Reclaim The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 44

Hindi ako sumagot. Sumunod lang ako sa kanya nang pumasok siya sa loob ng bahay nila. Kinausap niya lang iyong isang babae roon at sinabi na magdala ng pagkain sa labas. I just quietly followed him until we stopped in what seemed like their backyard. There was a huge pool... but even the water felt lonely.

The whole house felt lonely.

We stayed by the wooden table on the far right. Naka-tingin lang ako sa kanya. I was trying to study his appearance. He looked more... buff. I could clearly see the outline of his bicep from where I was sitting.

"Can we please talk now?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Okay."

"What happened after?"

Nakita ko kung paano siya humugot nang malalim na hininga.

"I didn't want to just leave you there."

"I know."

"I..." he said and then paused. He drew a really deep breath. "I was a mess... just a fucking mess..."

Parang may takot na gumapang sa buong pagkatao ko habang naghihintay sa susunod niyang sasabihin. I had always known that Sancho would have a reason for his radio silence... I trusted him. He lost his license to be with me. Surely, he wouldn't just disappear like that—with no nothing.

"I couldn't go to work—I had no license. I couldn't go to Isabela—the mere thought of my mom was making me mad," sabi niya. I noticed how he avoided my gaze. I noticed how hard he was breathing. "I just spiraled."

Plates were placed in front of us, but even the sound of that wasn't enough to break my gaze. Naka-abang lang ako sa bawat galaw niya, sa bawat salitang lalabas sa bibig niya.

"You should've petitioned for your license, Sancho," sabi ko sa kanya. He was a topnotcher... and was never involved in any crime until he got involved with me. Surely, the Court would have given him another chance.

"Hindi na pwede," sagot niya.

"Why?" I asked. He said it so himself—wala na siyang trabaho at hindi siya maka-uwi sa Isabela. What happened? What stopped him?

I counted the seconds.

That turned into a minute.

I kept my gaze on Sancho as he tried to find it in him to tell me what happened to him in the years that he disappeared from his son's life.

"Sandro's a smart kid," he said.

"Very."

"He said he hates lies."

"He hates them," I said. "So, if you plan on lying to him tungkol sa kung bakit wala ka nung lumalaki siya, think again, Sancho. Hindi mabilis magpatawad 'yung bata."

Tumingin siya sa akin.

"I can never have my license back. I couldn't go to you even if I wanted to," he said as I heard the own beating of my heart. "I got... I got into an accident and I was in jail for 2 years."

Parang tumigil iyong pag-ikot ng mundo ko.

Sancho began to explain why he was in jail and I could barely even move. I could say a word as he told me how he got drunk, got into his car, and how the accident happened. About how his mom tried to fix everything again. About how the other party learned about what was happening and decided to fight in their own way.

How he spent 2 years in jail.

How his mother was ambushed.

How he had to go back to Isabela because his sister was failing in managing everything.

I felt like the whole world stopped spinning.

I knew he had a reason... I just didn't think this would be his reason...

"I don't think I even want to be a lawyer anymore," he said with a small smile. "2 years in jail... You hear stories. About how they're thrown there just because they couldn't afford those fancy lawyers and their fancy degrees."

Hindi pa rin ako makapagsalita.

Rinig na rinig ko pa rin ang tibok ng puso ko.

"I kept on think about what I told you before. When I told you to just deny because they couldn't prove anything. Doon ko na-realize... ang dali lang pala talagang makawala kapag alam mo 'yung pasikut-sikot sa batas," he said, shaking his head in disappointment. "I was a first-time offender. I could've done with a probation and penalty. Fifty thousand... That's the legal cost of a life lost. My mom just wanted to pay. That was what she wanted..." He smiled sadly. "But things... happened."

"Sancho—"

"I'm okay," sabi niya. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to go to you. Ang dami kong kailangang ayusin dito," pagpapatuloy niya habang pilit na naka-ngiti sa akin. "But I did go to you... I had to beg your sister para sabihin sa 'kin kung nasan ka. I went to your work. I wanted to talk to you first. But you were taking so long... At malapit lang doon iyong school ni Sandro. So, I went there. And I saw how our son was being bullied for being our son."

Naramdaman ko iyong paghapdi ng paligid ng mga mata ko.

"Lyana, I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to go through all that just because I couldn't wait anymore. I'm really, really sorry."

The tears just kept on falling.

And falling.

"I really wanted to go to you... but I thought about Sandro... Iyong anak pa lang sa labas, ganoon na iyong nakukuha niya? What more if he learns that his dad was in jail for killing somebody?"

"Sancho... It was an accident."

"I got drunk and I drove a car. It was my fault."

"Sandro will understand."

"I know... but this thing, Lyana... it follows you," he said.

Sa dami ng salita, ni isa ay wala akong masabi. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko para gumaan ang loob niya. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko sa kanya.

All that was left was the silence I had.

"The land—"

"Hindi ganoon kalaki iyong lupa nila dati, Sancho."

I couldn't talk about what happened to him. But I wanted to keep on talking. I just wanted to be there for him... He's still the father of my son.

"The other side is mine—ipapalipat ko rin kay Sandro sana," sabi niya. "Kaya nandun ako kanina. I was looking at the crops. Malapit na kasi iyong harvest. I couldn't go to you... but I already opened an account for Sandro. Doon pumapasok lahat ng kinikita nung lupa. Kahit doon man lang may magawa ako."

Naka-tingin lang kami sa isa't-isa.

Hanggang sa narinig namin iyong boses ni Sandro na nagtatanong kung nasaan kaming dalawa.

"I'm sorry for everything, Lyana," he said. "I was never religious... but every day since I was in prison, I just prayed for you and Sandro."

Tumayo siya.

Ngumiti sa akin.

"Kakausapin ko na si Sandro," sabi niya. "You raised a great kid, Lyana," pagpapatuloy niya bago lumabas para puntahan ang anak niya.