She's Leaving
Pagkahatid kay Zavie sa bahay nito, nag-aalinlangan si Hailey na iwanan na naman ang kapatid. But Lazarus rest assured her that her sister will be fine. Bago pa man sila makaalis, saglit itong kumaway sa kanila at ngumiti. Hailey knew Zavie won't be fine but she's still trying to. Mas lalo siyang nag-aalala dahil buntis ito. At hindi nila alam kung kailan magsisimula ang totoong laban. In one wrong move, someone might die.
"Hey. Are you still worrying? I told you, right? She'll be fine," pangungumbinsi sa kanya ni Lazarus sabay hawak sa kamay niya. Nilingon niya ito.
"How can I not worry about my sister? She's pregnant, Lazarus. Voss should know about this pero ayaw kong pangunahan ang desisyon ni Ate." Nakakunot noong aniya.
"We both know that it was her who should decide whether she told him or not, Hailey. I know you're worried but...you know, they were husband and wife." Hindi na siya nagsalita pa at tinuon na lang ang sarili sa bintana. Binabagabag pa rin siya ng pag-aalala dito.
Meanwhile, huminga muna nang malalim si Zavie bago kinuha ang maleta sa ilalim ng kama nila. Isa-isa niyang tinanggal ang mga damit niyang nakasabit at tinupi 'yon saka nilagay sa loob ng maleta. Isasara na niya dapat iyon pero nakuha ng kanyang atensyon ang wedding photo frame nila. Ngumiti siya ng mapait at bahagyang pinunasan ang tumulong luha. Tomorrow morning, she'll get a divorce papers and bring it to him directly. She already expected what would happen next. At ngayon pa lang, bumibigat na ang bawat paghinga niya. She hoped that she won't regret it even a bit. Saglit niyang hinimas ang kanyang tyan.
"Mommy will protect you no matter what, okay? We're leaving today. I hope no one will find out about us for the meantime except your Aunt Hailey. I guess she won't tell my husband about this." bulong aniya dito. She roamed her eyes around their room for the last time as she quickly took off her wedding ring and put it above the bedside table. She carried her baggage out of her house and put it at the back of her car. Saglit niyang tiningnan ng buo ang bahay nila. Mabigat ang loob niya saka nagdesisyon nang umalis. Her tears fell unstopped while she was driving. She just convinced herself that she was doing this for the sake of her and her child.
Bumaba siya sa isang hotel. Nagsuot siya ng itim na hoodie, black mask at sunglass para walang makakilala sa kanya doon. Kilala kasi ang kumpanya nila sa buong bansa maging ang pamilya nila kaya alam niyang pag may nakakita sa kanya, mabilis lang siyang makilala ng mga ito. At 'yon ang iniiwasan niyang mangyari dahil malalaman kaagad iyon ni Stefan. Tahimik siyang naglakad hila-hila ang kanyang maleta papunta sa elevator matapos niyang magcheck-in. Sinabihan niya na lang ang isa sa mga receptionist na ilihim ang pagcheck-in niya. Nag-aalinlangan pa itong tumango pero umayon na lang.
Habang nasa loob ng elevator, panay ang naririnig niyang usap-usapan patungkol sa kanyang asawa at sa bago nitong sekretarya. She's not surprised, anyway. May papak talaga ang balita kaya kahit saan nakakapunta. Hindi na lang niya pinansin ang mga ito at tahimik na lumabas ng elevator. Nang mapatapat sa kanyang kwarto, agad siyang napahinga nang malalim.
"Get yourself together, Zavanya. You have to do this, alright?" bulong niyang ani sa sarili bago pumasok sa loob. Inilapag niya ang maleta sa gilid ng kama at sinara ang pinto. Sapat na ang laki nito para sa kanya. Inaayos na niya ang mga gamit dahil aalis siya kinabukasan. Kailangan niyang maibigay ng maaga sa asawa ang divorce papers at mapirmahan nito 'yon. Maliban na lang kung mangyayari ang inaasahan niya. She really prayed that he would sign it so it won't make things hard for both of them.
Pagkauwi ni Stefan galing trabaho, saktong gabi na kaya hindi na siya nagtaka kung bakit walang nakabukas na ilaw sa buong bahay nila. He has been caught like this several times but he found his wife sleeping in the bedroom. 'Yon ang inakala niya. Napangiwi siya pagkapasok sa loob at basta na lang na inihiga ang sarili sa sofa. Ilang minuto siyang nagpahinga doon saka tumayo at nagpunta sa kusina. Naabutan niyang walang nakahandang hapunan o kahit ano man lang sa lamesa. Marahil hindi na nakapagluto ang asawa niya. Nagtungo siya sa kwarto saka niya binuksan ang ilaw. Maayos naman ito subalit napansin niya ang nakaawang na pinto ng cabinet. Dahan-dahan niyang binuksan 'yon. Agad siyang binalot ng kaba no'ng wala na halos ang damit ni Zavie na nakalagay do'n. Sunod niyang napansin ang isang importanteng bagay na nasa ibabaw ng bedside table. It was their wedding ring that belongs to her. Nanghina bigla ang kanyang tuhod kaya agad siyang napaupo sa sahig hawak-hawak ang singsing.
Naisip niyang baka nakalimutan lang 'yon isuot ni Zavie kaya hinanap at tinawag niya ng buong lakas ang pangalan nito sa buong bahay nila. Maging kung saan ito huling natulog ay hindi niya natagpuan. Walang bakas ng kahit na ano ang makikita niya maliban sa singsing at sa mga damit na nawala dito. Napahawak siya sa upuan para alalayan ang sarili. Halo-halong emosyon ang nararamdaman niya. Fear, apprehension, pain, sadness and frustration. He tried to call her but her phone was turned off. He even tried to ask Hailey if she knew something about what happened but she refused. Only one thing popped up in his mind. It was the fact that she left him. That was what he had been afraid of happening for a long time. But now, it was happening and he was not prepared to face it all alone. He suddenly remembered what Eirlys told him before his wife started to distance herself from him. And he was clueless.
"Is that so? Hindi mo man lang ba ako tatanungin kung anong ginawa ko kaya naging malamig ang pakikitungo sa'yo ng asawa mo? And you didn't even think that I did something so she was distant to you? What if I tell you that I did that on purpose so you could be mine?"
"Do you think I will tell you now? Go figure it out yourself. I'm sure you'll find out soon. So just calm yourself down, Stefan. It'll happen anytime if you wish so. And if that happens, I'm sure your life will totally ruin."
Those words from her immediately made him realize what's happening right now. And damn! He knew she did something on purpose. But first, she targeted his wife to do her next move. He quickly called her as she answered it.
"Hey, honey. What's up? Napatawag ka?" malambing nitong bungad. Napayukom ng madiin ang kamao niya. His jaw tightened in anger.
"What the hell did you do to my wife, Eirlys?!" he exclaimed. Narinig niya ang mahinang pag-ismid nito sa kabilang linya na lalong nagpakulo ng dugo niya.
"Oh. Did she leave you just now? I'm not surprised if she did." Gusto niyang saktan ito at wala nang pakialam pa kung mapatay niya. Thankfully, she's not in front of him.
"Did you tell her some things that pushed her to do this to me, Eirlys?" nagpipigil niyang pagkumpirma dito. He just heard her chuckled.
"As you would expect, I didn't---" pagtanggi pa nito kaya agad niyang sinigawan na nagpaputol sa sunod nitong sasabihin.
"Could you please stop denying it, Eirlys? Just tell me the f*cking truth!" galit niyang singhal.
"Alright, fine. I did but it was her who made that decision. I just helped her. Isn't it amazing, Stefan?" Mahigpit na niya kung hawakan ang telepono at kanina pa siya nagpipigil magalit.
"F*ck you!" he cursed her as he hung up the call. He immediately lost his control as he threw his phone on the wall. Agad naman 'yon nabasag. Right now, he didn't know what to do. He was confused about everything. And he just lost his wife because of his fear.