"C-CLAUS . . ." I woke up feeling so weak and the first thing that came into my mind was my husband. I almost started to panic but then I saw him approaching me quickly after he heard me call for him. Nang tingnan ko kung saan siya nanggaling ay nakita ko ang pinsan ko na naglalakad na rin palapit sa'kin.
"How are you feeling? May masakit ba sayo?" Masuyo ang paraan nang pagkakatanong ni Claus noon sa'kin. But instead of answering I just stared at him for a short while, his forehead started to crease with worry dahil nga hindi ako sumasagot sa mga tanong niya.
"Where's Claire?" nanghihina kong tanong sa kanya. He was taken aback with my question that it took him a few moments before he was able to pull himself together at iniwas ang kanyang tingin sa'kin para pagtuonan ng pansin ang mga pagkain sa side table.
"You want to eat or drink something? Cynthia—" Napansin ko ang pag-iiwas niya sa topic.
"Where is she, Claus?" ulit ko. Natigilan siya sa pag-aayos ng pagkain at bahagya kong napansin ang pagbagsak ng kanyang mga balikat.
"I . . . I sent her home already. Don't mind whatever she said. May problema lang 'yon kaya ikaw ang napagbubuntunan." Habang nagsasalita siya ay pilit kong hinuhuli ang mga mata niya but he was so adamant in not giving me an eye to eye contact. So I let him have his peace and just turned my attention to my cousin who was silently watching us.
"Ang lakas talaga ng radar mo pagdating sa'kin," pabiro kong saad sa kanya. Nginitian niya lang ako at mas lumapit pa sa kama ko. She sat beside me and gently patted my head while slightly messing my hair.
"Ang hilig mo din kasi talagang pasakitin ang ulo ko," she retorted back.
Pareho kaming napatingin kay Claus nang magpaalam itong bibili muna ng maiinom. We waited until he was out of the door before she gently turned her gaze back at me.
"What happened? It's been so long since your last attack, what triggered you this time?" nag-aalala niyang tanong.
"I was so stressed, Cyn. I . . . I broke up with Tim," pag-amin ko sa kanya. Agad na bumakas sa kanyang mukha ang gulat sa narinig.
"You broke up with him? For real?" hindi makapaniwala niyang tanong sa'kin.
"Yeah. I figured that it's time for me to be the wife Claus deserves," saad ko habang nakatingin sa pintuang nilabasan niya kani-kanina lang.
"Well, it's so nice to see that you're starting to get yourself altogether by trying to fix this mess, but . . . hindi ka ba nahirapan? Pumayag lang si Tim na makipaghiwalay ka ng ganon-ganon lang?"
"You think maste-stress ako ng ganito if hindi ako nahirapan? Halos magmakaawa na siya sa'kin na 'wag siyang iwan. But he was asking for too much, he was asking me to leave Claus!" Guilt was so evident in my voice but it was replaced with slight irritation during the last parts of it.
"I thought you love him? Then bakit nga ba hindi ka na lang nakipaghiwalay kay Claus?" I was taken aback with her question.
Bakit nga ba, Elle?
I was still contemplating and evaluating my thoughts and feelings when I heard her chuckle. Then, her chuckles turned to a playful smirk as she stared at my face.
"Natahimik ka? Don't tell me you haven't realized it yet?" Kumunot ang noo ko sa tanong niya.
"What do you mean? Realize what?" taka kong tanong pabalik.
"Ang tagal niyo na ni Tim, Elle. Ang dami niyo nang pinagdaanan, kung iyon lang naman ang pagbabasehan you should have chosen to be with him. But why are you still here with your husband?" Mas lalo lang akong naguluhan sa pinagsasabi ng pinsan ko.
BINABASA MO ANG
Almost Over (SP #1)
General FictionFirst Installation of Series of Pain (Formerly The Unfaithful) Samuelle "Elle" Evans is married to Claus Zco for three years already. However, she was in a relationship with her long-time boyfriend, Tim Villagracia for five years and counting. How c...
