Grieving Soul [#Wattys2019 Winner]

Chapter 35

#GrievingSoulWP

Chapter 35
Pregnant

The overwhelming happiness and security I felt last night only lasted for a fleeting moment.

What ever happened before I fell asleep felt like it didn't happen at all when I woke up in the morning, reading Gio's text message. Pakiramdam ko tuloy ay isang panaginip at kathang-isip lamang ang nangyari kagabi.

From: Gio
I'll be out of town for a week. Geneveive and I will do a survey in Davao. Please take care while I'm gone.

Just when I thought that eveything's going to be different today, I realized that it won't and it's even worse. I suddenly wondered if that's the reason he was sorry last night because he was going out of town with the girl he once dated. He didn't even wake me up to tell me in person that he'd be gone for a week. Ayos lang sana kung sinabi niya sa akin at kung hindi ganoon kalayo ang kanilang pupuntahan but it's a number of seas away from where I am. Kung gugustuhin kong sumunod ay kailangan ko pang mag-eroplano at hindi ko rin naman alam kung saan sila naroroon.

Did he think that leaving a text message was already fine?

Hindi ako makapaniwala. Paulit-ulit akong umiiling habang pilit na kinakalma ang sarili. I kept on trying to understand his abrupt actions and decisions, but I couldn't stop myself from being disappointed and getting angry at him.

Ano na lang ang sasabihin ng iba kapag nalaman nila na ang asawa ko ay mayroong kasamang iba sa malayong lugar sa loob ng isang linggo? We just got married and there he was, spending his time with another woman who's not his wife.

Sa galit at iritasyon na nararamdaman ko ay hindi ko nagawang sagutin ang kanyang mensahe. Para saan pa ang sasabihin ko ngayong nakaalis na siya. I doubted if he'd even care about my opinion when he clearly didn't need it.

Mina and Wenna wouldn't dare start a conversation with me. I didn't want to be rude while eating lunch with them, but I couldn't stop myself from frowning the whole time. Patuloy at walang tigil na bumubuhos sa aking isipan ang iba't ibang posibilidad na ginagawa nila habang magkasama sa lugar kung saan malayo ako.

I can imagine Gio carrying Geneveive's luggage before they board. While they are sleping on the plane even on a short flight, Geneveive will rest her head on his shoulders. And what about the hotel room? I don't even know if they will stay in one suite or not.

Nagpupuyos ang galit na aking nararamdaman habang iniisip ang mga puwedeng mangyari sa kanilang dalawa. Knowing the fact that Gio dated her once didn't help me at all. It only made my feeling worse than it was.

Padarag kong ibinaba ang kubyertos at kita kong bahagyang nagulat sina Mina at Wenna sa aking marahas na kilos. Naalerto naman sila nang bigla akong tumayo na pati sila ay napatayo rin.

"I'm going out," I declared.

"Saan po kayo pupunta?" natatarantang tanong ni Mina sa akin at mukhang balak pa ako nitong pigilan sa pag-alis.

Tumigil silang dalawa ni Wenna sa aking harapan at hinaharangan ang aking dadaanan paalis. Kitang-kita ko ang panginginig ng kanilang binti.

"Pupunta ako sa plantation namin. I need to talk to my mother. Mababaliw lang ako kung mananatili ako rito buong araw," sagot ko sa kanila.

I saw their body relaxed when they heard my answer before they stepped aside to let me pass through. Bumuntong hininga naman ako at inilahad ang aking kamay kay Mina.

"Can I have your phone for a while?"

Nagmamadali niya namang kinuha sa bulsa ang kanyang cellphone at ibinigay sa akin ng walang pag-aalinlangan. I swiped it once and it already opened because there's no passcode needed.