Mag-isa ako nang magising kinabukasan. I panicked so I immediately got up to look for her. I found her cooking in the kitchen. She wore my favorite shirt which she loves wearing. For minutes, I just stood there and watched her with a bright smile on my lips. I still am star-struck at how beautiful she is even more at mornings.
"Hi. Kanina ka pa diyan?"She asked when she saw me. "How was your sleep?"
"Perfect."I murmured as I walked towards her. Hinapit ko siya sa beywang saka siniil siya ng halik. "I love you, babe."
Mabilis na nag-iwas siya ng tingin. Damn Zacc. No kissing. I was about to apologize but then she pulled away.
"Upo ka na. I'll just... uhm... get the sausage from the pan."Sabi niya't tumalikod na.
After five years since I woke up from that long sleep, I had the best breakfast in my life. Kasalo ko ulit ang babaeng mahal na mahal ko.
"I have just remembered, love. The guy last night, he mentioned about you being afraid of—"
"Oh don't mind it. It was... a weird thing. I'm scared of hospitals."
"Pero pumupunta ka do'n—para sa kanya. Chances, mahal mo ba siya?"
Napayuko siya sa naitanong ko. Hindi siya sumagot. Hindi ako nagsalita dahil naghihintay ako at umaasang maririnig ang sagot niya.
"Chan—"
"Zacchary, hindi ko alam. I mean, I thought I did."She answered, teary-eyed. "But like I said, I cannot get you off my head after you kissed me that day. Then, I began to wonder what I felt towards Nero."
Nabuhayan ako ng loob sa sagot niya.
"Pero gaya ng sinabi ko kagabi, kapag wala parin akong maalala at nagising na siya, uuwi ako sa kanya Zacc."
Napangiti ako ng mapakla sa sinabi niya. Lumungkot din siya kaya binaling ko nalang ang atensiyon sa pagkain.
"Kain na tayo, babe."
Nagpaalam si Chances na umalis matapos ang breakfast. Gustohin ko mang 'wag siyang payagan, wala naman akong magagawa. Gusto ko rin siyang samahan pero hindi ko naman yata kakayaning makita siyang iniiyakan ang iba. Tss. Ang mahalaga Zacc, sa'yo siya umuuwi. That's what I kept in mind as an assurance. Siguradong-sigurado ang puso kong siya ang asawa ko kaya't maging ang pagbanggit ng pangalang akala niya ay kanya ay di ko makuhang banggitin. Nagpapasalamat nalang din ako at hinahayaan niya akong tawagin siya sa totoo niyang pangalan. Chances. That what and who she is.
"Hi ma."Bati ko kay mama na nasa living area kasama ang mga anak ko.
"Daddy!"Sabay namang tili ng dalawa. They ran to me for a hug. Sabay ko silang kinarga habang pinapaulan ako ni Chance ng halik sa pisngi.
"I miss you daddy!"Utal pa niya.
"I miss you more, princess. Dito na muna kayo kay mommy lola, okay? Marami kasing work ang daddy."Pagpapaintindi ko sa kanila. One of these days, madalang nalang siguro akong makakauwi lalo kapag kakailanganin ni Chances na magpirmi sa condo. Hindi ko siya pwedeng iwan do'n ng mag-isa. Si mommy naman, napakiusapan ko na nang mag-usap kami sa phone kanina.
"Sweethearts, get your artworks from your room. Show it to daddy!"Mom interrupted after a while. I knew it, she has something to tell me. "Son, I've heard rumors from the people in your coffee shop. Ano'ng pinagsasabi nilang kasama mo si Chances?"
"I told you, mom. I really saw her."
"It's the woman in your blog."
"She isn't just that mom. It's Chances. It's my wife. One of these days, ibabalik ko siya sa'min. Iuuwi ko siya mom."
After spending an hour of playing with the kids, I drove straight to the coffee shop where I saw the person I least expect to see there. Kaya naman, napatakbo ako sa kanya nang mamataan ko siya.
"Babe? What are you doing here?"
"Kanina pa kita hinihintay."Walang kangiti-ngiting bungad niya.
"Why didn't you just go home and tell me?"
"No. I'm not going back. It's done, Zacc."She said, smiling weakly. "Nero is awake."
What? He cannot take my own wife from me! Panicking, I took Chances's hands, held them tight. I will not let go of her.
"Good then. I'm meaning to see and talk to him."I answered.
"You don't understand me. Zacchary, he is my fiance! He doesn't have to know about what happened between us. He doesn't have to know anything."
"You're right."I said, smirking lopsidedly. "Except that I am your husband. Why, in my sane head, would I allow my wife to marry another man?"
"No. Zacchary, wala nga akong maalala."
"Maybe. Oo, walang naalala ang isip mo pero 'yong puso mo, Chances? We weren't fvcking that night! We're making love."
"Tone down your voice."Saway niya matapos bawiin ang kamay niyang hawak ko. "You want to talk to my fiance, fine. Fine!"She stood up and shot me an austere stare. "What now? Gusto mo siyang makita di ba?"
Sumama ako sa kanya dahil determinado akong ipaalam sa Nero na 'yon na kukunin ko ang asawa ko. Ipapaamin ko sa kanyang binibilog niya lang ang utak ni Chances.
"Wayne?"She rattled as she ran to the guy. "What happened? Hey! Wayne, talk to me!"
Napakunot ako ng noo hindi dahil sa inaasta ni Chances sa lalaking mukhang walang balak magsalita, kundi dahil sa lalaking nakahiga sa hospital bed. Pikit ang kanyang mga mata. Looking at his facade, he still looked in coma.
"Wayne? Ano'ng nangyari?"
"Hindi ko alam, Sky. Hindi ko alam. Umalis lang ako saglit."Paliwanag ng lalaki na para bang natataranta. "When I returned, doctors and nurses are girding around him. A few minutes ago, Dr. Tote said he's unconscious. Again.
"What? How? Wh—why? He was fine earlier! Nakausap ko siya!"
"I don't know. I don't understand too, Sky."
Lumapit siya sa lalaki at yumakap rito. For minutes, I allowed her to just hug him while crying until I couldn't take it anymore.
"Baby, let's just go home."
It's supposed to make me glad but it somehow scared me—my wife not protesting about going home while crying, shaking as if in fear.
"I talked to him. Believe me Zacc, nakausap ko si Nero. Gising siya kanina. Sinabi pa nga niyang, pupuntahan namin ang pamilya ko. Zacc, I have a family."
"Babe, babe. Calm down. Here, take a sip."I offered her a glass of water which she obediently swigged. "Ngayon mo lang alam na may pamilya ka?"
"I told Nero about you. I told him what I felt."Tumalikod siya sa'kin saka nagpatuloy."I said I was confused and I don't know myself anymore. So, he... He admitted that he lied. My parents are still alive. I want to see them. I badly want to remember myself."
Tumango ako para suportahan siya kahit na iba ang sinasabi ng puso ko. Ako at ang mga anak namin ang pamilya ni Chances. Matagal ng wala ang mga magulang niya.
"Babe, you'll remember everything. I promised you remember? Just stay with me. Stay with me. Ako ang magpapaalala sa'yo sa lahat."
She nodded as an agreement. Not long after a while, she has fallen asleep inside my arms. While she rested, I cooked her favorites including lola Carmella's strawberry cupcake she's so crazy about. I was hoping it would stir a memory.
"You know how to bake?"
Napabaling agad ako nang marinig ang boses niya. Halos magtagpo na ang mga kilay niya habang tinitingnan ako ng matama.
"You didn't remember that I do?"Tumatawang tanong ko. "Of course, sorry."
I thought she'd be offended. She was smiling amusely instead. What's wrong? Do I look something close to being funny?
"You're so cute, Harrison."She commented as she walked towards me.
"I beg to disagree. I'm handsome."I corrected.
"Tsk. Smug."She picked one cupcake on the plate and took a bite. "It's delicious. I love the smell."
"This is your favorite, love."
"Sa tingin ko, hindi."Sagot niya. "You, definitely, is a description of my favorite."She said and laughed. "Wipe your face. You look like a child."
I see. Tsk. Paasa. Sa halip na sumunod sa kanya ay lumapit ako para siya na mismo ang magtanggal ng kung ano mang dumi meron ang mukha ko.
"Mind to clean up your baby?"
She chuckled once more. "Harrisson, you don't look like a baby to me."
"Mm-mm? I guess you're right."I told her. "If there's someone here who does, it's you, beautiful."
"Zacc?"Utal niya nang ilapit ko ang mukha ko sa kanya. "Please, no more kissing, remember?"She begged but her eyes pleaded differently.
"You're assuming, babe. I'm not going to kiss you."I whispered naughtily. She rolled her eyes. Haha. My wife's annoyed. "Do you want me to, babe?"
"I... I just said that I—"
"Shh. I know the answer."I replied, smirking to tease her more. Gaya ng inaasahan, namula ang pisngi niya. "I don't really plan kissing you, Chances. I was just wondering what tastes sweeter—the cupcakes or..."
"Ugh. You're so flirt."Komento niya. Pinunasan niya ang pisngi ko saka ako itinulak.
"What?"I asked laughing. "I was going to say cherry."
"Wow. What a reason, Zacc. Wala tayong cherry."
"Ah? Wala ba? May nakikita ako e."I insisted. Now, she looked curious. To gave her the answer, I kissed her on the lips. Not too quick. Not too long. "Your cherry is much sweeter."
Nginisian ko siya bago inayos ang hapagkainan. Nang silipin ko siya, inirapan niya ako; a normal thing she does when annoyed at me.
"Nakakainis kang tao. Naturally."Wika niya matapos naming kumain. "Pero ang sarap mong magluto."
"Lucky you."
"Why is that?"Nakataas ang kilay na naitanong niya.
"You married a perfect husband."
"Ang yabang mo! Matutulog na ako."Sambit niyang nakangiti naman saka iniwan ako sa kusina.
Nakahiga na si Chances matapos kong lumabas mula sa shower. Akala ko tulog na siya dahil hindi siya gumalaw nang samahan ko siya sa kama. Nakapikit na rin ako nang bigla nalang siyang nagsalita.
"How did you know how to bake, Zacc?"She asked. "I mean, that cupcake. It's perfect."
I looked at her after placing her head on my arm.
"Your lola Carmella taught me."
"Carmella?"She murmured as she gazed at the ceiling. "Carmella. It doesn't ring a bell. But... the cupcake's smell? It's... it is so familiar but I don't remember when, where and why."
"Lola said that strawberry cupcake is your favorite."
"Can we see her?"Tanong niya matapos ayusin ang pagkakahiga sa braso ko.
Hinaplos ko ang buhok niya at hinalikan siya sa noo.
"She's... gone, babe."I whispered. "She was so fond of you."
"What was she like?"
Napangiti ako matapos niya akong tanungin. Habang hinahaplos ko ang buhok niya, ikinuwentonko sa kanya ang mga masasayang alaala nila ng lola niya.
"I can still remember her last words, Chan. She said that she's happy knowing that we love each other. I promised her that I will take care of you. She loves you so much, babe. Sana maalala mo kahit 'yon lang."
"I want to remember that too."
"Go to sleep now, my love."I said lowly after a kiss on her forehead.
"Goodnight, Zacchary."
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Author's Corner:
Hindi dapat ako mag-uupdate kaya lang mababaliw ako kakaisip sa lalaking to e. Hahaha.