Chapter Fifty Six
Eros
"I JUST want you to know that you made the most unfathomable mistake that someone could ever done."
I looked up to see the owner of that familiar voice and the pair of legs that is standing in front of me.
"Elisha."
"Looks what you have done to yourself, Eros!" She said frantically. "This is not you! This is not your place! You shouldn't be living a life like this!"
I smiled to her and set aside all the preparations I was doing before the next boat will reached the shore.
"I've been doing this my whole life, Elisha. You know that."
"Yes! I know!" She exclaimed. "Pero hindi sa ganitong klaseng lugar, Eros! Pinagpalit mo ang buong Alta Pueblo, ang buong kamag-anak mo, para lang sa isang babae? What's gotten into you! The Eros I know will not do this to himself! He will not humiliate himself this low for the sake of one woman! Nasaan na iyong mga logic mo? 'Yong everything is just a business talk mo? What? Pati ba pag-iisip mo nang tama ay nakuha na rin ng babae na iyon sa'yo?"
"Can you please calm down first? I'm fine-"
I stopped in the middle sentence when Elisha started shedding tears.
"I am so frustrated! Did you know that?" She said in between sobs. "I want to help you but I can't! Sila Abuelo't abuela, mga kamag-anak at pinsan mo, everyone is being so cold-hearted towards lending a hand on you! Tapos ngayon, pati ako pinipigilan na tulungan ka. It's so infuriating to see you like this when you clearly deserve so much more! You're not supposed to be here, Eros. Ano bang nangyayari sa'yo?"
I disregard my dirty clothes and rugged look and pulled her close to me and hushed her to stop from crying.
"I really appreciate that you want to help, Elisha." I murmured to her ears before I pulled her away while still holding her shoulder to have a better look on her face. "But you don't have to. I choose to live this way. And I don't regret giving up everything for Monique."
"She's going to leave you too, you know?" I was stunned for a moment. "Abuela told me what that woman intends to do. You'll be left alone with nothing, Eros. Is she worth all these risks?"
"She told me everything," I explained. "I know she'll leave any time soon."
"Then why?!" Elisha asked, frustrated.
"It's the least of what I can do for now. To set her free and let her do the things she wanted to do," I said then continued. "Just like what you said, I already have nothing. If freedom is the only thing she wanted aside from having a life with me, then I won't have to heart to stop her from having what she wants."
"But you want to be with her, right? Kaya mo ginawa ang lahat ng kabaliwang ito kasi gusto mo siyang makasama? Then, why?"
"More than wanting her to be mine alone, I fell in love with her first. I fell in love with this free-spirited woman who knows no fear and loves to ruined my day because of her constant bickering. If keeping her by my side will stop her from being all of that, then, it's like setting a bomb to the treasure that I have found."
"You. Are. Insane." Elisha said while pressing her one finger after word by word, then I saw a smile plastered on her lips. "She's lucky. You're one of the most aloof Mondragon. Yet, she had you just like that."
"I'm sorry if I disappoint you," I said sincerely. "And I'm sorry for leaving all the business we have on you."
"Yeah. You should be sorry for leaving tons of paperwork on my desk!" She said then opened her arms together for one last hug. "I guess our playtime ends here, huh?"
"We didn't play, Elisha." I corrected after giving her a hug. "We both know we enjoy each other's company enough to be entertained for years."
"You'll always be my favorite, Eros."
My eyes grew wide when Elisha suddenly pulled my neck and kissed me.
"Elisha-"
"It's a farewell kiss, Eros. We both know that there was no romantic feelings between us eversince."
"Why don't you settle with one man, then? You know that Reigan is into you, right?"
Elisha rolled her eyes and didn't bother to hide the disgust on her face.
"Ayoko sa mga doctor. They're boring."
"But he's also a Mondragon." I insisted. "Come to think of it, Reigan was the only one who you never laid your hands on."
"Because he's in love with me!" She cried. "You know how much I hate cheesy romance, Eros! Magunaw man ang mundo, 'yang pinsan mong si Reigan iyong pinaka-huli kong mapag-iisipan na gustong maka-sex."
"Why?"
"Romance and money doesn't work well," she answered. "Look what happened to you! Ayokong magaya sa'yo, ano! Reigan can keep me on his wet dreams but he will never, ever, have a taste of this." She said, pertaining to her whole body.
I just shrugged and didn't push the topic on her.
I invited Elisha to have dinner with us but she refused and told me she only came her to check my whereabouts.
"Don't be a stranger, Eros." She said giving me a peck on the cheek. "And tell Eliz that if she breaks your heart, I will kill her using my Chanel!"
"I hope you're not mad at Monique, Elisha."
"I am. I'm not going hypocritical and tell you lies, Eros. I am mad at her especially with what she has done on both you and Gael." She explained then exhaled. "But it doesn't mean I can't forgive her. Give me time to sort things out. Maybe someday we can be friends."
"I hope you will."
I walked Elisha to her car and open the door for her. But before I closed the door and see her leave, I asked her again.
"How's Gael?"
"Nasa Manila na siya ulit. But no one knows exactly where. Wala raw siya doon sa condo unit niya. Wala rin doon sa mga pinsan mo," she answered exasperated. "Do me a favor, Eros. Fix your relationship with Gael. It might take you years but I really hope to see both doing well again. Huwag mong sayangin iyong pinagsamahan n'yo nang dahil lang dito."
"I will try to reconcile with him," I said, unsure if I can actually do that and if Gael can too.
"You better be!" She warned and bid last farewell before she started the engine and leave the place.
Gael
HINDI KO na alam kung nasaang parte ng Pilipinas na ba ako naroon. I've been driving non-stop for days with no specific destination and reason.
I just want to forget everything. Forget about Eliz. Forget about Eros and forget about the unforgivable things that they have done to me.
My heart is breaking into a million pieces whenever I was being reminded of what had happened. Para akong paulit-ulit pinapatay kapag naiisip ko silang dalawa o hindi kaya napapanaginipan ko si Eliz at kung ano mang namamagitan sa aming dalawa noon.
Ilang traffic lights na ang nilagpasan ko; so many road rules broken. Ilang beses na akong ipinatabi sa gilid ng daan ng mga awtoridad dahil sa mga violations. But after knowing my name, I was being excused and let me leave.
If only I wasn't a Mondragon. If only Eliz didn't met Eros. If only I didn't ask her to meet my family in Alta Pueblo. We might still be together, married and planning to start our own family just like the original plan.
I was deep with these hopeful thoughts when I suddenly stepped on the break when a figure crossed the road.
Mabilis akong napalabas para tingnan kung ano iyong nabangga ko kahit wala naman akong nakita o naramdaman na bumangga sa sasakyan ko.
There, I saw a woman lying in the middle of the road, near my car bumper, with a lot of bruises and wounds in her body.
"Miss! Miss! Okay ka lang ba?" Mabilis na tanong ko nang makalapit na ako sa babaeng naka-bulagta sa kalsada.
I was afraid to touch her because it might worsen her concussion. Pero hindi rin ako makapaniwala na ang simpleng pagkakabunggo ko lang ang magbibigay ng lahat ng ito sa kanya. And if I really hit her, she should be somewhere far at hindi iyong ganito siya kalapit sa sasakyan na tila ba dito na siya bumagsak.
Some of her bruises are already black and leaves a mark on her pale looking skin. May nakita rin akong pasa sa mata niya at putok ang labi nito. Nagkukulay ube na rin ang mga daliri nito na para bang dumaan ito sa maraming paghihirap bago ko pa siya nabunggo-kung sakaling natamaan ko nga siya.
What the hell happened to this woman?
Napapalingon-lingon ako sa paligid maging sa direksyon kung saan ko siyang nakitang nanggaling, naghahanap ng p'wedeng makatulong sa amin. Pero nang wala akong makita at nang hindi pa rin nagkamalay ang babae matapos kong tapikin nang marahan ang mukha nito, nagpasiya ako na buhatin na siya at dalhin sa loob ng kotse para madala sa ospital.