NO CHOICE /r18

HIDE AND SEEK

"You can run away from yourself so often, and so much, just because the broken pieces of you cut your feet too deeply if you stay around for too long. But then what if someone were to come along and pick up those pieces for you? Then you wouldn't have to run away from yourself anymore. You could stop running. If someone sees you as something worth staying with— maybe you'll stay with yourself, too."

-C. JoyBell C.

Mylene wasn't home yet when Alex arrived. It was almost 6 in the afternoon so he decided to cook dinner for her.

He planned to talk to her. Susuyuin nya ang asawa.

If there was one good thing about having a friend like Jack, sya ang nagpapatino ng magulo nyang isip . Dahil sa pag uusap nila, may mga bagay syang na realize na hindi dapat isawalang bahala.

Nagawan ng paraan ng IT team ni Jack na ma delete ang mga videos and pictures nila ni Jessica na kumalat. It wasn't that easy as they first thought dahil andami na ang nag share. Kelangan nyang mag bayad para patuloy na maka access sa mga accounts na yun at patuloy na ma monitor. Pero kahit gagastos pa sya ng malaki sa pag ti-trace ng mga accounts na yan, ok lang.

He recalled what he and Jack talked about at Gorka kanina lang.

(Whatabouts of the conversation of Alex and Jack)

Jack asked him, "Bro, tapatin mo nga ako, are you falling for your wife already?"

Alex was caught off guard again. Napatingin sya sa kaibigan.

"Ewan ko bro, I don't know. "

"Teka, what do you mean you don't know? Ang gulo mo ha" nagtatakang tanong ni Jack sa kanya.

"Eh kasi di ko rin alam. I have never fell in love with any woman, so paano ko yun malalaman? I was her first." he proudly said. He took a sip of his  scotch, reminiscing their first night together.

"And so? Anong connection?  Did you think kagaya lang sya ng mga naging babae mo? As if sya lang ang virgin na matikman mo noh! You had your share of virgins before bro, what's the big deal?" pabarang sagot ni Jack sa kanya.

"I like her ... Yes, I like her now...Her eyes, her smile, her simplicity, her smart mouth, her body, her......"

"Teka, teka....." Jack cut him off. "You don't need to enumerate the things you like about her because it's now plain to see that you like everything about her! Kung sabagay, who wouldn't fall for her? Kahit sino pwede. Kahit ikaw pa. Nahulog ka na nga bro. Pano yan??" Jack concluded.

"I don't know..." he shrugged.

"Yun lang ang masasabi mo? You don't know? Si Alexander Montreal na kayang mag close ng nga multi million deals at mag solve ng multi million problems, yung lang ang sagot??? Ambobo bro! Hahaha"

Napabuntong hininga si Alex at hinimas ang sentido nito.

"A piece of unsolicited advice lang bro, I think you have to talk to her. Explain to her... Subukan mong ipaliwanag ang ginawa mo." he paused and think. "Yun nga lang, ano sasabihin mo? Anong explanation mo sa kanya? Ang mga bobong reasons like:

Sorry kasi nalasing ako?

Sorry because I was tempted?

Or Sorry, because I am just an asshole?

Yung huling sinabi ko, medjo may dating at makatotohanan."

"Gago! you're not helping!!!" inis  na sagot ni Alex kay Jack.

"Mas gago ka bro. Hahahah!!! Magdusa ka ngayon. Di mo maiwasan yang pagkababaero mo eh so yan ang napapala mo!"

Jack continued. "But on a serious note, there is nothing wrong naman if you are falling for her. Mylene is your wife now. Deny it all you can, but I think you are starting to love her. Ang problema lang sayo is you couldn't accept that simple fact na ma iin -love ka din. Tao ka bro, may damdamin ka. Nakaya mo ngang gaguhin sya at ang pinakamalala pa dun ay di mo naiwasang makipag s*x sa iba! "

Tahimik lang si Alex so patuloy ang litaniya ni Jack kasi alam nya na yun ang totoo.

"Now, remember this bro. Love is akin to commitment. If you love her, kaakibat yun ay sacrifices to make the relationship works. You sacrifice not only for the one you love but for yourself too. Yung marriage ninyo ni Mylene, sacrifice yun of yourselves for the love of your family and company. So ask yourself, kaya mo na ba? Ready ka na ba emotionally? Because at the end of the day, it's still your choice."

***

Gabi na and di pa rin umuuwi si Mylene kayat nag alala na sya. He tried calling her but her phone was off.

Sige na nga. Hahayaan ko na muna sya. Baka umuwi lang sa kanila. Bukas na bukas din ay susuyuin ko.

Habang nakahiga sya sa kama, di nya maiwasang mapaisip sa mga sinabi ng kaibigan.

....there is nothing wrong if you are falling for her. Mylene is your wife now. Deny it all you can, but I think you are starting to love her. Ang problema lang sayo is you couldn't accept that simple fact na ma iin love ka. At ang pinakamalala pa dun ay di mo maiwasang makipag s*x sa iba! "

Am I really falling for her? Do I love her now? Bakit sobra yung effect sa akin na makitang syang nasasaktan? Why am I thinking of her now???

He tried to think of other women in his life...

Yung mga natatandaan nya lang syempre kasi andami na nila

Si Cristy

Si Shannon

Si Leila

Si Jessica

at iba pa....

Never pa naman syang naapektuhan ng ganito, kahit pa nga makita nya na may mga kasama itong mga lalaki or nakikipag momol kahit kanino kung saan saan.

Normal sa mundo nilang ginagalawan ang one night stands and flavor of the month. They believe it was  part ng pakikipag socialize nila. Sometimes, nakaka close sila ng deals sa pakikipag ugnayan sa mga anak ng negosyante. Yan ang mundo nila.

He tried asking himself, what if si Mylene ang makita nyang may ka momol na iba?

What if makita nyang nakikipag date din ito?

Ok lang ba sa kanya?

Ok lang ba na lumalabas si Mylene at makikipag meet sa ibang lalaki, suot ang sexing damit na kita halos ang kaluluwa gaya ng mga babaeng nakilala nya?

What the hell! Syempre hindi!!! She is mine and I don't share what's mine!

Yun na marahil ang sagot sa tanong nya.

***

Alex woke up early and prepared himself. Pupunta sya sa bahay nila Mylene ngayun para suyuin at sunduin ang asawa. Sigurado na sya sa gagawin. 

Nae- deliver na ang mga bulaklak na inorder nya kahapon dito sa bahay nya para ibigay sa asawa at dala dala na ya sa kotse.

Nang makapasok sya sa mansion ng mga Rivero, he got off from his car. He was caught unprepared when Micheal suddenly punched him.

"F*ck you Alex!!! Tanginang gago ka!!!" sigaw nito sa kanya matapos syang suntukin sa mukha at natumba ito.

Nagkagulo na kayat tumakbo at inawat sila ng mommy ni Mylene at ng mga katulong.

"Michael, enough!!!!" sigaw ni Mr. Rivero habang pababa ng hagdan.

But Ramon's booming voice  didn't stop Mike from cursing him. "I warned you not to hurt her! Putanginang gago ka!!! Pero pinakita mo pa talaga sa buong Pilipinas kung gano ka kagago at maniac! "

"I said enough Michael!!!" galit na sabi ni Ramon bago ibinaling ang attention kay Alex na ngayon ay dumudugo na ang labi.  "and you! what brings you here??"

Doon na natauhan si Alex nang tinanong na sya ng byenan, he courageously faced him. Alex felt alam na ng mga byenan nya ang mga nangyari.

"I want to see my wife. Sinusundo ko na po sya." he firmly said.

"What do you mean??? Wala si Mylene dito!!!" Mrs.Rivero gasped, bakas ang subrang nag alala sa mukha nito.

"Di sya umuwi ng bahay since last night. Akala ko, andito lang sya" sabi ni Alex sa kanila.

Mr. Rivero looked at him straight. "Wala sya dito. Have you tried calling her friends? Or baka nasa penthouse nya." kalmadong wika naman ni Mr. Rivero para di na mag alala ang asawa nya.

"I don't know where that is. Asan ang penthouse nya?" tanong ni Alex at di ininda ang sakit ng suntok ni Mike sa kanya.

Mike suddendly butted in, talking to his dad.

"She won't stay at her penthouse alone, you know that dad! She hated that place. Nagtataka nga ako bakit hanggang ngayun di pa rin nya dinispose yan." sagot naman ni Mike.

Bakit? anong meron sa penthouse nya bakit ayaw nya dun?

"Oh my!!!! Asan na ang anak natin Ramon???" naiiyak na sabi ni Mrs. Rivero.

kung wala dito si Mylene, asan sya????

"Don't worry hon, tatawagan natin ang mga kaibigan nya. Mahahanap natin sya. Mylene is too smart not to do stupid things." Ramon assured his wife.

"Tangina mo Montreal, pag may mangyaring masama sa kapatid ko, ibabagsak kita kasama lahat ng kompanya mo!!!" sigaw ni Mike sa kanya.

"I'll look for her and I promise to bring her back," Alex promised them.

"You better do that young man. Or else..., I wont take this just sitting down." Mr. Rivero told him.

He left the Rivero mansion and went straight to St. Mary's hospital, where Dr. Ogie's was located. Pababa na sya sa sasakyan sa parking nang makita nya si Doc Ogie na lumalakad naman papunta naman sa sasakyan nito. He ran to him.

"Doc, please wait... can we talk?" he called him.

Ogie turned and arched his brows nang makita niya si Alex.

"What do you want Alex?" pagtataray ni Ogie sa kanya.

"Please, I want to know where my wife is?" Alex pleaded.

Ogie looked surprised and worried. "Mukha ba akong counter ng lost and found? Bakit, wala ba sa inyo? Sa bahay nila?" he asked. Likas sa mukha ni Ogie na wala syang alam kung asan si Mylene.

"Kagagaling ko sang sa Rivero at wala sya dun. Kagabi pa sya di umuwi." inirapan sya ni Ogie at di pinansin ang sinabi habang tinatawagan nito ang iba pa nilang kaibigan.

Matapos nyang tawagan ang ilan sa mga kaibigan nya, he turned to Alex again.

"Di rin alam ni Rose at wala sya kina Ann. Anu ba kasi ang nangyari???? Ah, oo nga pala. Nakita namin sa IG. Galing mo din ano Alex??? Napahanga mo ako. Ang galing mo." sarkastikong wika ni Ogie sa kanya.

"Asan ba yung penthouse nya? Do you think dun sya umuwi?" he asked.

"Malapit lang din sa penthouse mo but no way, di sya babalik na mag-isa dun. Sigurado yun. "

"Why?"

"Basta! wag ka nang magtanong. Don't worry, kami na ang bahala sa kaibigan namin."

"No, I need to find her! Gusto ko syang makausap. Iuuwi ko sya. Please..." pilit nyang sabi kay Ogie.

"Kilala ko ang kaibigan ko Alex. She'll talk to you once she's ready. Kung ayaw nya ngayon, then stop! Wag mo syang pilitin. If I were you, stop pursuing her. Sya ang tipo na pag hinahanap, lalong nagtatago."

Alex sighed. "Will you let me know if makita nyo sya?" he asked.

"Di ko na kelangan ipaalam sa iyo. Kilala ko si Mylene, pag gusto nyang magpakita, gagawin nya. Sya mismo ang tatawag sayo. Pag ayaw nya, wala kang magagawa."

At dun natapos ang usapan nila.

He called Anton and since may ari ito ng maraming chain ng hotels, he asked him to check through his private access kung nakapag check in ang asawa sa kung anong hotel. 

Unfortunately, according to Anton, wala...

Bago maghapon, he received a call from Ryan.

"Hello."

"Bro, andito daw ang asawa mo kahapon sa track!"

Biglang nabuhayan ng loob si Alex. Kanina pa sya di mapakali. 

"Really? Eh ngayon??? Wala ba sya dyan? Di ba nakapunta?"

"Di pa raw nakabalik ngayun. Kahapon daw nagka-warning light for overspeeding sa track  limit! 260kph bro!!!!hanep yang adrenaline rush ng asawa mo!!! Siyet!!! 260!!!!phew!!!"

Mas lalo syang nag alala. Alam nya ang mga ganung adrenaline rush. Nagiging reckless. 

"Bro, baka makabalik sya dyan, please call me."

"Sure bro!!!"

***

Three days...

Yes, it has been three days since Mylene left their house.

Sa loob ng 2 two days ng paghahanap nya, marami pa syang bagay na na-realize sa situation nila ni Mylene.

He would think of her at night.

He missed her beside him.

He had never missed anyone like this.

And its driving him crazy.

Yan, kasi ang gago mo! May magandang asawa kang naghihintay sa bahay mo, pero di ka pa nakontento!

He was haunted by her eyes...

Yung mata nyang nasaktan..

And that made him feel more guilty.

Twice, he sent her a message but he didn't get any reply.

Many times he tried to call her too, but his call had been rejected.

On the fourth day, he finally received a message from her.

From Mylene:

"I don't know why I bother to text you but in case you want to know, I'm ok. Don't worry about me. I'm fine. We will talk, but sorry not now. So please bear with me. "

So he replied.

From Alex:

" Thank God you replied. Where are you? Can I call? Please...

From Mylene:

"We will talk, but NOT NOW."

Naka CAPSLOCK na ang "not now". It went to show she didn't really want to talk to him yet.

Pero kahit papano,  Alex was glad to know that she is fine... Sabi nya.

At sa ngayon,  wala syang magawa but to wait....