One Last Lie (SALS 1)

Chapter 13

Ilang araw na rin ang nakalipas nang maiuwi nila si Don Santiago sa kanilang bahay. Gaya ng dati, ang bahay nila ay puno pa rin ng kalungkutan. Katahimikan lang ang maririnig sa bawat sulok ng bahay lalo na kapag ang mga tao ay abala sa kani-kanilang mga gawain. 

Ngayong araw, ipinatawag niya ang lahat ng kaniyang kamag-anak na kinikilala at saka sila nagpulong sa may silid tanggapan.  His grandmother, his Uncle, his Aunt, his cousin whose name is Reece, five years old, si Seth, ang ama niya at ang abogado, everybody settled in the living room to listen to the last will and testament ni Don Santiago. 

Sinimulan ng abogado ang pagbabasa ng kasulatan at tutok na tutok naman ang mga kamag-anak nito. Samantala, ang pamilya nila ni Seth ay nakikinig lamang ng marahan. 

"I am giving the five percent of my shares in my company to my son, Jousef De Sevilla and his family. The twenty percent of my assets will be given to my son, Juan De Sevilla, and ten percent to my grandson..." 

Hinintay ni Esaac na banggitin ang pangalan niya subalit hindi ito ang nangyari. "...Noe Sethiel De Sevilla." Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Seth nang marinig ang pangalan. Hindi pa man natatapos ang pagbasa ay agad siyang umalis at nagtungo sa kusina. He looks a bit surprised or upset, just not the typical expression of him.

Patuloy na binasa ng abogado ang kasulatan habang kaharap ang Don. All are waiting for their names to be called but, "The rest of my assets, properties, and ownership including the villa in Paris will go to my grandson, Jacob Esaac De Sevilla."

Halos tumalon ang puso ni Esaac palabas ng kaniyang dibdib nang marinig ang pangalan niya. Hindi man niya ito sabihin, bakas sa pamumutla ng mukha niya na talagang nabigla siya sa sinabing rebelasyon ng abogado. 

"Signed by Santiago De Sevilla," anang abogado.

"Lo." This syllable is the only thing that had went out of his mouth. Gaya niya, gulat na gulat din ang mga kamag-anak nila.

"Pa, how about us? Our family?" pag-alma ng balbas sarado niyang Uncle. "Bakit walang akong hati sa yaman o kaya ang anak ko?" Napatayo ang lalaki at saka matalim na nakatingin sa amain.

Agad na pinakalma ni Juan ang kanyang kapatid sa labas. "Kuya Jousef tama na, please." Pinigilan niya ito sa pamamagitan ng pagharang ng braso sa dibdib nito dahil sa pag-amba sa kanyang ama.

"Juan, wag kang makialam dito. Palibhasa may parte ka sa yaman ng De Sevilla kaya ka ganyan!" pagsigaw nito. Nagpatuloy ang kaguluhan sa loob ng bahay. Esaac was managing his grandfather while his father stops the restless mouth of his Uncle. They continued the feud until the lawyer went in the middle. Pero kahit na namagitan na ang abogado, patuloy pa rin ang pag-aaway nila. Even Donya Epipania was discussing things, in favor of Jousef. Pinagtatanggol nito ang anak na may karapatan din daw sa yaman ng De Sevilla. 

Biglang may isang malakas na tunog mula sa kusina ang umalingawngaw. "Stop or I'll shoot you?" Matapang na dumating sa eksena ang kapatid ni Esaac na si Seth. Napatingin sa kanya ang lahat ng mga nasa sala. Good thing, mabilis na napansin ni Esaac ang kuya kaya nabalaan niya ang lolo sa balak ng kapatid.

The lawyer was looking at him. But he was not shocked but looking so aware of his shot. "Do not worry, it has no bullet." Nakahinga ng maluwag ang mga tao sa sala. Akma pang magsasalita si Jousef nang tutukan siya ng baril ni Seth. "And you, Uncle, I will not hesitate to use a bullet just to squirt your brain out of that skull."

Jousef's teeth gritted in anger. He cannot believe that Seth could do that to him. "Sino ka para pagbantaan ako? Sampid ka lang din naman sa bahay na ito."

Seth smirked. "Sampid ako, yes, but do not you dare compare me to you. Wala kang ugaling De Sevilla."

"Masyado ho kayong malayo sa pagiging kapamilya namin. Seth is more than just a part of this house but a family to us unlike you, Uncle, you are not even a dust here." It was Esaac who said those words. They were all shocked after hearing those things from him. Sa dinamirami ng pwedeng magsabi noon sa kanya, it was he who had courage to reveal everything about this family. "So please, Uncle, with all due respect, you may now leave this house."

"Esaac-"

"And you too, Lola." This shut his grandmother's mouth. "You are all bad for Papi's condition so please, please, get away from us."

It was a stressful day for all of them. Pagkatapos ng mga sinabi ni Esaac, napilitan na ring umalis ang mga nanggugulo sa bahay at buhay nila. Naging maayos naman ang kalagayan nila. Umalis na rin si Attorney Marcus Pimentel, ama ni Ivan. 

Nanatili siya sa balkonahe ng kwarto niya. He was looking at the stars and keeps on drawing the image of Charity on the skies. Nalulungkot siyang malamang may boyfriend na ang dalaga matapos ang mahabang paghihintay niya rito. 

He also though of getting her back but the fact that she belongs to somebody else, makes him cowardice to fight for her. He is sad. Malungkot siya sa sariling kahinaan dahil hindi niya mapagtanggol ang nararamdaman niya para sa dalaga.

Biglang bumaling ang tingin niya sa balkonahe ng kwarto ni Charity. His eyes shrink smaller at doon niya napansin ang pagkakabukas ng ilaw sa kwarto ng dalaga. Muntikan na niyang mabitiwan ang baso ng wine na hawak niya. He looks closer to the second floor of Locquias' house.

Ilang segundo ang pinalipas niya at biglaan siyang nainip. "Baka nililinis lang nila." He was hopeless, truly hopeless about seeing her. He chose to keep himself away from false hopes. Ayaw na niyang mapahiya pa. Ulit.

In no minute, dahan-dahang lumabas mula sa into ng balkonahe ang isang magandang dilag na nakasuot ng dmait pantulog. His eyes grew as he notices her. "It is her." Biglang napabaling sa ibang direksyon si Esaac nang mapansing lumingon ang dalaga sa lugar kung nasaan siya.

Biglaan ang naging pag-uwi ni Charity sa kanilang bahay. She was alarmed about the text that she received from somebody anonymous. Alam niyang totoo ang nakalagay doon dahil matagal na siyang pinagbabantaan ng madrasta niya. Yes, she was threatened by her stepmom for years now since she turned 18. Akala niya, mabait ito pero biglang lumabas ang tunay na ugali nito nang ipaghanda siya ng ama sa kaarawan. It was actually the first and last time that he did it. Sabi ng ama, ginawa niya iyon upang alalahanin ang 'pagpanaw' ng kaniyang minamahal na asawa na siyang ina ni Charity.

Wala naman talagang may bukal sa loob na dumalo sa kaarawan niya. Nobody cares about her. Ang mga bisita ay pawang mga kumare ng kanyang ina at ang isang binatang matangkad at mukhang nerd, na lahat ay galing lamang sa loob ng village nila.

She went out of her room to seek stars from her balcony. Naalala pa niya ang mga ngiti ng kaisa-isang binatang nagpunta sa debut niya. He was her escort and 18 traditional dance. It was the whole 18 dances, meaning 18 minutes of dance with him. She may not like it but it was the first day that she felt that somebody has an interest on her.

Napatingin siya sa kwarto ni Esaac na tanaw mula sa kwarto niya. Her heart pounded when she saw the body of her lover and love, staring at the stars at the night sky.

She misses him so much. Gusto niya na ulit hawakan ang kamay ng binata. She also wants to tell him what she really feels. Mahal na mahal pala talaga niya ang lalaki. She just cannot admit everything to him with the fear that she might get ignored or neglected by him. What could she do to get him back?

There was a thing that popped out of her mind. Gusto na niya ulit pumunta sa Club Lavine para makita ang binata na walang kahit anong malisya. On the first place, the club is open to all people, which means she will not look so desperate in case he neglects her.

She immediately changed her clothes to party ones. She tried wearing a blouse that shows a bit of skin. She wore an off-shoulder fuchsia pink blouse partnered with black skirt. As usual, she wears rubber shoes as partner for almost all of her clothing.

Again and again, she drove her motorbike to the Brewed Beans Café. Wait what? She drove her motorbike to Brewed Beans Café just near the Club Lavine. Agad niyang hinanap ang kaibigan. "Is Enie here?" tanong niya kay Nicholai, ang gwapong waiter ng BBC.

"EM is in her office why, pretty girl?" anito.

"I just want to-"

"Yes, honey?" Agad na lumabas si Eniessia mula sa pintong itinuro ni Stanley. "What do you need from me?" she smiled as she went out of the office.

"Enie, please, dahil matapang ka naman and you do not stop expressing yourself–" Bahagyang napatigil si Charity dahil sa pagod. "–come with me and let me win him back." 

Inaya ni Eniessia si Charity na umupo sa isang bakanteng pwesto sa tabi ng bintana. "Tell me, who is he?" tanong ni Eniessia subalit parang alam na niya ang sagot.

"Jacob Esaac De Sevilla." Eniessia smirked after hearing his name. She was actually texting under the table. "Enie, listen to me. Mamaya ka na mag-cellphone."

"Oh yeah, proceed," she replied. She continued texting underneath while she frequently looks at her while she tells the story. Bahagyang natatawa si Eniessia sa mga ikinukwento ng kaibigan. "Gusto mo bang mag-kape?" she chuckled. "Ay huwag, baka nerbiyusin ka."

"Oh so iyon na nga," sabi ni Charity. "My real intention on my escape is to find cure for my condition. Hindi ko naman alam na pagbalik ko, makikita ko na lang siyang may ibang kasama sa Club Lavine. I saw how he was captured by the great figure of that woman. Hindi ko maikakailang perpekto nga ang babaeng kasama niya nang gabing iyon but I hate it when he looks at other girls."

"So you are jealous with that sexy, hot, gorgeous girl who picked him up at night in front of Club Lavine with their motorcycles on convoy?" Charity nodded. Enie chuckled. "Go, proceed, honey."

"Then I found myself dying inside after seeing my man with that girl." She sighed. "Hindi ko naman kasi siya masisisi kung magustuhan niya yun. She is damn gorgeous Enie, likod palang nakakaakit na."

"Have you seen her face?"

Umiling-iling si Charity. "Sadly no."

"Good thing, honey." Napabalikwas ng tingin si Charity sa kanya at puno ng pagtataka ang mukha. "I mean, come on, let's go to Club Lavine."

"Wait what? Let's go, as in sasamahan mo ako?" 

Tumango na lamang si Eniessia at agad na tumayo. Quick as always, they both proceeded to the parking lot in front of the café. Charity got her Pretrichor while Enie got her motorbike. "You know how to drive motorcycles?" inosenteng tanong ni Charity.

"What do you think?" Ganyan si Eniessia. She loves to leave a question on people's minds. Sabay silang nagmaneho papunta sa Club Lavine. It was nearly ten o'clock that time and VESTIGE is near to their performance. Nakarating sila sa lugar at saka nagparada sa harap. She run really quickly inside the club.

"Wait, Charity," pagpigil niya sa kaibigan. "Come here, may kwarto akong inihanda para sa atin."

"Kwarto? Kaya ka ba nagte-text kanina?"

"Y-yeah, a-actually I texted Anne about this and she agreed. So pumasok ka na doon," itinuro niya ang pinto. "Then I will go there after a while."

Agad namang sumunod si Charity at nagtungo sa kwartong sinasabi ni Eniessia. They would probably get drunk until the morning comes. Mabait siyang umupo sa sofa at kinuha ang cellphone. "Sana nakita na niya." She was actually referring to the email that she had sent to him. Ito yung mga panahong hindi na niya kinakayang itago ang nararamdaman niya para kay Esaac. 

Taimtim na hinintay ni Esaac si Eniessia sa labas ng club Lavine. Dumating ang dalaga na para bang pagod na pagod pa. "Come here, I have got a surprise for you."

Inaya niya ang lalaki at nakarating sila sa tapat ng isang mahiwagang pinto. "Ano na naman ito Eniessia?" Napakamot na lamang siya ng ulo dahil sa inis sa kaibigan.

"Basta surprise nga, Jacobe. Trust me. You will like her. Baka nga hindi ka pa lumabas mula diyan. Baka sa loob ka na rin tumira." She chuckled. Pinipilit niya ito na pumasok na lang sa kwarto para makita ang 'sorpresang' inihanda niya para sa kaibigan.

"Kung blind date ito Essiam, please, ayaw ko na." Walang-loob niyang kinakausap ang dalaga. On the first place, napilitan lang naman talaga siya na pumayag dito matapos siyang i-text nito kani-kanina lang.

"Trust me, friend. You will not regret your decision." She smiled the widest smile. "Come on, get in but do not be too noisy." Nag-paalala pa ito sa kaibigan.

Walang buhay pero dahan-dahang binuksan ni Esaac ang pinto. It was a bit dark room with romantic dim lights all over the place. He took steps inside and eventually closed the door.