Chapter 24
--
Sting's PoV
Agad akong nag-ayos ng sarili ko. "I got to go to Althea. Fast!" Untag ko kina Elwin at Aldrich.
They both smiled at me. "Now we're talking. Kami na ang maghahatid sa'yo baka madisgrasya ka pa sa pagmamadali mo baka mabagok nanaman ulo mo." They both stood up and was the first one to go out the door.
"Wala na bang ibibilis nitong sasakyan mo? Tinuringan ka pa namang isa sa pinaka magaling na race car driver dito sa Pilipinas!" Inip at inis na sabi ko kay Elwin na nagmamaneho.
"Tsk! As much as I want to speed up, I'm already at the speed limit. Baka mamaya ipa-pull over pa tayo dito hindi ka na agad makapunta kina Althea." He explained. Napasandal nalang ako at walang magawa kundi ang maghintay hanggang sa makapunta na kami sa apartment nila Althea. Sumilip ako sa side mirror at kita kong nakasunod ang kotse ni Aldrich.
Sobra talaga ang suporta nitong mga kaibigan kong ito. As much as I want to thank them, alam kong sasabihan lang nila akong nababakla.
"We're finally here." Anunsiyo ni Elwin as he parked his car.
Agad namang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko at bigla na akong kinabahan. So this is it.
Lumabas na kaming tatlo sa sasakyan.
Nakatayo lang ako, tulala lang sa building nang biglang may tumulak saakin. Nang nilingon ko kung sino. It was Aldrich, sinensyasan na din niya ako na pumasok na ako.
"Pumasok ka na pare. Kausapin mo muna si Yohan. After that hayaan mo munang kaming kunin siya para mas makapag-usap kayo ng maayos ni Althea." Sabi saakin ni Aldrich at tumango na ako at nagsimulang maglakad papunta sa building.
Napalunok muna ako at kumatok na sa pinto.
I felt myself stop breathing for a moment when the door finally opened. Napatingin ako sa baba at nakitang si Yohan ang nagbukas ng pinto.
He was looking at me, and the moment our eyes met napaluhod na ako at niyakap siya ng mahigpit. Nararamdaman ko nanamang naluluha na ako. This is the first time I'm hugging Yohan knowing that I am his father.
"Tito Sting?" Tawag niya saakin. Humiwalay naman ako sa yakap namin para harapin siya.
"How are you buddy?" I asked him as I raked my fingers on his hair.
I saw the sad look in his eyes. "I'm not okay po Tito Sting. Since mom is not okay. Why is she always crying po? Bakit din po ngayon lang po kayo nagpakita? Kaya po ba pumunta po kayo dito para sabihin na hindi niyo na po love si mama? Is that why she's crying until now?" Sobrang nasaktan ako sa mga tanong ni Yohan. I shouldn't have allowed myself not to come here the past few days.
Dapat nung araw na din na nalaman ko ang lahat, hindi ko sila iniwan. Now I felt a total asshole knowing the aftermath of my decision leaving them here. Gusto kong saktan ang sarili ko dahil dun.
"I'm sorry buddy for not being here. I love you and your mom so much. Always remember that okay? There's just so much that happened that I wasn't able to be here for you and your mother." I held Yohan's face and brushed my thumb over his cheek. "Can you ever forgive me for not showing up this past few days? I promise not to make your mother cry again, that's why I'm here. I want to wipe your mom's tears away."
"You will po?" Hope was evident in his eyes.
"Of course I will." I held on Yohan's hand. "Pero gusto mo ba munang sumama kina tito Aldrich at tito Elwin mo? I want to talk to your mother alone. Is that okay with you?" Mahinahong tanong ko.
Napatingin naman siya sa likod ko sa nakabukas parin na pinto, lumingon din ako para tignan kung sino ang tinignan niya. It was Elwin and Aldrich na nasa labas ng pinto.
Kumaway sila kay Yohan habang nakangiti.
We thankfully convinced Yohan to go with them. But before that, I wanted to hear something from Yohan first.
"Yohan." Paninula ko.
"Yes po tito Sting?"
Tinitigan ko muna siya sa mata. "Can I make a request?"
"Ano po 'yun?"
"Can you call me Papa?" Just this time again, I want him to call me papa again. Iba kasi nung nasa Boracay kami nung nalunod siya at ako ang unang nakasagip sakanya, that was the time I never knew that he's really my son. Now I want him to call me that na alam ko ng anak ko talaga siya. "From now on, can you call me papa?"
Napa-isip muna siya, then after that he smiled at me and he held my hands with his tiny ones. "Papa." That one word that came out from his mouth was enough to make me cry from so much happiness.
The happiness I'm feeling right now is over flowing. I hugged him again. I have Yohan in my arms. I finally have my son in my arms.
When I had everything settled with Yohan, pinasama ko na siya sa dalawang kaibigan ko.
Nang makaalis na sila, humigop muna ako ng lakas ng loob.
And now I was knocking on Althea's room. I slowly opened her door, and there I saw her lying on the bed but her back was turned to me.
"Yohan? Do you have something to say? I'm sorry since I'm a bit tired right now, I'm just going to sleep." Sabi niya and I can sense the sadness in her voice.
Naghari muna ang katahimikan sa kwarto. "Althea." I finally said.
Nang marealize niyang ako ang tumawag sakanya. Agad siyang napabangon sa pagkakahiga niya at napatingin sa gawi ko.
When I saw her face, I felt my heart constricted because of the pain I was feeling nang makita ko na ang kalagayan niya.
Fuck! Mugto ang kanyang mata, I can also the dark circles around her eyes.
"Sting." Bulalas niya at muling tumulo ang mga luha niya. Agad naman akong lumapit sakaniya at niyakap siya.
Ginantihan niya ako ng yakap but her hug is tighter than mine na para bang natatakot siyang bumitaw ako.
Humahagulgol siya habang paulit-ulit niyang sinasabi ang pangalan ko.
"Hush now baby. I'm here now. It's okay. I'm here. Please stop crying now."
Althea's PoV
Nung araw na sinabi ko sakanya ang katotohanan. Sobrang nasaktan ako nang tinalikuran nanaman niya ako.
Just like what happened 5 years ago.
Wala na akong ibang nagawa kundi ang umiyak sa tuwing naaalala ko nung iniwan niya ako dito.
Ito na nga ba ang kinakatakutan kong mangyari, but I still took the risk. Now I'm facing the consequences. Iiwan nanaman ba niya ako dahil nalaman niyang may tinago akong sekreto sakanya?
Napapaluha nanaman ako dahil sa naisip ko.
Hindi ko na maiwasan, it's been three days. Hindi parin siya nagpapakita.
And I hate myself since I let my curent state be seen by Yohan. Ayaw na ayaw kong pinapakita sakanya ang ganitong sitwasyon ko. Since I don't want him to worry, pero hindi ko na maiwasan ngayon.
Nahiga nalang ako dito sa kama, I felt that all my energy was drained from all the crying I did for the past three days.
Then I heard a knock on the door pero hindi ko na ito pinansin. It's probably Yohan.
Nang bumukas ang pinto at narinig kong may pumasok.
"Yohan? Do you have something to say? I'm sorry since I'm a bit tired right now, I'm just going to sleep." Sabi ko, at nagiguilty ako dahil hindi siya masyadong naaalagahan nitong nakaraang araw.
Hindi siya umimik.
"Althea." The person spoke and it's definitely not Yohan. The voice seems familiar.
Nang marealize ko kung kanino ang boses na 'yun agad akong napabangon sa pagkakahiga ko at napatingin sa gawi nung nagsalita.
"Sting." I called with a trembling voice at alam kong nagbabadya nanamang tumulo ang luha ko.
When my tears rolled down my eyes again, agad niya akong nilapitan at niyakap.
Mas hinigpitan ko ang yakap ko sakanya, afraid that I loosed my grip on him, he'll disappear in my life again.
Ilang beses kong sinabi ang pangalan niya. He's here, his finally here and I'm holding him.
"Hush now baby. I'm here now. It's okay. I'm here. Please stop crying now." Pag-aalo niya saakin as he kiss my forehead.
"I'm sorry Sting. I'm really sorry.I promise, I'll tell you everything I know. Lahat ng tanong mo sasagutin ko. Just please. Wag mo na ulit akong iwan, hindi ko na ulit kakayanin kapag nawala ka saakin." I said in between my sobs. Sinubsob ko ang mukha ko sa dibdib niya at pinagpatuloy ang pag-iyak ko.
"I know. I know Love. Please stop crying now. Mas lalo akong nasasaktan kapag umiiyak ka." He slightly pushed me and that made me feel scared.
I tighten my grip on his waist. "It's okay, hindi ako lalayo, I just want to see your face." He said and so I slowly pulled away my face from his chest at tumingala sakanya.
When I saw him he was also crying. Pinagdikit niya ang mga noo namin as he held my hands.
"I'm sorry. I let you wait for me for too long. Three days was long enough. Andito na ako, hindi na kita iiwan. Hindi ko na kayo iiwan ni Yohan." Dahil sa sinabi niya mas lalo akong napaluha. His words were very reassuring.
'Dun nalang ako humuhugot ng lakas ng loob.
He held both my cheeks and looked at me in the eyes then he descended his head for our lips to touch.
Our kiss deepened. The kiss was a way to say how much we missed each other. Parang binabawi naman lahat ng mga taon na hindi kami magkasama, na hindi naging buo ang aming pamilya.
Habang naghahalikan kami I felt that he was putting something cold around my finger, when our kiss was over I looked at my finger and there I saw a ring on my ring finger.
It was our wedding ring, kahit na matagal na ang panahong nakalipas alam kong ito and wedding ring ko.
"How did—. Tinapon ko na ito ah." Nakita ko ding suot niya ang kanya.
"Let's just say I have a pretty awesome friends who might have looked for it and kept it until it's time for them to give it back to me.." Hinalikan nanaman niya ako sa labi, it was just a chaste kiss. He then hugged me again as he burried his face on my neck.
"Love. I want you to tell me everything. Everything that I needed to know. Show me all the memories I have long forgotten." I hugged him back and nodded my head.
"I love You so much Althea. Asawa ko."
--
A/N: Next Chapter will be the Untold Story of Althea and Sting. ☺