Epilogue 2/3

"Good morning Rielle!"

I said as she opened the door. Shock was evident in her face kaya I chuckled and moved towards her to kiss her. After that I went to her kitchen and fixed all the foods that I brought for our breakfast.

We've been in a relationship for six months now and I'm beyond happy. After our talk last February, pinayagan niya na akong ligawan siya. Sobrang nagulat ako sa pagpayag niya at mas lalong nagulat noong sinagot niya ako last April. It was indeed fast but I wouldn't done it any other way. Nagpapasalamat din ako na hindi na ako torpe kasi kung hindi, baka hanggang ngayon hanggang imagination ko pa rin ang lahat ng 'to.

"Aren't you supposed to be in Manila?" She asked.

I chuckled and hugged her. It was true though. I'm supposed to be in Manila dahil busy ako sa negosyo namin at sinabi ko rin sa kanya na baka next month pa ako makabalik dito. But I wanted to see her kasi sobrang miss ko na siya. Can you blame me for missing my girlfriend? Girlfriend, that sounds so nice.

"Kahit weekend may trabaho diba?" She asked.

"I'm the boss babe." I said.

"Kahit na–"

I cutted her.

"Why do I feel like you don't want to see me? I came here, all the way from Manila to see you. Kasi miss na miss na kita. I wasn't able to come here last month because of my schedule tapos ngayon na nandito na ako ganyan ang magiging reaction mo?" I said.

Then went towards the dinning area. I pouted and sulked in the corner. Pinapakita ko talaga sa kanya na nagtatampo ako. Kasi naman eh sobrang miss ko na siya tapos ganyan pa siya makitungo sa akin. Ang lahat pa naman ng ayaw ko ay yung hindi makita ang excitement sa mga mata niya sa tuwing magkasama kami.

She stared in awe of my reaction. Konti na lang bibigay na rin 'to kaya naman I pouted even more. One thing about Rielle is that she couldn't say no to me lalo na kapag nagtatampo na ako.

"I wanted to surprise you." I said in a baby tone.

Alam ko sobrang childish but she likes it whenever I act this way. And I love how she handles me whenever I throw tantrums at her. Kasi bine'baby at pina'pamper niya talaga ako and I always feel loved kapag ginagawa niya yun.

"This is beyond my imagination." I said.

It's true though. I never really thought all of these could happen. That she'll pamper me, dine with me, and do things for me. Nasa imagination ko lang kasi lahat ng yun eh and I never really thought na magkakatotoo lahat ng pinapangarap ko noon.

"You're always so sweet. But no need to imagine babe, dahil lahat ng ito totoo. Kahit mag reality check ka pa, mahal na mahal pa rin kita." She said.

I smiled. Really, what did I ever do good in my past life to deserve this woman? Did I saved the world? Was I a great warrior like Achilles? Did I invented a vaccine that could save the extinction of humanity? Kasi ang alam ko hanggang panaginip lang ang mahalin ng taong mahal ko, but here we are...

Everything went smooth for us not until I heard her mother and grandmother's conversation. That was November, monthsary namin kaya I decided to surprise her. Pero ako yung na surprise nung na rinig ko ang usapan nila tita.

Rielle only used me?

I cannot accept what I heard so I walked away without even saying hi. Pumunta ako sa condo ni Rielle and stayed at her balcony. Hindi naman siguro ako gagamitin ni Rielle diba? I mean, I felt her love. The way she cares, they're all so true. No... my Rielle would never do that. Hindi niya kayang gawin sa akin yun.

"No. Stay there. Ako na nga diba. And why am I doing this?

Babe, I'm doing this because I love you. No amount of fatigue can make me stop doing these kinds of things for you." She said.

"Really? You love me?" I asked.

"Duh di pa ba obvious?" She said, chuckling.

If only I didn't heard her lola and mother's conversation siguro sobrang kinilig na ako ngayon. But no, I can't kasi baka... No hindi Psyche! Mahal ka ni Rielle! Hindi totoong ginamit ka lang niya!

After that ayoko nang bumalik sa Manila kasi baka malingat lang ako maagaw na siya sa akin. Sobrang mahal ko siya na hindi ko kakayanin kapag makipaghiwalay siya sa akin. Paano kapag may kumausap sa kanya tapos biglang ligawan siya? Paano kapag pumayag siya? Anong gagawin ko kung sasabihin niya isang araw na hindi na niya ako mahal? Anong gagawin ko?! Paano na ako?!

_____

"Psyche, anak are you okay?" Mommy asked.

I nodded without looking at her. Nandito ako ngayon sa opisina tinatapos lahat ng trabaho ko kasi balak kong pumuntang Cebu bukas kasi 8th monthsary namin ni Rielle.

"16 bukas ah, ang alam ko basta't ika 16 ng buwan pinupuntahan mo si Asther sa Cebu. Bakit nandito ka pa hanggang ngayon?"

I sighed and looked at her.

"Ang daming kailangang tapusin myy eh kaya bukas na ako pupunta." I said.

"That's new. You never hesitated to leave everything behind basta't si Asther na ang pinag-uusapan.... May problema ba? Nag-away ba kayo?" She asked. I shooked my head. "Are you sure? You can tell mommy everything."

"Wala nga myy ang kulit. And I needed to finish all of these paperworks."

"Sige na anak, go to Cebu. Don't stress yourself too much sa trabaho, ano ba ikaw ang boss. Hayaan mo na ang mga yan, I'm pretty sure miss na miss mo na si Asther." She said.

Napaka-kulit talaga. I declined once more pero siya na mismo ang nagligpit sa mga papeles para makaalis na daw ako. Kaya hindi na rin ako nagmatigas at pumunta nang airport. This became my routine na every month pupuntang Cebu para makita si Asther. Minsan twice a month pa. Una ayaw ni daddy pero I threatened him na aalis ako sa kompanya kung pipigilan niya ako sa gusto ko. Natakot siguro kaya pumayag na din. Plus Manila to Cebu's fair is not that expensive so I see no reason why I shouldn't do what I wanted to do.

Pagdating ko sa Cebu dumiretso na muna ako sa bahay. May exams pa si Rielle kaya mamaya ko nalang siya susunduin.

"Sir, may bisita po kayo. Nasa loob po naghihintay." One of our helper said.

My forehead creases. Bisita? Wala naman akong ibang kakilala dito sa Cebu kundi sila Isla lang kaya sinong bisita?

I walked towards the living area and saw Rielle's mother. Her arms are crossed as she stared intently at our huge family picture. It was a picture of my deceased grandparents, dad's siblings and their children, daddy, mommy, and me.

I cleared my throat. "Good afternoon po." I said.

She looked at me. She did not smile nor showed any emotions.

"Uhm kayo po yung mommy ni Rielle diba?" I asked calmly.

She chuckled. "Rielle?"

I nodded. "Yes po. Uhm Astherielle, I call her Rielle kasi."

"Rielle? Hmm It doesn't suit her." She said and my smile fell off. Really, what does she want to say?

"Rielle... why did you gave her that kind of nickname? Are you that significant in her life para hayaan ka niyang tawagin siyang ganon? Hmm I wonder..."

She looked at me from head to toe with a judging eyes. She once again chuckled and sat down. I find that insulting yet I didn't said anything. Kaya umupo ako kaharap kung saan siya umuupo.

"Uhm gusto niyo po ba akong maka-usap?" I asked politely. Kahit naman naiinis ako sa kanya dapat respetuhin ko pa rin siya kasi ina siya ng babaeng mahal ko.

"No. I don't want to talk to you. Kaso lang things are out of hand kaya kahit ayaw ko, napilitan nalang akong kausapin ka. Pupuntahan na dapat kita sa Manila kahit noong monday pa pero I figured out na buwan buwan ka namang bumibisita dito kaya hinintay nalang kita. I mean, I don't want to waste my money just to see you." She rolled her eyes. "So, ikaw pala yung boyfriend ng anak ko."

She sighed in annoyance.

"Asther doesn't love you. In fact, she's just using you. Alam mo bang kina-usap siya ng lola niya at pinilit na makipag-relasyon? Kaya she obliged. Well, masunurin naman talaga ang anak ko kaya sinunod niya kung ano ang gusto ng lola niya." She said.

I clenched my fist. Now I know kung bakit ayaw na ayaw ni Rielle na pag-usapan ang mommy niya. Kasi talaga palang hindi maganda ang ugali nito.

"Break up with my daughter. You're not good for her. You're not... good enough for her. Months from now, she'll be a licensed doctor. She's going to be someone na pinaghirapan niya. Ikaw? What good did you do aside from inheriting your parents' business? Hmm did you even graduate with latin honors? I guess not." She said.

I am insulted. And I can't take this anymore because she's disrespecting me in my own home.

"I graduated as a cum laude ma'am at De La Salle University. I finished Entrepreneur Management with a good GPA. And even at my first year of working, nakapagpatayo na ako ng bagong hotel namin–"

"Oh hotel... the same hotel na bumagsak which caused serious casualties? How many workers were injured? How many workers died?" She smirked. "Iho, wag mong ipagmayabang ang nagawa mo kasi hindi maganda ang kinalabasan nun. It's not your fault though, kasalanan ng engineer mo. Kaso lang, diba tinakbuhan kayo? Ano ba naman yan... di man lang loyal sa'yo yung tauhan mo. Well, I could not blame him. Ikaw ba naman ang magkaroon ng boss na..."

She did not finish her sentence intentionally. I breathed heavily and bit my tongue so I could not say anything that would make me disrespect her.

"You may be the heir of the Montero's but you'll never going to be good enough for my daughter. And she never loved you anyway, ginamit ka lang niya. Kilala ko ang anak ko. Sa lahat ng ayaw niya, yun ay ang pumasok sa isang relasyon. Wanna know why? Kasi alam niya na hindi naman ito tatagal. Like what happened to me and her dad.

Ginamit ka lang niya para tigilan na siya ng lola niya. Pinaglaruan ka lang niya kasi nakita niyang handa kang magpakatanga para sa kanya. Sa dami ng lalaking kilala niya, bakit ikaw? Kasi madali kang paikutin. I can even see how whipped you are at my daughter. At hindi na ako magtataka na iilang buwan lang ay napa'ikot ka na ni Asther. I pity you..." She said.

No Psyche! Please wag kang maniwala! Hindi magagawa ni Rielle sa'yo yan!

"Believe it or not, yun ang totoo. Naaawa na ako sa'yo kaya sinasabi ko ang lahat ng 'to. Hinihintay na lang ni Asther na ikaw mismo ang makipaghiwalay para hindi siya ma konsensya diba. And mind you, after her graduation susunod siya sa akin sa Canada. Doon na siya maninirahan kasama ako."

"T-that's not true. R-rielle would never lie to me. She would... she would never use me because she love me and she will never leave me hanging–"

"Not true? Eh ginamit ka na nga niya diba. Plus the reason why I came back is because ako ang nag-aasikaso ng mga papeles niya." She said.

I shooked my head and tried my best to control my temper.

"No, hindi totoo yan. S-she may not say it often but I know she loves me. I felt it! Please! Stop lying! Wag mo nang dagdagan ang sama ng loob ni Rielle sa'yo!

You left without even explaining your reason to her tapos babalik ka para magsinungaling? Tama na please. Wag mong saktan ng husto ang anak mo. Ako na ang nagmamakaawa..." I said.

"Mahal na mahal ka niya kaya tama na... bawiin mo lahat ng sinabi mo at pinapangako ko hindi ko sasabihin sa kanya ang lahat ng kasinungalingan mo. Kakalimutan ko lahat ng sinabi mo kaya please... bawiin mo lahat ng yun" I begged.

"I'm not lying Psyche... I really don't want you for my daughter. And what happened in the past shall stay in the past." She said. Pagkatapos ay umalis na siya.

Sinapo ko ang ulo ko. No, hindi totoo lahat ng yun. Rielle could never–

"Bullshit!"

Paano kung totoo?! Ano nang mangyayari sa akin?!

Inisip ko lahat. From high school, hanggang sa umalis ako, noong bumalik ako, hanggang sa niligawan ko siya ulit, at noong sinagot niya ako. Paano kung totoo? Way back she was eager to run away from me. Na kahit araw araw ko siyang binibigyan ng bulaklak ay araw araw din niya akong nire'reject. Tapos after 4 years pumayag siyang ligawan ko siya and after just a month sinagot niya agad ako!

Paano kung totoo nga? Sa tingin ko totoo. Her mother said it with conviction! It sounded so accurate! It sounded so true! But she love me, she cares for me–

But what if all of that were just a disguise to mask her true intentions? She never greeted me a happy monthsary, not even once. Parati rin niyang nakakalimutan o baka naman wala talaga siyang pake'alam? Parati rin niya pinipilit na wag ko na siyang puntaham dito sa Cebu at kung maari wag kaming masyadong mag tawagan. Pinipilit ko lang siya kaya pumapayag nalang siya.

Dahil mahal niya ako kaya siya pumapayag o dahil naiirita na siya sa akin. At kahit sukdulan na ang inis niya ay hindi niya ako pwedeng hiwalayan kasi ginagamit niya ako?

"Putangina tama na!" I shouted.

Ayoko nang mag-isip! Ang sakit sakit na lahat ng kinalalabasan ng iniisip ko. Hindi pwede 'to I need to talk to her. I need answers!

***

:)