Retired
All this time... he's a spy? A special agent who was tasked with infiltrating a syndicate? All this time... he wasn't the man he painted himself to be in the eyes of the public?
Ang katiting na pag-asang hinawakan ko ay parang liwanag na sumisilip sa madilim na liblib na lugar. Those hopes I wished Trison would have, because I am fine without them, had really guided him.
I have a lot of questions, but they were stopped when the psychiatrist checked up on me again. I couldn't follow the procedure, but with the smile on my mother's lips as she looked so relieved, including my father, who even hugged my mom, I knew they heard good news.
Trison didn't show up anymore, aside from Colonel Chavez sending the flowers that I know came from Trison because of the simple Angel with a heart on the side. Iyon kasi ang naaalala kong madalas niyang itawag sa akin. It's like his own... nickname for me.
I know I saw him. I talked to him. And... it was confirmed by my parents. He's alive.
"He's alive, right, mom?" I asked again while she was slicing the apple for me.
Tumingin ang mga bantay sa akin. They would always look at me with those critical judgments, those heavy eyes, and they did not want to take their eyes off me.
My mother nodded. "Yes, Ayeselle... He's alive. He just said there's something he needs to take care of. Calm down."
"And Diana... She's in... Switzerland?"
"Ahuh..." Nag-iwas siya ng tingin sa akin at ibinalik sa binabalatang apple.
My psychiatrist prevented me from using social media. And even watching the television because Wallace Serrano is still all over the news.
Hindi ko pa alam kung bakit pinapalabas nilang patay na si Trison or Walace Serrano, pero alam ko, nakita ko, at nakausap ko, na buhay pa siya.
My everyday session with my psychiatrist was a little bit lighter. Minsan, umiiyak ako, sinisisi ang sarili, na sana, hindi na lamang ako sumama kay Trison. Na sana, hindi nalang ako sumama sa operasyon.
But there were a lot of what-ifs. If Russel was killed during the operation, I felt like Diana would also die with him.
Lagi iyong bumabagabag sa isip ko, pero ang kaibigan kong iyon, alam ko, sasama siya. Who would even dare to separate her from him?
I wanted to ask Trison about all of it. But he wasn't visiting me again. Like he said, he retired. But why... it's taking him so long to visit me?
Noong bumukas ang pinto at may mga pumasok na gwardya hanggang sa nakita ko ang pagpasok ni Sullivan kasama ang kanyang mommy, medyo nagulat ako.
Their guards made sure that the room had no threat at all. My mother stood and went to greet Sullivan's mother while Sullivan walked toward me with a worried expression.
"Sullivan," namamaos kong banggit at napangiti.
He crouched and gave me a hug. Yumakap ako pabalik habang hinaplos niya ang likod ko at hinalikan ang gilid ng aking ulo.
"You made me worried..."
I chuckled. "I'm sorry..."
Humiwalay si Sullivan sa akin. The President, whom I called Tita Chestin, like how she wanted to be addressed by me, gave me a hug too.
They provided some seats for Tita Chestin. Nakaupo siya sa gilid at hawak ang kamay ko habang si Sullivan ay nakaupo sa gilid ng aking kama at tumabi sa akin, nakaakbay.
"Nagpanic ako. Medyo kinabahan ako sa mga dumukot sa'yo kasi hindi naman nila alam na magaling kang umasinta."
His mother slapped his leg a bit which made me laugh a little. Tumawa rin si Sullivan at pinisil ang pisngi ko.
