit the most upon your death? Sila. Yung asawa mo at ang kabet nya. If you hate them that much, then fight them back. Don't runaway from them. If you ended up dead, gumawa ka lang ng dahilan para mas maging masaya ang pagsasamap nila. There are so many people leaving this world kahit na ayaw pa nila. Don't waste your life just because your husband cheated." Ang tono ng boses ng lalaki ay napaka seryoso. Elena couldn't speak. She's just crying. "Remember this. Today, you were reborn. This is your second life kaya make it best. If your husband don't love you at your worst, then he doesn't deserve you at your best. Pero kung determinado ka nang umalis sa mundo, then it's up to you."

After his long mantra, the man walk away.

┈──╌❊╌──┈

It's already dawn when Elena went home. Hindi nya alam ang mga susunod na mangyayari but she will face them with head high. Tama ang sinabi ng lalaki sa kanya. She won't make it easy for Caleb and Kylie.

Nanuyo na ang damit ni Elena at ang buhok nya but it doesn't bother her.

Wala si Caleb sa bahay nila dahil hinahanap nya si Elena. He went to his brothers, sa pamilya ni Elena, sa mga magulang nyang sina Marichel and kay Clark.

Jiselle sensed that there is something off. Bakit naman hahanapin ni Caleb ang ate nya? Tapos hindi pa nagtext si Elena.

Her last message says na bukas na daw nya ng hapon susunduin si Eve.

Pagkarating ni Elena ng bahay, ang una nyang nakita ay ang mga pictures nilang mag-asawa na nakahang sa pader.

The selfie they had during their honeymoon, picture ng kasal nila, first family picture nilang tatlo. Elena pick all of them at pinagbabasag nya ito sa sahig. She wrecked all the things na maraming memorya.

Nang masira ang lahat ng pictures, she heard someone unlocking the door. Pagkapasok ni Caleb, hindi na sya nagulat na ganito ang datnan. Napakaraming wasak na gamit.

He walk slowly, papuntang salas. He saw Elena, standing in front of the window. Nakatanaw sa labas ng kanilang bahay.

"Elena..." Caleb  called her name.

Humarap si Elena sa asawa. She smiled. "Nandyan ka na? Ipaghahain kita. Sorry sa kalat." She act normal kahit na alam nilang pareho na may lamat na ang kasal nila. "Wala si Eve. Iniwan ko muna kay mama at Jiselle."

Lumakad si Elena papunta sanang kusina but Caleb stopped her. He grabbed her arms.

"Stop it, Elena. Wag na tayong magkunwari."

Napataas ang kilay ni Elena. She look intently in his eyes.

"Hindi ako nagkukunwari, Caleb. Bakit ikaw? Nagkukunwari ka pa rin ba ngayon? Ikaw ba yung asawa ko sa oras na to? O ibang tao ka na?"

Lumipas ang katahimikan sa pagitan nilang dalawa. Nakakabinging katahimikan ang namamayani. It feels like a calm day before the storm.

After a while, Caleb uttered something unbelievable.

"Maghiwalay na tayo, Elena. Let's have divorce."

Ikinalaki ng mata ni Elena ang narinig. Tears started dripping pero natawa pa sya out of purse sarcasm.

"Ikaw pa ngayon ang hihiling ng hiwalayan? Ako dapat yun, Caleb! Ako yung nasaktan dito, ako yung naloko! Ako dapat ang nagsasabi nyan!!" Lumapit si Elena sa asawa at pinagsasampal at pinagsusuntok nya ito. "Ang baboy mo! Ang baboy nyo ng kabit mo! Kelan pa? Kailan mo pa ako niloloko?!"

Caleb caught her wrist saka nya ito itinulak ng marahas sa sahig. Elena used her  hand to lessen the impact of her dropping pero naging dahilan lang yon para bumaon ang mga bubog sa kamay nya. The wound in her hand is nothing compared to the wound in her heart.

"Apat na bwan na, Elena! Masaya ka na? Masaya ka na dahil nalaman mo? Hah?!" Caleb is like possessed with evil spirit. This is his side na hindi pa nakikita ni Elena. This is his true color.

Tumayo si Elena and she slapped his face hard. May maliit pang bubog sa palad ni Elena kaya nahiwaan ang balat ni Caleb sa pisngi. Bumaon lang lalo ang maliit na bubog sa laman ni Elena.

"Hindi ako papayag! Hindi ako makikipaghiwalay. Bakit? Para maging madali para sayo at para sa kabit mo? Hindi ako hihiwalay, Caleb. Papatayin mo muna ako. Tutuparin ko ang pangako ko. Mamamatay akong asawa mo. Mamamatay ako na kasal sayo! At yang kabet mo. Mamamatay syang kabet! Tandaan mo yan!!"

Itinaas ni Caleb ang kamay nya at pinakita nya kay Elena kung paano nya hubarin ang wedding ring nila. Tinapon nya ito. Malakas ang tunog na ginawa ng singsing nang lumapat ito sa sahig.

"Tignan natin, Elena. Tignan natin sa huli kung kakayanin mo." His jaw is clenching while swearing.

Tinalikuran nya si Elena and then he left. Pupunta sya kay Kylie.

┈──╌❊╌──┈

Author's Note:

I know that divorce is not legal in Philippines. Annulment lang ang meron but since this is fictional story, I made it possible na may divorce. For me kasi, personally, divorce is total seperation of married couple kesa sa annulment na navo-void lang ang kasal or napawawalang bisa.

Good day!