Latch

Chapter 19: Part of Healing

LATCH

Chapter 19:  Part of Healing

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Third Person's Point of View

Kinabukasan ay nagising si Krystique ng mga mag-a-alas-nueve ng umaga dahil may naamoy siyang masarap na niluluto. She grabbed a black robe that is hanging beside her, where she believes, Miguel put since the man knows that she is only wearing his over-sized shirt, boxer shorts and without underwear since Miguel bathe her last night.

Hindi din maiwasan ni Krystique ang pamulahan ng mukha dahil naalala niya kung anong katangahan ang pinag-gagawa niya kagabi. She is really so stupid. She just wish that Miguel will not tease her for what she did, and also she hopes that the man will not notice how puffy her eyes are since she cried for about two hours. 

Pagkabukas na pagkabukas niya ng pinto ay lalo niyang naamoy ang masarap na pagkain. Her stomach even started to make sounds because of the hunger she is feeling. Dahil hindi na talaga niya mapigilan ang gutom ay nagmadali siyang bumaba ng hagdan hanggang sa bumungad na nga sakanya ang napakaraming pagkaing nakahanda sa hapag. Mayroong itlog,bacon, tocino, there are also fruits, a large bowl of salad, fried rice, and milk. The food in the table is presented like how a 5 star restaurant will do. At halatang bagong luto ang mga ito.

"You're finally up. Let's eat para mahatid na kita sainyo. Our daughter must be waiting" - simpleng saad ni Miguel, at hindi alam ni Krystique kung masaya ba ito o malungkot. The tone he used is just plain. 

"Okay" - she just said and she took her seat. Nagsimula nang kumuha ng pagkain si Miguel at ganoon din siya. At habang kumakain, hindi niya maiwasang mailang dahil parang naging kakaiba ang trato sakanya ng lalaking kaharap niya.

Last night, she remembered how kind, how much a gentleman he is and how much he cared for her. But right now she can't feel anything dahil ni hindi man lang siya tinapunan ng tingin ng lalaki. Miguel just focused on eating, at alam niyang may kung anong nagbago sa lalaki. 

Lumipas ang ilang minuto at natapos na silang kumain. Tumayo si Miguel at parang may kinuha sa isang kwarto at pagkabalik nito ay agad itong lumapit sakanya. Krystique immediately thought that Miguel is going to finally start a conversation with her pero mali siya.

"I already washed and dried your clothes. Go change already if you are done eating. It's almost ten. " - walang kaemosyon-emosyong saad ni Miguel at bigla niyang naramdaman na para siyang pinapa-alis na nito. Ni hindi man lang ito magtanong kung kamusta ba siya?, kung galit ba siya sakanya?. Krystique knows that she really needs to go home already since Euphemia might be crying right now, missing her presence, but she also knows that she needs to make something clear with Miguel since he is the father of her daughter.

She tried speaking but sadly walang ni isang salita ang lumabas kaya sinara nalang niya ang kanyang bibig at kinuha ang paper bag kung asan ang kanyang damit at mabilis siyang umakyat pabalik sa kwarto kung saan siya nanggaling. 

Pagkasara na pagkasara niya ng pinto ay napa-upo siya sahig kasabay ng muling pagtulo ng luha niya.

"What happened to the gentle Miguel?" - she asked herself kasabay ng pagtakip niya ng kanyang bibig upang piglan ang kanyang malakas na paghikbi.

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Matapos niyang magbihis ay agad siyang naglakad pabalik papunta sa baba at nakita niya na maayos na hapag-kainan ay nakaupo na sa couch si Miguel. Inabot siya ng 20 minutes sa pagbihis dahil siniguro niya munang hindi maga ang kanyang mga mata.

"Let's go" - Miguel said at agad itong tumayo mula sa pagkaka-upo at dire-diretso lang ito naglakad papalabas ng kanyang bahay. Napa-yukom ng kanyang kamay si Krystique dahil pakiramdam niya ay nagbago na ang trato sakanya ng lalaki. Hindi na gaya noon.

Pero imbis na tumunganga ay agad din naman niyang sinundan si Miguel hanggang sa makarating na siya sa harap ng kotse nito. Nasa loob na ng kotse ang lalaki kaya she just opened the door by herself, hindi gaya ng dati na pinagbubuksan pa siya ng lalaki ng pinto. 

Pagkapaso niya ng kotse ay lalong umiba ang kanyang pakiramdam niya. The atmosphere felt so different, it feels so heavy unlike before and the atmosphere is really making her uncomfortable, it makes her want to burst into tears. 

"Put on your seat belt" - Miguel suddenly said dahilan para mabigla siya pero agad din niya namang sinunod ang sinabi nito at pagka-ayos na pagka-ayos niya ng kanyang seat belt ay agad din namang pina-andar ni Miguel ang sasakyan.

Habang nasa byahe ay walang ni isa sakanila ang nagsalita. Miguel just focused on driving while Krystique focused her eyesight outside admiring the nature. At para bang sobrang bilis ng oras at nakita niya na agad ang sign ng building kung saan siya nakatira. And in just a few minutes ay nakaparada na ang sasakyan ni Miguel sa harap mismo ng gusali. 

"Thank you for the ride" - Krystique said in a low voice at akmang aalis na sana siya ng biglang magsalita si Miguel.

"Nothing happened last night so don't worry, I know how to control my urges." - he said

"Okay" - Krystique answered in a low voice ngunit sa isip isip niya ay ang gusto niya sana itong sagutin na alam niya naman ang nangyayari kagabi but what Miguel said the next made her froze.

"By the way, I think it's best for us to not meet or talk for some time. I know we have still unfinished business, I fooled you and I know I have to explain to you everything and we need to clear every misunderstanding but I think this is not the right time."

It was clear in what he said. Krystique knew that Miguel wanted space and she cannot help to be frustrated since she is the one who is supposed to be the one to ask for space pero bakit siya mismo ang nagsasabi nito sakanya? She is expecting that Miguel will be the one to start the conversation by explaining his side for her to understand him pero mukhang walang planong gawin ng lalaki ang nasa kanyang isip. 

"Wh-why?" - she asked and Miguel smiled at her, and she knows it is a sad one and the next thing the man beside her said made her burst into tears again. 

"Because you are still in pain. That pain is because of me. You will continuously be in pain if we don't go in our separate ways for a while. And this is of course a part of you being healed of the pain I caused"

© IMPERATRICEC

AUGUST 2020