Ch 033
One Night Only
Wala akong sasakyan.
Ayan, Paige. You storm out so recklessly, eh wala kang dalang sasakyan. Pang-aasar ng kunsensya ko.
Good thing I have my purse, I can just book a cab.
"Alexana, sandali." I heard his voice from behind me. Hindi ko pinansin. I opened the app on my phone and booked a cab.
"I'm sorry but won't you understand me this time? Just this time?" He added. "May kutob akong may nalaman kang hindi mo dapat malaman. But trust me I have my reasons. Kung ano man ang nalaman mo, I can make up for it from this moment on. Hayaan na natin yung mga bagay na tapos na."
But if you love me then you should be able to trust me with whatever that is. I know it works like that, because I saw how my mother, with all her trust on my father, was able to tell him that she initially married him because he was rich and not because she loved him.
And because my dad appreciated my mom's trust and honesty, he fell in love with her even more that it made my mother realize she was very blessed, and then later on began to love my father genuinely.
Trust is important. It's giving someone the power to destroy you completely, but believing that they won't.
And if he can't give it to me, hindi ko alam kung saang pundasyon nakasandal ang pag-ibig na sinasabi niya.
"Two days left, Henry. I will still wait for you to tell me because I am sure that it's something I need to know. At kaysa sa iba pa manggaling, sana ikaw nalang mismo ang magsabi. Unless of course, you want to hurt me even more." Saad ko at saka sumakay sa kararating lang na taxi cab.
Nagpahatid ako sa opisina para lang makuha ko ang kotse. Soon as I was reunited with my car, umuwi ako at dumeretso sa study.
Hinanap ko ang planner sa kung saan ko ito binalik, ngunit wala na ito.
Naguluhan ako. Alam kong nandito lang yun.
Natakot ako. Hindi naman umuwi si dad, so imposibleng siya ang kumuha. What now, may nagmumulto dito?
Kinabahan ako. Hindi naman siguro panaginip lahat ng nabasa ko, hindi ba? It was real, right? I held that planner in my hands and I am certain that it was real.
Bumaba ako at nakasalubong ko si Henry. Right, dito nga pala siya nagsi-stay.
"May kinuha ka ba sa study?" Tanong ko.
"I don't even know where the study is." He replied.
Damn it. Ang lakas ng trip ng tadhana. I had the evidence in my hands, nawala pa! Tanga ko rin, hindi ko man lang napicture-an.
"May naghanap pala sayo kanina, pero nakaalis ka na for work." Aniya.
"Sino daw?"
"Karoline? She said you asked her to help you throw a party for Jenna."
Oo nga pala! I promised I would throw her a party kaya nag PM ako kay Karol, ang girlfriend ng kapatid ni Ringo, para tulungan ako. She's an event coordinator and she's quite a pro.
"Ah. I'll just give her a call. Excuse me." Sabi ko at saka pumunta sa kwarto upang tawagan si Karol.
It took three rings before she picked up.
"Hey! Galing ako sa bahay mo kanina!" She cheerfully announced.
"I know. I'm sorry you had to encounter a terrible guest instead of me. Bakit di ka tumawag beforehand para sana alam ko."
"Ano ka ba, he's not terrible at all. If anything, I'm happy that you finally moved on from Ringo."
"What rubbish did he tell you? Masasapak ko na talaga ang bwisit na yun."
"Wag naman. He seems very much sincere naman eh."
"Sincere?!" I rolled my eyes. "Sincere my ass."
"Tatanda kang dalaga niyan. Wag masyadong masungit kasi." She giggled. "Anyway, I went to visit Yñigo para makamusta sana if he's recovering well. Then I met the Jenna you were talking about. Nakausap ko siya, and I think I can manage to pull off a nice party. Wala kang dapat ipag-alala."
"Really? Thank you, Ka. You know it means so much to me."
"No big deal. I know that you are a busy woman." She replied. "Also, I think we have to do the party soon. Like, sa makalawa? Parang not on good terms sila ni Yñigo eh at gusto niya ng umuwi."
"Ganoon ba? I'll just talk to her about it."
"Naku, Paige! Wag." Pigil ni Karoline.
"Why not?"
"Na-share niya sa akin na naiinis daw siya sayo dahil until now hindi pa daw kayo ni Henry. Ayaw ka daw niyang makita habang nagpapabebe ka pa daw." Natawa si Karoline.
Pabebe? Langhiya naman oh.
"Seryoso, Paige. Hindi nga niya balak sabihin sayo na uuwi siya eh. Concerned lang ako kasi you wanted to throw her a party and I know you value friendships so much kaya sinabi ko sayo."
"Can we do it tomorrow, then? I don't wanna pressure you—"
"Why not?" She cut me off. "Walang naka-book na event sa resort bukas ng hapon. Kaya kong ayusin yung venue bukas ng umaga and I can take care of the other details tonight."
"Oh my god, Karoline. You're such an angel."
"No big deal, Paige. I will always remember how you inspired me to leave my comfort zone to find what I truly want to become." Aniya. "This is nothing compared to what you did for me."
She's such a sweet girl. Ang swerte ni Scott sa babaeng ito. Pero in all fairness, kahit babaero noon si Scott ay nagawa niyang magbago dahil mahal niya si Karoline.
"Thank you, Ka. I'll start inviting people na. Update me, okay?"
"Okay."
Pagkatapos kong i-message lahat ng posibleng ma-invite para sa party ay bumaba ako para maghanap ng pagkain. Naalala kong hindi ko pala natapos ang pag kain ko kanina dahil nawalan ako ng gana.
Pagpunta ko sa kusina ay tumambad ang isang naka-apron na Henry na naghihiwa ng bawang at sibuyas.
"What the heck?" Saad ko.
"I know you'll be hungry kaya pinaghahanda kita ng pagkain." Aniya.
"Anything but your food, Montañer. Just the thought na ikaw ang nagluto makes me want to just starve myself to death."
"Stop exaggerating, Alexana. And stop displacing your anger on food. Magalit ka sa akin, sige. Pero kumain ka muna para may lakas kang awayin ako."
Umirap ako.
"Kailan pala yung party na binabalak mo?" Tanong niya bigla. Nag gigisa na siya. Ang bango.
"Bukas ng gabi." Napasagot ako dahil sa bango ng bawang at sibuyas. Hypnotizing.
"Already?"
"Balak na daw niyang umuwi ng Pampanga ng hindi ako sinasabihan. She seems disappointed dahil walang progress sa ating dalawa." Sabi ko.
"So you mean if we want to make her happy during her surprise party, kailangan sweet tayo sa isa't isa para hindi siya madisappoint. Tama?"
"Paano kung ayaw ko?"
"Then forget about that party. You might not know but I heard both of you talking that night. Alam kong buntis siya. Hindi naman sa bina-blackmail kita pero hindi maganda sa buntis ang na-iistress."
"So anong gagawin ko? Eh hindi ko kayang magpanggap na okay tayo."
"Practice, Alexana. Practice makes perfect." Aniya.
Practice? Parang tanga lang?
"No, ayoko yan. Siguro naman maappreciate pa rin niya kahit di tayo okay." Pagtutol ko.
"Do you even remember why you wanted to throw this party for her?" Aniya. "I bet you felt sad looking at her, dahil isinantabi niya ang sarili niya at ginawang priority ang kasal ni Denzel. She wanted to celebrate, too. Ilang taon niyang pinaghirapan yang diploma na yan. This is the least you can do for her. And one night, Alexana. Isang gabi ka lang magpapanggap na okay tayo."
May talent siya sa pangungunsensya ng tao, ha?
I took a deep breath.
"Deal. One night only."
#WTHB