Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Third Person POV

“May inaasahan ka bang bisita?” tanong ni Ria.

Sa maliit na kuwarto na inuupahan nila Aali, kasya ang tatlo ka tao. Kakatulog lang ni Elya sa kwarto nito nang may may nag-doorbell sa baba. Their apartment house is a two-story with a highly-guarded gate. May mga rose bushes sa gilid and vine plants.

Aali shrugged at tiningnan niya ang labas ng gate, sinilip ito sa bintana. Nang mamukhaan niya nag binata, para siyang isang nurse na aligaga kung ano ang gagawin. Nagtatanong ang mga mata ni Ria at binilinan niya itong huwag lalabas.

Aali made her way outside and saw Keos with wounds on his lips. He was standing there embracing his arms because of the wind’s coldness. Hinapit ni Aali si Keos papalayo sa apartment at nagtungo sa malapit na community park. While holding her hand, hindi mapigilan ni Keos ang mapangiti at magpatianod nito.

“Huwag mong diinan!” reklamo ni Keos.

Diniinan ni Aali ang paglapat ng cotton bud with betadine sa labi ng binata. Hindi alam ni Aali kung bakit siya ang pinuntahan nito gayong alam niyang may bahay ito. Sinigurado niya, simula pa noon, na walang makakaalam na may anak na siya maliban na lang sa close friends niya.

They were sitting in the bench, facing the old fountain covered with cobwebs and variety of vine leaves.

“Ang tanda-tanda mo na, basagulero ka pa rin,” sabi ni Aali. Napasinghap ulit si Keos nang linisin nito ang konting gasgas.

Nilapit niya ang kaniyang mukha sa binata upang makita nang klaro ang sugat nito at malagyan ng plaster since maliit lang naman. Banayad ang haplos ng hangin kasabay ng kanilang purong paghinga. Keos felt like he couldn’t breathe on his own and is waiting for their breaths to sync.

Nang matapos si Aali, gayon na lamang ang kaniyang pagkabigla nang mapagtanto niyang ang lapit lang ng mukha niya kay Keos. Napaatras siya kay Keos causing her to fall from the bench. But, Keos is fast enough and caught her, holding her bra at the back.

Nagulat si Aali at uncomfortable ito, so Keos pull her towards him, kasabay ng pagkahulog ng emergency kit. Nang makabawi si Aali, she fixed herself and sat at the other edge of the bench.

Subalit hindi rin sila nagtagal sa gano’ng posis'yon nang magtanong si Aali kung bakit siya napunta sa bahay nila.

“I was just hoping I could see you here since you’re not in the hospital,” pag-amin ni Keos.

“And why?”

“Should I have a reason to see you? We’re not strangers, Aali.”

Aali scoffed at how truthful and straighforward he have become over the years. She stood up on her foot and faced Keos, folding her arms.

“You should leave. Not because I let you talk to me at the hospital, ay magkaibigan na tayo ulit. We aren’t living in the past, Keos. And you’re not even part of my present.”

Pagkatapos masabi ni Aali ang mga salitang  iyon ay tinawag siya ng isang binata, si Rocco, sa ‘di kalayuan. Marahil nakabalik na ito galing sa convenience store upang bumili ng beers and chips. Samantala, si Keos ay naestatwa sa kaniyang tinatayuan.

Aali went to Rocco’s direction and hug his waist na siyang ikinabigla nito. Tinanong siya ni Rocco kung sino kausap niya pero sinabi niya na lamang na nagtatanong lang ng direction. Rocco seems convinced kaya umalis sila sa park na magkaakbay, while his free hand is holding a cellophane of chips and beer.

Nang makauwi sina Aali ay tinadtad siya ng tanong ni Ria sa kuwarto upang ‘di marinig ni Rocco. Alam ni Ria kung ano pa ang nagko-konekta sa dalawa maliban kay Elya kaya lagi siya nitong pinapaalalahanan.

“Kailangan mo lang naman alalahanin kung ano sinakripisyo mo makaahon ka lang, hindi ba? Ayoko ko na ulit mangyari iyong dati, Aali,” pagpapaalala ni Ria. Aali knows how hard for Ria this situation, too. Ria was there to pick herself up no’ng ‘di pa niya kaya ang kaniyang sarili.

“No worries. I have Elya now.” But Ria knows too well. Hindi nawala si Keos sa puso ni Aaliya kahit isang segundo man lang. He was there looming, listening, and waiting. “Halika na, naghintay na si Rocco sa labas.

Nakita mismo ng dalawang mata ni Keos kung gaano kasaya si Aali habang kausap si Rocco. Sa isip niya, marahil ay wala na talaga siyang puwang sa puso nito. It’s not like he wanted to leave Aali that time. He had no choice but to attend prior commitments.

Umalis si Keos sa bahay nina Aali at naglakad papalayo. Hindi niya mapagtanto ang kirot na kaniyang nadarama sa tuwing nakikita niya si Aali na masaya sa iba. It is too selfish of him to see her happy, only for him. But, that was before. Hindi na niya ibig pumagitna sa dalawa.

Keos went to the penthouse he lives in. Hindi pa rin siya nakapagbihis simula pa kaninang umaga kaya init na init siya sa kaniyang suot. He removed his tie while walking and rushed to the elevator. He clicked the penthouse floor which is located at the top of the hotel and went inside.

His room suite is spacious enough because of its emptiness. He doesn’t want an interior designer so he ordered the management of the hotel to remove all stuffs, except for the long settee and a small glass table. Other than that, wala ng makikitang furniture. Sa kusina, he has only one stool for him when he likes drinking wine.

In his room were a king-sized bed, a desk table beside it and white and black wallpapers on walls. A dimlight room complements his dull and order routine as a businesman. He changed his clothes into a pair of shorts and white tee shirt. In his pocket, a tiny band aid was there with a pikachu design; the same band aid the child gave him. Habang inaalala ang batang iyon ay biglang pumasok sa isip niya si Aali. He recalls how Aali lit up her face when she saw the man. Matagal na niyang ‘di nakikita ang expression na iyon, and he misses it.

Before going to bed, he drank one glass of wine, and sleeps on the cold marble floor.

Kinabukasan, maagang nakaschedule ang meeting niya with the researchers. Ito iyong mga researcher from the hospital Aaliya works for, since Mortem Pharmaceuticals is the primary sponsor of the hospital. It has been over three months of researching, pero ‘di pa rin ma-approved ni Keos ang drug na ide-develop nila dahil sa pagiging business-driven and nito.

“Mr. President, if we find cure to this particular illness, we could’ve be known to the medicine industry and the trust rating will peak. To sustain the name of the company, we need to risks this high,” the chief researcher suggested.

Keo’s expression couldn’t believe what the reseaercher have said. Matalim ang titig niya rito kaya ito’y napayuko.

“Look, Mr. Dimaguiba. I am a businessman. Compared to this disease, there are cancers, HIV’s, and STI’s who needs urgent cure. Do you want me to risk for a disease that’s 1 out 100 patients suffer from over the 5 out of 10 people suffering from cancers and other illnesses?” Keos retorted.

Napayuko ang lahat sa kaniyang tinuran at tumahimik. Hindi na makapagsalita dahil sa aura at expression ni Keos na hindi na maipinta.

“Next time you see me, bring me results.”

Keos left the room because he’s steaming mad. He shoved himself in his swivel chair when he enters his office. He leaned on it and breathe slowly to ease the situation of his head. Mainit ang ulo niya mula pa kagabi pagkatapos ay dumagdag pa ang research department team.

His secretary is standing before his table and didn’t move a bit which makes Keos uncomfortable.

“Why? Do you need something?” he asked, still eyes closed.

“Sir,” panimula nit. Inilagay niya ang isang sobre sa ibabaw ng table ni Keos. “Kailangan po ako ng nanay ko sa amin. My father died last night.”

Keos opened his eyes and leaned forward on the table. Mabait at responsible ang secretary niya kaya nanghihinayang siya sa pag-alis nito, pero wala naman siyang magagawa. Kanina pa aligaga ito kung paano magpaalam dahil nakakatakot ang aura nito kanina sa conference room.

“Okay. I’ll heads up the resource department. I’ll let the company cater your needs,” sabi ni Keos. “But, do you know someone who could substitute for a while habang wala pang official applicant?”

“Yes, sir. She’ll be here in 15 minutes. Before I leave, I need to make things in order para ‘di na po kayo mahirapan.” His secretary is one step forward of his plan. Ganiyan siya lagi. Walang palya kaya nagustuhan siya ni Keos bilang trabahante.

Tumango lamang si Keos at umalis ang secretary niya sa office. Bumuntong-hininga siya at muling umidlip sa kaniyang upuan. Hindi siya makatulog kagabi dahil sa mga pangyayari na naganap. He couldn’t focus in his job and everything else. Napagbuntungan pa ng galit ang research team.

Napukaw sa pag-iisip si Keos nang tumunog ang cellphone niya. It was his mother this time.

“When you will visit Andrea, son?” tanong nito.

“You know we’ve been long over. She has her own family to take care of her.”

“Why are you so ruthless? She was once your wife,” mangiyak-ngiyak na sabi ng mama niya.

“The wife who betrayed and cheated on me. I’ll hang up.”

Lalong uminit ang ulo ni Keos dahil sa tawag na 'yon. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit laging dinudutdot siya ng nanay niya sa babaeng manloloko.