ISABELLE's POV
Her retreating figure won't leave my mind, walang ibang nakikita kundi sya ng paulit-ulit kaya medyo di ako makapag-concentrate to work kanina pa.
Hai... hindi ko alam pero napalapit na ako kay Samañiego or should I say Sven.
Tama natatawag ko na sya non gaya kay Cassie though idenimand ko sa kanya ito kahit na napag-aawayan namin ito but at the end of it tiklop pa din sya sa akin.
Ayon... mukhang I've made her angry dahil sa panghihimasok ko. When it comes to her and the Madrigal nag-iiba ang templa ng mode nya.
"Doc may bisita po kayo-" Rinig kong sabi ni Maria na nasa may pintuan but my visitor got in without even my consent.
Kunot noo kong tinignan ang pigura ng taong nasa harap ko at tumingin kay Maria.
"Next time Maria just let this person out." Utos ko sa kanya. "And I don't have time for you so say what you want already, Michael."
Yes, it is Michael and I am starting to have head ache because of him. Tama si Sven sa sinabi nya dahil persistent ang lalaking to sa paghahabol sa akin kahit ipagtabuyan ko pa sya.
"I brought foods for you mukhang di ka pa nakakain ng lunch." Masaya nyang sabi sa akin at binaliwala ang sinabi ko sa kanya. "You look tired di mo dapat pinababayaan ang sarili mo."
Nakatingin lang ako sa kanyang face that full of concern and sincerity.
"Alex already recovered from her injury kaya di mo na sya dapat alalahanin pa and start taking care of yourself, kris."
I don't know what to feel right now because he always have time to come here any chance he have time from his work or sent flowers or foods if not this past few days after that day na hindi naman nya dati.
Before he is always busy sa work kaya ako ang laging nagpupunta sa kanya or give time off dito sa hospital or noong college student pa ako just to adjust sa free time nya.
But now I know that he has other woman for three years? I doubt that his excuses and reasons noon na lagi syang busy sa work because look at him now. Halos di na sya mawala dito sa hospital this one whole month.
"May lakad pa ako so if you don't have anything important to say makaka-alis ka na."
"May lakad ka? Where? Hatid na kita." Sunod-sunod nyang tanong.
"Look Michael we're not a thing already, we broke up, so stop this already... will you?" Inis kong sabi sa kanya. "And don't give other meaning ang lagi kong pagpunta sa bahay nyo aside for being there para kay Sven."
Telling him that to him directly made him frown but I have to dahil gusto ko ng tuldukan ang namamagitan sa aming dalawa.
"I already said sorry and said I'll be a better person for you. Ano pa ba ang kailangan kong gawin-"
"That's the thing Michael! You said sorry and be a better person yet you do this! Hindi sa lahat ng bagay saying sorry and being a better person solved na ang lahat and you are already too late. Kaya pwede ba tama na." Hindi na ako nakapagpigil ng sigaw. I love him still yet I don't want to gamble my heart for him anymore.
"You can go already and take whatever you brought here with you." Sabi ko and it nearly broke my defences towards him the moment I saw his pained face but thinking of how long he decieved me my heart harden together with my defences.
"I won't give up Kristine not until you take me back 'cuz I love you at handa ako maghintay." I saw determination in his eyes as he vowed that before turning his back to me.
What I saw is the man I fell inlove with four years ago kaya nakaramdam ako ng-
No!!! This is rediculous! After what he had done? You? Feeling hope sa pangakong binitawan nya ngayon? Don't forget Isabelle napako ang isang salita nyang pangako sayo after a year ng relasyon nyo.
But that determination-
Just because you see the man you loved before in his eyes titiklop ka? Baka nakakalimutan mo he has the same determination look when he promised then!
Yes, the same look before as this time pero asan ang pangako nya? Tama ang sinasabi ng utak ko so heart be firm at wag basta-basta mahuhulog ng kusa dahil lang sa gusto mong marinig at makita.
Tama na ang magpakatanga for three years so don't let me be blind again my heart.
With that talking and arguement in myself tinapos ko na lahat ng trabaho ko at umuwi ng maaga.
Papa-alis na ako ng hospital when I saw someone.
For what three? Four months? Na di ko sya nakita after nyang sumugod sa araw ng kasal ko, her baby bump is showing off unlike before.
Why is she here?
Duh! Malamang para magpa-check up!
Oo nga naman we're in the hospital so ano pa nga ba ang gagawin nya dito?
Seeing her got in sa pinara nyang taxi ay pinalarga ko na rin ang car ko.
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I am here now sa airport para sunduin si tita Helen galing America and the only one who did not attend on my supposed wedding day because of some problem in her bussiness.
It is a good thing na rin dahil isa sya sa mga taong nagsabi sa akin na Michael might be cheating on me behind my back.
Ako naman si mapagtiwalang tanga denidma ko na lang sinabi ni tita dahil di naman nya nakitang may ibang babae si Michael and she only heard it from someone she knew, a friend of hers. Kaya heto ako ngayon nervous... dahil I don't know how to face her.
I don't want to see her giving me I-told-you-so look as she and I are close at hindi ako nakinig sa kanya.
She is like a big sister to me, kahit na little sister sya ni dad, because she is only seven years older than me kaya parang kaibigan at kabarkada ko na rin sya.
Like me tita Helen was spoiled to death ng family nina dad dahil only daughter sya at lahat lalaki ang mga kapatid nya.
But what made her special is that she was born unexpectedly because no one thought grandma will get pregnant at the age of 50's! Imagine that? Kaya subra ang bantay sa kanya nina dad.
Miracle do happen sometimes kaya nga I believe in distiny dahil grandma and granddad still love each other because until now both of them are sweet sa isa't-isa. Ganon din sina mom and dad that's why I thought Michael is the one for me....
"It seems na di mo gustong narito ako. Ang lalim ng inisip mo matching with a big sigh yon ha."
That voice brought me back from my deep thought at napatingin kay tita.
Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko sa kanya as I fidgeted in front of her but when she smiled and open her arms for me to give her a hug... naiyak tuloy ako.
"There... there... tahana. People might think na pinaiyak kita dito." Sabi nya na may himig na pag-unawa ng sya na mismo ang yumakap sa akin.
"Tita..."
"Hey, it's ate or sis not tita! I'm still young!" She jokingly said but I know she is serious dahil ayaw nyang tinatawag ko sya ng ganon.
"You're still my tita even if you're young!" I pouted at umawat ako sa kanya.
I know di sya galit sa akin at pinunasan ang tearstained kong magandang face.
"I only arrived so I won't say anything bad aside for he is a jerk for decieving and hurting you." Yon lang ang sabi nya sa akin then we walked towards my car at iniuwi ko na sya sa bahay sa village.
I only hope na di sya mag-iiskandalo at sumugod sa mga Madrigal.
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It's been two days na di ko nakikita o napupuntahan si Sven Samañiego at two days na rin nandito si ate Helen.
Ate or sis is what I usually called her but now right after nakapag-rest sya for a day or two gusto nyang sumugod sa bahay ng mga Madrigal para sampalin si Michael.
It's good na di na rin nagpupunta si Michael sa hospital this two days had passed, maybe he heard na nandito si ate Helen kaya di muna sya dumalaw.
Hindi ko sya masisisi because there is a time when the rumors circulate in our friends that Michael was cheating on me ay ipinahiya ni ate Helen si Michael sa harap mismo ng maraming tao at binantaan pa.
Buti na lang I changed her mind at nasabi ko na wala na kami ni Michael.
So here we are sa park early in the morning jogging here sa village. I forgot to tell na everyone who lives here sa subdivision ay tinatawag itong village or little town dahil may sarili itong little market, church, coffee cafe, park at convenience store.
"I really am of need to exercise daily... dahil I'm out of breath already after a mile or two." Breathless na sabi sa akin ni ate Helen. "While you on the other hand..." she looked at me head to toe. "Tumanda na ata ako."
I can't help but chuckled. "Excuses ate you are in your early 30s kaya you're still young!"
But hindi ko talaga mapigilan matawa ng kunti dahil namumula sya sa pagod at naligo na rin sya sa pawis pero di rin nagtagal at nawala ang tawa ko sa aking nakita.
"Is something wrong kris?" Tanong sa akin ni ate pero di ko sya pinansin at nakatuon lang ang paningin ko sa tumatakbong pigura ni Sven opposite of us which mean papapalapit sya sa amin.
Nainis ako sa nakikita ko. Why? The damn girl is not wearing a sling sa left hand nya for protection! Next week pa or should I say in five days pa yon tatanggalin ni doc Reyes!
"That piss of... ugh!" Maglalakad sana ako patungo sa kanya ng-
"Oh, what a good timing this is! The jerk is on his way here!" 'Yon lang narinig ko at nakita kong patakbo si ate Helena kay Sven.
And what she said is still echoing in my mind...
OH MY GOD! 😱😱😱
Anong sabi-
Huli na ang lahat when I saw my tita suddenly strike a big slap resounded on my poor friend's face.
"What the hell woman?! Punyeta! Ba't ka-" nagtatakang sigaw ni Samañiego pero naputol ang ano mang sasabihin nya when my tita Helen kicked her on her shin.
"You bastard! Jerk!" Pagsisigaw ni ate Helen at pinagsasampal at pinagpupukpok si Sven.
Dali-dali akong tumakbo palapit sa kanila.
"Wait! Teka! Teka! Aray masakit miss!" Rinig kong sigaw ni Sven kaya kinabahan ako baka napaano na ang sugat niya.
"Ate Helen wait hin-"
"Good at dumating ka Belle. This man need to learn a lesson-"
"Hoy babae di kita kilala ba't mo ako-"
"You bastard! I can't believe na sasabihin mong di mo ako kilala after what you've done sa pamangkin ko Madrigal!"
Di hamak na sisipain ulit ni ate Helen si Sven kaya agad akong pumagitna sa kanila.
"Belle alis jan at wag mong tulungan yang jerk mong ex!" Nag-iinit na utos ni ate pero di ko sya pinakinggan at lumuhod sa tabi ni Sven.
"Are you okay? May masakit ba sayo? Sorry sa asal ng-" sunod-sunod kong tanong sa kanya habang tinitignan ko kung napurohan ba sya dahil naka-upo lang sya at nakataas ang mga kamay nya as a shield for herself.
"Fointess?" Gulat na sabi nya ng inimulat nya ang nakapikit nyang mga mata . "What the hell? Ba't ba bigla na lang ako pinaghahampas ng babae-"
"Why you!!!! Madrigal to think that after what everything Kristine had done to you... ito ang gagawin mo sa kanya! She believed in you tapos you took her for granted at naghanap ka ng ibang babae to play around?"
I want to face palm myself sa pinag-sasabi ng tita ko. At dahil sa nandito kami sa may park kita ko ang mga taong nakatingin at nagbubulong-bulongan, well every person here is jogging kaya agaw attention ang ginawa ni ate Helen kay Sven.
"Wait tita hindi sya-"
"What the- hoy Fointess anong pinagsasabi ng kasama mo?" Takang tanong nya sa akin habang hinihimas-himas nya ang sinipa sa kanya ni ate Helen but her eyes went wide.
"The hell! Wag mong sabihing napagkamalan na naman ako si Michael?" Nahimigan ko ang taka at inis sa tono nya.
"You're man Michael and a Madrigal at that-"
"Hoy miss hindi ako si Michael! Bulag ka ba? Kailan pa naging lalaki ang isang babae para mapagkamalan ako si Michael?"
Nakakahiya and I want to dig a hole and hide myself there right now.
I saw my tita double take what she heard at tinitigan ng maayos si Samañiego aa her eyes went wide.
"Sadya bang magkamukha ba kami o talaga lang mga bulag lang kayo? Una ikaw Fointess ngayon yang kasama mo na naman! Ang masaklap lagi ako ang napupuruhan!" Pagalit na sabi sa akin ni Sven.
"Sorry Sven... tita Helen-"
"Ate Helen Belle at hindi mo ako masisisi dahil magkamukha sila ng ex mong bakulaw! Lalo na sa suot nyang yan!"
Napatingin si Samañiego sa suot nyang damit.
"Sa suot ko? Bulag ka ba? Kitang may dibdib ako tapos sasabihan mo ako ng ganyan?"
I don't know what to say sa narinig ko but I know na hindi dapat ako matawa sa itinuturo nyang nonexistent na dibdib.
Okay, ok... she has one but when you don't look properly di ito makikita at mapagkakamalan mo talaga syang lalaki.
Natawa ng bahagya si tita Helen and right now I really hate her bluntness nature nya when in fact I admire this side of her at any other time, at gusto kong takpan ang bibig nya just to prevent her from saying hurtful thing.
Kunot noong napatingin sa akin si Samañiego. "Di nakakatawa Fointess. No matter what angle I look at the mirror di kami magkamukha ng fiancè mo."
I think she saw me trying to supress my laughter. "Not fiancè Sven isa pa-"
"Samañiego not Madrigal! Need mo na atang magpatingin sa mata miss if you mistook me as a man!" Aba't nagawa pa nyang i-ignore ako?
Pinagpag ni Sven her pants then walk off in anger without even sparing me a glance.
Mukhang pissed off sya.
Can't blame her three people already mistook her for someone else. Ikaw rin naman you thought si Michael ang nagjojogging kanina...
Uh... sa unang tingin oo I'll admit that and at least I recognize her after.
"What a disrespectful person! Tawagin ba akong malabo ang mga mata?!"
I ignored ano man ang sinasabi ni tita and walk after Sven. She really is a thick/hard headed person at nagawa pa nyang suwayin ang bilin ng doctor nya.
"Belle saan ka pupunta?"
"Sa taong matigas ang ulo! Nagawa pa nyang tumakas! I agree at what you said that person need nyang turoan ng liksyon!"