Loving a Believer

Chapter 23: The Consultation

S T O R M

"Your real business?" she asked.

I wasn't sure if telling her about this was a right move. But because of too much burdens I got down in my heart, I wanted to spill it out.

I looked at her intently before speaking, "Yes, I was not there to—"

"Sir, may bisita po sa baba. Christy daw po ang pangalan." Biglang sumulpot si Ate Rachel sa pintuan.

"Susunod nalang kami," I said.

"Sige po." Ate Rachel left.

I turned my head to her again and then heaved a sigh. "I'll just tell you later." I stood up. "Look after Eli. Mag-uusap lang kami saglit ni Christy."

She nodded her head.

I went downstairs, and there I saw Christy sitting on the couch. I texted her yesterday and told her that I would go home today. That was why she came over.

"Pastora," I called her. She smiled when she saw me. She stood up to approach me. We shook hands.

"Evangelist Storm, na-miss ka namin sa church," she said.

I just smiled slightly and looked at her meaningfully. That was the moment that the smile on her face slowly disappeared and her facial expression softened.

"Now, can we talk?" I told her in a low voice. I looked at the direction of the stairs, making sure that Fara wouldn't go down here. I didn't want her to hear our conversation.

I sat down on the single sofa, and Christy sat down again on her place.

"I don't want anyone to know about this, even Fara," I almost whispered. "But I'm going to ask you about this."

"What is it?" nagtatakang tanong niya.

"You know Demi, right? And you know what kind of relationship I had with her before. I got her pregnant, and our babies were twins—one died and one is still alive . . ."

Her lips parted and her eyes widened in shock.

"But the problem is, she's sick. My daughter has leukemia. That's the reason why I'm always visiting San Francisco. They live there."

"And Fara doesn't know about this?"

"Yes. I can't tell her about this. You know her situation. Do you think, I have to tell her about this?"

"Ano ba ang plano mo? May balak ka bang sabihin sa kanya?"

"Yes, of course. But my plan is, I'll tell her about my daughter, Shekinah, when she recovers."

"Kung ako ang tatanungin mo about sa bagay na 'yan, gusto ko na sabihin mo kay Fara ang tungkol diyan. Storm, alam mo na sa buhay-mag-asawa, para maging matagal ang pagsasama ninyo, kailangan ninyong maging tapat sa isa't isa. Kapag sinabing 'tapat', you are not hiding anything from her. Pero, tulad nga ng sabi mo, alam ko ang sitwasyon ni Fara—she just recovered from depression. Kaya ang maipapayo ko sa 'yo, ask her doctor if she can now handle a heavy problem like this. Kung ano ang desisyon ng doctor, 'yon ang sundin mo."

I fell silent. I was really confused with my situation right now. I didn't want to hide anything from Fara, but she wasn't like other woman. Fara was an overthinker.

Naalala ko pa ang pagkakataon na na-trap ako sa tindi ng traffic at halos madaling-araw na nang makauwi ako. I forgot to charge my cellphone so I couldn't inform Fara that I would go home late. Nang makarating ako sa bahay, naabutan ko si Fara na tila lutang at nanlalamig ang mga kamay. Depression attacked her again. She thought something bad happened to me.