Reyanne Honey Diega
"The heck?"
Kunot noong sambit ni Kristine nang sabihin ko sakanya ang nangyari a month ago.
"So hindi mo pa sasabihin sakin hangga't hindi ako nakakadalaw sayo rito?"
Kunot noong tanong niya, Napakagat labi akong tumango.
"I forgot to tell you, I was distracted with Emori."
I spouted, Kristine rolled her eyes on me.
"Really? With Emori? Eh bakit naulit? You just told me you couldn't even remember how many times you had sex with him within this month after what happened on their hacienda, It's just a temporary marriage Reyanne, I'm not against if something will go on with you two, But I am too your psychiatrist at the same time, your long time friend Attorney Diega, Paano kung mabuntis ka? Are you sure kaya mo na? You haven't fully recovered from your trauma yet Reyanne, I'm worried that your emotional state won't take it, that your condition might be triggered, baka maipahamak mo nanaman ang sarili mo."
Kristine ranted, natahimik ako roon. Just what are you thinking Reyanne?
"Don't forget your logic Reyanne, I just hope your actions won't fire back to you, pulling you into the darkness again. Masyaso ng mahaba ang laban mo, and I'm telling you this again kahit paulit ulit na. Sarili mo lang ang makakapag ahon sayo, Yes I can help you, I've been with you on this battle for years pero nasasaiyo parin yan, please be careful, I don't want to see a strong woman like you, wrecked again, unti unti ka palang nakakabangon, It's okay to take risks, it may help yet could wreck you again, so bad... Don't let your heart loose any piece again, Refrain your heart from anything that could break it for now, hangga't hindi ka pa tuluyang nakakarecover..."
I sighed, Kristine is right, I don't want to be on that state again.
"Yes, I'm sorry..."
I said sincerely, She shooked her head on me saka ngumiti saakin.
"It's okay to fall inlove, but please do it slowly, Dahan dahanin mo lang, and please try to let go of your past already, masyado ng matagal ang paghihirap mo..."
She said on a worried tone visible on her voice.
"I'm not falling inlove with him Kristine, I can't, We both know na aalis rin ako, yes dadalaw dalawin ko parin si Emori, But I won't be here permanently."
I said, Napatango tango lamang ito.
"Next ka nga pala lilipat sa states noh?"
She spouted, Tinanguan ko naman ito.
"Yes, my papers are now in process, I will be staying at my pent house there, I think I need this for a better career and who knows? I might be able to recover on my condition..."
I sighed harshly.
"Staying here makes me remember the pain I've been suffering for years..."
I uttered with sadness, visible on my voice. Kristine's expression became soft.
"I think you're just running away, saka paano si Emori?"
Kristine asked, Napahilot nalamang ako saaking sintido.
"I will still visit him ofcourse, he won't need me that much anyway, Lucas is there, I trust him, I know he could handle him."
I uttered, Napahugot ng marahas na hininga si Kristine saka ako inirapan.
"Gaga! Ofcourse he will need you, you're his mother, well atleast ikaw ang kinikilala niya."
Marahas akong napabuntong hininga.
"I don't know kristine, I'm confused. I didn't say I'll abandon him pero mukang mahihirapan akong umalis."
Sambit ko, Pumangalumbaba itong sumulyap saakin.
"Then tell me honestly, Is it really just because of Emori?"
She asked, Nagsalubong ang kilay kong binalingan siya ng tingin.
"Yes."
I simply answered, Kristine grinned at me.
"Sabi mo ehh..."
Sabi nalang niya at nakuha pang magkibit balikat. Ilang sandali pa kaming nagkwentuhan, Maluwag naman ang sched ko ngayon since tapos na akong basahin ang files ng mga kliyente ko. I also decided to go home early, Sabay kaming lumabas ni Kristine ng law firm ko, sinundo siya ng asawa niya, dadaan daw kasi ang dalawa kina Celestine.
It's already 3pm napagpasyahan kong sunduin si Emori sa school, sakto namang uwian na nila.
"Mama!"
Masayang bati nito saka tumakbo sa gawi ko.
"Hi, How's school?"
Ngiti ko, Emori gave me a sweet smile in return.
"Ang saya po! super duper! pero nakita ko kayo kaya mas masaya, Ganito poooo!"
Iminwestra nito ang kamay na akala mo ay may inaabot na napakataas na bagay, that made me chuckle.
"How about your papa?"
I asked, ngumiti itong tumingkayad pa.
"Edi mas masaya po!"
Sambit niya, After that we decided to pass by on the mall to by some grocery. And since I promised that I will bake a cake for him, bumili narin kami ng mga kakailanganin. Tinulungan niya ako sa pagbebake, It's a chocolate cake na napagdesisyunan naming palamigin muna sa fridge.
"Mama gutom na po ako, wala pa po si papa?"
Nguso nito, It's already 7 pm at hinihintay namin si Lucas, kanina pa kasi ito hindi nagtetext o tumatawag man lang, usually 6 palang ay dumarating na siya o sinusundo si Emori every 3 pm para dalhin sa opisina at sabay na darating, But now? ni hindi ko nga rin namalayang umalis dahil maaga siyang umalis kaninang umaga. I'm starting to get worried, But I remained calm infront of our son.
"Just go ahead and eat first Emori, Maybe he was stock with this heavy rain."
Ngiti ko, Emori pouted.
"Pero gusto ko po kompleto po tayo po."
He spouted making me sigh then patted his head.
"It's okay Emori ngayon lang naman, babawi nalang siya sayo bukas okay?"
I uttered in assurance, Balak pa sanang maghintay ni Emori pero kalaunan ay nakumbinsi ko rin itong mauna ng kumain. Me on the other hand will just wait for Lucas, Hindi pa naman ako gutom.
I sighed looking outside the window, nakatulog na si Emori kakahintay pero wala parin si Lucas, It's already 10 pm but still no sign of him. Where the heck is he?! Nakagat ko ang labing muli siyang tinawagan, I already called his office pero hindi raw ito pumasok ngayon, I even called some of his friends pero hindi rin nila alam kung saan ito napunta. Should I just call Ruby? Baka pwede nila matrack kung nasan ito, What if something bad happens? Hindi naman ako pwedeng umalis dahil ayokong iwan si Emori ditong mag isa. He's not even answering his damn phone, Nagcell0hone cellphone pa di naman magawang sumagot ng tawag, itapon na kaya niya?
Useless phone.
I hissed, Bahagya naman akong napatayo nang makarinig ng tunog ng makina, There I saw him opening the gate and then going back inside his car, entering the gate. I imidiately run towards the door and opened it for him.
"The heck Lucas?"
Kunot noong sambit ko nang makitang basang basa ito ng ulan. But then I gasped when he suddenly hugged me so tight, I heard him sobbed as he trembled, Wala na akong pakielam kung basa man ako dahil sa kagagawan niya, I sighed as I hugged him back.
"What happened? Wait, Magbihis ka muna basang basa ka, you might catch a cold."
I said on a worried tone, hindi ito sumagot, bagkus ay hindi parin bumibitaw sa pagkakayakap saakin. Nagtagal muna kami ng ilang sandali sa ganoong posisyon bago nito naisipang bumitaw.
"Lucas?"
Pagtawag ko sa pangalan niya, But he remained silent, Nagulat nalamang ako nang bigla ito nabuwal sa kinatatayuan, Mabuti nalamang at agad akong nakapagbalanse. He lost his conciousness, Kahit nahihirapan ay nagawa ko paring maiakyat siya sa kwarto, Pinunasan ko ito ng towel na ibinabad sa maligamgam na tubig saka siya binihisan. Matapos niyon ay pilit ko siyang ipinahiga sa kama. Hiningal ako sa bigat niya, Mabuti nalang at sumama din ako sa weight lifting dati.
~*~
"Lucas, Are you okay? Anong nararamdaman mo?"
Tanong ko, Nang makalabas ako ng banyo at nakitang gising na ito, he is staring at a picture, tulala lamang ito doon.
"Hey."
Muling pagtawag ko sa atensyon nito. Lucas glanced at me then smiled sadly.
"I'm fine."
He said, I rolled my eyes on him.
"You don't seems fine to me."
I said, Lucas sighed harshly, Tumabi ako sakanya at niyakap siya, Lucas stilled on what I suddenly did.
"I've always wanted a hug everytime I'm sad or something is bothering me, I guess this'll somewhat help you even just a little."
I whispered as I look at him directly on his eyes. Ngumiti itong hinaplos ang muka ko, saka ibinigay saakin ang larawang kanina pa niya tinititigan. Bahagya pa akong natigilan nang makita iyon. It is a picture of his mom and probably a young Lucas with a girl that seems years older than him. I focused my gaize on the girl beside him, She is smiling at the camera.
"She looks like---"
"Emori, she looks exactly like him isn't she?"
Lucas said making me nods my head on him.
"Who is she?"
I asked, Lucas sighed.
"Her name is Angela, She's my sister, It's her birthday today so I visited her."
Lucas simply said.
"This photo is the first and last picture of us."
Dagdag niya saka sinalubong ang mga titig ko.
"I killed someone before Reyanne, I killed him after seeing him kill my sister, right infront of me. I killed him and never regretted it, not even a single second of it."
Mariing sambit niyang seryosong nakatitig saakin.
"That man is I once thought as my father but never acted one. Namulat ako na puro luha ni mama ang nakikita, Walang araw siyang hindi umiiyak sa kamay ng lalaking iyon. That bastard who keeps on abusing her. He is always hurting us mentally and physically and what hurts the most is that I can't do anything to save us from that man. He even raped our mom infront of us, each day he is always doing that, I hate it that I'm too young to do anything, On such a young age, I witnessed such violence. But that day changed everything."
I saw how his tears escaped his eyes as he told me that, tahimik lang akong yakap yakap siya habang hawak ang kamay niya at nakikinig.
"That day when we escaped, It was my sister's birthday, kahit alam naming magagalit ang lalaking iyon ay tumakas kami para icelebrate ang birthday ng ate ko. That's when we took that picture. It was the first and I didn't expect it was the last picture we will have with her. Hinabol kami ng lalaking iyon at nahuli, He beated us to pulp, specially my sister, nagmamakaawa na kami pero ayaw niyang tumigil, he even tied my mom who just tried to save my sister.
ilang ulit niyang hinataw ng kadena at ilang tadyak at suntok pa ang natanggap ng kapatid ko, kahit hinang hina ay pinaglakad niya pa si ate sa bubog and the worst part is he also forced himself on her, hindi niya pinalampas, He raped her infront of us, mahigpit ang hawak niya sa leeg ni ate habang ginagawa iyon, binaboy niya ito, bugbog na bugbog na ito at duguan pero hindi parin ito tumitigil, He was furious, Nandilim ang paningin kong naghanap ng tiempo, I glanced at the bottle of beer near me, and with tears on my eyes mabilis ko iyong dinampot, Desperado na akong mailigtas sila, At a young age I killed that man. He was distracted kaya naman ay mabilis ko siyang sinugod nang makawala ako.
I broke the bottle on his head saka itinarak iyon sa mata niya, hindi ako tumigil, saksak lamang ako ng sak-sak I stabbed him on his head, on his heart, on his stomach on his neck and on his manhood. kahit hindi na siya gumagalaw pa ay patuloy parin ako sa pagsak sak sakanya.
Natigil nalamang ako nang makita ang dugo sa buong paligid, My mom is crying hard, and the next thing I knew, I lost my conciousness. Nagising nalamang ako sa ospital, I woke up seeing a man who is the exact replica of me, claiming to be my real father."
Pagkukwento niya, Tears are still running on his cheeks, Napahigpit ang hawak nito sa kamay ko habang kinukwento iyon. Bumigit ang pakiramdam ko, All I want for now is to hug him and make him feel that he is not alone.
"That man and my sister died, While my mom suffered from a psychological condition because of my sister's death, I did not talk with anyone for half a year and then I met the frescobaldi family, they helped me a lot to recover, it still hurts a lot but slowly, I began accepting the fact that my sister is already gone. I saw how my father feel lamented for not finding us sooner, At first I'm really mad at him for that but I eventually started to accept him and the Ranaldi's. He said he impregnated my mother when she was just sixteen and three years after they broke up she saw my mom again and something happened, But mom suddenly disappeared, He doesn't even know that she was already pregnant with me that time.
And that bastard is his cousin who is obsessed with my mom, He kidnapped her, a year after I was born and that is the start of our sufferings."
Lucas smiled bitterly.
"It still hurts Reyanne, But being here with you.... I feel like..."
He blurted out saka sumubsob sa leeg ko. We stayed on that position on I don't really know how long, Tumingala si Lucas saka seryosong tumitig saakin, He leaned his face closer, Pigil ang hininga ko saka unti unting isinara ang mga mata ko. My heart is moving a fast pace as his lips suddenly brushed into mine, It was a slow passionate kiss, He is kissing me gently, Na akin namang tinutugunan. As our lips parted Lucas stared at me for a moment saka ako mahigpit na niyakap.
"Sorry for telling that to you, It's just that, It feels really heavy on my chest that I have to let it out."
Bulong nito habang yakap yakap parin ako, I sighed.
"Count on me Lucas, I'm not really good at words that could comfort you, But I hope my warmth is enough to ease your pain for awhile, you're not alone, You have me Lucas, your wife..."
I spouted, Humigpit ang pagkakayakap nito saakin na para bang ayaw ako nitong pakawalan pa.
"Being here with you really feels like home, Mrs Ranaldi..."
Lucas whispered, And there goes my heart again...
A/n: Lol cliche haha anyways ang hirap kaya mag isip dzaaahh so bare with me muna 😅 Anyways that is his past medyo nakukulangan lang talaga ako haha. So ayan po yung reason why Lucas' personality is really good and respects women on other books of this series . Ewan ko lang kung nag match nalilito narin ako 😄 But still I'm so thankful po sa mga nagbabasa neto. Love lots! >^<