GIRL, YOU'RE MY DOWNFALL (ONGOING)

Prologue The time is 11pm. For others, it is just an ordinary time but for Rosela, isa itong babala. Nakatira siya sa isang lugar na kung saan ang lahat ng materyales ay nagsusumigaw nang malaking halaga. Rosela is not rich pero mayaman si Richard Manansala, ang napangasawa nito. Isa itong CEO ng isang liquor company. Mayroon silang tatlong anak, si Karen Manansala, Mario Manansala at Molly Manansala. Labing pito ang edad ni Karen Manansala na siyang panganay ngunit hindi ito totoong anak ni Ricardo Manansala. Anak ito sa unang naging kasintahan ni Rosela. Dahil sa pagmamahal ni Ricardo kay Rosela ay pumayag na palitan ang apelyido ni Karen ng apelyidong Manansala. Sumilip si Rosela sa bintana upang tingnan kung bakit wala pa si Ricardo. Hindi siya nag-aalala kung naaksidente ba ito o hindi, mas nag-aalala siya na wala pa si Karen. Karen is still out of the house, kapag nalaman ito ni Ricardo na kapag umuuwi ng gabi at lango sa alak siguradong mapaparusahan ito ng pisikal. Tiningnan ni Rosela ang mesa, ang mga pagkaing niluto niya ay malamig na, akmang kukunin para iinit nang marinig nito ang dalawa pang anak na lalaki na ang gulang ay labingapat at labinglima “Get out of this room, Molly! You just farted, how dare you!” “Your mouth is near on your nose, Mario! I didn’t fart, idiot!” Nagsigawan na ang mga ito. Uunahin na sana ni Rosela iinit ang mga pagkain dahil kapag naabutan ni Ricardo ang gabihan nito na malamig ay tiyak niyang madadagdagan nanaman ang pamamaga ng mukha niya. Kaya lang, narinig niyang mainit na ang pagtatalo ng mga ito. Kaya nagmadali siyang umakyat sa taas para bawalan ang dalawa niyang anak na lalaki. “Mario and Molly!” Nasa akto ang mga ito na nanakal sa isa’t isa. Napansin pa niya ang mga pasa ng bunso sa ilalim ng labi. This is their problem. They are both war freak kids. Problema ng guro nila sa school ang pagiging spoiled brats nila. If there’s one person I could blame for these actions, it’s their father who taught his children to use violence. After all, they have billions to spend if damage is done. At sa nakikita niyang mga pasa nila sa katawan, siya nanaman ang mananagot. As if all problems in the world is her fault. This is how Ricardo, a ‘loving’ husband during their vows treated Rosela now. A punching bag. “Ganito na lang ba lagi, ha, Mario? You are willing to harm your brother just because of your petty reason?” “I could have killed him if you just didn’t stop me.” “Mario!” “And I will drag you with me in hell!” sabat naman ng bunso sa kuya nito. Bagaman namamaga ang mukha ay nagawa pa ring hilamusin nito iyon dahil sa kawalan ng salita sa mga anak na suwail. The two has been diagnosed with ADHD. They will sometimes hypher as this and will not talk to everybody for a times like after this hyper attention. “I never knew that I would have a terrible life with you, Molly and Mario.” Rosela cried but the two just gave their mom a so-who cares look. Their house maybe screaming of how perfect it is outside, but the imperfections can be found to the people living inside. Rosela, the battered wife. Ricardo, the abusive husband. Karen, the rebellious daughter. Mario and Molly, the war freak sons. Nakahiga sila sa salapi pero salat sa pagpapakatao. Lumabas si Molly at nagtungo sa kwarto nito. Samantalang isinalpak naman ni Mario ang kaniyang headphone. Their house is falling into silence again or that is what Rosella thought because a minute or two, Ricardo arrives, and Karen was not still in the house. Nararamdaman na niya ang takot. Hindi pa man nakakatapak sa loob ng pamamahay si Ricardo ay nanginginig na siya. Rosela was afraid that Ricardo will hit him again. Hard. Punch her. Hard. Puwede naman niyang iwan si Ricardo if it is not only of their kids. She stayed because they have kids. She stayed because she is still hoping that the Ricardo Manansala will get back to his senses. To the senses she once loves! She wanted to believe to his promises. No more alcohol. No more beating. But the time is past 11pm, isa lang ang ibig sabihin nito, lasing nanaman ito. Meaning, hindi siya tumupad sa usapan at higit sa lahat, his anger will burst na animo’y kasalanan mo kung bakit aso ang aso at tao ang tao. And again, when he woke up in the morning, he will shower her with his unending sorry’s and out of this world promises like they could live peacefully forever. Peaceful? What a big word! And Rosela didn’t get wrong. Ricardo is really drunk! By his looks, his red face and his mushy eyes, Rosella can tell that she’s never been wrong with the time speculations kahit hindi pa man nito naamoy ang liquor na ininom ng asawa. “Where are the kids?” “Upstairs, hon.” “Even Karen?” “Hmmm. She’s out.” “Ipinagbabawal ko ang pag-alis-alis niya, Rosela!” “Ahmm, her classmates invited her to sleepover para sa project nila.” “And you let her go?” naiinis nitong tanong. “Let us eat, darling.” Rosela changed the topic dahil mukhang pagbubuhatan na siya nito ng kamay. “I am not hungry.” She doesn’t know why she felt so happy knowing that her husband does not want to eat the dinner. Siguro ay kahit papaano mababawasan ang problema niya. Mababawasan ang dahilan ng pananakit nito ngayong gabi lalo na pa’t hindi naiiinit ang pagkain and now that Rosela thinking about this, she came to realize that she no longer feel the excitement of being standing in love, what she felt right now is fear. Fear because she married the control freak, Ricardo Manansala. What did she do to deserve this? “How’s your day, Rosela? Any calls from your men? What do you call that? ‘affairs’?” And as a cue! Her phone rung. Rosela froze to her chair. And before she could stop the ringing of her phone...Ricardo get it and answer the call. “I don’t know, darling. I don’t know!” Rosela is panicking. “You fvcking b***h! You’ll pay for it!” Hinablot ni Ricardo ang buhok ni Rosela. Hinila niya ito habang patulak sa dingding, Masakit. Lumagapak ang likod ni Rosela sa dingding. Dumaing ito sa sakit. Hindi pa siya nakakabawi sa sakit ay ang mukha naman nito ang sinampal ni Ricardo at nararamdaman na niya ang maalat na likido na tumulo galing sa kaniyang ilong. “One more infidelity from you, Rosela, and I will kill you with my bare hands.” mariin nitong sabi bago siya nito sinuntok sa sikmura at tinalikuran. Rosela cried in pain. Paika-ikang pumasok si Rosela sa k’warto nilang mag-asawa habang naupo si Ricardo sa balkonahe ng kanilang mansyon. “Hindi dapat ganito ang buhay ko. Hindi dapat ganito.” naiiyak na bulong ni Rosela. She wanted to have a peace. Even for just this day... Binuksan ni Rosela ang drawer na pinaglalagyan ng sleeping pills. Kumuha ito ng tatlo at inisahang lagok. “Kalilimutan ko ang sakit at hinanakit na ito...kahit ngayong gabi man lang,” wala sa loob na sabi ni Rosela bago siya nahulog sa kaway ng dilim. Mahimbing at malalim ang naging pagtulog ni Rosela. Sa sobrang lalim, hindi siya nagising sa malakas na putok ng baril. --