The Unexpected Guy

Chapter 45 - Longest Distance

"I'll be on the site again tomorrow. Probably morning until afternoon ulit."

Tumango lang ako.

"Just few more months, babe. I promise."

"I'll wait." I said smiling.

"Sige na, magpahinga ka na. Text me when you wake up, okay? I love you."

"I love you more."

Then he ended the call.

Napayakap ako sa unan ko. Gaano na ba katagal na wala si Ken? Half a year na din. And thanks to technology, nakakapag-usap kami through video chat. Pero these past few days, Ken's very busy.

Sa kanya kasi binigay ng boss niya yung bagong project. From New York, lumipat sya ng Colorado. Pabalik-balik sya dun para macheck personally yung construction.

Ken lost weight. He often skips breakfast and dinner para makarating sa site on time. Plus, lagi syang puyat dahil kinakausap nya ako pag umaga dito. Minsan, ako yung late nang nakakatulog, but most of the time, siya ang napupuyat.

I wanna hug him now. Feel his warmth. Paano kaya nakaya ng ibang couple ang long distance relationship?

"You're spacing out again." Ross said.

"Sorry. Ano nga ulit yung sinabi mo?"

Ross sighed. "Sabi ko, mag-out of town muna tayo. Tayong best friends."

"I can't. Ken needs me."

"How on earth will you help Ken, Mace? Nasa States sya, nandito ka sa Manila. He's an engineer, you're a fashion designer. Malayo ang profession nyo sa isa't isa." Sheena said with her eyes wide open.

"I just feel like he needs me."

Tinapik-tapik ni Ross ang balikat mo. "Mace, you can still call him kahit nandoon tayo. Plus, tuwing umaga or gabi lang naman kayo nakakapag-usap eh."

"Go out Mace. Please? And we miss you." Sheena said.

"Okay. But I'll tell him."

Sabay silang tumango.

Pagkarating ko sa bahay, inopen ko agad ang Skype ko. Unfortunately, offline sya. I checked my phone kung tumawag or nagtext ba siya. Pero wala.

"He must be super busy."

I tried calling his number.

"Hi! This is Ken. I'm sort of busy right now, so please leave a message after the beep, and I'll call you back!"

Napahawak ako ng mahigpit sa phone ko.

"Babe. It's me, uh, so.." Hindi ko alam kung papaano sasabihin. "Nagyaya mag-out of town sila Sheena. Next week pa naman. Pero I said na sasabihin ko muna sayo. In case na hindi ka pumayag, at least I know. By the way, kumain ka ha? Okay? I love you. And I miss you so much.."

After that call, I diverted my attention and time in making designs and negotiations with my clients.

Time flies when you're really busy. Gabi na pala, and I didn't realize. Nagugutom na ko.

Narinig kong nagriring yung phone ko. Tinalon ko yung kama ko para maabot ang phone ko. Sana sya na to. But to my dismay, it's not him.

"Hello?"

"Akala mo sya no? Pwes, hindi."

"I know. May called ID kaya." Maarte kong sagot kay Tine.

"By the way, nasa bahay ka ba?"

"Oo, bakit?" Sagot ko habang pababa ako ng sala.

"Wala lang. Sige bye!"

Okay.. Ano meron?

Pagkababa ko, I saw kuya watching cartoons.

"Kuya, no date?"

"Wala. Bad mood sya eh."

Napa-oh na lang ako. "Kumain ka na?"

"Yes."

Tahimik akong kumain. Tawa lang ni kuya yung naririnig ko. I've been looking on my phone the whole meal, pero wala pa ring reply galing kay Ken. He must be so busy.

Ganun talaga siguro, masasanay ka sa katiting na oras na mabibigay sayo ng mahal mo. Ilang araw ko na rin syang hindi nakakausap. Busy talaga sya siguro. I think, four days na simula nung huli naming usap. And sabi nya sa last video call namin na magiging busy daw talaga siya.

"Pagod na siguro si Ken ngayon."

Napalingon ako sa nagsalita. It was Ross. "Ano?"

"Paano ba naman, kanina pa tumatakbo sa isip mo eh."

Narinig ko yung tawa nila Sheena.

"Stop thinking about him, Mace. We are here to have fun. Okay? No boys. And girls for you Ross." Sabi ni Tine. Tumawa lang si Ross.

"We'll just have fun, okay?" Tumango lang ako.

We went to Zambales, three whole days with them. Honestly, miss ko na rin sila. And I think, it's time for me to have fun and make time with my friends again. I've been always about Ken, nakakalimutan ko na yung ibang mga taong nagmahahal sa akin.

We stayed on the rest house ng family nila Ross. It was quiet and beautiful at the same time.

Pagkababa namin ng kotse, I received a phone call from an unknowm number.

"Macey!" Sigaw nila.

"Wait, may tumatawag."

"Who?"

"I don't know, pero US number."

"Sagutin mo, we'll wait for you."

I answered the call. Pero bat ganon? My heart's beating so fast, na any moment, lalabas na sya ng dibdib ko.

"Hello?"

"Hello." Lalaki. "Is this Macey Gatchalian?"

"Speakin."

"Ms. Macey, this is Morgan Edwards, Mr. Ken Aragon's boss.."

"Yes sir." Unti-unting lumapit sila Ross sa akin.

"Macey, I want to tell you that Ken is one of the best engineers our company had. He did a grear job building and.."

"Sir, had? Did? What do you mean?" Nanginginig na ako. Sheena held my other hand habang nakatitig lang silang dalawa sa akin.

"Macey, something went wrong with Ken's building. It collapsed."

"Sir, wait, are you saying that Ken is fired? Or are you firing him?"

Narinig kong bumuntong-hininga ang kausap ko. "No Macey. No.. Ken was in the building when it collapsed. Ken was the most injured person there.."

Nabitawan ko ang phone ko. Pinulot ito ni Ross at siya na ang kumausap. Niyakap ako nila Sheena dahil sunod-sunod nang tumulo ang mga luha ko.

Nakatitig ako sa mukha ni Ross habang kausap nya si Mr. Edwards.

Pinunasan ko ang luha ko. "Anong sabi Ross?" Kalmado kong sabi.

"Mace.."

"Ano sabi?!" Napagtaasan ko na siya ng boses.

"Mace.. Dinala agad si Ken sa ospital, pero Mace.. Dead on arrival si Ken."