Episode 05

​“Tristan?”

​Kaagad naman siyang tiningnan ng lalaki na may ngiti sa mga labi. He was holding Charlotte's face habang nakahiga ito sa mga tuhod niya.

​“Yes, baby?” malambing nitong sabi.

​Charlotte looked at him straight in the eyes saka nagsalita.

​“What if...” parang biglang sumeryoso ang mukha nito bago ipinagpatuloy ang sinasabi, “bigla kang mawala? Tapos pagbalik mo, hindi mo na ako maalala? Will you still fall in love with me the way you do right now?”

​It was a question out of nowhere, parang na-curious lang si Charlotte bigla. Parang gusto rin niya malaman kung ano ang maaring isagot sa kanya ni Tristan sa tanong niya.

She's waiting for Tristan answered pero...iba ang ginawa nito.

​Tristan kissed her first on the lips—a quick kiss filled with love and devotion, erasing all of Charlotte's apprehensions. Saka siya sinagot ni Tristan as he pulled away from the kiss.

He looked straight on Charlotte's eye's, and said,​“It won't ever happen, baby.” It was an assurance, somewhat like a promise already, telling Charlotte she didn't need to worry if ever that thing happened. “I won't ever forget this type of sweet and very special memory of us, Charlotte.”

​Hindi magawang kiligin ng dalaga sa mga sinabing iyon ni Tristan sa kanya.

​“Then how ab—”

​“Brrrrrrr....”

​Charlotte suddenly woke up to her phone buzzing. Nahirapan kaagad siyang gumalaw sa higaan nang maramdamang medyo mabigat ang katawan, maybe because she had slept longer due to sheer exhaustion all day. She was catching her breath when her curiosity led her to glance at the wall clock, and she gasped at the time.

​12 AM.

​Did I really sleep that long? Kanina lang hapon, tapos ngayon paggising ko, dis-oras na ng gabi. Fuck!

Hindi pa tuluyang nakaka rehistro sa isip niya ang mga nangyayari ng makarinig ulit siya ng ingay.

​“Brrrrrrr....”

​Kaagad na nabaling ang atensyon ni Charlotte sa phone niyang nasa bedside table. Nakalimutan niyang kaya pala siya nagising ay dahil doon. She extended her arms saka sinagot ang tawag. She moved from her bed, slipped into her sandals, and, without thinking, walked toward the balcony.

​“Hi, baby...”

​It was Paul's soothing voice. Isang ngiti kaagad ang sumilay sa mga labi niya nang marinig ang boses ng asawa. Charlotte's face lit up when she stepped fully out onto the balcony, greeted by the heavy silence of the night. The cold wind hugged her warm body, and she found herself idly watching the beautiful stars in the sky.

​“Nagtatampo ako sa 'yo!” sabay pout niya kahit alam niyang hindi naman iyon makikita ng kasintahan. She heard Paul's small chuckle from the other line, kaya mas lalo lang  siyang nagtampo.

​“Honey, I'm sorry. Hindi ako kaagad nakapagsabi sa 'yong aalis ako...” She extended her arms upward, tracing the pattern of the stars in the sky. Nagtatampo siya kaya wala siyang planong magsalita nang marami, pero kahit na ganun ay pinakinggan niya parin ang paliwanag nito. “It was a sudden meeting, honey... I'm sorry, promise, babawi ako sa 'yo next time, hm? 'Wag ka nang nagtampo, please?” pang lalambing nito kay Charlotte. But Charlotte's attention was away from Paul's.

​Her fingers landed on the last star she traced, and completely out of nowhere, a name slipped past her lips.

​“Leo.”

​“Huh? Ano?..Honey? May sinasabi ka?” naguguluhan sambit ni Paul sa tawag.

​Parang baliw na napasabunot si Charlotte sa sariling buhok nang mapagtanto ang sinabi.

​“huh?!...” patay malisyang sambit naman ni Charlotte bigla. Kinakabahan at hindi alam ang sasabihin, “a... ayos lang naman, honey!” kaagad niyang dugtong ng hindi na mas lalong magtaka si Paul kung bakit wala sa kanya ang attention nito.

“Alam ko namang busy ka, so... naiintindihan ko naman! Basta umuwi ka kaagad, huh?” paliwanag nalang nito. Kasi iyon na lang ang  naisip niyang sabihin habang pasimpleng napapapikit sa kinatatayuan sa katangahan. Parang tanga lang, talaga bang binanggit mo pa sa mismong asawa mo ang zodiac sign ni Tristan?!

​Damn it! Gusto ko lang namang i-trace ang zodiac sign ni Tristan kasi iyon ang nakikita ko ngayon sa langit! But I ended up saying it out loud—and right to my husband's ear! Gaga ka talaga, Charlotte! Manalangin ka na lang talagang hindi iyon narinig ni Paul. Kainis!

​“Honey?”

​Kaagad tumino si Charlotte nang marinig ulit ang malambot na boses ng asawa.

​“Oh... y–yes, honey?” bago ito sumagot, limang segundo muna siyang natigilan.

​“May gusto ka bang sabihin sa akin, hm?” kumunot ang noo ni Charlotte at parang kinakabahan sa tanong na yun.“How about your day? Kamusta 'yung last shoot mo? Maayos lang ba ang lahat? Hindi ka naman uminom masyado, diba?” parang natanggalan ng tinik sa katawan si Charlotte nang sabihin iyon sa kanya. And a guilt of pain hit her back ng may marealize bigla.

​Parang biglang nakaramdam ng konsensya si Charlotte sa mga tanong na iyon ni Paul.

​Damn it! How could I always hurt my husband like this? Napakabait ni Paul at mapagmahal, kaya bakit nagagawa pa rin niya itong saktan?!

​Nahihiyang sumagot si Charlotte at matamis na nagpaliwanag. “Maayos naman iyong shoot namin, honey. Saka hindi naman ako masyadong nagpakalasing doon kasi bawal din naman sa akin, and...” napakagat siya sa ibabang labi nang maisip na ang dapat na surpresa niya sa asawa ay hindi na magiging surprise dahil sa tawag na ito lang niya masasabi.

​“My one-month leave was approved.”

​“Oh?! Really?! My god, honey, that's such good news!” halos sumigaw na sa tuwa ang asawa sa kabilang linya. Her husband was having a blast of happiness, while she remained frozen in place, struggling to smile back at the good news.

​Hindi niya alam kung dapat ba siyang matuwa sa gulat at saya ni Paul. Maybe she should be happy because she'd finally have time for her husband—and the same went for him.

​Smile, Charlotte. You should be glad, same with your husband. Matagal niyo nang plinano ito, she cheered herself up silently, until something else crossed her mind.

​“Uhmm... honey?” sambit niya sa asawang kasalukuyang nagdiriwang sa kabilang linya. Kaagad namang kumalma ito nang marinig ang seryosong tono ng boses niya.

​“Yes, hon? May sasabihin ka ba?”

​Alam na kaya niya na may bagong gumagamit ng kwarto ni Tristan ngayon? O baka nasabihan na siya?

​“Ah... eh... 'yung kwarto kasi ni Tristan?” parang nahihiya pa niyang binanggit ang pangalan ng lalaki dahil alam nilang pareho ang nakaraan doon. Her husband fell silent the moment she mentioned Tristan's name, kaya kahit naiilang ay ipinagpatuloy niya ang sasabihin. “Mayroon na kasing bagong nagmamay-ari ng kwarto. It's your cousin raw, sabi ni Nay Flor,” paliwanag niya.

​She wanted to hear Paul's opinion, but her husband suddenly changed his tone.

​“Ganun ba? I'll ask Mom about it later. But for now, maybe you should stay away muna from that room, kasi baka ayaw nina Mommy ang pagpunta doon, hon. Just... wait for me home, okay?” it was like a dismissive tone pero binalewala niya nalang kasi pati rin naman siya naiilang pang mag usap basta patungkol kay Tristan.

​She nodded as if Paul was standing right in front of her, then bit her lip. Paul ended the call because he still had work to do, leaving her with no choice but to say goodbye.

​“I'll be going back to work na, honey! Mamaya na lang ulit, okay? Stay safe and happy there... I love you!”

​Parang may kung anong bumikig sa lalamunan ni Charlotte nang biglang huminto ang mga mata niya sa ibaba ng balcony.

​The call hadn't ended yet, but right there, she let her phone slip straight out of her palms out of pure, sudden shock.

​Hindi niya mapigilan ang panginginig sa kaba at takot nang makita ang lalaki sa ibaba ng balkonahe. Wearing a white shirt and fitted joggers that hugged his frame, with messy hair and a blank expression, he stood completely still, staring right up at her from the dark.

​And now it all made sense—the heavy, unsettling feeling she'd had all evening.

​Kanina niya pa pala ako tinitingnan...The moment I entered the balcony, he's been there already... silently... staring at me.

​“Tristan.”