Apollo's Crib: A Sinister Fate

EP.17

"Stephen, what's your plan with us? Since your wife died, I've never heard you talk about us." ani Connie, kakatapos lang nilang magniig sa bahay ng una. Kapwa pa sila nakahubo at pawisan ngunit hindi na sila nag abalang tanggalin ang makapal na quilt na nakatalukbong sa kanila. Connie's unit is their certifeid love nest. Walang mag aakala na naroon lamang si Stephen nagpapalipas ng oras. Even his daughter Cyla has no idea that her dad never leave the crib the whole time he's away.

Veronica's ashes was burried at Yangmingshan mountains, near their old house. Initially, he wants to keep her ashes at home, but he saw how his daughter cried night after night in front of her urn. Hence, he decide to move the ashes somewhere safe and close to the clouds.

He never hold a wake for his wife just like what Apollo told him. It was almost secret burial and only few of their people knows about her passing.

"Huh? Plans about us?" kunot-noo nitong tanong.

"When your wife was still alive, you want to divorce her and you promise you'd marry me. Now, what?"

"C'mon Connie, she just died. My daughter would not accept us if ever. Do you think about my child, she just lose her mom."

"So, you're deliberately telling me you don't have plans with us, you jerk?!" galit na wika ni Connie, tumayo ito mula sa kama at isinuot ang pulang roba nito na nakalagay sa lapag.

"Connie, hear me out, okay?" ani Stephen, bumalikwas na rin ito mula sa pagkakahiga at lumapit sa kalaguyo.

"I'm tired Stephen, when Veronica was still here, I keep on telling myself that my pain would soon be over once you divorce her. And when she died, forgive me for saying this, but I celebrated the day she passed." ani Connie. Nagsimula na itong magdrama.

"That's bad, Connie, she's still a human." sansala ni Stephen.

"I celebrated it because I thought, you'll gonna be mine, only mine. No secrets, no hiding, and I can finally walk on the street thinking I was your woman for good." anito.

"Can you give me a little time, just let my daughter mourn for her mom. I swear, once this is all over I am going to marry you. Just keep the faith in me, Connie." pagsusumamo ni Stephen. "I just feared that Cyla couldn't take it. Please try to understand me, if you really love me you will give your utmost understanding."

"Why you're being panicky with what will happen to Cyla? She's a grown lady now. She'll understand it, besides her mom already died and she needs a new mom who can replace the old one. And you Stephen, you need a wife who will continue to look after you. I think your daughter, would not dare to be self-centered at this difficult times."

Stephen hugged his lover to calm her down. Kung tutuusin, si Connie ang nagiging makasarili ngayon, sa kagustuhan nitong maikasal sila ay wala itong pakialam kung masagasaan nito ang pakiramdam ng anak. But, he has to be patient with her dahil tama rin naman ito. Kailangan niya ng makakatuwang sa buhay. Sooner or later, papakasalan niya rin ito para hindi siya tumandang mag-isa. He was frightened with the thought that he'll gonna spend his golden days alone, lalo na at babae ang anak at balang araw ay magpapamilya rin ito.

"I will marry you, Connie... give me at least three months. i have to make sure that Cyla would understand us. I don't want her to think that we're already seeing each other while her mom was still alive." pakiusap niya. Iniharap niya ito sa kanya at nilambing-lambing.

Si Connie, ay certified na marupok kaya agaran rin itong bumigay sa paglalambing ng lalaki hanggang sa mauwi na naman iyon sa marubrob na pagtatalik. Stephen is like a wine who aged better in bed. He can still pull out moves like a man in his prime. And Connie was madly crazy about it. She also comes with age, but with Stephen she felt younger. And that's how she loves him.

It's sunday afternoon and Cyla goes to shopping for new clothes. Her favorite stop was near their unit which is the Miramar shopping malls. She wants to buy some trendy coat for winter, some bags and boots specially for rainy days. After some time, she got tired and decided to give herself a treat. She bought some taro ice-cream flavor from goldstone and headed to empty table to enjoy it all by herself.

Naalala niya ang ina, madalas silang kumain ng ice-cream kapag nagpupunta sila sa shopping mall na iyon. She misses her mom so badly and every time she thinks about her her heart was being torn into million pieces. The day she left, was the day that a huge part of her heart died with her. And she never wished her father to find someone to replace her mom. Hindi siya papayag. Over her dead body! Kahit sino pa ang babaeng ipapalit ng ama ay hindi niya kailanman tatanggapin.

"Hi, miss. Is this seat taken?" magiliw na wika ng isang boses babae.

Inangat ni Cyla ang paningin at nakita ang mukha ng babaeng tila pamilyar sa kanya.

"Nope, you can sit there if you want," aniya.

"Thank you, you're so kind!"

Nginitian niya lang ang babae at nagpatuloy sa pagkain ng biniling sorbetes dahil nagsisimula na itong matunaw.

"Is it delicious?" madaldal na tanong nito.

"You can buy some and taste it yourself. People have different taste preference and for me this flavor is quite good," sagot niya.

"You know what? You're right! I'm gonna buy some for me. But please can you look after my things? I don't want to carry my bag and phone." paalam ng babae.

Napatitig si Cyla sa babae. Ang weird lang dahil bakit ito mag-iiwan ng importanteng gamit sa kanya?

"Okay," pagpayag niya.

Ngumiti ang babae at iniwan nito ang bag at cp sa lamesa. Binalewala niya iyon at itinuloy ang pagkain ng order niya. Ilang minuto ang lumipas at tumunog ang cellphone ng ginang. Mukhang may tumatawag rito. Nilinga niya ang ginang ngunit abala ito sa pakikipag-usap sa cashier.

Balak niya sanang dalhin ang cellphone nito kaya dinampot niya ang gamit ng ginang ngunit bigla siyang natigilan ng mahagip ng mga mata niya ang wallpaper na gamit nito.

Biglang sumikdo ng malakas ang dibdib niya nang mapagsino ang lalaking kayakap ng ginang sa kama habang wala itong mga saplot. Ang lalaking iyon ay walang iba kung hindi ang kanyang amang si Stephen. Ngunit bakit kasama nito ang babae at bakit nakahubad ang mga ito? Paanong nangyari at kailan pa ito nagsimula gayong kakapanaw pa lang ng kanyang inang si Veronica?