Chapter8
1039 Words
CHAPTER 8
Hindi na siya natulog.
Libby stayed in the sala long after the house had gone quiet—after humina ang ingay ng mga kuliglig sa labas, after the old clock on the wall marked time she could no longer feel.
Every few minutes, napapatingin siya sa pinto.
Every time, umaasa.
But the door never opened.
She sat on the edge of the couch, knees drawn to her chest, arms wrapped tightly around herself as if that would keep her from falling apart. Every sound outside made her heart jump—the wind, the rustle of leaves.
Jacob…
She replayed everything over and over in her mind. His eyes. His scars. Ang paraan ng pagtrulak nito sa kanya—not in hatred, but in pain so raw it scared her.
She deserved this. She deserved to be shoved. she deserved to suffer.
I know, I know! sigaw ng isipan. But God, can you please keep him safe!
If anything bad happened to him, it will be her fault once again.
Past midnight, she stood and checked on Leo.
Mahimbing ang tulog ng anak nila, ang maliit na dibdib ay marahang umaangat at bumababa. She brushed a hand through his hair, careful not to wake him.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered—not sure if it was meant for Leo, for Jacob, or for herself.
Her mind went back to that day. What was supposed to be a happy day with a happy news. Sa halip ay nauwi sa pagkasira ng lahat. Her simple request for him to come home early na noon niya lang ginawa sa tagal ng pagsasama nila. Her simple lambing for an ice cream.
Napangiti siya ng mapait.
You're a jinx Libby. A jinx.
Bumalik siya sa sala. balot pa rin ng pag-aalala.
1:17 a.m.
2:03 a.m.
2:41 a.m.
Time moved cruelly slow.
She was on the verge of giving up—of curling up on the couch and letting exhaustion take over—when she heard it.
A car.
Her breath hitched.
Dali siyang tumayo kahit nanghihina pa ang mga tuhod. Heart pounding so loudly she was sure it would wake the whole house.
Bumukas ang pinto bago niya pa marating ito.
Jacob stepped inside.
Napausal siya ng dasal ng pasasalamat.
She searched his face desperately, trying to read his mood, his thoughts—but his expression was guarded, tired, closed off. He didn’t look at her right away. He just shut the door quietly, like he was afraid of making noise.
Then her eyes dropped.
To his hand.
He was holding a plastic bag.
Her heart stopped.
Ice cream.
Fruit salad.
The sight hit her like a blow.
Her knees wobbled, strength leaving her body all at once, and before she could stop herself, she sank back down on the sofa—landing hard, sitting there like she had forgotten how to stand.
Jacob froze.
“Libby—”
But she couldn’t hear him.
All she could see was that small tub inside the bag.
All she could feel was the past crashing into her.
She's been drowning in the memory of the past kanina pa. Wala bang katapusan?
The hospital lights.
The smell of antiseptic.
The hoses and machines.
The fear that swallowed her whole as she thought he was going to die.
Tears spilled freely now, unstoppable.
“I stopped eating ice cream,” aniya sa mahinang boses, not even sure if she was talking to him or confessing to the room. “I can’t… I just can’t.”
Jacob didn’t move.
He just stood there, holding the ice cream like it was something fragile. Something dangerous.
And in that moment, Libby realized something that terrified her more than his anger.
He remembered.
He remembered that day.
He remembered her last wish.
Is this another way of punishing her? He's doing such a great job.
Pilit niyang kinokontol ang sarili.
Wag OA, kastigo ng isipan.
But still, she cried.
It seemed ages, but then she saw him put it down on the center table. Pagkuway lumapit ito sa kanya. Hindi niya alam ang intensyon nito at nayakap niya ang sarili, sensyales ng takot.
"Let's get you to bed." mahinahong sabi ni Jacob.
Wala siyang nagawa kundi mapatitig na lang dito na puno ng pagkalito. Wala rin siyang nagawa kundi kumapit sa leeg nito. Tahimik silang dalawa nang marating nila ang silid.
Dahan-dahan siyang ibinaba sa kama, first sitting down, then he lifted her feet para itaas din sa kama.
Careful. Almost afraid.
Nang subukan nitong alalayan siya para tuluyang mahiga, she broke completely. Instead of lying down, she grabbed onto him.
Her face pressed into his chest, tears soaking through his shirt, her fingers clutching fabric like it was the only thing keeping her upright. He stiffened at first, breath catching—then slowly, reluctantly, his body gave in.
His hand moved to her hair.
Once.
Twice.
A familiar motion. One he had done a thousand times before.
Her sobs came in waves, and with each one, his hold tightened just a little. Not enough to trap her. Just enough to keep her from falling apart.
He shifted, lowering himself to the bed so they were both seated. Her knees drawn in, her weight leaning fully against him now. His chin brushed the top of her head.
His breathing was uneven.
He closed his eyes.
The room stayed quiet except for the sound of her crying and the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. Time slowed, stretched, blurred.
When her tears finally began to subside, he reached for a nearby cushion and gently guided her back against it. He didn’t let go completely—just enough to give her space without leaving.
He wiped her tears with his thumb, rough but careful.
Hinila niyang kumot at ipinalibot ito sa kanya. Siya na ang kusang nahiga.
For a long moment, he simply watched her breathe.
Then, almost reluctantly, he stood, turned off the light and sat on the couch near the window—close enough that she could feel his presence, far enough to give her peace.
Puyat, pagod and sa wakas ay nagpapikit sa kanyang mga mata.
And for the first time that night, neither of them ran.
- Writer
