***Edward's POV***
I didn't see it coming. I thought I'm already on track in resolving this problem. I never thought that Marco didn't know it. May really kept it to herself.. Well I need to anticipate everything now, especially that I know Tita Lorna doesn't know about it, too. This is gonna be a much big problem for me.
I decided to visit her in her store.
"Good afternoon, Tita!" as I kissed her on the cheeks.
"Oh Edward, buti napadalaw ka. May kailangan ka ba, iho? Teka.... anong nangyari diyan sa mukha mo? Sinong may gawa niyan?"
"Ahm wala po... Tita... Can I invite you for a coffee? I need to tell you a very important thing..."
"Sure, nak! Teka at magbibilin lang ako dito..."
I brought her to a coffee shop nearby. My heart is beating freakin' fast. Sweats are coming out of my skin... I feel so uncomfortable and nervous...
"Anak, okay ka lang? Mukhang di ka mapakali.... Wag ka na lang kaya magkape?"
I can see her being worried of me.., Lalo akong nakonsensiya...
"Tita... I'm gonna tell you something... I know you're gonna hate me after.... but I really need to tell you this now..."
"Kinakabahan naman ako saiyo, nak."
"Tita... Please always remember that I respect you... and that I love your daughter so much... I want to marry her in the future and be with her for the rest of my life..."
I can't fight my tears that begin to roll down my face. This is it! It's either I make it or break it!
"Oh anong problema, doon? Ako ba ang inaalala mo? Sa akin nak... wala kang dapat alalahanin... Na kay May pa din naman kasi ang desisyon.. Kung saan siya masaya... I'll give her my support.."
"Tita... I have done something in the past... You can sue me if you want and put me in jail... or you can hurt me as well, I'll accept whatever it is Tita... But please just don't keep May away from me..."
"Ano bang sinasabi mo?"
"Tita... noong high school po kami.., I learned recently na nagkasakit ka po noong time na iyon... That same time... I did something unforgiveable to May... I had a girlfriend before Tita and I gave my all to that girl... Suddenly she broke up with me and I got so angry... Hindi ko po matangap. Naghanap po ako ng ibang masisisi instead of myself... and I ... I thought of May... kasi nalaman ko na she likes me noon and she's close to my girlfriend's ex. I thought of May betraying me... and so I planned for a revenge... to May.... that's the unforgiveable thing, Tita... I lost my mind.... and I ..,,,, I raped her.. I was too angry then that I couldn't think right anymore... all I know is how to get even with May.. and so it happened... Please forgive me, Tita.... I really didn't mean to do it..."
I got slapped hard on my face... It didn't bother me... I'm even expecting the worst.
"Tita... please hear me.... that's the reason why I came back... to settle everything with her.... I wanna ask her total forgiveness... I wanted to marry her not because of what happened but because I truly love her. I realized that when I went home in Germany... I also had this anxiety disorder and have been medically treated because of my guilt for what happened.... Tita... it wasn't my intention to do it... I was just blinded by my anger and frustration...."
I got another slap.
"Umalis ka na.... Please lang... Baka kung ano pang magawa ko saiyo...."
That's all she said... It brought me much pain seeing her in pain... She's crying in silence and that's more bothering me...
"Tita..."
"Sinabi kong umalis ka na!" she then screamed.
We got other people's attention in the coffee shop... I decided to leave her... for the mean time... I'm not gonna stop until I make her realize that my intentions for May now are true....
But I don't know where to go now... I feel so helpless...
"Ate..." I called my sister.
"Bro! It's early in the morning here... What happen?"
"Everyone here hates me now..."
"What?! Why?!"
"They learned about it already... I don't know what to do Ate... Please help me... I can't afford to lose May again... ever..."
"Oh my God! Bro... just stay calm okay? We're gonna resolve it... We're here to help you... Don't do anything for now... I'll see what I can do... Have a rest first.... Just hold on okay? Don't think too much..."
"I really don't know what to do now... Tita Lorna is so mad at me... I told her everything..."
"Oh my God... I thought everything went okay..."
"Ate..." I know she could feel my pain..
"Bro... I'll be there, okay... Just calm down... I'll call you again... I just got to do something... Have a rest first... I love you bro... always remember that..."
I hang up.
***May's POV***
I'm done with my first session with a psychotherapist... isa ring kaibigan ni Tita...
Tita is more than willing to help me get through my problems... Napakabait niya talaga....
Umuwi akong medyo magaan na ang aking pakiramdam...
"Hi Ma! Aga mo po ngayon, ah!" hinalikan ko siya sa pisngi..
Tahimik lang ito at parang tulala. Bigla akong kinabahan at naalala ko ang dati... Dyosko wag naman po sana..
"Ma?"
Tinignan niya ako at bigla na lang itong lumuha ng tahimik...
"Ma? Anong nangyayari saiyo? May masakit ba saiyo?"
Niyakap niya ako at saka siya humagulhol ng iyak...
"Ma? Magsalita po kayo.., Kinakabahan ako sainyo..."
"Anak.... patawarin mo ko..."
"Bakit Ma?"
"Hindi man lang kita nadamayan sa mga oras ng pagdurusa mo..."
"Ano pong ibig niyong sabihin?"
"Nak, alam ko na... Alam ko na ang nangyari saiyo noon... Patawad anak... Hindi ko lubos maisip na pinagdaanan mo ang pangyayaring iyon... Iniisip ko pa lang para na akong pinapatay..."
"P-paano ninyo po nalaman?"
"Sinabi niya mismo sa akin... ni Edward... Pinuntahan niya ako sa tindahan... Anak hindi ko na alam ang iisipin ko... Nagalit ako sa kanya... sa ginawa niya saiyo..."
Umiyak na rin ako sa harap ni Mama.
"Ma... pinipilit ko na pong tangapin at kalimutan ang nangyari... Ganyan din po ang naramdaman ko sa napakahabang panahon... Binalot ako ng galit.. takot... Pero ngayon... nang bumalik siya... isa lang po iyong narealize ko Ma... mahal ko pa rin pala siya... at mas malaki ang pagmamahal na iyon kaysa sa naging galit ko... Ang gusto ko lang ay iyong mawala na iyong bangungot na iyon sa buhay ko... Gusto ko ng maranasang maging masaya Ma..."
"Anong ibig mong sabihin, nak?"
"Ma... handa na po akong tangapin si Edward sa buhay ko... Napagdusahan na rin naman po niya ang nangyari ng ilang taon... Nasabi sa akin ni Laura na muntikan na itong mabaliw dahil sa guilt feeling sa nangyari... Pinagamot siya ng pamilya niya para bumalik uli sa normal ang buhay niya... Napag-isip isip kong wala na rin namang silbi kung ipapakulong ko pa siya? Gantihan o di kaya'y ipapatay? Ako lang din naman po ang masasaktan pag nangyari iyon, Ma..."
"Pero sinaktan ka niya, anak..."
"Napatawad ko na po siya, Ma... Pareho din naman kaming nagdusa sa nangyari..."
"Masaya ka ba, anak?"
"Ma... katunayan niyan... nagpapagamot po ako ngayon.. para tuluyan ng mawala yung bangungot na iyon sa buhay ko... Handa po akong gawin ang lahat Ma.. Tinutulungan po ako ni Tita Annie."
"Napag-usapan ninyo ba ito ni Edward?"
"Hindi niya po alam... Ako po ang nagkusa nito... Ang alam niya di ko pa rin siya tuluyang natatangap. Gusto ko rin po kasing makasiguro muna..."
"Kaw ang bahala anak... Nasa tamang edad ka na... Ayoko lang na masasaktan ka..."
"Naiiintindihan ko naman po kayo, Ma..."
"Basta nandito lang ako sa tabi mo anak... Tandaan mo mahal na mahal kita..."
"Mahal din po kita, Ma..." at niyakap ko siya ng mahigpit...