All I ask

AIA. 11 - Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do...

Explosion

Mariake Rojas - Vejar

"You're married to her!"

Hinampas ko ang balikat niya.

"You're married to her?! How dare you! How dare you do this to me!"

Gigil na gigil na ako kay Kairos. Hiyang - hiya na ako sa mga magulang niya pero hindi ko naman mapigilan ang sarili ko. Kahit hindi ko lubusang maisip kung paano at saan niya pinasakalan si Cachi - siguro sa Vegas, I don't know! Hindi ko na alam! My mind can't think straight. I know that I have to be rational. I don't have to lose my shit but damn it! I am losing it by the second.

"You married her! Hanggang kalian mo ba ako sasaktan?! Ano pa bang kulang?!"

"In my defense, I didn't know that we were married. I only found out weeks ago."

Lalo akong naguluhan. Anong ibig niyang sabihin? Natigilan ako and then it hit me.

"You were married to her first..." It was the biggest blow of my life. My tears couldn't stop falling.

What does that make my children?

Hinampas ko siya sa balikat. Kinalmot ko siya. Walang gustong pumigil sa akin. Iyak ako nang iyak hanggang sa tumigil na lang ako ng kusa. I took a deep breath.

"What does that make my children, Kairos?" I asked her in a very low voice.

"They are my kids too, Iake."

"I am asking you!" Sigaw ko. "What does that make Danielle and Ada!"

Nang hindi siya makasagot ay tinalikuran ko siya. I left the apartment. I don't know where I'll go pero iyak ako nang iyak I walked around the neighborhood thinking about my children, thinking about my angels... what does that make them? Paano nangyari ang bagay na ito? Paano ko ipapaliwanag sa mga anak ko na hindi sila ang...

I wiped my tears. Bahagya akong nagulat nang makarinig ako ng malakas na busina mula sa isang van. I looked back. Huminto iyon at mula roon ay bumaba si Cachi. May dala siyang dilaw na payong.

"Get in, Mariake. It's going to rain."

Hindi sana ako maniniwala but then it started... tumakbo ako papunta sa kanya. Binuksan niya iyong kabilang pinto at saka pumasok kaming dalawa.

What am I supposed to say to her? Am I gonna ask her things? I looked at her.

She is the legal wife... My gut feeling tells me that she is the legal one. Kairos didn't correct me. It really breaks my heart...

"Cachi..." I whispered. "I have to know..." I am trying my best not to cry. "Did he marry you first?"

"I think.... Yes, he did."

Para akong sinuntok ni Manny.

"Oh my god..."

"And it's my fault because I should've said something. I thought it was a joke. Kasal na kayo bago ko nalaman na na-i-file na pala iyon. Paalis na ako noon papuntang Qatar. I went to CLPH, I wanted to tell him but I got so scared. Sabi ko kahit takot ako sasabihin ko." She sighed. "For a while there, I wanted to tell him para ako naman ang piliin niya."

Pinahid niya ang mga luha niya. Ganoon rin ako.

"But..." She smiled. "You made me hold Danielle and I realized that there are things better than my unreciprocated love. So, I let it go. I flew away never wanting to go back..."

I couldn't say anything.

"You wanted him to choose you." Sabi ko.

"Yes."