Quinn
1288 Words
Hindi ko maitago ang ngiti ko nang makitang tumatawag si Margaux sa akin. I know what it is when she calls me during the day. It’s about Shawn.
“Hello,” I said as I answered the call.
Narinig ko ang malalim na pagsinghap niya sa kabilang linya. “Are you free tonight?” Hindi man lang niya ako binati.
“Why?” I asked.
She paused for a second. Para bang nagdadalawang isip siya kung sasabihin ba niya ang rason o hindi. Suminghap siyang muli bago nagsalita. “Gusto kasi ni Shawn na matulog sa bahay mo.”
My heart leaped with joy upon hearing what she said. My son wants to stay with me.
“One night.” Margaux said. “I’m letting him stay with you for one night.”
I sighed and nodded. One night is good. I would take even the shortest time to be with my son. One night is enough.
“Okay.” I answered. “Anong oras ko siya kukunin?”
“You can fetch him from school. Ipapadala ko na lang kay Mela iyong mga gamit niya.” She told me.
“Hindi mo siya ihahatid sa akin?” I asked. I’m not really sure why asked that question. I’m not expecting her to be closer to me now. I would acknowledge her coldness. Maybe she’s been through a lot.
“As much as I want to, I don’t want to see you.”
I can’t believe it hurts like this. I don’t feel anything for her now but hearing a woman say she doesn’t want to see me hurts my ego so much.
Ako? Quinn Leonard Guevarra? Ayaw makita ng isang babae? All the female employees in the office are dying for my attention!
How could Margaux…?
“Fine.” I swear I couldn’t hide the disappointment in my voice. I didn’t know why I had to see her. I didn’t know why I feel like I want to meet her.
Was it because of the words I’ve told her the other night?
I didn’t mean it that way. I didn’t want her to think that I am questioning the way she raised our son. I’ve been with Shawn a few times and I know that he’s going to be a great person when he grows up. A lot better than what I am.
“Look, Margaux, about what happened in the club—”
She ended the call without even saying goodbye. She didn’t even hear me out. What the hell?
I was trying to be nice to her. Bakit ganito na lang niya ibinaba ang tawag?
Is this how mad she is?
Well, Quinn, there’s no denying that it was an asshole move. You should have been thankful that she’s letting you meet your son after leaving her heartlessly like that.
The whole day, I tried to divert my attention to seeing my son and having him with me in my house tonight. This is what I have been waiting for. I’m actually surprised that this is going really fast. Akala ko ay mag-aaway pa kami ni Margaux bago niya ipakita sa akin ang anak ko.
From: Louise
Babe, I’ll come over tonight, right? You told me you’ll cook dinner for me. See you later! Love you!
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang makita ko ang text ni Louise. f*****g s**t! I forgot about my dinner with Louise!
Shit! Makikita niya si Shawn!
To: Louise
Babe, can we have dinner some other time? I have important matters to attend to tonight.
Motherfucker. This is the most difficult part of keeping secrets from the people you love. Maiipit ka sa gitna and you have no choice but to choose between them.
From: Louise
I can just stay at your place while I wait for you. Ayos lang sakin maghintay.
Oh, f**k! How can I turn her down then?! How did I get myself in this kind of situation?
I really wanted to be with my son tonight. I have even visualized what we would do the whole night! Kung bakit ba naman kasi nangako pa ako kay Louise na magdidinner kami ngayon?! Of all nights!
Louise called me right after and I had no choice but to choose her. Gusto ko man siyang ipakilala sa anak ko, I think it’s too early for that. I have to get Shawn’s trust first before I introduce him to my girl. It wouldn’t be easy for them to accept each other. Especially Shawn. As a kid, I think that he’s hoping that we will be together—Margaux, him and I.
Hindi ko namalayan ang oras at pagkatapos naming mag-usap ni Louise ay nabasa ko ang mga text ang ipindala sa akin ni Margaux.
From: Margaux
Pick Shawn up at 3:30. Iyon ang labas niya.
From: Margaux
Send me your address para alam ko kung saan ipapadala kay Mela iyong mga gamit ni Shawn.
From: Margaux
It’s 3:40. Kasama mo na ba si Shawn?
From: Margaux
How’s Shawn? Please take care of him well.
Napatigil ako nang makita ko ang huli niyang text.
From: Margaux
I CAN HANDLE YOU f*****g WITH ME BUT NOT WITH MY SON! YOU’RE A REAL MOTHERFUCKER, ASSHOLE! DON’T SHOW YOUR FACE TO SHAWN EVER AGAIN!
I narrowed my eyes at her text and looked at the time. f**k! Gaano katagal kami nag-usap ni Louise? Kailan pa naging five-thirty ang oras?
Tangina!
Her all-caps text made me nervous. If it was just me not picking up Shawn, hindi ganito ang magiging text niya. She’s so mad that she cursed!
Damn it!
I called her but she’s not answering it. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit sobrang kinakabahan ako. Nothing strange happened, right?
There shouldn’t be.
Fuck!
I’m going to lose myself if something happened to my son.
From: Margaux
DON’T CALL ME ANYMORE. MY SON DOESN’T WANT TO SEE YOU ANYMORE.
But I didn’t do as I was told. I called her. I’m even surprised that she picked it up.
Ang buong akala ko ay isang galit na galit na Margaux ang maririnig ko, pero hindi. Iyak at galit ang naririnig ko sa kabilang linya.
“f**k you, Guevarra! If something bad happened to my son, I’m never going to forgive you.”
Hindi ko matanggal ang kaba ko nang marinig ko ang galit niya. She’s crying and in pain and in anger. Damn it!
“What happened?”
Shit! Para akong nawawalan ng lakas habang iniisip kung anong pwedeng nangyari sa anak ko. It’s nothing serious right?
But s**t if it’s nothing serious, would Margaux be like this?
“You’re not parent. Kahit kailan, hindi ka niya naging Daddy. You’re just one horny creature who would do everything to satisfy your libido! Now what? If Shawn doesn’t survive this, I’m going to kill you. This is not even a threat!”
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa mga narinig ko.
If Shawn doesn’t survive this…
Motherfucker! What the hell happened?!
“Look, Margaux, calm down… Please, tell me where you are.” Kahit na alam kong hindi niya sasabihin ay tinanong ko pa rin.
“Margaux!” Rinig ko ang sigaw mula sa kabilang linya.
Sobrang bilis ng t***k ng puso ko. I couldn’t even think straight. Margaux…Shawn…What happened to them? Nasan sila? f**k it!
“Dude, Margaux passed out.” Isang tinig ng lalaki ang sumalo sa tawag ko.
I wanted to get mad dahil sa lalaking sumagot ng telepono. Who the f**k is this prick? Pero what the hell? Margaux passed out? Damn it!
“Where’re my son and my wife?”
Sandaling nanahimik ang lalaking iyon sa kabilang linya. Rinig ko ang ingay pero bigla siyang nanahimik.
“Wife? Margaux isn’t married to anyone.”
Just hearing that, my eyes saw red. Tangina!
“She’s the mother of my child, asshole. So tell me where they are!” Hindi ko na napigilan ang bugso ng damdamin ko. This prick is shitting on me. I want to know where my son is!
“We’re at the hospital. Nabangga ng bike si Shawn at at medyo may mga galos. His hand’s fractured so they need to operate on him.”
Hindi ako makagalaw.
“You should come. Margaux is in distress.”
Well. This is when I realized, I f****d up really bad this time.
- Writer
