98: FINAL CHAPTER

SAM'S POV

I was interrupted with my sleep when I felt someone moving beside me. I was supposed to ignore that interruptions dahil sa kagustuhan ko pang matulog pero nang maramdaman ko ng may umayos ng kumot ko, my eyes slowly fluttered open.

The room was slightly dim but enough para makita ko ang nakangiting mukha ni Manang Rita.

"Pasensya na po kayo kung nagising ko po kayo. Tiniyak ko lang na hindi po kayo malalamigan rito." Nakangiting bungad nito sa'kin.

I just nodded and smiled at her kindness before I slowly got up on my back. I think I have sleep enough dahil parang gumaan na ngayon ang pakiramdam ko. 

Glancing up at the wall clock across the roo, I checked the time and it said it was just eight in the evening.

"Iiwan ko na po muna kayo ma'am.. Pupuntahan ko lang muna sandali si sir Cameron sa baba." Paalam pa nito and then with that, tatalikod na sana ito.

"Sa baba? Ano namang ginagawa nya dun ngayon, manang"

Agad na humarap uli ito sa'kin and I frowned when worry filled her eyes.

"Kanina pa po siya hindi lumalabas dun sa basement ma'am simula pa po kaninang dumating kayo rito. Umiinom po. Ichecheck ko lang kung may kailangan pa po syang iba ngayon."

At the hear of that, I couldn't help but sighed at that.

Alright.. Parang alam ko na kung bakit nagkukulong ang gagong 'yon ngayon. Galit nga talaga ito. And it wasn't something to take it as a joke.

"I'll go talk to him, manang. Magpahinga nalang po muna kayo."

Pagkasabi ko dun, agad naman itong tumango and then bid her good night to me.

Pagkaalis ng matanda, agad na'kong tumayo and then headed to the wardrobe for a sleeping robe before I headed outside.

This bastard really want me to smash some bottle on his head right now nang matauhan ito. Talagang ginagawa nyang big deal ang pag-alis ko kanina when I was safe and well anyway.

Slightly annoyed with him, I marched down to the elevator and pressed the button for the basement.

In a zippy, the lift brought me down to the basement. Pagkalabas ko rito, I quickly marched towards that door to where the very bastard drowning himself at this moment.

At hindi nga'ko nagkakamali, umiinom pa nga talaga ito pagkabukas ko ng pinto. Other than the light inside the shooting area and in his mini bar, wala ng ibang nakabukas na ilaw kundi sa parteng yon ng lugar na'to. A few bottles of brandy were loitered before him while the drunkard still drowning himself with a liquor straight from the bottle. His jacket laid on the other barstool beside him while his necktie was on the floor.

Okay..Mukhang hindi nga maganda 'to.

Shaking my head while looking at his slumped back, agad na'kong lumapit dito and then snatched the bottle from his hand na syang ikinalingon nito.

"Manang---"

Agad na natigilan ito pagkalingon sa'kin. His annoyed glare hadn't even gone away at the sight of me.

The bastard.

"Why are you here? You should take more rest. Give me that back-----"

"No." Agad na saway ko rito sabay layo ng bote mula sa kanya when he was about to snatch it back.

"If you won't stop drowning yourself here, then I guess iinom narin ako. I really need it anyway kasi kailangan----"

"You are pregnant, woman! You can't just do anything as you please now." He growled out, now with an icy cold glare at me though not that as cold as his usual look before.

Well, hindi pa naman siguro masyadong lasing 'to ngayon since his voice hadn't slurred yet. I guess he can really handle alcohol that well.

"Yes. Alam ko 'yon but if you won't stop this now, talagang uubusin ko lahat 'to, Cameron. How about that, hmm? Gusto mo bang makipag-inuman sa'kin ngayon?" Matigas na panghahamon ko rito while giving him a tight smile.

Mas lalo pang tumalim ang tingin nito sa'kin ngayon while he kept making those noisy sounds in his throat. But I guess he did take my threat seriously dahil hindi na ito nagpumilit pa and just looked away from me, murdering the wall across him instead.

He was only in his dress shirt now with some of his buttons were undone while his sleeves were rolled up to his elbow. So unusual of him.

Sighing out, agad ko ng itinabi ang boteng hawak ko and then silently stared at him na hindi parin tumitingin sa'kin.

"I can see you're still mad at me. Well, I understand that." Pagsisimula ko just to start a conversation with him. "I admit it was stupid of me to go there by myself pero hindi naman ako ganun talaga katanga, Cameron to not have a back-up plan before going there----"

"Yes. Back-up plan and damn with that plan of yours."

When he snapped that, hindi ko na napigilang tignan ito ng patalim.

"YEs, you have back-up plans pero hindi mo alam kung ga'no kadelikado yong ginawa mo kanina and yet, itinuloy mo parin kahit alam mong maaari kang mapahamak dun! That bastard could've killed you there if not with Radley, Samantha!"

Nang biglaan na lamang nyang isinigaw 'yon, bigla nalang akong natameme sa kinatatayuan ko seeing how cooked up he was right now. Especially when tears started to glint in his eyes now while still trying to glare at me kahit na tingin ko nahihirapan na itong ibuka ng maayos ang mga mata nito ngayon.

He's drunk. Hindi nga lang halata dahil sa pananalita nito.

"Hindi mo alam kung ga'no mo ko pinag-alala ng lubos kanina, Samantha. Halos mabaliw na'ko sa kakaisip kanina kung saan kita hahanapin. I haven't had any idea kung saan kita hahanapin and it kills me just thinking na baka kung ano ng nangyari sa'yo and I couldn't even help you...." when he said that na parang hirap na hirap sabihin 'yon, pinili ko na lamang na tumahimik sa tabi nito and just stayed there to hear him out habang tinititigan ito.

"You just keep doing whatever you pleased to do at hindi mo man lang isinasaalang-alang kung anong mararamdaman ko sa mga ginagawa mo. Alam kong gusto mong tapusin ang lahat Samantha pero hindi mo man lang ba inisip na dalawa kayong mawawala sa'kin kapag may nangyari sa'yo kanina? I would've killed myself kung may nangyari sainyo and I wasn't even there to help you and kill that bastard myself!" And then with that, tuluyan na nga itong humagulgol sa harapan ko, not even hiding it from me now.

I guess he was just too wasted to even think about hiding what he truly feels now.

At kahit na ilang ulit ko ng nakitang umiyak ito sa harapan ko, I still couldn't get used to it. Seeing him this way always brought warm to my heart.

At hindi ko na nga napigilan ang sarili ko na hilahin at yakapin ito ng mahigpit habang napapangiti rito. He reeked of brandy in him and it doesn't sit me well lalo na't hindi pa rin nawawala ang pagiging sensitive ng pang-amoy ko because of my pregnancy. Pero dahil gusto kong aluin 'to ngayon, kailangan ko munang tiisin ito.

He hadn't pulled himself from my hug and just snuggled his face more on my chest. Hinayaan ko nalang muna ito and just opted to hear him out for now while caressing his back for a comfort. Encouraging him to let it out. Kahit na alam ko namang sisisihin lang nito ang sarili nito sa huli after scolding me.

"If it wasn't for Liam, hindi sana kita mahahanap kanina... And if it wasn't for Radley, you could've been killed earlier!.. If I haven't left you here this morning, none of this would've happened.. And I could've been the one who pulled that trigger for you..."he sniffled against me na siyang ikinangiti ko pa lalo. Now he was starting to sound like a sulking bastard that he was.

"Alam kong hindi ka talaga magdadalawang-isip na gawin 'yon that's why Radley suits better in that job than you. At kung nagkataong nandun ka nga kanina, then I wouldn't have find out everything, Cameron. Hindi ko sana malalaman na pakana nya pala ang lahat because knowing you, tyak babarilin mo na sya sa ulo before he could even disclose everything.. "natatawang saad ko rito which made him groaned at that and pulled out his face to give me a disapproval look.

His face was back to its usual dark look again.

"D'you think that is something to laugh at now, Samantha? It was a serious matter---"

"Pero tapos na ang lahat, Cameron and I'm alive. And besides, kung hindi rin naman sa'yo, no Radley would've been there to save me. At pinaglalamayan mo na sana ako. Am I even wrong about that?" Nakangiting saad ko na rito.

The bastard just stayed silent without even changing his facial expression habang matalim paring nakatitig sa'kin. Probably he can't still get over it.

He can keep murdering me with his glare all night. Totoo naman talaga ang sinasabi ko and this drama from him is totally unnecessary.

Hindi ko na lamang pinansin ito and just kept smiling at him while brushing his hair that had fallen from his forehead. A gesture which I think softened him because his glare slowly became a curious stare.

"Akala mo ba hindi rin ako takot kanina, Cameron? I could have lost both of you and our baby kung nagkataon. But because I have trusted you and Liam, I was able to face that man. And now that he was gone, I could finally live in peace.. with you." I uttered, now gently caressing his cheek and without cutting off my stare at him.

"Why don't we start preparing for our wedding instead so we could finally start a new life now together? It could be more interesting to do than you sulking over a spilled milk, don't you think?"

At the mention of that, a hint of excitement quickly flickered on his eyes, his drama was suddenly forgotten. A reaction which almost made me laugh at him.

"Our wedding? Oh yes. I almost forgot about it. I'm thinking about holding that tomorrow..."

My smile gone in a second pagkarinig sa sagot nito.

Agad-agad??

"Tomorrow? I'm not just talking to some drunk right now, am I? At hindi ka rin naman siguro masyadong nagmamadali ano?" 'di makapaniwalang tanong ko rito while looking at him with narrowed eyes. Dahil baka lasing na talaga ito ngayon and I'm having this talk now with someone na makakalimot agad paggising nito kinabukasan.

All he could afford to reply to me was gave me a look habang namumungay naman ang mga mata nito.

Alright. Walang duda.. lasing na nga talaga ito. I'm even wondering why I am even opening this topic now with him.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, agad na'kong kumawala rito while shaking my head at him.

"You're wasted now. Let's just resume this talk tomorrow without the alcohol intoxicating your sane mind, Cameron."

"Hindi ako lasing, Samantha. I'm serious about it." Agad namang segunda nito kahit halata naman rito.

No sober Cameron would just give me those puppy look and stayed silent on his seat without even giving me an argument about the topic. Kaya walang patutunguhan ang usapan na'to.

"We can really do it tomorrow. You can even start inviting anyone now and all I have to do is call an event organizer to prepare for everything. All you have to do is go take some rest and-----"

"No." I firmly cut off while glaring down at him with my still folded arms. Ignoring his pout.

"Auntie---I mean, my mother would certainly have your ass if we'll do it tomorrow. That sudden, Cameron. At talagang kasal agad-agad bukas ang gusto mo without even letting her know that you have even proposed. Oh yes! Muntik ko na palang makalimutan, hindi ka pala nagpropose sa'kin but you just blackmailed me to be precise.. How do you think would she react about it, hmm?" When I sarcastically pointed that out, agad na namang dumilim ang mukha nito. He was groaning now in disapproval and giving me those 'Thank-you-for-that-damn-reminder' kind of look with a mixture of sarcasms in it.

"You really make 'torturing my ego' as your habit now, don't you?"

"Well, kung ayaw mong makarinig ng sermon ng isang tigre sa araw mismo ng kasal mo imbes na best wishes mula sa kanya, then you better think twice before marrying me tomorrow." I answered with a raised brow, challenging him to retort and give me a sensible argument.

For a moment, he just kept glaring at me. Pero siguro dahil alam nitong tama ako, maya-maya lang, I heard him finally let out a sigh of resignation.

"Fine. Fine.. We'll do it in your condition then." Saad pa nito maya-maya kahit halata namang napipilitan lang ito. "Kailan mo ba gustong ikasal? Next month? Next year?---"

"Next week. We can do it next week."

When I cut that off, hindi man lang ito nabigla and he just gave me that 'are-you-serious' kind of look. I could really have his ass right now for giving me that look. Kahit sinasabi nitong hindi ito lasing, talagang may tama na talaga ang ito.

"Next week? Oh.. That's way too soon, sweetie. Parang bukas na rin 'yon. How about a year after next year? Kahit kailan mo gusto except next week and tomorrow. Tell me. Your wish is my command.." sarkastikong saad pa nito while mimicking the genie's voice in TV which caused me to grit my teeth now in annoyance.

I didn't know even in his drunk state, he could still make my blood boiled up. So talented of him!

"Kahit na ga'no pa katagal ang gusto mo. I can wait, Sweetie... As long as we can always have our honeymoon in advance, I can definitely wait."

At the mention of that, a disbelief gasp instantly escape from my mouth.

This bastard!

"Cameron!!" was the only words that came out from me before I hit him smack in his shoulder which made him frowned at me and look at me with questioning eyes. Na para bang hindi nito alam kung bakit ginawa ko yon.

Good Lord! Hindi ko alam na ganito pala kasarap sakalin ang g*gong 'to 'pag lasing.

"That's it. I'm indeed talking to some drunk right now. You still want to talk about our wedding when you can't even take this seriously. Tomorrow! Let's just resume this talk tomorrow before I'll hit the living daylight out of you, Cameron! Have fun and may your soul rest well tonight because you still have death to face tomorrow. Good night!" inis na bulyaw ko na rito and then with that, I wheeled around on my heels and then began my death march towards the door.

"Samantha, wait."

When I heard him called that out, with an annoyed sigh, agad na'kong lumingon dito and waited for him to probably say 'it was a joke'.

"What?" I asked with expectant look.

"If you're leaving, then what about our honeymoon, sweetie? Can we not do it now?"

When the bastard had even have the gall to ask that na akala ko ano na, I think all my blood had climbed up to my face dahil mukhang mamatay ako sa perwisyong dulot ng pagkalasing nito.

I guess the very first mission I'd do as his wife soon is burn every alcohol in this place nang sa gayon, hindi ko maililibing ng buhay ang taong 'to..

END