The Scandalous Woman

07 : Damon Fontanilla POV

"Did something bad happened while you're outside?" Dwayne asked Ivy who is still sitting awkwardly on the sofa.

Ivy let out a harsh breath and lifted her shoulder in a half shrug as an answer. "It's still the same response from them," makahulugan niyang sagot.

My brows arched an inch because of what she said. What happened?

Malakas na bumuntong hininga si Dwayne at napailing bago lumapit kay Ivy. He cupped her chin and slowly caressed her cheeks. Mas lalo namang kumunot ang noo ko dahil sa ginawa niya.

"May masakit ba? Tell me," mahinahong tanong niya kay Ivy.

I put my tongue on the side of my cheeks as I heaved a deep sigh. Napatingin naman silang dalawa sa gawi ko.

"I thought you're going to help me, Dwayne?"

Mula sa puwesto ko ay kita ko ang bahagyang pagkunot ng noo ni Dwayne ngunit hindi na siya nagsalita at muli ng tumayo upang bumalik papunta sa direksiyon ko.

He groaned. "Sabi mo, ginugulo lang kita kaya umalis ako."

"Whatever. Slice the vegetables and cook them on your own."

"What? Kuya naman!" Dwayne scoffed.

I rolled my eyes as I tsk-ed to annoy him more. Napailing naman siya at sinunod na ang aking ipinag-uutos.

Saglit akong napasulyap sa gawi ni Ivy na naiwan muling mag-isa sa living room. She's staring blankly at the wall as if she's thinking about something important.

Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang tanungin ang aking sarili nang maalala ang ginawa niya kanina. Is she going through something lately? She's quite different from when we first met.

"Kuya Damon, ano 'yan?"

I was pulled out on my own reverie when Dwayne spoke. Wala sa sarili akong napailing bago muling ibinaling ang aking paningin sa niluluto ko. "Corn soup," maikling sagot ko.

"Bakit may pa-soup ka? Sinong may sakit?" pag-uusisa niya pa.

"Ayusin mo na lamang ang trabaho mo riyan." Muli akong napailing dahil sa kaniya bago nagpatuloy sa paghahalo ng niluluto kong sabaw.

Dwayne's friend needs this. Sa lagay niya ngayon, halatang hindi siya ayos.

After cooking for a couple of minutes, I finally served the food on the table with Dwayne's 'unwilling' help. Tinawag naman niya si Ivy na nasa living room at pinapunta sa dining area.

Ivy took a glance towards the food as soon as she entered the dining area but after a couple of seconds, she looked away and sat on the chair infront of me and Dwayne.

"Alam mo, si Kuya Damon ang nagluto niyan Ivy. Sulitin mo na dahil once in a blue moon lang 'yan na magluto para sa iba," Dwayne remarked as he push the bowl of corn soup towards Ivy.

I don't know if what he said about me is a compliment or not--- but when the corner of Ivy's lips quirked up a little, I know that I should have feel offended.

Ivy looked down as she picked up her utensils. "S-Salamat," mahinang saad niya.

Dahil katabi ko lamang si Dwayne, hindi nakatakas sa aking tainga ang mahina niyang pagbuntong hininga. Mahina siyang bumuntong hininga marahil upang hindi mapansin ni Ivy na nasa tapat lamang namin.

"Eat up."

Tumango lamang siya sa sinabi ko at nagsimula nang kumain. Her hands were trembling as she ate silently. Si Dwayne naman ay busy na rin sa pag-kain kaya't hindi na iyon napansin.

Nagkibit-balikat na lamang ako at nagsimula na ring kumain. I was supposed to buy foods instead of cooking a while ago but. . .

"Paano nga pala kayo nagkita ni Ivy, Kuya Damon?"

"She was attempting to took her own life a while ago."

Sabay na napatigil sa pag-kain ang dalawa kaya't bahagya rin akong natigilan. Due to my profession, it's quite common for me to say things recklessly. Hindi ko na tuloy sila nabalaan sa sasabihin ko.

"What did you say?" Dwayne asked, looking more serious than before.

Nang tingnan ko naman si Ivy ay nagbaba lamang siya ng tingin at nagpatuloy na sa pag-kain.

I heaved a deep sigh as I fix the rim of my eyeglasses. "Pinigilan ko siya kanina sa may tulay. She looks bothered so I followed her tapos nakita ko siya na nakatingin sa tubig sa baba ng tulay."

Dwayne grimaced and massaged his temples. Gone the playful Dwayne we met a while ago.

Malakas siyang bumuntong hininga at uminom ng tubig. "Is that true, Ivy?" he asked.

Ivy slowly nod her head as an answer. "Totoo na nasa tulay ako saka nakatingin ako sa baba."

"I know you're going through a lot lately, Ivy. Pero ilang beses ko na ring sinabi sa iyo na hindi iyon solusyon para mawala ang mga problema mo. Ikaw lang ang mawawala pero ang problema mo, maiiwan pa rin. Problems needs to he fix, Ivy."

"Paano kung ako 'yong problema. . ."

My brows immediately arched an inch upon hearing what she said in a low voice. She's the problem?

Dwayne let out an exhaust breath. "Anong sabi mo?"

Ivy took a spoonful of the soup and pouted her lips afterwards. "Hindi naman ako tatalon, tinitingnan ko lang 'yong ilalim. I was just quite curious," giit niya.

"Nakahawak ka sa railings at nakadungaw sa baba. Are you sure you're not planning to jump?" paglilinaw ko.

Marahan naman siyang tumango. Dwayne and I heaved a deep sigh. It's not believable.

"All right. Sabihin na natin na wala kang balak na tumalon. Paano nga kung aksidente kang nahulog sa tulay?" mahinahong tanong ni Dwayne sa kaibigan.

Ivy blinked a couple of times but later on gave us a half shrug. "W-Wala naman sa plano ko ang tumalon kaya hindi ko na naisip 'yan."

"Paano kung hindi agad dumating si Kuya Damon, Ivy? You could have died for pete sake! Dapat naisip mo 'yon bago ka pumunta roon sa may tulay. It's dangerous!"

"Dwayne," suway ko at tumingin sa gawi ni Dwayne nang magtaas siya ng boses. "You don't need to shout."

He let out a harsh breath and massaged his temples once again. "Kasi naman, Kuya---"

"S-Sorry," Ivy cut his words off. "It's. . . It's my fault. I-I'm sorry."

My jaw clenched when I saw a batch of tears falling from her eyes. Maging si Dwayne ay napabuntong hininga dahil sa reaksiyon ni Ivy.

"Ivy naman," mahinahon nang saad ni Dwayne. "Next time, don't even think of killing yourself. It's not the solution for everything."

Ivy sobbed. "H-Hindi naman kasi ako magpapakamatay doon. I was just. . . I was just checking the bridge."

"And why are you checking the bridge, huh?"

"Tinitingnan ko kung anong mangyayari sa akin kapag nahulog ako---"

"See?" pagputol ni Dwayne sa kung ano mang sasabihin ni Ivy. "That's it. You're thinking of killing yourself, Ivy!"

Padabog na ipinatong ni Ivy ang hawak na kutsara sa lamesa bago nag-angat ng tingin kay Dwayne. Her eyes were already swollen again because of crying too much.

She sobbed. "I wasn't planning to die, okay? Tinitingnan ko nga lang sabi," naiinis na giit niya.

"Sabi mo, iniisip mo kung anong mangyayari kapag nahulog ka. Are you sure you're not planning on killing yourself?" Ako na ang nagtanong sa kaniya dahil mukhang hindi pa rin kumakalma si Dwayne sa tabi ko.

Ivy slowly nod her head in return. "Hindi naman ako magpapakamatay. I immediately backed out when I saw the water."

"So you're admitting that you thought of killing yourself when you went to the bridge?" I asked.

"Oo. Pero umatras nga agad ako."

"Bakit ka umatras?"

"Kuya Damon!" Malakas na suway ni Dwayne nang marinig ang tanong ko. I turned my head towards his direction and gave him a half shrug.

"K-Kasi ano. . ." Ivy trailed off.

"Because of what?"

She bit her lower lip and took a spoonful of the soup again. "Ang pangit kasi ng magiging cause of death ko kung doon ako mamamatay."

My jaw fell as I watched her eat silently. "W-What?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.

"Ang dumi na ng tubig tapos kakaunti pa ang tao kaya hindi agad ako makikita kung sakaling nahulog ako. Hindi nama alam ni Dwayne kung nasaan ako kaya matatagalan siya bago ako kuhanin sa ilalim ng tubig na 'yon. Tapos pakiramdam ko, mabubulok lang ako roon kapag nagtagal ako roon. Nakakadiri, baka kainin pa ako ng mga isda tapos kakainin niyo 'yong isda. . . yuck."

Wala sa sarili akong napatingin sa isda na niluto ko sa aming harapan. Kaya pala hindi niya kinakain. I winced.

"Saka ang pangit ng magiging cause of death ko kapag nagkataon. Ang pangit na nga ng buhay ko, pati ba naman pagkamatay, pangit din? Isn't it quite unfair?" she added.

I fix the rim of my eyeglasses once again before looking towards Dwayne once again. "Why is she like this?" mahinang bulong ko sa kaniy.

Dwayne lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. "Her train of thoughts is really weird sometimes."

Napatango naman ako bilang pagsang-ayon. Muli akong tumingin sa gawi ni Ivy na kumakain na muli.

"So you're not planning to kill yourself anytime soon?" I asked her.

Tumigil siya sa pagkain at nag-angat ng tingin. Mayamaya pa ay marahan siyang tumango.

"How can we be so sure that you won't hurt yourself?" tanong kong muli.

She shrugged her shoulders. "If you're thinking that I'll hurt myself by cutting my wrist, you're wrong. Takot ako sa dugo saka masakit."

"What if---"

"Kung iniisip mo rin that I'll hang myself, mali ka ulit. Masiyadong masakit sa ulo at dibdib kapag hindi agad ako nakahinga. Pangatlo, kung iniisip mo na mag-ooverdose ako ng gamot, mali ka ulit. I don't like medicines. Hindi masarap. Saka ayaw ko ring magpasagasa kung kanino man. Masakit sa katawan," mahabang litaniya niya.

For the second time, my lips parted once again.

"I already told you that she's quite weird," Dwayne remarked.

"Hindi pa ako puwedeng mamatay hangga't hindi pa ako nakakaganti sa gagong iyon," mahinang bulong ni Ivy bago nagpatuloy sa pag-kain.

My brows immediately drew in a straight line. Gago? Who is it? May kaaway siya?

"Next time, don't do that again, Ivy. Hindi tayo nakakasiguro na hindi ka nga mapapahamak sa mga pinaggagagawa mo," muling sermon ni Dwayne.

Ivy just pouted her lips and nod her head. Mayamaya pa ay tumayo na siya. "Magpapahinga na ako," pagpapaalam niya.

Dwayne nodded. "Ayos na ang kuwarto mo."

Tumango lamang si Ivy kay Dwayne bago tumingin sa gawi ko. She bowed her head little. "Salamat kanina at pasensiya na rin sa abala," saad niya.

"No problem."

Matapos niyon ay tumalikod na siya at naglakad papuntang second floor. Naiwan naman kami ni Dwayne sa dining area.

"May kuwarto siya rito sa bahay mo?"

Tumingin siya sa gawi ko at prenteng nagkibit balikat. "Palagi 'yang nandito noong College siya, e."

"Alam ba ng asawa mo na nandito si Ivy?"

"Kuya Damon, if it's about my wife, huwag nalang tayong mag-usap."

I sighed. "I'm just worried. Baka mamaya, gusto ka ni Ivy---"

"She's friends with my wife. And no, she doesn't like me. Ivy looked up to my wife a lot so I doubt it. Kapatid lang ang turing namin sa isa't-isa." He cut my words off and wiped his lips.

"Dito ka na muna matulog kung wala ka namang gagawin. May kliyente ka ba?" tanong niya habang nagpupunas ng labi.

"I always have a client, Dwayne," sagot ko at uminom ng tubig.

"Is that why you can't accept the case that I'm offering? I'm willing to pay, Kuya."

Malakas akong bumuntong hininga at marahang umiling. "Alam mo naman kung gaano kalaking gulo ang pinasok ko noong tinulungan ko kayo, hindi ba? Declan asked for my help for his ex-fiancé, si Darius naman doon sa Destura, tapos ikaw, tungkol doon sa asawa mo. That's already too much, Dwayne."

Dwayne let out a harsh breath. "Hindi ba talaga puwede, Kuya? Final decision?"

"Your friend's issue is too sensitive, Dwayne. I don't think I can handle it."

"Hindi naman niya kasalanan, Kuya, e. Tayo ang magsasampa ng kaso kaya hindi naman mahirap---"

"The guy's family is too wealthy, Dwayne. I already got in trouble with the Desturas and Gullers when I defended Declan and Darius."

"But I don't know anyone who can handle this case better than you. Kailangan na 'tong maayos at mapagbayad ang gagong iyon sa lalong madaling panahon." Ramdam sa boses niya ang inis nang banggitin ang 'gagong' lalaking iyon.

Just as if on cue, a thought suddenly flashed on my mind.

My lips parted as I turned my head towards Dwayne's direction. "Is. . . Is it Ivy?"

"Huh?" he confusedly asked.

"Si Ivy ba ang tinutukoy mong kaibigan?"