"Yohan," Yohan whirled towards the voice who was calling him and immediately smiled upon seeing the beautiful face of his wife. She was leaning her body on the doorframe whilst watching him put on a pajama. Kakagising pa lang niya at ang kaagad niyang naisip gawin ay hanapin ang asawa kaya naman nagbihis siya kaagad. Hindi na niya napansin na pumasok pala ang babae sa silid nila at mukhang nag-e-enjoy pa siyang panoorin sa pagbibihis.
"Morning," he greeted with his early morning voice before walking towards Apple Pie and pulling her for a hug. Binaon niya ang mukha sa may leeg nito at inamoy ang magkahalong bango nilang dalawa. She was only wearing his shirt and her underwear, a perfect pair indeed.
"Morning," ngiti nitong bati sa kaniya pabalik bago tinanggal ang pagkakayakap niya dito. "Ali, naghimo na kog breakfast para nato," excited nitong dagdag bago siya hinila papaalis sa kwarto. Siya naman ay hindi na naiwasang mapangiti habang umiiling-iling pa. Buti na lang talaga at kahit paano ay nakakaintindi na siya ng Bisaya. Minsan kasi ay nakakalimutan pa rin ng babae na hindi siya nagsasalita at nakakaintindi ng lenggwahe nito.
He let her lead him to the kitchen and smiled even more when she gently pushed him to seat in his usual spot while she started preparing his breakfast. Wala pang ilang segundo ay may nilapag na itong isang malaking plato na may lamang sinangag, sunny side up, hotdog at tapa. He truly believe that he would end up looking like Santa Claus by the end of the year. But hey, he's not complaining. His wife's cooking would always be the best.
"Thank you, langga." Apple Pie gave her a quick kiss on his lips before turning around to get his steaming brewed coffee. Mapagmahal niyang pinanood ang asawa habang gumagalaw ito sa kusina. Tanda pa niya noong college sila at nag-start silang mag-live in. He would always watch her move around the kitchen and all he could think of was one thing.
Tang-ina! Ang sarap asawahin.
Napangiti siyang muli dahil sa natandaan at tatawagin sana ang asawa at yayayain itong kumain na ngunit bago pa niya maibuka ang bibig ay narinig nila ang malakas na tawa ng isang bata.
"Mama! Mama! Look!" Their son ran to the kitchen and went a beeline for his mother. Si Apple Pie naman ay tinigil ang ginagawa at kaagad na tinuon ang atensyon sa anak.
"Hmm . . .?" she lovingly hummed as if encouraging their son to tell her what he was excited about. She even squatted just so they will be the same height.
"Mama, lantawa." Proud na pinakita ng kaniyang anak ang basa-basa pa nitong mukha. He even stifled a chuckle upon hearing his son speak in Bisaya too.
"Oh wow! Ikaw lang ang nag-wash ng face mo, anak? You did it yourself?" manghang-manghang puri ni Apple Pie sa anak. "Hala big boy ka na pala?! My baby JanJan can do things on his own na?"
"Yes, Mama!" his son said with pride.
"So ibig sabihin niyan, di mo na need si Mama?" Apple Pie faked a sad expression and even acted as if she was about to cry. Nang mapansin naman ng kanilang anak ang naging reaksyon ng ina ay kaagad naman nag-iba ang desisyon nito.
"No! No! I still need Mama," he pouted and then hugged his mother. "I'm still baby JanJan," dagdag nitong ika habang binubuhat ito ni Apple Pie. Naglakad papalapit sa kaniya ang babae habang pinipigilan ang tawa.
"Alejandro, come here," tawag niya sa anak. Agad naman itong nagpababa sa ina at patakbong lumapit sa kaniya. He lifted him towards his lap and hugged him before asking his wife to come near them too. Nang makalapit na ito ay kaagad naman niyang niyakap rin ang asawa.
Oh this is the life that he always wanted. Ang pangarap nilang buhay ni Apple Pie simula pa noong college years nila.
Wala na siyang mahihiling pa.
Wala na siyang mahihiling.
Wala na siyang.
Wala na.
Wala na.
Wala na.
Wala na.
Wala na.
Agad siyang napabalikwas ng bangon dahil sa malakas na pagyugyog na kaniyang naramdaman. His cloudy eyes scanned his surrounding and his brain immediately registered the fact that he was in his bedroom. Months passed and he started going to the past very rarely. Nandito na siya palagi sa tamang panahon niya.
"What the fuck is this, Yohan?!" His head felt like something was ringing inside but he still tried his best to look at his older brother, Kuya Zy. "What are you fucking doing to your life?!" sigaw nitong muli kaya naman napakapit na siya sa kaniyang ulo. He knew how bad his apartment looks like right now. Trash was all around, and the sink was full of unwashed utensils, bottles of rum spilling on his carpet and an intolerable smell enveloped the surrounding but he doesn't care anymore. Hindi niya pinansin ang kapatid bagkus ay dahan-dahan niyang inabot ang isang injection na may lamang puting bagay.
He needed to go back to his wife and his son.
"Fucking stop that, Yohan!" sigaw ni Kuya Zy muli bago tinampal mula sa kaniyang kamay ang injection. "You fucking straigthen your life! Alam kong mahirap at alam kong masakit pero hindi lang ikaw ang nawalan! Nawalan rin ako! You do know how much I treasure Apple Pie but I won't ruin my life because of grief!" Sigaw ito ng sigaw ngunit siya ay walang pakialam na nakatitig lamang sa kisame. Lutang na ang kaniyang isipan at wala ng lakas ang kaniyang katawan. "Yohan, when Louisa died . . . you made me promise one thing and that is not to kill myself. Ang sabi mo sa akin ay kailangan niyo ako kaya huwag ko sana kayong iwan. Ngayon, ako naman ang makikiusap sa iyo. Please . . . just please, kahit paunti-unti lumaban ka kasi kailangan ka namin ni Xav. Tayo na lang tatlo ang nagdadamayan, huwag mo sana kaming iwan."
Matapos sabihin iyon ay nakatitig lamang si Kuya sa kaniya at ramdam niya iyon ngunit wala na siyang pakialam. Diretso pa rin ang tingin niya sa kisame at pilit na pinapabalik ang diwa sa gawa-gawang reyalidad niya kung saan kasama niya ang asawa at ang magiging anak sana nila. Minutes passed or maybe hours, he doesn't know anymore. Basta na lamang niya napansin na mag-isa na naman siya kaya naman tinuloy niya ang nais gawin at kinuha ang injection na tinapon ng kaniyang kuya kanina. He prepped it up before injecting the drugs to himself. He then laid down on his bed and closed his eyes with a smile.
Unti-unti ay bumalik siya sa malinis at maaliwalas na bahay kung saan kasama niya si Apple Pie. This house was a complete opposite of his apartment. It was very homely while his place looks like a pigsty. He was still on his bed but something was different. Napangiti siya nang maramdaman ang pamilyar na bigat ng kaniyang asawa. Nakayakap ito sa kaniya at nakaunan sa kaniyang dibdib.
His smile widen while he was feeling her comfortable warmth wrapped around him. For a very long time, they remained in that position because he was so scared. He was scared that if he looked at her, she would suddenly disappear. He was scared that the world will slap him with the truth that she wasn't there.
So he just stare straight up to his ceiling and allowed himself to keep pretending.
This is his happy ending. This is the only way he could be with her.
A/N: Thank you so much for supporting this story although ang tagal ko ng mag-update palagi! T_T Na-busy lang po talaga ako with work and travel kaya naman wala na akong time na magsulat. This story took more than 1 year to finish and I am happy to announce that I am officially declaring this story as completed. Again, thank you so much for being here with me. I will move on to the next story, the story of Kuya Zy. Sana suportahan niyo rin po ako doon!
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My Everything In His Past (2nd Book of 'In His Past' Series)
Historical Fiction"I wish I realized much sooner how important you are, my wife, my president, my everything."
