Apollo's Crib: A Sinister Fate

EP.22

Nahulog sa malalim na pag-iisip si Sinica, muli niyang binalikan ang alaala ng nakaraan kung saan sila nagsimulang mag-date ni Apollo. It was an arranged marriage, but, for God's sake! She did everything to make the marriage work, she even gave Apollo a triplets. At kung pumayag lang ito na mag-anak sila uli ay papayag siya mapasaya lamang ito. Ngunit mula nang manganak siya sa kambal ay bihira na sila nitong magtalik, palagi itong subsob sa trabaho at kung hindi pa ito malasing ay hindi pa siya nito roromansahin.

Noon ay naiintindihan niya ang sitwasyon dahil ang sabi nito ay para sa kanila ang ginagawa nito, na kaya ito nagsisipag ay mayroon na silang triplets na kailangan nitong itaguyod at paghandaan ang paglaki ng mga ito. Ngunit ngayong nalaman niya ang pagkakaroon ng affair ng asawa ay nawalan na siya ng tiwala rito. Ang mga bagay na pinaniwalaan niya noon ay isa lang palang kasinungalingan and she felt like she was the biggest fool ever walk on earth dahil kaagad siyang naniwala for more than two decades.

"Yes, Madam? Do you need me?" untag sa kanya ni Rona. Tinawag niya ang sekretarya dahil may ipag-uutos siya rito, ngunit nagbago ang isip niya. Kay Elvis na lang niya iyon ipapakisuyo, tama nang sila na lang dalawa ang nakakaalam ng pangangaliwa ni Apollo.

"Nothing, I'd change my mind. You can go back to your desk," aniya. Nang mapag-isa ay muli niyang nasabunutan ang sarili. She couldn't fathom the fact that she is inside of a loveless marriage. Maya-maya ay tumayo siya at dinampot ang handbag na nakapatong sa kanyang desk. Lumabas siya ng opisina at tinungo ang kinaroroonan ni Elvis at nagpamaneho papunta sa paborito niyang restaurant kung saan nakakapag relax siya kapag marami siyang iniisip. Kailangan niyang ayusin ang sarili niya dahil baka sumabog siya kapag nakita o nakaharap ang asawa.

"Are you alright, madam?" untag ni Elvis.

"If your wife is cheating on you for a decades and you just found out recently, how would you feel? Will you be okay?" balik tanong niya.

"Of course, I will not be okay. I will be in total rage, I might kill them with my bare hands if ever."

"If that so, why bother to ask me if I'm okay when you already know I'm not?"

"Just a conversation starter, I guess." anito.

"You know, I felt like I was a burnt candle, totally used up. And no matter how hard I try to ignite the fire, I just couldn't,"

"Why don't you rest for a while, travel abroad or you can go to beach or even you can do hiking if you want." suhestiyon nito.

"I can't, I am running a business. I am still looking for my kids, and I just gained another problem on the list."

"You don't want him to know that you're already aware of what he is doing? Maybe he will stop if he knows that you've found out his affair,"

"Apollo is not a man who doesn't have a plan for everything. He can easily deny this or worst, he might use this to divorce me. I can't let my family break line a wine glass in front of me. My kids are all grown-up, and I don't want them to suffer and experience having a broken family."

"What are you planning to do next?" tanong ni Elvis. Tiningnan niya ito at kapagkakuwa'y tumingin sa labas ng windshield. Tanaw niya ang Taipei 101 mula sa kinaroroonan nila.

"I can pretend that I know nothing until I find out the best solution for my problem." sagot niya.

"I see." sagot ni Elvis.

Binalot ng nakakabinging katahimikan ang kinaroroonan ng dalawa. Tanging ang marahas na paghinga ni Sinica ang maririnig. Nababalot pa rin ito ng malakas na bugso ng emosyon at kung hindi ito kakalma ay baka mapano pa ito.

Samantala si Apollo naman ay walang kaalam-alam na natunugan na siya ni Sinica. Patuloy pa rin ito sa pakikipagkita sa kalaguyo at nagpapakasasa sa bawal na pag-ibig.

"Why don't you rent a condo here in Taipei, I'll pay for it." ani Apollo habang yakap ang hubad na katawan ng katalik.

"I don't want and I don't need. I could stay at my sibling if I wanted to stay near you," sagot nito.

"Why don't you just grab my offer?"

"It's because I don't want to live in a high life, just staying as simple as I am is much better. Not much complicated."

"Is that so? It can help us have our private place. We don't need to stay in a hotel every time we're together."

"Apollo, you know that I can't manage a house on my own. If you insist doing that, don't blame me if that place will be filthy as hell in few months time," anito.

"okay, forget it! maybe one day, I have to buy our own villa with a helper of course," ani Apollo.

"Much better, I think I could agree with that," nakangising sagot nito sa kanya.

Napangiti naman si Apollo sa inasal ng kaulayaw. Ayaw pala nito ng condo dahil ang gusto nito ay sariling villa. And as far as his money is concern, she can afford it.

"Okay, I'll find you a villa and you can stay there for ever, and I could just pay you a visit every chances I can get,"

"Sure thing!" sagot nito.

Apollo laughed and hug his lover. It's been years after years and he's still crazy with the person next to him. If he doesn't have the triplets, maybe his marriage with Sinica has long been over. Ever since they entered a married life, he never loved her at all. He couldn't deny the fact that his heart only beat for one person. And may be, one day, he will have the courage to fight for his one true love.

Habang may pinagdadaanan ang mga magulang ay wala namang kaalam-alam ang triplets. Si Agatha ay patuloy pa rin sa pagmomodelo, si Audrey naman ay tahimik pa rin sa loob ng bahay at halos hindi na maglalabas dahil sa takot at si Austin ay nakaramdam naman ng pagkabagot. Kaya naman pumuslit ulit ito para puntahan ang kasintahang si Crystal.

Kagaya ng nakagawian ay basta na lang siya sumulpot sa bahay ng dalaga nang walang pasabi.

"You're always going her unannounced," nakangusong wika ni Crystal.

"Of course, don't you like it? Visiting you here at your place is always like a surprise!"

"Not anymore, from now on, you have to tell me if you're coming over or not." ani ng dalaga.

"And why is that?" takang tanong ni Austin.

"My brother is moving here for real, maybe he will starting to stay here tomorrow."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yes. And if you don't want to cut your body in pieces, you must tell me first before going here. My brother is kinda frightening you know," may halong pananakot na wika ni Crystal.

"Jeez! If I can't stay here, we can do it in my room instead," ani Austin.

"Are you crazy? Your family is living with you, you want to get busted?" nandidilat ang mga matang anas ng dalaga.

"Better if it happen. We could just ask my parents blessing in an instant. Then..."

"Then, what?"

"We can marry." walang gatol na wika ni Austin.

"Are you nuts?! Do you have a loose screw out of your head?" gulantang na wika ng dalaga.

"Definitely not. You looked terrified, don't you want to marry me?" nakakunot ang noong tanong ng binata.

"I'm not keen on marrying at this early, Austin... I still have a lot of dreams to work on before settling down."

"Don't you think it would be easier if you're gonna be a part of our family?"

"Not now, Austin. Please try to understand, I am not ready for this." pakisaup ni Crystal.

Bigla namang nalukot ang mukha ni Austin sa sagot ng kasintahan. Akala niya ay matutuwa ito once binanggit niya ang salitang kasal but he is wrong. Crystal is like a rare gem that cannot easily find nor hold and that made him love her even more.