Always, In All Ways (Change Series #4)

EPILOGUE

"Calynn, ano ba, gabi na!"

I joked when Calynn suddenly called me at 9:00 o'clock in the evening. I'm still here at the Prosecutor's office. Kakasimula ko pa lang maging Prosecutor. I did this for Natalia... I want to go back to her and I know, ito lang ang solusyon, to have the power to protect her.

I knew that she didn't read my letter when she messaged me when I passed the BAR exam, she said that I left her without an explanation... baka nakuha ng parents niya or nawala ang letter ko and I don't want to be the one to tell her that. Maybe, hindi destined na makita niya.

Kasi mali naman talaga ako... iniwan ko siya.

Pero hindi pa ako makakabalik ngayon... hindi pa pwede. I still need to find who's responsible for what happened to her and Maureen before.

(Attend my wedding or else...) Calynn said on the other line.

"Ayoko nga!"

It's not that I don't want to be there for her but most likely... am I ready to see Natalia again? Baka bigla ko na lang 'yon yakapin at magmakaawa akong bumalik na siya sa akin.

God, that's how crazy I am when it comes to her.

(What? Hindi tayo bati.)

Natawa ako. "Ikakasal ka na pero isip bata ka pa rin."

(Whatever, Karl Gio, umattend ka ng kasal ko. Bye!)

I was not sure but it's so hard to refuse Calynn. She sent me an invitation in my email about the date, the venue and motif.

God, this was it.

I thought sa mismong wedding ko pa siya makikita pero rito pa lang sa parking, nagkita na kami. Damn! I was not prepared.

She looked more beautiful. Ganoon pa rin ang buhok niya, mas pumuti pa nga yata siya. She's wearing an off shoulder dress. She is really beautiful.

I miss all of her... the whole her.... so I called her.

"You look stunningly radiant."

You look like my sun, love. You really shine in your own ways. Not just physically but there is something in you that shine from within.

Galit na galit ako nang makita ang sugat niya sa balikat niya. Fuck! Why do they have to wound my Natalia? Mahal na mahal ko 'yan. She doesn't deserve what happened to her.

That's why when the opportunity came... I grabbed it as if my life depends on it.

"A-Alam ko po kung sino ang bumaril sa dati niyong girlfriend." A woman appeared in my office. Namumula ang mata niya at mukhang galing sa iyak.

"Who?" My jaw clenched. Who the fuck did that?! I want to know just so I can make him suffer for what he did to my Natalia.

"A-Asawa ko po."  Yumuko siya at biglang tumulo ang luha niya.

"What?!" sigaw ko at napatayo ako. " Why?! Ano'ng kasalanan namin sa inyo?!"

She looked at me. "Nandito po ako para magpaliwanag... pero kailangan ko po ng pera. Kailangan ko po ng pangbuhay sa anak ko. Desperado na po ako."

I sat and tried to calm myself. I needed to breath. I cannot let my emotions overpower me, nandito na ang ebidensya.

For all the years that Natalia and I were apart, I looked for the one who's responsible for what happened. Inubos ko ang oras ko roon kasabay ng walang kapagurang pagta-trabaho just so I can be a Prosecutor.

And I made it... I became one of the youngest Prosecutor in the Philippines.

"Paano ko po mapapatunayan na nagsasabi kayo ng totoo?"