Chapter 16
1067 Words
Nagising ako dahil sa katok sa labas ng aking pintuan. Naririnig ko din ang boses ni Linda sa labas habang tinatawag ako.
I fell asleep. Hindi ko pala namalayan na nakatulog ako pagkatapos ko’ng magbabad sa bathtub.
Kinusot ko ang aking mata at inayos ang pagkakabuhol ng aking roba. Pagkatapos, ay dali-daling bumangon sa kama at naglakad patungo sa pinto. Nahagip ng mata ko ang orasan sa side table. Kumunot ang noo ko sa nakita. It was already midnight.
I sighed and continued walking towards the door. Ang nag-aalalang mukha ni Manang Linda ang bumungad sa akin pagkabukas ko pa lang ng pinto.
“May problema ba, Linda?” nagtatakang tanong ko.
“Ma’am, si Sir po nasa labas may kasama. Lasing na naman po ata.” Hindi siya makatingin sa akin.
Tipid akong ngumiti sa kanya. “Ako na ang bahala, Linda. Magpahinga ka na.” Yumuko siya at nagpaalam sa akin saka ako bumaba.
I sighed heavily. My forehead creased when I saw Nicholai with a woman.
“W-who are you?” My face was void of any emotion while looking at her. She was beautiful and I guess we have the same age. A big question was running in my head.
Who is she?
And why is she with Nicholai?
Ayokong mag-isip ng masama. But I couldn’t help it. It was the first time that he went home drunk with a woman with him. Did they spend the whole afternoon together? Did he go to her after he slapped me?
“So ikaw pala ang asawa niya,” sabi ng babae at dahang-dahang lumapit sa akin habang akay si Nicholai.
Nagawi ang mata ko sa polo ni Nic. The buttons were opened. My lips formed into a thin line and looked back at the woman in front of me.
I took Nicholai’s arm and helped him stand up. He was totally wasted.
“Here.” Inabot ng babae ang susi ni Nicholai at pagkatapos ay tumalikod at naglakad papalayo. I was watching her until she disappeared from my sight.
I wanted to scold Nicholai and ask him who that woman was. We were still married and it was not good if our family will know about this. But I stopped myself. I felt that if I did that, I would be stepping the line between us.
Yes we were married. But only on paper. That was just it.
Then why don’t you go ahead and file an annulment and leave him? My subconscious said. I bit my lower and shook my head.
Another heavy sigh escaped from my mouth. I looked at Nicholai and tapped his cheek lightly.
“Nicholai? Wake up. Hey.” He opened his eyes and looked at me intently.
“My wife,” he muttered and then smiled. I looked away. How could he smile like that after what he did before he left?
“Let’s get inside. It’s already late,” I said and helped him walk inside our house.
Pabagsak kaming naupo sa couch. I heard him chuckled. I glared at him. “Goodness! You are so heavy,” sabi ko at tatayo na sana nang bigla niyang hinila ang kamay ko.
My eyes widened when I landed on his lap. His arms encircled my waist right away and held me closer. I could even feel and smell his breath. Nicholai’s muscline scent and the liquor mixed together was making me dizzy.
“What are you doing, Nicholai?” I remained my stoic expression while trying to get up.
“What? This is normal for us married couples, hon,” he said as if we were okay. As if he didn’t lay his hand on me.
I clenched my fist and looked at him straight in the eyes. “We are not a normal married couple, Nic. So let go,” I answered back in gritted teeth.
“You are so hard to please.”
Agad na napabaling ang tingin ko sa kanya. I looked at him with an unbelievable expression. “I’m sorry?”
What he did next was unexpected. He let go of my waist, cupped my face and kissed me on the lips.
My eyes widened. I was caught off guard. I gasped when he bit my lower lip. Sinamantala niya naman ito. He entered his tongue and tasted every corner of my mouth. I could even taste the liquor in his mouth.
Nang matauhan ay malakas na itunulak ko siya. “What the hell, Nicholai?!” I shouted angrily.
“What now? I can’t kiss my wife?” He scoffed.
“Did you even treat me as your wife, Nic?”
“You are my wife, Denima. You will always be mine,” he said in gritted teeth.
“I’m not yours, Nicholai. And will never be!”
“You really love hurting me, huh?”
“What did you just say?” I looked at him with an unbelievable expression.
“You always have your ways to make me feel like this. To make me feel worthless.” He chuckled lightly.
I looked away and ignored what he said. “You are just drunk. You are talking nonsense now. Hindi ko alam ang pinagsasasabi mo, Nic. I’m going to sleep.” Tatayo na sana ako nang pinigilan na naman niya ako.
I heard him sigh. Pinatong niya ang kanyang noo sa aking balikat. Pinulupot niya din pabalik sa beywang ko ang kanyang braso. Not letting me go.
“Can we stay like this for a minute? I’m tired.” Hindi ako sumagot. Napatingala ako at hinilot ang aking sintido.
This was the first time that he was drunk and didn’t insult me or accused me of killing our baby. Unti-unti na bang nagbabago si Nicholai? Did I make the right decision of staying and giving him the benefit of doubt? Because I was hoping. I always hoped that he would change.
“I’m sorry,” I heard him whisper. I stiffened. Nabigla sa sinabi niya.
It was the first time that he said sorry after I was discharged from the hospital. After everything.
“What are you saying sorry for?” kunot-noong tanong ko.
“I just can’t let you go. I can’t. Never,” he whispered which made me shiver.
“W-what do you mean?” I didn’t hear any response from him. “Nicho—“ Napailing ako nang marining ang mahina niyang hilik.
How could he fall asleep after saying that? Goodness!
Pinahiga ko siya sa couch at kinumutan. Looking at Nicholai while sleeping was bringing back the old memories when we were still okay. Napakaamo ng mukha nito habang natutulog. Malayong-malayo sa itsura nito na laging galit kapag gising.
Mapait akong ngumiti habang binabalintanaw ang nakaraan. Ang nakaraang di na maibabalik pa sa dati.
- Writer
