Sa Pagkapit | Liham 6

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Stay

Why did we go back to Palawan? I'm also unsure. We just feel like we need to.

"I'm in Palawan. With Ivo. Don't worry about me." Doon pa lang namin binuksan ang mga cellphone. Maraming call at text si Mommy sa akin. Pero mas marami ang kay Kiel dahil mukhang siya ang nautusan. Treece and our other colleagues tried to reach out to us too. All of the calls happened a day or two after we left Manila though, they must've realized that we are together and we don't want to be bothered. I sent Treece a message instead of replying to all of them.

"Don't worry about you?!" Kiel hysterically exclaimed, "You cannot even answer your phone! No offense, Aem, I know malaki ka na at kayang kaya mo na ang sarili mo. But Tita is worried sick! We all know that you're with Dr. Vazquez, but still! Just a simple text will be enough! You cannot not expect us to not be worried!"

Medyo naguilty tuloy ako. Halatang halata na problemado si Kiel dahil sa akin. Just for today, hinayaan ko siyang pagalitan ako sa kabilang linya. He sounds so frustrated and I think it's valid so I let him.

"We got married." Nabalot ng katahimikan ang call kaya nagsalita ulit ako, "Kiel—"

"Are you kidding me?" Iyon ang una niyang tanong. I expected disbelief from him so I am not that stunned at these reactions, but still, I am so nervous right now.

"No, why would I joke about that?" I asked him.

He laughed, "Don't fuck with me. Magswimming na lang kayo kung gusto niyong magswimming diyan at umuwi kapag okay na kayong dalawa—"

"I married him in Naga. We will get married again once we go back home. I haven't told Mom pero may mga tumulong sa amin sa Naga kaya—"

"Are you sick in the head, Aelia?" Kiel cursed, "Tell me! Gago ka ba?"

"I love him, Kiel—"

"Alam ko!" He exclaimed, "Fuck, kung nakikita mo lang ang mukha ko ngayon! Aem, I know how much you love him! But don't you think that this is too abrupt and too early? Anong nakain niyo? Marriage is not a joke! I know that you know that more than anyone!"

"I've loved him for years..." My voice is calm and low. I want him to understand. I know that this marriage won't be stopped by anyone's acceptance, but Kiel is very important to me as well and I want him to respect my decision. I want him to know where I'm coming from, "This is just right... at least, for me..."

"Aem, you loved him from afar all those years." Kiel pointed out after sighing in a calmer tone, "And as much as I know the fact that your love is true and genuine, nonetheless, marriage is not that simple. Loving... and marrying, sometimes, are two entirely different things."

"You have to trust me, Kiel." I sighed, "I know that too. My decision won't change. I'm telling you this because you're my best friend... but nothing will change. You're important to me, Kiel, and so is Ishan."

He sighed, "Go home once you're ready. The both of you."

"Take care... and thank you,"

I messaged my mother. Just a short message along with the lines of I am okay and a little mad up excuse. Ivo did the same. Hindi pa namin sinabi sa pamilya namin ang tungkol sa kasal. Si Kiel lang talaga ang nakaalam.

The Airbnb we booked in Coron, Palawan isn't that expensive. Para na rin kasi siyang apartment na talaga. Hindi rin namin alam kung hanggang kailan kami dito. A part of me thinks that deep inside us, Ivo and I decided to go here to free ourselves from our fears. Because they're right, sometimes you have to face those cracks, to be able to fix them slowly.