Apollo's Crib: A Sinister Fate

EP.16

"Thank you for making me feel better, honey! You're truly a godsent!" ani Apollo sa kalaguyo sabay pisil sa hita nito.

"Glad that you liked it!" sagot nito.

"Of course, your hands can really do wonder!"

Napangiti ito sa sinabi niya, at waring kinilig pa nang bahagya, "I hope you can sleep soundly tonight. You're really worn-out, I guess all your problem come at once. I felt sorry for not helping you around,"

"It's okay, just leave it to me, honey. Everything will be fine."

"If you needed me, please don't hesitate to tell me. I'm one call away and you know that."

"Sure thing! But for now, I want some coitus," aniya. Hindi na siya nakapagpigil na hilahin ang kaharap at pupugin ito ng halik. Nang mga oras na iyon ay gusto niya munang maiparamdam sa kaharap ang pagkasabik niya rito. Dahil pagkatapos ng gabing iyon ay matagal na naman silang magkikita nito.

While Apollo is making out to his lover, si Sinica naman ay gising na gising pa. The extensive waiting for Apollo made her weary. He should be at home by now, but he isn't. Sinica become distraught and decided to grab some wine from the cellar and returned to their room. She wants to drowned herself for a moment. She felt like Apollo is starting to fade from her sight and it gives her excruciating pain.

"Where are you now, Apollo? Aren't you gonna go home at this hour? Your wife is waiting for you, how can you not think about me?" naluluha niyang sambit. She bit her lower lip as she felt the pain starting to emerge again.

"Okay, guess I have to endure the pain a little while at least for the sake of our kids, but I can't promise to hold it much longer. I've been hurting since we got married and I've had enough, Apollo..." aniya, banaag ang kalungkutan sa kanyang mga mata.

Their marriage is not a bliss, just like what people think of them. Since they got married, Apollo was never intimate with her. They only made love when he is drunk, making her feel so much insecure.

But since she got pregnant, she did everything she could to make the marriage works for her children. At ngayon ay muli siyang nakakaramdam ng takot na baka tuluyan na siyang iwanan ng asawa.

The party was over. One by one, guests had left the house. The ambiance started to because as gloomy as it was before. Sinica was in her room, and so does her kids. Austin was minding her own business, playing games. Audrey was busy surfing the net to hunt some good deals at her favorite shop, while Agatha is sleeping soundly at her room.

Laura went home to rest, she was dead tired and she was in hurry to climb in her bed as well. They are renting a small studio-type apartment near Dazhi, it was a good place and near in Neihu and Zhongshan. Her daughter Rona, is still awake when she came home. They made a little chitchat before heading to bed.

"Are you okay working with Sinica?" ani Laura sa anak.

"Yes, she's not giving me a hard time, thanks to God!" sagot nito. "Why did you asked?"

"Nothing, I just want to know if she's treating you well, since you said she's good, then I'm good."

"Are you having a hard time at her house?" balik-tanong ng dalaga sa ina.

"No, I'm okay. My work is fine as usual." ani Laura.

"Where did you get your bruises? You also had wounds, did you had a fight with someone?"

"I'm not kind of person, fighting is not my thing and you know that, my silly child..." aniya.

"If you didn't had a fight, how can you explain that?"

"It was just an accident the other day, this is not serious at all. Don't bother yourself thinking of anything which is not possible to happen," aniya sa anak.

"Okay, goodnight. We both need a rest for tomorrow." ani Rona. Pumikit na rin ito para magpahinga. Habang siya ay nananatiling nakadilat ang mga mata.

Sino nga ba ang mag-aakala na magkakasugat siya ng ganoon? Bumalik sa kanyang ala-ala ang nangyari nang gabing iyon kung saan niya huling nakitang buhay si Veronica. Katatapos lang niyang maglinis sa kusina at bababa siya sa ground floor para itapon ang nakolekta niyang basura nang makita si Veronica na nakangunyapit sa grills. Hirap na hirap ito sa pagkapit dahil sa takot na mahulog sa baba. Tandang-tanda niya pa kung paano niya ito tulungan para makawala sa pagkakasabit.

"What happened, Mrs. Wang?" tanong niya sa ginang. Nanginginig pa ito sa sobrang takot sa nararamdaman.

"Quickly, pull me up, please! Help me, I don't wanna die, Laura!" naiiyak na pakiusap ng ginang sa kanya. Malaking bulto si Veronica ngunit ganoon rin naman siya. Nahirapan siyang hilahin ang inang ginang at sa talas ng kuko nito ay nasugatan nito ang mga kamay niya at nagkapasa rin siya dahil sa higpit ng pagkakawak nito sa kanya.

Kapwa sila hinihingal nang tuluyan niyang madala sa patag na lugar ang ginang. Nanginginig pa ito habang naghalo ang uhog at luha nito.

"What are you doing there, Mrs. Wang? Did you fell accidentally?" usisa niya.

Tumitig sa kanya ang ginang at umiyak ito nang umiyak sa balikat niya.

"I almost died because of them, they'll gonna regret this!" nagtatagis ang bagang na wika ni Veronica habang nakakuyom ang kamao.

"Them? Who tried to kill you? Maybe I can help you, we can go to the police station, right now!" suhestiyon niya.

Umiling ito nang mabilis, "You don't need to come with me. You can leave now, I just need to rest a little bit, I think I can take care of myself. Thank you for saving my life, Laura. I owe you my life," sabi nito.

"Are you sure, you're okay now?" paniniyak niya.

"Yes, I am sure. You can leave me now, besides, you have to throw your garbage now, or else the truck won't be able to collect your trash,"

"Oh my!" aniya. Saka lang niya naalala na magtatapon pala siya ng basura. Kaagad siyang nagpaalam sa ginang para habulin ang truck ng basura sa baba. Dahil kung hindi ay mamamaho ang mga food waste nila. Iniwanan niya itong nakasalampak sa lapag, at iyon ang huling oras na nakita niya itong buhay. Dahil kinabukasan ay isa na itong malamig na bangkay.

Ang tanong ay sino ang lalaking tinutukoy nito? Sino ang pumatay sa ginang? At bakit tila nananahimik ang mga Cheng, imbes na tutukan ang kaso ng tenant nito.