Moments

Surprise Visitor

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1.7.17 AMACon4 -Day 6: Prompt: Not everyone you lose is a loss

Surprise Visitor 

Richard was busy looking at the reports submitted by his managers when the phone connected to his secretary rings. "Yes?"

"Sir, may naghahanap po kay Sir M"

Napataas siya ng kilay. "Barbs, what is this about? Alam mo na busy ako, di ka tatawag unless this is very important"

"Sir, sinabi na namin sa kanya na matagal ng wala dito si Sir M pero ayaw po maniwala. Hinahanap po yung may-ari ng building...eh, di po ba kayo yun?"

Napabuntunghininga siya. He bet this is another problem his former partner left for him to clean up. Inayos niya ang bahagyang nagulo na eyeglasses. Ilang oras na rin siyang nagtatrabaho ng walang break. He doesn't even remember if he had lunch earlier and it's already thirty minutes after five o'clock.

"Okay, let him in. Could you order some food na rin from the canteen, you know my usual"

"Okay. But Sir, hindi him, her po"

Napahilot si Richard sa sentido. He think he's about to get a headache. Is this another woman Mark got pregnant?

"Sige, papasukin mo na, Barbs. Kakausapin ko" sabi niya habang patuloy na hinihilot ng kanang kamay ang sentido.

"Sir, may problema pa."

Richard sighs. Barbara, his secretary of five years is very reliable. He consider her a close friend already, out of the office. If she's reluctant about this lady, there must be really something wrong.

"I'll take it. Whatever it is. Papasukin mo na siya."

"O-kay. Sige, Boss. Ikaw na bahala"

Ilang segundo pa ay bumukas na ang pintuan ng opisina niya. Di kaagad nagtaas ng tingin si Richard. He saved all his files at the computer then put it on sleep mode before slowly looking up while his eyes is still on the monitor, "Barbs, yung order kong food, ipadiretso mo na lang---" naputol ang iba pa niyang sasabihin ng diretsong mapatingin siya sa bisitang pumasok. Hindi nito kasama ang secretary niya.

Balingkinitan ang katawan, nakasuot ng lumang shirt at kupas na maong short ang babae. Pero ang nagpatigil sa kanya ay ang itsura nito. Magulo ang buhok, puno ng dumi ang mukha, braso at binti nito.

Sa kabila nun ay diretso itong nakatingin sa kanya. Tila ba walang anuman dito kung pumasok ito sa opisina ng presidente ng kompanya na ganun ang itsura.

Napataas ng isang kilay si Richard. Di niya malaman kung maiinsulto o matatapangan dito. Bumaba pa ang tingin niya mula sa mukha nito. Noon niya napansin na ang ibang dumi sa katawan nito ay natuyong dugo. May ilang galos din ito sa braso habang nagdudugo rin ang paa.

Mabilis siyang napatayo. "Barbara!"

Pumasok ang secretary na may hawak pa na ilang files. "Sir?"

"Bumaba ka sa clinic. Papuntahin mo si Doc dito. Kung wala na siya dun, tawagan mo. Sabihin mo hinahanap ko siya" mabilis na tango lang ang sagot nito at lumabas ng muli.

Richard stared back at his visitor. Umikot siya sa desk at nag-lean sa harap niyon. "Please seatdown" tinuro niya ang big black sofa sa kanan.

Umiling ang babae. "Nasaan si Mark?"

Napasuklay siya sa buhok, a habit he do whenever he is stress. He'd been asked the same question multiple times and his answer will always be the same. "He's not here. I don't know where he is. He broke all ties with me which is all for the better, by the way. That man is not even worth it to talk about. So please, kung siya lang ang pinunta mo rito. Hindi kita matutulungan"

"Ikaw ba si Richard?"

"Yes, I am. Why?"

"Ikaw ang best friend ni Mark?"

"Yes, former bestfriend" Richard cross his arms then asked, "Ikaw? Who are you?"

"Nicomaine"

Natigilan siya. Pamilyar ang pangalan sa kanya. That's the name on Mark's letter!

"Chard, si Nicomaine. Sa kanya napunta ang lahat"

"Ikaw si Nicomaine?"

Tumango ang dalaga habang tila nag-sway ang katawan nito animo'y matutumba, on instinct, mabilis na nakalapit si Richard at sinalo ito. "Hey, are you okay?"

Umiling si Nicomaine. "Nahihilo ako"

Di na nagdalawang-isip pa na binuhat niya ito at pinaupo sa sofa. "Listen, kung ano man ang kailangan mo kay Mark. Kalimutan mo na. Di na siya babalik sa Pilipinas sa dami ng kaso niya rito. You're better off without him." Napahinga siya ng malalim. And he find it odd that despite of Nicomaine's dirty look she does not smell bad. On the contrary, there's a faint scent of lavender that he could smell on her.

Naupo si Richard sa tabi nito habang kinuha sa center table ang isang bote ng mineral water, binuksan iyon at inabot kay Nicomaine.

"Drink" he said, Nicomaine emptied the whole bottle in an instant. When she's done he continued, "Mukhang malayo pa ang pinanggalingan mo. Ikwento mo na lang sa akin later. In the meantime, I'll have to ask."

Napapikit pa ang isang mata bago niya bago tinanong ito. "Are you pregnant?"

Mabilis na, "No!" ang sagot nito.

Napahinga siya ng malalim, "Buti naman" tatayo na sana siyang muli upang tawagin ang secretary niya at tanungin kung bakit wala pa ang doktor ng hawakan siya sa braso ni Nicomaine.

"I am not Mark's girl. I never was" humigpit ang kapit nito sa braso niya. "But I am your wife, Richard"

"Nagbibiro ka ba? Is this a prank? Imposible ang sinasabi mo Nicomaine. I would have known if I have a wife"

"Not if Mark has done something to get away with it"

Nagtagis ang mga bagang ni Richard. The scenario is suddenly worst that he expected. He gaze at Nicomaine's brown eyes. He can see that she's not just making this up. A woman with bruise and dirt all over her, literally, but still held her head high don't just went to someone's office anddeclared herself as his wife. There's something more, something worst.

"Where have you come from?"

"From the mountain, I was caged in a small hut there, for months"

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A/N: Thank you for reading! ^_^