Broken Vow

39: Her Guardian Angel

"Ano?! Magpapakasal ka na naman?!" Ernesto flew to his feet. Pumunta si Caleb sa bahay ng mga magulang nya for their blessing. But it looks like he won't have it his way.

"Papa..."

"When are you going to put end on this madness, Caleb?!"

"Honey, calm down! Baka mahigh blood ka na naman!" Marichel set precautions.

"Hindi ka na ba talaga makikinig sa akin, Caleb? I told you on the very first place that I am most definitely against! I'm against your relationship with that woman!" Namumula si Ernesto dahil sa galit. The veins in his neck and temples are also showing.

Nanatiling nakaupo sina Caleb at ang ina. They are looking up at him.

"Pa, we're going to make this work. Trust me."

"Gasgas na yan, Caleb. Hindi ba't yan din ang sinabi mo noon nang ipaalam mong pakakasalan mo si Elena? Ano nangyare? Hayun! Niloko mo! Sinaktan mo! Umaasa pa naman ako na baka isang araw ay matauhan ka't babalikan mo si Elena!"

"Oo nga naman, anak. Baka nabibigla ka lang. Isipin mo rin yung nakaraan nyo ni Elena." Biglang pagsingit ni Marichel.

Ernesto look at his wife with a furrowed brows. "At saang parte ka naman ng bahay nauntog para sabihin ang mga yan?" He asked Marichel.

"Honey! I only wanted the best for our son! Yung Kylie na yon, she's not the best! I'm taking it back, lahat ng papuri ko sa kanya before. Ni hindi nga ata marunong magpakulo ng tubig ang maarteng yun eh!" Matapos sabihin yon ay humarap sya sa anak. "Caleb, son, save your second marriage. Pursue Elena again. May pinagsamahan naman kayo eh."

"No!!" Sigaw ni Ernesto.

Rinding rindi na si Caleb. Why all of a sudden biglang nawala sa ayos ang lahat?

Ernesto continue his rants. "Patahimikin nyo na ang buhay nya. Hindi nyo ba maintindihan? Our family hurt her so much. Ngayong tahimik na ang buhay nya, ano? Guguluhin na naman nyang anak mo? I'm so ashamed of both of you. I'm very ashamed to the point I want to disown you both!"

Marichel also flew to her feet at tumingin sa asawa ng may kunot noo.

"Ernesto? Ano bang nangyayare sayo? Hindi ba't gustong gusto mo si Elena?"

"Your son doesn't deserve someone like Elena. Tama lang na pinakawalan nya ang asawa nya so there will be new room for a better partner for her. Kaya ikaw, Caleb. Kailan man ay hindi ko ibibigay ang blessing ko. Para saan pa? Nung sinabihan ba kita na huwag idivorce si Elena nakinig ka? Or nung sinabi ko na hiwalayan mo yang babae mo, nakinig ka rin ba? No. You never listen. So what's the point of gaining my blessing? Magpakasal ka kung kaninong anak ni Poncio Pilato ang gusto mo. Pakasalan mo man ang lahat ng babae sa mundo! Bahala ka!"

Mabibigat ang hakbang ni Ernesto papalalayo. He stormed out leaving his wife and son on the living room. Hindi na nya kilala ang sariling anak. How the hell he ended up like that? Saan ba sya nagkulang bilang ama? Ernesto been asking the same questions for the past years but he never, even once, found an appropriate answer or near to that.

Napahilamos na lang si Caleb gamit ang kanyang mga palad. Everything is a mess lately. Is this his karma? Ito na ba ang kabayaran sa lahat ng kasamaan nya kay Elena?

"Son, listen to me, I'm your mom. Si Kylie, hindi sya wife material na kagaya ni Elena. You have to think again. Kung kinakailangan mong gamitin si Eve just to get your wife back, go on! Wag kang padalos-dalos anak."

Caleb stare at his mother's eyes tapos ay iniwan din sya nito sa sala.

Now he's left with no one else in his side. Yung nanay nya na suportado sya sa lahat ng bagay, iiwan din pala sya sa panahong mas kinakailangan nya ang pamilya.

Caleb stands up and left their house. Hindi sya papatinag. Mahal nya si Kylie. He throw away everything just for Kylie kaya paninindigan nya ang pagpapakasal dito. Iniwan nya ang mapayapa nyang buhay just to be with her kaya hindi sya papayag na pagchismisan sya ng mga tao saying he's a loser and a fool.

┈──╌❊╌──┈

Friday. Ito ang araw for the first hearing about Eve's custody. Unlike before, ngayo'y halos walang kasama si Caleb sa kabilang kampo aside from Kylie and her parents. Habang kay Elena, there's her father and siblings. Naroroon si Clark, naroroon din ang iba pa nyang malalapit na kaibigan at kamag-anak to support her. How she wish na sana'y nandon din si Adam.

Lately, Adam became her inspiration. Para syang spell because tuwing nandyan sya, malapit sa kanya, she'll be oblivious to the existing problems.

The judge as well as the jury, they hear the both sides. Pinakinggan nila ang paglalaban ng dalawang abogado. Elena is well prepared for this battle kaya talagang they caught the other party off-guard. Five days before the first hearing, dumating ang notice sa kanila parehas. The night they encounter Elena in a jewelry store, pagkauwi nila, noon lang nila nabasa ang summon. Five days aren't enough para paghandaan ang ano mang tatalakayin sa korte. Idagdag pa ang pagiging busy nila dahil sa kanilang engagement.

Kaya sa hearing na ito, alam na agad kung sino ang mananalo sa huli. The official order from the judge is the only missing part.

It lasted two hours bago mapagdesisyunan na temporarily, Evangelie's custody will be granted to Elena. Kapag sa ikalawang hearing ay mas nakalalamang ang kampo ni Elena, she will be the guardian of her daughter permanently.

She cried when the judge announces na si Elena ang mas matimbang sa naging hearing.

Adam was at the last row of chairs. Napanood nya ang pag-iyak ni Elena dahil sa naging pagpanig ng korte sa kanya. Madalas silang naguusap sa telepono kaya naman nang malamang may ganito, Adam didn't went to university. He lied na may sakit sya kaya hindi sya makakapasok. Adam know for sure na sayang saya ng mga estudyante nya dahil wala ang kanilang mahigpit na prof.

He feel relieved. He's very happy for Elena. Adam believe that she deserve the world. She deserve everything. And thinking that she tried to kill herself, siguro hindi matatawaran yung pagdurusa at sakit na pinagdaanan nya noon. And he's happy about one more thing. He's happy na sya pa pala ang nagdugsong sa buhay ni Elena. Nagbigay din pala sya pag-asa dito.

Walang nakakaalam na naroroon sya. He doesn't want to spoil their upcoming date with their daughters. Gusto nyang makilala ang anak ni Elena for the first time in a good situation at hindi sa ganitong paraan.

He watch Elena from afar. Like a guardian angel.

Nang makalabas ng building sina Elena, humabol si Caleb sa kanila. Pinauna na ni Elena ang pamilya nya kasama si Eve. She knew that this time will come, they needed to talk because they are still connected to each other dahil kay Eve. But hanggang doon na lang yon.

"What do you want to talk about, Caleb?" She asked.

Caleb grabbed her arms and squeezed them harshly. "Plinano mo ba tong lahat, Elena? Para makaganti ka sa akin?"

"What are you talking about? Let go of me, Caleb."

"You can't take my daughter away, Elena!" Hindi sya papayag na pati anak nya ay mawala sa kanya.

Sobrang mahigpit ang hawak ni Caleb sa braso ng ex-wife but someone brush it off. "She's not taking your daughter away because it is the court's judgement not hers."

Napatingala si Elena sa nagsalita. It's Adam!

"Sino ka ba?! Bat ka nakikialam?! Problema namin tong mag-asawa!" Caleb isn't thinking right kaya hindi na nya napansing may mali sa sinabi nya.

"It's your problem as a mother and father of one child but not as a husband and wife dahil matagal mo nang tinapon ang karapatan mong tawaging asawa si Elena. Leave her alone and let her enjoy her life with Eve. Because the moment you cheated on her, you cheated on your daughter."

Natigilan si Caleb. And for the first time, he feel a striking pain dahil pinamukha sa kanya ng lalaking ito na wala na nga talaga syang karapatan sa dating asawa.

"Let's go." Adam look down on her as he pull Elena away from her ex-husband.