MARIANO's POV:
Its been 28 months since I saw my baby. Kaya naman I'm gonna surprise her. Ang alam nya nasa Qatar pa din ako, nagtratrabaho at nagiipon para sa kinabukasan nameng dalawa, but I didn't tell her na binigyan kame ng 1month vacation. Atlast after 28 months I will feel her again. After 28 months I can touch her again, kiss her again without a freaking screen and a thousand miles blocking us. It's still 2am when the plane landed. I'm so excited. Ano kaya ang magiging reaksyon ni Samantha kapag nakita nya ako? Around 3am ng makakarating ako ng bahay, I wanted to take a nap but I can't kasi di kabisado ng driver yung papunta sa bahay. I really badly needed to sleep, pagod, puyat at jetlag. Saktong 3:14am nang nakarating ako sa harap ng gate ng aming munting tahanan kaya dahan-dahan ang ginawa kong pagpasok. Marahil tulog pa ang aking mahal na asawa. Masakit sa ulo ang ilang oras na byahe sa eroplano. Lalo na nagpipintig ang utak ko sa sakit. Pero makakaya ko tong matiis, isang buwan din naman ang ilalagi ko dito kaya ang pagpapahinga ay makakapagantay. Nang maipasok ko ang lahat ng gamit ko sa loob ng bahay at makainom ng pain killer ay umakyat na ako. Not creating any sound. Ayoko naman istorbohin ang aking asawa sa kanyang pagtulog. Nang nasa dulo na ako ng hagdanan ay narinig ko ang mahina nyang ungol. Kaya naman madalian akong naglakad papunta sa aming kwarto sa dulo ng madilim naming hallway, baka kasi binabangungot ang aking asawa. I was about to open the door when I heard her moan again. But not just a simple moan. I heard her moan.
"Hmm.. Ahhh.." I froze. Marahan kong binuksan ang pinto at sumilip. Walang ilaw sa kwarto o kahit sa hallway kaya alam kong kahit buksan ko ang pintuan, she...they.. can't see me. Sana she's just watching a porn movie. I know my wife can never betray me. Kumakabog ang aking dibdib sabay ng pagpintig ng aking utak dala ng jetlag, kasabay ng halinhingan ng dalawang tao. My heart stop beating. No. It can't be. Mahal ako ng asawa ko, hindi sya ang nasa kwartong yan. I saw a man on a top of a woman, ang buwan ang tanging ilaw sa kwarto na nagpapakita ng kanilang pagiisang katawan. Muli kong isinara ang pintuan at sinilip ang tatlong pintuan sa bahay na ito. Maaaring bisita lamang ng asawa ko ang dalawang yun. Nilibot ko na ang buong kabahayan para makita ang aking asawa pero di ko pa din sya nakikita. Kaya bumalik ako sa aming kwarto, when I was about to knock I heard their moans, reaching their climax.
"Emil..ahh..." A woman screams with pleasure
"Samantha...ahh.." I froze as the man moan my wife's name. It can't be. Hindi totoo. I'm probably still on the taxi at nakaidlip lang ako. Isa lang etong bangungot. Tama, this is just a dream, dahil I can't feel anything. Maski ang aking katawan ay di ko maramdaman. Yes this is a dream, a nightmare that I can do everything and change it.
I went down the stairs, stealthily. I went to my library. Took the two handcuffs that we use for foreplay and my gun with the silencer for safety precaution. I went up again, when I open our door I can see they're about to sleep. So I guess, they did 'it' until the break of dawn. Until there's no energy left in them. Slowly crawling to them I manage to handcuff the six footer man whose silently sleeping on my bed. Then I handcuff the woman beside him unto the headboard of my bed. Its still a little bit dark outside but soon the sun will rise and the surprise will be revealed. Who is the man on my bed. I'm afraid I know. I'm afraid to face the truth so I will wait. I will wait. Till the revelation that the sun will bring. My head is still in pain. Nagpipintigan pa din ang sentido ko. Kumakabog ang puso ko habang unti-unting nababalot ng liwanag ng araw ang aming kwarto. I sat silently, waiting patiently. But my head still hurts. But I know I'm still asleep so its okay. Yeah its just a nightmare, still on a nightmare. Dahil alam ko na hindi magagawa saken ito ng asawa ko kaya alam kong hindi ito totoo, kapangalan lang nila yung narinig ko. O baka nagkamali lang ako sa narinig kong pangalan.
As the light from the sun unravel the truth, I can't hear anything but their snores, my heart that is beating so hard that somehow I know they can hear it if they're awake, also I can feel my head lightheadedness as I feel dizzy. Is this really a dream? Bakit ganun, kung ito ang realidad bakit wala akong maramdaman? Walang sakit? Maski ang paggalaw ng aking katawan ay di ko maramdaman. A little more later, the room is totally filled with light from the rising sun. Now, the faces of the people on bed is now unfold. I was dumbstruck, frozen on my sit. Hindi ito totoo diba. I have given everything I can, papaano nya to nagawa saken? Papaano nila nagawa saken to? Then I heard myself yell 'hindi', it's so loud, loud enough for them to wake up. When he woke up napansin nya agad ang posas sa kanyang mga kamay at ako na nakaupo sa isang gilid, I know he can't see me yet dahil nakatalikod ako.
"Sino ka?! Hon wake up!" He yelled then she woke up. Shocked was written all over her face. I guess she already recognizes me.
"Mariano?" She mumble while he looks quizzical, maybe he didn't hear her say my name.
"How are you my dear wife?" I said as I slowly came near them. And he was shocked. I wanna laugh at his reaction if we were just in a different situation.
"Kamusta na din mahal kong kapatid?" Yeah, my one and only brother, Emiliano. Tila naumid ang kanilang mga dila kaya naman natatawang naiiling ako na lumapit sa kanila.
"Oh bakit tila naputulan na kayo ng mga dila?" Nakangiti kong tanong habang palipat lipat ang tutok ko sa kanila ng baril. Its so funny, seeing their faces in horror and terrified for their life. I know I can change this nightmare.
"Kuya, mali ka ng intindi. Inakit lang ako ng asawa mo kaya to nangyari at ngayon lang to nangyari kasi nilasing nya ako kagabi. Maniwala ka saken kuya. Di ko to magagawa sayo, alam mo yan. Kapatid kita." Tuloy tuloy na paliwanag ni Emil habang nanlalaki ang mga mata ni Sam at tila di makapaniwala sa sinasabi ni Emil.
"Sinungaling ka! Alam mong hindi totoo yan! Sinungaling ka! Hindi! Hindi..." Umiiling at umiiyak na tumingin si Sam sa aken.
"Hindi totoo yun mahal, maniwala ka. Nangyari nalang bigla yun nung malasing kame pareho. And everything went...one thing...to...another... I'm...I'm..soo..rry.." She said between her sobs. Nanatili akong tahimik.
"Kasalanan mo din to! Kung di ka umalis, di sana magiging ganito ang lahat! Ikaw ang may kasalanan ng lahat ng ito kaya wala kang karapatan na saktan o parusahan ako!" Emil yelled. I laugh while I'm crying.
"Ako? Hahaha. Nagpapatawa ka kapatid. Kung hindi ako umalis baka nakulong ka na sa dami ng taong pinagkakautangan mo na kelangan mong bayaran. Hahaha. Unbelievable! Kung may silbi ka sana bilang kapatid o kahit bilang tao man lang baka maayos pa ang negosyo na naiwan ni tatay. Kung hindi ka lang gago, buhay pa sya!" Nanggigigil kong sigaw kay Emil. He is the reason kung bakit inatake sa puso si tatay. Dahil bastos sya, walang modo at higit sa lahat walang utang na loob. Sya ang dahilan ng pagkawala ni tatay. Sya ang dahilan kaya ko kinailangan mangibang-bayan. Sya rin pala ang magiging dahilan para masira ang pamilya ko.
"Hindi ako ang may kasalanan ng pagkawala ni tatay! Hindi ako! HINDI!" He yelled then its like a trance, like I'm out of my body and I watch Emil stand up and wants to grab me then I saw myself pulled the trigger before he can get to me. It was shocking not just because I saw my brother bleeding to death but also because of what I'm feeling right now. I felt nothing but relief, that he is gone for good. I don't hear anything but my heartbeat. I somehow felt happy. Atlast he is gone, the nightmare will be over. I can see Sam yelling but I don't hear what is she saying until that trance was broken by a baby's cry.
Nang marinig ko ang iyak ng isang bata tila natauhan kameng pareho ni Sam because her expression looks so shock. Then I saw a baby's crib. Nilapitan ko ito at nanlulumo akong makita ang isang baby na wala pa atang 6 na buwan. I look at my wife then to my brother. Bigla ko muling naramdaman ang aking katawan at tila nagising ako sa pagkakatulog ko ng makita kong halos maghingalo na si Emil. Agad kong nilapitan ang aking kapatid. Naramdaman ko nalang ang luha na umaagos sa aking mga pisngi. I never wanted my brother to die. I checked his pulse, halos madurog ang puso ko ng maramdaman na unti unting humihina ang pagtibok ng puso nya. But he lay there peacefully despite of the blood that overflowing from his chest. I hold his hand and whisper..
"Patawad mahal kong kapatid. Mahal na mahal ka ni kuya. Matagal na din kitang napatawad. Ingat sa byahe." Then I felt his hand, gripping mine and after a few seconds it fell to the ground. I stand up and go to the crib, his not crying anymore.
"Anong pangalan nya?" Tanong ko kay Sam pero nananatiling nakatitig ako sa baby.
"Mar, maawa ka. Wag ang anak ko. Please Mar, wag mo idamay ang anak ko." Umiiyak at nagsusumamong sabi ni Sam.
"Anong pangalan nya?" I glare at her so she would know that I needed answer.
"Mario Emil. Maawa ka Mar, wag mong idamay ang bata. Please! Wag mong idamay ang anak ko." Lumapit ako kay Sam habang bitbit ang bata. I wipe the blood that smears her beautiful face.
"Wag kang magalala, di ko sasaktan ang anak naten. Hinding hindi." I smile of how the words came out from my mouth. He won't come back anymore, Emil won't mess around anymore. Pero nagiwan sya ng isang napakagandang regalo sa aken. Isang anak na kahit kailan di ako magkakaroon. Salamat Emil. Salamat mahal kong kapatid.
~FIN~