Losing Control

Labing Pito

Stephanie Asuncion.

 

Bakit kamukhang kamukha ng Stephanie Asuncion na ito si Gigi?  Paano nangyari to?  Si Gigi at si Stephanie ay iisang tao lamang?  Bakit?  Bakit sya nasa La Union?  Bakit sya nagtatrabaho bilang cook ni Kuya Dan?  Alam kaya ni Kuya Dan ito?  Alam nya kaya na si Gigi na cook nya at si Stephanie na arranged wife nya ay one and the same person?

Enzo stared at the web search page on his laptop while he took a gulp from his bottle of beer.  There were so many pictures of Stephanie.  She really is a socialite in the Manila party scene.  But this Stephanie smiling at the pictures is far different from the Gigi he met in La Union.  It could just be coincidence that they look alike, but...there can't be that big of a coincidence, could there?  Parang imposible naman, unless kambal sila.  His head was starting to throb from thinking too much.  He needed to talk to Gigi.  He wanted to ask her kung sya nga ba si Stephanie Asuncion.  

Si Stephanie Asuncion ay mahaba ang buhok na kulot kulot sa ilalim. Si Stephanie Asuncion ay laging naka-make up; naka eye liner, may blush, at lipstick.  Si Stephanie Asuncion ay mukhang mamahalin ang mga damit at sapatos.  Si Stephanie Asuncion ay laging may dalang designer hand bags.  Si Stephanie Asuncion ay laging napapaligiran ng mga kaibigan.  Si Stephanie Asuncion ay laging spotted na may iba ibang date.   Si Stephanie Asuncion na mukhang hindi marunong sa gawaing bahay.  Si Stephanie Asuncion ay laging naka manicure.  Si Stephanie Asuncion ay mukhang mayaman.  Si Stephanie Asuncion ay mayaman.

Paano naging si Gigi and Stephanie ay iisang tao lamang?

 

Baka mali ako. 

 

Baka namamalikmata lang ako.

 

Pero I know siya to!

Enzo stared into Stephanie's widely grinning face again.  He took one long drink of his beer before shutting his laptop.  He decided that he would investigate this further.  Hindi nya muna sasabihin kanino ang nalalaman nya.  He was going to confront Gigi first.  If Gigi was Stephanie, there has to be a good reason why she's pretending to be someone she's not.  He was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.  Hindi nya kayang ilaglag si Gigi.  Not now, not ever.

He picked up his cell phone and scrolled down to his brother's number.  His thumb hovered over the green call button, his decision wavering whether to call him or not.  He finished off his beer and then pressed the green call button.  He waited and waited while the phone rang for Ashton to pick up, but he never heard his brother's voice.  He called again, not necessarily wanting to talk to Ashton; he wanted to get a hold of Gigi.  Again, nobody picked up.  He decided to give up and just call some other time.

Sino ka ba talaga, Gigi?

***

Stephanie remained seated on the couch long after Carlota excused herself to go sleep.  Hawak hawak nya lang ang phone na binigay sa kanya ni Ashton at nanonood ulit sya nung medical drama na naging paborito na nya.  Nakatutok syang masyado sa telepono nya na napatalon sya ng may biglang kumatok sa pinto ng cottage.  Pinause nya ang pinapanood nya at tumayo na from the couch.  She pushed the curtains aside and took a peek through the window first before opening the door.  She opened the door a quarter of the way and put a hand on her hip.