Under the Sky of Diamonds | ✔︎

THIRTY-FIVE

IT'S been three days since we visited Crinx and Xydrien's behavior has become odd. Nanatiling tikom ang aking labi habang muling pinagmamasdan si Xydrien na tahimik lamang sa aking tabi. He was like that ever since we reach home three days ago. Malimit na siyang magsalita.

I also told him about the kiss. I have never kissed Crinx ever since I married Xydrien. Hindi rin ako pumapayag na halikan niya ako sa labi kahit na nagkikita kami noon. Tanging halik sa noo at pisngi lang ang nangyari. But when he heard those, he just nodded at me and didn't react at all.

Dawn meowed, sensing his father's odd behavior. He looked at me innocently before looking at his father who was silently typing on his laptop. Sometimes his jaw would clench as well as his hand.

"Xydrien . . ." I gently called him. When I sensed that he was listening to me I continued. "Papakainin ko lang si Dawn sa baba," paalam ko sa kaniya.

I sucked my lower lip as I waited for his response. Without looking at me, he nodded his head before adjusting his glasses. Binuhat ko si Dawn bago lumabas ng kwarto.

We silently leave the room before making our way towards the kitchen. I put Dawn down before preparing his food. He wandered around but when he smelt something he ran towards me before munching his food.

Umupo ako sa sahig bago niyakap ang magkabilang tuhod at ipinatong ang aking baba roon. I tucked my hair behind my ears before petting Dawn who is busy eating.

I pressed my lips together while thinking of Xydrien. I remembered when I dragged him out of the hospital, he was very emotionless. Siguro kung hindi ko pa siya hinatak, hindi siya maglalakad. He was just silently following my lead with his blank face, para bang ang lalim ng iniisip niya.

Dinaanan muna namin si Dawn sa gwardiya at mukhang napansin din niya ang biglang pagtamlay ni Xydrien. Ako na rin ang nagbigay ng pera roon sa guard. Then after that, I guided Xydrien along the way. Muntik na nga siyang matisod habang naglalakad kami. Dawn kept quiet the whole time, silently observing the both of us. Ako na rin ang nag-drive pauwi dahil baka mabangga kami kapag siya ang magmamaneho. He was lifeless the whole time. Buti na lang pagkarating namin rito, wala si Manang dahil kung baka nakita niya kami, magtanong pa iyon kung bakit kami umuwi agad.

Inaya ko siyang maligo and I did try to touch him intimately but no reaction. He was just staring at the wall the whole time. Ako na nagpaligo sa kaniya't lahat-lahat. He just blinked his eyes when I finished bathing him and he pulled me into a bone crushing hug. Mabilis na nagtaas baba ang kaniyang dibdib na para bang kababangon niya lang mula sa isang masamang panaginip. He buried his face on the sunken area of my neck, breathing my scent to calm his raging nerves down.

I didn't utter anything and just hugged him back. Moving my hand up and down on his back to comfort him. Pagkaraan rin ay humiwalay siya ngunit matiim akong tinitigan na para bang maglalaho ako bigla. Mahigpit din ang hawak niya sa bewang ako. I sighed before pulling him towards our bed, settling him down on the edge of the bed and drying his hair with a towel as he wrapped his hand around my small waist and dig the side of his head on my tummy.

Hindi siya nagsalita habang tinutuyo ko ang buhok niya. Tumayo na lang siya noong tumunog ang kaniyang cellphone at may kinausap while I went to our walk-in closet to wear some clothes. And that was the start of everything. After he received the call he became silent and distant.

I sighed and continued to stare at Dawn.

"What should I do with your father, Dawn?" I asked him. "I shouldn't have brought him just to visit Crinx. It just made everything worse," I whispered to him.

He continued to eat his food, not sparing a minute to look at me.

I pout. Should I just seduce Xydrien? But I tried it and it didn't work. Ulitin ko kaya? Pero baka naman magmukha akong desperada no'n.