Your Lips All Over My Soul

Chapter 15: To See You Again

My heart is pounding. Parang araw-araw na lang ay may gusto akong malaman kay Lucianna noong mga panahong umalis ako. Ano ang nangyari sa kanya?

"Your wife said she was raped five years ago," Ian said. "I was there to discuss your annulment, I didn't expect that she would open something like that to me. Ang sabi pa niya ay hindi niya kayang kalabanin ang taong gumawa sa kanya no'n. I assumed that it was an influential person. You should ask her what happened, I want to help her."

Umiling ako. "Naniniwala ka roon? Sinungaling 'yon noon pa. Hayaan mo siya."

Raped, huh? Kung iyong nangyari sa kanila ni Simon ang tinutukoy niya, it doesn't look rape to me. She was enjoying it, for fuck sake!

"Hindi lahat ng babae ay kayang mag-open sa ibang tao na na-rape sila. But the fact, she was scared to fight for her rights is telling me that it was true." Tumingin sa akin si Ian. "Walang mawawala kung making ka sa kanya kahit sandali."

Hinilot ko ang sintido ko bago ko inayos ang tuxedo ko. I am going to meet some people today including Nathalia's family. It was a socialization party between businessmen and companies. Ako muna ang representative ng pamilya ko dahil lahat sila ay abala.

"Let's go?" I offered my hand to Nathalia.

"Thank you, handsome. I hope my family will like you. Oh, I am very sure they will." He kissed my cheek before going inside the event place.

Oh, well, let's see...

I am not into the business world so I'm just familiar with a few people. I greeted some of them but what caught my eye was that man standing so proud, talking, drinking, and smirking. Simon.

He was with a girl, I don't know if that is his girlfriend or what. So, clearly, he didn't marry Lucianna.

"Is there any problem, darling?" Nathalia stopped my inner thoughts.

"Nothing, let's go meet your family." I held her waist as we walked toward the people I wished were not the same people I met before. If that's the case, it would become a very different story.

"Darling, meet my Aunt Lorraine Vincenza, my late uncle's wife, and my cousin Tarra Vincenza."

Humarap sa akin ang dalawang babae. Pareho kaming mga nagulat pagkakita sa isa't isa.

What are they doing here? They are supposed to be poor like Lucianna!

"Oh, what a fate! Look at you, man." Lorraine Vincenza looks at me from head to toe. She is Lucianna's mother! What is happening here?!

"Nice to see you again, Missis Vincenza. You look great." My jaw clenched. "And you too, Miss Tarra."

Halos mataranta si Tarra sa pagbati ko sa pagbati ko sa kanya. She hurriedly excused herself and ran outside the event place.

"What happened to her?" natatawang tanong ni Nathalia. "You knew each other?"

Tumango ako. "An old acquaintance, darling. Your family is big in the Philippines."

"Oh, yes. How can I forget?!" She laughed. "Is it okay if I leave you with Aunt Lorraine? I'll get us a drink."

I nodded. "Sure."

After Nathalia left, I faced Missis Vincenza. She was smiling like nothing happened to us before.

"I don't know how you became rich, Julian. But I must, we are really destined to be a family. How about..." She paused for a while and sipped from her wine glass. "Let's just forget what happened before. I'm sure that girl who caused us trouble is probably dead. I wish she was dead. She was a pain in the ass." She rolled her eyes and chuckled.

Pinilit kong pakalmahin ang sarili ko. Paano niyang nasasabi iyan sa sarili niyang anak?

"Where is she?" I asked her.

"I don't know and I don't care. Huwag mo na siyang problemahin, you have Nathalia already, a perfect girl for you," she answered me.

Tumango na lang ako. "Right."

May tinawag siya mula sa likuran at bago ko pa malingon iyon ay narinig ko na ang boses niya.

"Dito lang pala tayo magkikita, Tita Lorraine. It's been a long time." Simon hugged Lorraine Vincenza.

He noticed me and grinned like a devil. "Look who's here? The gardener who got rich." He gave me a smirk.

"Yeah, nice to see you again." Hindi ako makahinga. Hindi ko kayang makasama ang mga taong ito na umaaktong inosente at walang singing buhay.

"We remained friends after what happened," Lorraine Vincenza said.

Obviously, after ruining me and Lucianna, they acted like it never happened. Fuck them!

Hindi ako makahinga. I need to get out of this place. I need to breathe to think properly.

I didn't bother to look for Nathalia. Hindi na ako nagpaalam pa sa kanya at lumabas na lang ng event place para makapagpahangin. Hindi ko kayang makita ang mga taong iyon na nagsasaya habang si Lucianna...

Ano ang nangyari? Bakit ganoon?

"Julian." A familiar voice came from somewhere and called my name.

Nilingon ko kung saan iyon galing. "Tarra."

"Julian, is that you? The same Julian before?" she asked me while her tears were overflowing.

"Yes, it's me. The one your cousin married." Lumapit ako sa kanya. "Why are you crying? What happened?"

She shook her head. "Sorry." And with that, she started crying again, her hands were covering her face.

"Sorry for what?" Naguguluhan na talaga ako.

Umiling lang siya. "Please, find Lucy. Find her and make sure she's okay. Sabi ni tita ay patay na siya pero hindi ako naniniwala. Please, find her. Wala akong kakayahan para lumaban para sa kanya, she was good to me yet I paid her with unfaithfulness."

"What? What happened to her?" Hinawakan ko ang braso niya. "Tell me what happened to her."

"I can't, I can't because I'm so scared. Wala akong ibang mapupuntahan kapag nalaman nilang nagsalita ako. And besides, I don't want to ruin Nathalia's life just like how I ruined Lucy's. Sorry, Julian. Just please, find her." Kinalas niya ang pagkakahawak ko sa kanya at saka bumalik sa loob ng event place.

I was left there, dumbfounded. I can't figure out what was happening.

"Julian, darling? What are you doing here?"

I was too preoccupied, I did not notice Nathalia.

"I need to go home," I said to her.

"W-what? Why? It's too early. Magsisimula pa lang ang party," she said. "Has something happened?"

I smiled. "Emergency sa bahay. Sorry, kailangan ko na talagang umalis."

Hindi ko na siya nilingon at mabilis na tinungo ang kotse ko. Gusto kong makita ngayon si Lucianna. I want to hug her and ask her if she's okay.

Ang bilis ng pagmamaneho ko na ilang minuto lang ay nakarating na ako sa building kung nasaan ang condo ko. I quickly rode the elevator. Nainip pa ako sa kahihintay na makarating iyon sa 14th floor.

When I entered my unit, the lights were turned off. Hinanap ko siya sa sofa dahil baka tulog na siya pero wala. Umalis na ba siya?

I tried to find her in the kitchen and the bathroom but I failed too. The last hope I had was to find her in my bed and I was not disappointed at all. There, I saw her, lying on top of my bed hugging my pillow while wearing one of my shirts.

I sighed in relief...