Love in the Hacienda [Completed]

Chapter 14

Nasa tapat na sila ng Villa Castro, Clara's family home.

 Pababa na siya ng sasakyan ng magsalita si Alejandro. "I'm sorry if anything that I did or said offended you. But talk to me when you're okay again," he said. 

Hindi niya ito pinansin. Basta lamang siya bumaba ng sasakyan nang biglang lumabas sa double doors na main entrance ng villa ang Mama niya. Humahangos ito na parang nagmamadali.

"Clara, oh God, good you're here!" gulong-gulong wika nito pagkakita sa kanya. 

"What's wrong, Ma?" she asked. She took note of her worried face. Nakaayos rin ito na parang papaalis ng bahay.

"Alejandro, Clara, something bad happened to Winnie," anunsyo nito.

"What??" gulat na tanong ni Alejandro na ngayon ay nakababa na rin pala ng sasakyan.

"Nangangabayo sila kanina ni Tyler at bigla na lang, for some reason, ibinato siya ng kabayo at nahulog siya. It was a bad fall kaya ini-rush kagad siya ng Papa mo sa ospital sa bayan. Narito at susunod nga ako ngayon. Hindi ko pa alam ang totoong kalagayan niya. But she was unconscious and her head was bleeding from the accident. So if you're free, baka maaari mo akong samahan, hijo."

"Yes, of course, Tita. Hop on! Saang ospital?" Alejandro was quick to move at pinasakay na ang Mama niya sa sasakyan.

But she was unsure of what to do. May ginawa ba si Tyler na hindi dapat? May kinalaman ba ang nangyari na 'to sa pinagusapan nila ni Tyler kagabi? Kinukutuban siya ng masama.

"Are you coming, Clara?" tanong ni Alejandro sa kanya ngayon, holding out the passenger door still open for her.

She didn't know what to say pero sumakay na lang para malaman kung anong nangyari. Deep down inside, she was praying hard na wala siyang kinalaman o si Tyler sa nangyari sa pinsan niya.

****

"What happened?" pabulong na sigaw niya kay Tyler ng ma-corner niya ito sa isang sulok ng palapag na iyon ng ospital.

Winnie was in the ICU and is undergoing a brain surgery because she had a hemorrhage  from her fall. Nauna kasing bumagsak ang ulo nito ng itapon siya ng kabayong sinasakyan.

"I didn't know she couldn't ride horses. She said she wanted to try," sagot ni Tyler na kinakabahan ngayon sa kondisyon ng dalaga. "So... I gave her the reigns and went down the horse."

"What?" gulat na gulat na sigaw niya rito.

"Clara, I'm sorry. I didn't mean this to happen. I didn't want this to happen! Believe me. I just brought her out to help her take photos. Magkasama kaming dalawa sa kabayo. I thought she knew how to ride. Pero naisip ko rin... a little accident won't hurt to make her realize that this life isn't for her... to drive her out of the villa and your family's hacienda."

"Are you crazy?" Ito na nga ba ang kinakatakutan niya.

"Clara, this is exactly what you wanted," pagpapaalala nito sa kanya.

"No! I didn't tell you to endanger my cousin's life," giit niya.

"I know. I know! I'm sorry. But I just did what I thought would help you get rid of her. Just like you said na ayaw mo na makita siya dito sa hacienda ninyo," pag-uulit ni Tyler.

She groaned in frustration. This isn't what she planned. 

"You were behind this?" a voice from behind them asked.

Sabay na nilingon nina Tyler at Clara ang baritonong boses na ito.

"Clara, you were behind this?" Alejandro asked again. Kitang-kita sa mukha nito ang hilakbot sa narinig.