His Wife Tears

Chapter 4

GAVIN was still gripping her arm when his phone vibrated. Pare-pareho silang napatingin doon na nasa ibabaw ng mesa. Agad siyang binitawan nito at biglang lumamlam ang mata nito ng makita kung sino ang tumatawag. Gavin left the kitchen without any words. Manang went to her place and gave her a hug.

Sofia.

That’s the name written on Gavin’s phone. Kilala niya lahat ng kamag-anak nito at wala siyang natatandaang may ganoong pangalan. Imposibleng secretary iyon ni Gavin dahil Tricia ang pangalan nito. Hindi niya alam pero ngayon niya naramdaman ang sakit. Ang bigat bigat ng dibdib niya at gusto niya lang gawin ay umiyak. Tears were flowing on her eyes consistently.

“Umakyat ka na sa taas. Ako na ang kakausap sa asawa mo.” Manang said worriedly.

“You don’t have to, Manang.” She smiled. “I’m okay.”

Umakyat na rin siya at nagpalit sa kwarto. Kinuha niya ang kanyang inhaler dahil nahihirapan pa rin siyang huminga. Nakahiga na siya pero nandoon parin `yong sakit. That pain torturing her right now. She can’t do anything but to cry. That girl’s name can’t erase on her mind. It was bothering her.

‘Anong papel nito sa buhay ni Gavin?’

She swallowed deeply. “The hell I care! Wala na akong pakialam sa kanya.”

Pagkumbinsi niya sa sarili bago tuluyang isarado ang mga mata.

KINABUKASAN, tanging sila lang dalawa ni Manang ang tao sa mansyon. Friday ngayon at day off niya. Hinintay niya munang makaalis si Gavin bago bumaba. They were eating their breakfast when Manang opened a conversation.

“Kung patuloy kayong ganyan ng ganyan ni Gavin ako na mismo ang magsasabi sa parents niyo na itigil niyo na ang kalokohang to,” she was serious and a little bit angry.

“Normal lang naman pong mag-away ang mag-asawa `diba?” She smiled sweetly to ease the anger of Manang but it doesn’t effect.

“Normal pa bang matatawag `yong nagkakasakitan na kayo? Ano ka bang bata ka! Alam kong mahal mo `yon pero hindi na siguro tamang hayaan mong saktan ka niya kung kailan niya gustuhin.” Nanatili siyang tahimik habang nagsasalita ito. “Kapag kasi mainit ang ulo ng asawa mo, h`wag mo ng sabayan. Kung may nasabi man siyang masakit na salita, h`wag mo ng patulan.” Tumigil siya sa pagkain. “Hayaan mo na lang siya para hindi ka niya masaktan.”

“Hindi pwede, Manang. Ilang libong patak na ng luha ko ang nasayang dahil sa kanya,” she felt her heart skip a beat. “I’ve been fool enough this past two years but now, I will not be.”

“Ayana, h`wag kang magtanim ng galit sa puso mo. Pag-usapan niyo na lang ni Gavin ang problema niyo,” nakikiusap na sabi ni Manang. She just smiled at her. She can’t promise that.

Bandang tanghali na at kakatapos niya lang maligo. She was about to pick some snacks in the cabinet but she noticed that they don’t have any stocks anymore. So, she decided to buy grocies.

She was pushing her cart while picking the foods and the things that they need. Iniwan niya panandalian ang cart sa gilid para mas makuha niya ng ayos ang kanyang mga bibilhin. Inabot siya ng mahigit isang oras sa pamimili. Hindi naman ganoon kahaba ang pila sa counter. Mabilis siyang nakarating doon at pipila na sana siya ng mabunggo ang cart niya sa cart ng babaeng pipila rin sana sa counter na iyon. She was startled. Medyo malakas kasi ang impact ng pagkakabunggo nito.

“Oh! Sorry, Miss. I didn’t mean it. Medyo nagmamadali kasi ako, eh.” The girl was wearing a pink fitted dress with her chestnut brown curly hair sincerely apologized. She can’t deny the fact that the girl infront of her was beautiful.

“It’s okay,” tanging nasabi niya.

“You may go first,” nakangiti nitong sabi. Agad naman siyang tumanggi at nginitian ito.

“Go ahead.” She said. Ilang beses pa silang nagpilitan bago ito pumayag na mauna na sa kanya sa pila.

“Thank you and sorry again for being careless.”

She smiled shiverly. Nasa unahan niya ito at hindi niya maiwasang pagmasdan ang kurba ng katawan nito. She has a sexy hot body that every girls dream to have. Muli itong tumingin sa kanya pagkatapos nitong magpa-counter.

“I’m Zandra, by the way.”

“Ayana,” they shook their hands before Zandra left.

Naglibot-libot muna siya sa Mall. Ngayon na lang ulit kasi siya na kapasyal. Binili niya si Manang ng paborito nitong Chocomoose cake. Medyo mahilig kasi ito sa matamis kahit may katandaan na.

Nang makauwi na siya ay inayos na niya ang mga pinamili. Maaga pa naman kaya naisipan niyang tulungan si Manang sa paglilinis ng bahay.

Inumpisahan niyang linisin ang kwarto niya. She changed the bedsheet; the curtain and she even clean her toilet. After that, she went to Gavin’s room. It was usually lock if Gavin was not around that’s why she needs to go back downstairs to get the key from Manang.

Gaya ng ginawa niya sa kwarto niya, lininis niya rin ito. Gavin was the type of guy that all his things were in a proper place. He’s so careful and he wants everything settled. Kaya hindi na siya ganoon nahirapan sa paglilinis. Medyo pagod na rin siya kaya naupo muna siya sa kama nito. She looked around. It’s so rare for her to go inside there because Gavin don’t want her to go to his room. Nakakapasok lang siya dito kapag wala ito sa bahay.

The cabinet was slightly open and it caught her attention. She went near there and the moment she open it, a black small box was the first thing she saw. Her jaw literally dropped. A pink pear-cut diamond ring was inside the box. It was not just a simple ring but one of the most expensive rings in the world.

‘Kanino naman kaya ito ibibigay ni Gavin?’

Iniisip pa lamang niya na mapupunta ito sa ibang babae ay parang hinihiwa na ang puso niya. It seems like the girl who will receive the ring was very special to her husband and of course, it wasn’t her.

She took a deep breath before she left the room. Sumunod siya sa kusina para tulungan si Manang magluto ng pang-hapunan.

*****