Lover from the Sky

29

To: my baby's father

okay captain alvarez. i guess this is goodbye. live ur life without us, be happy.

I replied to his texts and changed his contact to what it was supposed to be. Captain Alvarez. I hurried to go back to the hotel. I packed my things and rescheduled my flight to the earliest flight tomorrow. I wanted to leave. I couldn't handle the pain alone anymore. Tears fell to my clothes. It was too painful. He chose to live here and just forget that he has a family back in the Philippines. Dugo't laman niya si Khari.

"Ang aga mo umuwi. Anong nangyari?" Sev asked. Nagpasundo pa ako sakaniya sa airport. Naka leave naman siya. We're in their house now. Kanina pa ako nakarating ng Pilipinas. "He's planning a.. divorce." I said and smiled. She coughed nung nabulunan siya ng tea niya and asked me why. It was hard to explain. She did understand. Andiyan lang naman daw sila for me. I went home right away para makapagpahinga naman si Severyse.

"Who's that?" I asked when someone ringed the doorbell. It was a mail. I signed it before closing the door again. When I opened the envelope, it was filled with papers that Kal mentioned. It has only been a month since I left the States. I felt better, no, I am still pushing myself to be better for my son. Now that he does not have a father figure already, I have to be one. I got my phone out to send Kal a message.

To: Captain Alvarez of Air Pacific

good day, i have received the documents and just like you wished, it's signed already.

I texted. I actually did not sign the papers. I didn't want to. I got Khari and left him with Severyse first. He's five months old already, my baby.

"So, bakit ka niya iniwan?" Ethiliah asked. Nasa cafeteria kami. They already knew about it. Severyse wasn't here because she took a leave to plan their wedding, the same as Laurent. Buti pa sila, fifteen years and it's still them. I laughed at that thought.

Kal and I were dating for a decade and didn't even last two years for our marriage. Technically, we're still married but I am using my maiden name now. Though in legal papers, I am still an Alvarez. People just call me by my maiden name because I prefer it that way.

After work, I went to Sev's place and take Khari home. She was so considerate. Khari was a happy baby. Sometimes, he would be longing for his father's warmth pero sobrang bihira nalang. Maybe he got used already, that his father is not here to carry him or even sing a song for him anymore.

Our parents also knew. Kal's parents were still supportive. They are sorry for what happened. After all, they are still my parents-in-law. Mom was against the thought of divorced and helped me with the legal actions. Khari's getting baptized next month. A milestone without his father.

It has already been a month. We're now at the church to have Khari baptized. Sila sila lang din ang kinuha kong ninang at ninong. Isama mo na si Ate Elizeth. I kept my promise but she wasn't able to attend. After the baptism, we decided to eat at a restaurant. Nang-aasar pa sila. They felt bad when they talked about Kal but it was fine for me. He is still Khari's father. He is still my husband.

"Such a good baby!" I am feeding Khari. He started to eat solids already two months ago. He is currently eight months old. I'm now Ahquila Martinez to people's eyes. Some would call me Alvarez but I understood that it was hard to adjust back to calling me Martinez. Also, I heard he went home two months ago for Sev and Laurent's wedding but he didn't even attend.

Khari was laughing every time he was fed. He would sometimes hold his spoon and eat on his own. Sometimes, I prepare foods that could be hand-picked by him. He was just the cutest baby in the world. He started to blabber stuff. Such a talkative little man. Just like his father. We are still living in our house. Hindi na namin plinano pang lumipat. It was such a hassle for someone that has a baby.