"Hi." Nag-angat ng tingin si Miracle nang may magsalita sa harapan niya.
She immediately wiped her wet hands before smiling at the girl. "Hello." Binati niya pa rin ito kahit alam niya kung ano ang nangyari sa loob ng kwarto nilang mag-asawa.
"You're Trigger's wife, am I right?" awkward na tanong ng dalaga sa kaniya.
Miracle nodded her head. "He doesn't love me. Kasal lang kami sa papel," agad niyang sagot.
The girl in front her smiled a little. "I wonder what's wrong with you. You're a very beautiful woman. You look so nice also. Bakit parang galit sa 'yo si Trigger?" mahinahon pa nitong dagdag.
Napalunok ang babae sa narinig na tanong. She doesn't know how to answer that one.
"Maybe he wanted to be free pero malaking hadlang ako sa buhay niya. Who wouldn't want to get out from a forced marriage anyway?" she uttered.
Ngumiti ang kaharap niya. "I am Enica by the way. I'll be glad if we end up being friends--"
"You had sex with the man who has a wife, and that woman is me. You still want to be friends with me?" alanganing tanong ni Miracle rito.
"Had sex?" tanong nito. Kalaunan ay alanganin itong tumawa bago lingunin ang direksyon ng hagdan. "About that. It's--"
"It's okay. It's not your fault. Hindi mo rin naman alam na may asawa siya." Tinanggap ni Miracle ang kamay ng dalaga. "I'll gladly be your friend, Enica."
Ngingiti na sana ang kaharap niya nang bigla na lang bumaba ang tingin nito sa mga braso niya. Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Enica nang makita ang napakaraming pasa roon.
"Oh gosh." Tarantang lumapit ang dalaga kay Miracle para tingnan nang malapitan ang mga braso nito.
"What the hell happened to your arms? Bakit sobrang daming pasa?" gulat at may halong pag-aalala sa boses na tanong nito.
Miracle awkwardly avoided Enica's gaze.
"I'm s-still learning how to cook, minsan pumapalpak k-kaya nagkakapasa--" Mas hinigit pa ni Enica ang braso niya.
"Tell me the truth, Miracle. Binubugbog ka ba ni Trigger?" galit na usisa nito.
"No!" Miracle immediately answered. "Hindi gano'ng klase ng tao ang asawa ko--"
"He killed many drug lords in front of us and you'll tell me na hindi niya kayang manakit? You knew that aside from being a CEO, your husband has a business underground. At huwag mong idahilan sa akin 'yan. Nagpapalusot ka lang. Miracle nababaliw ka na ba? Bakit mo hinahayaang saktan ka ng gagong 'yon?" iritadong saway ni Enica.
She took a deep breathe. "Kapag g-galit lang naman siya, mainit ang ulo niya minsan kaya niya ako nasasaktan."
"Kahit na! That fucking devil. I'll teach him a fucking lesson." Agad na pinigilan ni Miracle ang dalaga nang tangka nitong sugurin ang kwarto kung nasaan ang asawa niya.
"Don't. Please. Sasaktan niya ako kapag nalaman niyang nagsusumbong ako. Please, huwag na Enica," pagmamakaawa niya.
Enica immediately faced her. "He's my friend, Miracle. Maybe he'll listen to me. Hindi tama ang ginagawa niya. He never told us that he has a wife, 'yon pala ay kaya niya tinatago dahil ginagawa ka niyang punching bag?!"
"He'll never listen to anyone, Enica. P-Please. Hayaan mo na lang kami. I'll handle this situation by my own. Nagmamakaawa ako sa 'yo. Don't cut ties with Trigger because of this. He'll loss a friend and I don't want that to happen, kaya kalimutan mo na lang ang sitwasyon ko." Puno ng pagmamakaawa na saad ng babae.
Enica took a deep breathe.
"I need to go. Kapag nagtagal pa ako rito, baka itapon ko sa bangin ang asawa mo." Galit na kinuha nitong ang shoulder bag sa counter bago maglakad papalayo.
Kalaunan ay lumingon din agad si Enica sa direksyon niya.
"You, stay away from him tuwing galit siya. Huwag mong ipakita 'yang mukha mo. If I come back here and you still have bruises on your arms, I'll beat him to death even if it's impossible. And here." Lumapit ang dalaga sa kaniya at inabot ang isang calling card.
"If you need my help, call me. Kung gusto mong lumayas sa bahay na 'to, call me. Ako ang maglalayo sa 'yo at susunugin ko ang bahay na 'to pagkatapos. Got it?" maarte nitong tanong.
Miracle just nodded her head in surprise.
"Good. Bye, pretty. I'll be back soon." Hinalikan nito ang pisngi niya bago tuluyang lumabas ng bahay.
She just stood there, shocked and speechless.
Miracle didn't expect that Enica will be her friend.
Enica just had sex with her husband. Dapat nga ay magalit siya rito. Pero wala rin namang alam ang dalaga na may asawa pala si Trigger, she can't blame Enica either.
But she has the rights to be mad, the case is, she can't get mad at that girl. Enica is just like Shanelle.
Nakangiting pinagmasdan ni Miracle ang calling card na hawak hawak. She met another friend. She's so happy.
"Where's Enica?"
Agad na lumukob ang takot sa sistema ni Miracle nang marinig ang boses ng asawa sa likuran.
She faced him. "Kaaalis niya lang."
Walang emosyon na nilagpasan siya ni Trigger, pero bigla itong tumigil sa paglalakad sa kalagitnaan. He faced her with a blank expression. "There will be a party here in my mansion next week. I want you to do your fucking best not to show your face in front of my guests. I'm sure your parents will lock you up inside a room so you wouldn't give us a hard time. But I'm fucking warning you, if you try to tell this to mom and dad, I'll drag your dead body in a river."
Mabilis na umalis ang lalaki sa harapan niya matapos siyang pagbantaan. Miracle just stood there, she can't move a muscle because of what she heard.
Trigger can really kill her if he wanted to.
"Starve that fucking brat and don't let her step outside that room!"
Miracle immediately sat down on the floor and covered both of her ears when she heard her father's voice again.
Takot na nagtago siya sa sulok habang pilit na winawaksi ang nangyari sa nakaraan.