18
Makalipas ang anim na taon...
"Ouch! Mommy it hurts!"
"Yan kasi! I told you to stop running around! Nadapa ka tuloy." pagalit ni Sarah sa kaniyang anak.
It has been six years. Six years of pure joy, hope, worries and fears. Bumalik na sa pag kanta si Sarah but still, her main priority is Ethan. Muntik nang mawala ang anak niya sa kaniya, siya na lang ang meron si Sarah and she will not risk anything to harm her child.
"No, you told me to not run too much, so that means I can still run but not too much." Ethan explained.
Despite his heart condition, which he knew of, he is still as active as a child could be. Nakakaawa nga lang ito pag inaatake ng kaniyang sakit, when he starts feeling that sharp shooting pain on his chest and shortness if breath, hindi pa rin malaman ni Sarah kung ano ang mararamdaman niya.
"Mommy, Dad said he will come by yesterday, until now he hasn't. I miss him already." Malungkot na tugon ng bata.
"Dad is just busy with work, I'm sure he'll call you today."
"But he didn't call me yesterday." Malungkot na sabi ng bata.
Niyakap ni Sarah ang anak niya. Labis na inis ang nararamdaman ni Sarah sa kaniyang asawa... Kung asawa pa nga ba.
Though they are not yet annuled because Gerald does not want to sign, nagpasiya na si Sarah na hiwalayan si Gerald. 3 years ago was when she finally made that decision. It was truly heartbreaking at ang buong pamilya niya ay hindi sang ayon sa padalos dalos niyang desisyon.
Nakahiwalay na si Sarah ng tirahan ngayon, it was in a small condo type unit townhouse in QC.
"Come on, we have to go home now and get dressed, you have an appointment today."
"I hope Dr. Pretty would remove this thingy majingy on my armpit today." He was referring to his Cardiac catheter.
"I'm sure she wouldn't yet, honey. But let's pray for that to happen soon, okay?"
"Okay. Then I just hope she would give me the huge hard lollipop. The last time I'm with Dad, she gave me the soft candy and it was yucky!" Madaldal talaga si Ethan. Parang hindi ito nauubusan ng laway at ng topic.
"Nagreklamo ka pa, she's just giving it for free. I will just buy you that lollipop." Natatawang sabi ni Sarah sa anak.
"I'm just saying. And don't! Whenever Dr. Pretty gives me lollipop it means I'm getting better. So let her just give it to me." Sabi ni Ethan, naawa naman si Sarah sa kaniyang anak.
"Tito Matt Matt!" Sabay takbo nito sa lalaking papalapit sa kanila.
"I knew you would be here buddy." Yakap naman ni Matteo. Kusa namang sumakay si Ethan sa likod ng kaniyang Tito Matteo.
"Careful!" Suway ng kaniyang Mommy.
"Got it! Kanina pa ako kumakatok sa inyo walang sumasagot, I figured you would be at the park with him. Buti tumama." At sabay beso kay Sarah.
"Buti napadaan ka? Aalis kami, may check up yan ngayon eh."
"Ah talaga? Sakto wala akong gagawin, samahan ko na kayo, I'll drive."
"Yaaay!" Sigaw ni Ethan.
"Matt." She said in protest.
"The hell with issues, Sarah. I'm your friend, we're not doing anything wrong."
Nang makarating na sila sa bahay.
"Go take a bath, ako na kay Ethan." Sabi ni Matteo.
"No—"
"Tito have you seen my Daddy? He was s'posed to pick me up yesterday but he didn't" Ethan pouted.
Napatingin naman si Matteo kay Sarah na nagbuntong hininga lang.
"You're dad's just busy, bud. I'm sure he misses you a lot."
"Buti ka pa you're always around unlike him."
"Hey! Don't say that! Come on, give me your phone, let's call your Daddy." Sabi ni Matteo.
"But Mommy said—"
"I'm sure Mommy won't mind." At sabay tumingin ang dalawa kay Sarah. Sinuklian na lamang niya ang anak ng isang fake na ngiti.
One ring... Two... Three... Fo—
"Hello Daddy!" Masayang masayang tugon ng bata at tumakbo ito papunta ng kwarto niya.
"I just don't like my son to run after his father. Sino ba siya para habul-habulin namin."
"Eeenk! Bitter! Wag ganun mare!" Pabaklang tugon ni Matteo, he earned a laugh from Sarah dahil hindi bagay sa kaniya ang magbakla baklaan.
"Sira. Hindi ako bitter, I'm just saying. If he really wants to be part of Ethan's life, he would put an effort, hindi yung anak niya ang naghahabol sa kaniya."
"Tama!" Pabakla ulit na sabi ni Matteo. Nang aasar lang naman ito, never naman siya naging sang ayon sa desisyon ni Sarah but still he remained a friend.
"Stop it! Nakakainis!" Tawa ng tawa ang dalawa nang biglang nagsalita si Ethan.
"Mommy! Daddy said he's going to pick me up tonight! Can I please sleep over with him and Wowa?"
Bakas ang excitement sa mukha ng bata. Sino ba naman siya para pigilan iyon.
"Okay." Lang ang tanging nasabi niya.
"Yaaaay! She said okay, Daddy! Pick me up soon please. I miss you!" Sabay baba ng bata sa telepono.
The check up went well. Nothing much has progressed but nothing needs to be worried about.
Tinurukan ulit ng kung anu-anong gamot ang bata sa Catheter niya, and it still pains Sarah whenever she sees him wince but remains brave for not crying.
"How is it Ethan?" Tanong ng kaniyang Doctor.
"Easy Peasy." Sabi nito nang may mga luha sa mata na pinipigilan niyang pumatak. The adults couldn't help but laugh. He's cute, hell, he really is but he is stronger.
"Dr. Pretty, after this I can finally eat fries and burger?"
Parang tinusok naman ang puso ni Sarah. She pretty knows how hungry her son is right now. Tuwing check up kasi ni Ethan dapat ay nag fafasting ito. Masakit para sa kaniya na marinig mula kay Ethan na gusto nitong kumain but he can't.
"Yes, you can eat anything you want. Here's your lollipop, that's for being brave and so good today!" Sagot ng doctor.
"Yeheeey!" Masayang tinanggap ni Ethan ang lollipop, it was the one he was hoping to get kanina pa. He pointed it to his Mom as if they were sharing a nice little secret.
"Since you've been so brave today. How about we—"
"Go car raciiiing!!!" Pag dugtong ni Ethan sa sinasabi ni Matteo. Pauwi na sila ngayon.
"How about we just head home and go to the park?" Masaya namang suggestion ni Sarah.
"Uh oh, buddy! Somebody's becoming a party pooper!" Pang aasar nito.
"But Mooom!" Ethan said in protest.
"Hahaha! Osige na ako na kontrabida!" Sabi ni Sarah.
*Riiiing!!! Riiing!*
Gerald calling...
Sarah: H-hello?
Gerald: Love, papunta na ako. Sunduin ko na si Ethan. Are you guys home already?
Ganyan si Gerald. He acts as if hindi sila naghiwalay ni Sarah. He still calls her by that name na ikinagagalit naman ng huli. Pinaparamdam ni Gerald na ang paghiwalay ni Sarah sa kaniya ay isang malaking joke, isang kakaibang trip ni Sarah na sinasakyan niya lang.
Sarah: Papunta kami kila Matteo. Gusto daw maglaro ni Ethan dun sa video game ni Matt. Dun mo na lang siya sunduin.
Gerald: Okay.
Then he hang up the phone.
"Problema nun?" Bulong ni Sarah. Napailing na lang si Matteo at natawa.
"Kaya ayoko niyan eh! Di niyo ko pinapansing dalawa!" Sabi ni Sarah sa dalawa na busy sa paglalaro ng car racing.
It was a virtual reality game, they were inside an almost enclosed capsule, which will give you a feel na nasa loob ka talaga ng sasakyan. Ethan was sitting on Matteo's lap, siya ang gumagalaw ng steering wheel while Matteo does all the job. Paborito itong game ni Ethan. He has this facinatiom with cars kaya tuwang tuwa ito nang malaman na dating race car driver ang kaniyang Tito Matteo.
Nang biglang may nagdoorbell, Sarah immediately knew who it was. Hindi siya kinakabahan dahil normal lang naman na nakikita niya si Gerald.
"Hey." Gerald was about to kiss her pero agad na umiwas si Sarah.
"Tawagin ko lang si Ethan."
"San ba si—" natigil si Gerald nang makita niyang masayang masayang naglalaro si Matteo at ang anak niya. His son was laughing with some other man he could consider as his father. Di niya alam kung anong klaseng selos ba ang naramdaman niya kaya bigla niyang hinila si Sarah palayo.
"Kung papalitan mo na ako, at least give me a heads up and please wag mo ng isama si Ethan dito!" Galit na sinabi ni Gerald pero pilit na hinihinaan ang boses.
Iniwas ni Sarah ang brasong hawak ni Gerald.
"Stop being childish—"
"Daddy!!!!" Buti na lang at naputol ang pag aaway ng dalawa. Hindi ito napansin ni Ethan but Matteo could definitely feel the tension between the two.
"You ready to go young man?" Baling na lang Gerald sa anak.
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Excited na excited ito. 2 weeks na kasi niyang hindi nakikita ang daddy niya.
He brought Ethan to the car and secured him on his car seat at bumalik ito kung saan nakatayo sila Sarah at Matteo habang nakatingin sa kanila.
"Let's go?" Sabi ni Gerald kay Sarah.
"H-huh?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Sarah.
"Aren't you going home yet? I'll drop you off na lang." Tanong nito.
"A-uhm. Mamaya pa. Hahatid na lang ako ni Matt." Sagot ni Sarah.
Bakas ang pagbabago sa mukha ni Gerald. His face became cold, walang emosyon. Nakakatakot.
"Fine." Sabi niya sabay tingin kay Matteo.
"Salamat pare." Sabay tapik nito sa balikat ni Matteo, he just nodded back at him.
"Goodbye, wife." Sinabi niya ng may diin sa huli at sabay binigyan ng isang halik si Sarah. It was unexpected and fast kaya hindi na nakaiwas ang dalaga.
"Daddy! Come on!" Sigaw ni Ethan.
"Eto na baby boy!" Sagot ni Gerald.
"Ge." Tawag ni Sarah.
"What?" Lumingon naman ito ngunit bakas pa rin ang inis sa mukha niya.
"Please don't promise anything to Ethan anymore. Stop giving him false hope and empty promises, stop giving him little heartbreaks." Seryosong sinabi ni Sarah.
Ngumisi lang si Gerald and continued walking, ngunit hindi pa siya nakakalayo nang maisipan niyang lumingon ulit.
"On another note, am I really the one giving him those?" Isang makahulugang mensahe ang binitawan ni Gerald which caused Sarah to remain quiet.
"Bye mommy! I love you! Bye Tito Mattmatt, thank you!" Habol na sigaw ni Ethan sa dalawa at humarurot na ang kaniyang sinasakyan.
Nang makaalis na ang kaniyang mag-ama ay tinitigan ni Sarah si Matteo.
"Sorry." Bulalas nito.
Matteo smiled at her and laughed.
"Akala ko sasapakin na ako eh!" Sabi nito.
"Alam niyang hindi niya pwedeng gawin yon." Sagot ni Sarah.
Matteo.
She and Matteo became close friends when she made her comeback, dahil nakasama niya ito sa kaniyang pagbabalik sa sunday night variety show. Naging malapit siya not only with Sarah but with Gerald as well.
Nang magkaroon ng problema ang dalawa, Matteo was always there to listen kay Sarah whenever she needed someone. He was always there tuwing hinihingan siya nito ng advice na galing nga raw sa 'lalaki'.
Sarah knows that more than half naman sa inadvice ni Matteo ay hindi niya sinunod but still her friend remained by her side.
"Selfish ba ako?" Bulalas ni Sarah.
Nasa sala na ngayon ang dalawa. Nakayuko si Matteo, busy siya with his cellphone nang bigla iyong tinanong ni Sarah. He stared at her ng hindi man lang tinitingala ang kaniya ulo, tanging mga mata lang nito ang gumalaw.
"Uy, ano? Sagutin mo ko. Selfish ba ako kasi hindi ko kayang ibigay sa anak ko yung perfect family na gusto niya?" Pangungulit ni Sarah.
Hindi pa rin umaalis si Matteo sa pwesto niya, ganun pa rin ang tingin nito ngunit inangat niya ang kaniyang kaliwang kamay and he made a gesture as if he was measuring it using his left thumb and index finger, motioning "konti lang".
Sarah let out a deep breath out of frustration.
"Very light lang naman, mas mapride ka eh up to the point na wala sa lugar minsan." Sabi ni Matteo.
"Aray ko naman. Masyado kang honest." Sagot ni Sarah.
"Welcome."
"So you mean to tell me na dapat tinanggap ko pa rin siya right after that? Na wala akong karapatang magalit sa kaniya ganun?"
"I didn't say that! Wala akong sinabing wala kang karapatang magalit kasi meron, you can get mad all you want pero yung pakikipaghiwalay? That's out of impulse. Hindi pinagisipan. OA."
"Kasi hindi ko kayang magstay sa isang marriage na option na lang ako. Option kami ng anak niya. Na mas kaya niya pang unahin ang kung sinu-sino kaysa sa anak niya na nag-aagaw buhay sa ospital. Now tell me, selfish pa ba ako nun for wanting to get out of a place na alam kong makakasakit lang sa anak ko?"
"But didn't he explained everything to you? Mga magulang mo nga tinanggap pa rin siya. Just think of that."
Hindi umimik si Sarah.
"Look, 3 years Sarah. You were in this game for 3 years, funny thing is, ikaw lang ang naniniwalang hiwalay kayo. He still treats you as his wife, he still gives financial support ng buo. Kumbaga, hinahayaan ka lang niyang mag bahay bahayan kayo ni Ethan. 3 years kayong naglolokohan. You are robbing a supposed 3 happy years of complete family moments with Ethan." Sabi ni Matteo.
"Bakit never siyang nag effort na balikan kami? Na kunin kami ulit? Bakit hinayaan niya lang ako?" Tanong ni Sarah.
"Ayon. Lumabas rin. What do they call that before, uhh, yeah, pabebe! Masyado kang pabebe! Remember he did? Anong ginawa mo? Diba nga you pushed him away? Tapos ngayon sasabihin mo hindi ka hinabol. Kayo talagang mga babae napaka complicated niyo."
"Teka nga! Sino bang kaibigan mo dito? Ako o siya? Kanina ka pa ah! Atsaka nasasaktan na ako!" Sabi ni Sarah.
"Wala. Wala akong kaibigan sa inyo. Si Ethan lang kaibigan ko." Sagot ni Matteo.
Sarah made a face on him then she remained quiet. Absorbing everything and trying to analyze things out.
"Kunyare naghiwalay. Tanong ko nga ulit, ilang beses kayong nagsex dito sa 3 years na to?"
He earned a glare from Sarah. Sunod sunod na throwpillow ang dumapo sa kaniya. Habang inis na inis si Sarah ay tawang tawa naman si Matteo.
"Joke lang! Joke lang! Alam ko namang maraming beses na eh." Patuloy na pang aasar nito.
"Shut up! Hindi ka na nakakatuwa!"
"Hindi, eto seryoso na, what you've been doing for 3 years is a complete nonsense. Lokohin mo na ang lahat, wag lang ang sarili mo. Alam mo, more then we all know, that you still love him and that never changed, he has been very vocal of his love for you. Ano bang rason mo to not go back to him and become a family again? Yung kasalanan niyang inexplain na nga niya, napatunayang mali yung hinala mo pero nagsorry pa rin siya? Come on Sarah." Sabi ni Matteo.
Tiningnan lang siya ni Sarah.
"You're the one causing yourself a heartache. You always had the chance to give Ethan a complete family but because of your own demons, hindi mo yun maibigay sa kaniya. Stop being the damsel in distress, tumatanda ka na, di na bagay yun sayo."
Masakit. Masakit talaga magsalita si Matteo pero sanay na si Sarah.
Siya nga ba talaga ang may kasalanan?
Is it her fault kung hirap na hirap na siyang ibalik ulit ang trust niya kay Gerald?
Ang pagtitiwalang paulit ulit ulit na lang na nababali.
Ano nga bang nangyari sa pangakong binitawan nilang dalawa sa isa't isa?
Sadyang ibabaon na lang ba sa limot ang mga pangakong iyon?
...
What do you think happened? Bakit kaya naghiwalay ang dalawa?
Watch out for the flashbacks on the next chapters.
Hope you guys like it!
Wag kayo magalit kay Matteo ha? Hehe, he's not a nemesis :)
Please vote and comment your suggestions for the next chapter.
Thank you for holding on to this.
Love,
Lady K