Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"What brings you here, Lucille? And you're brave enough to come here? Ang kapal ng mukha mo!" Auliffe yelled violently at her ex-best friend, unsure if the anguish she was feeling was due to the fact that she had just given birth or because Lucille was a traitor. Her loving bestfriend betrayed her. Her entire body was trembling furiously. Hindi niya lubos maisip na magagawa ito ng kaibigan sa kaniya. Mula highschool ay magksama na silang dalawa at halos ituring niya itong kapatid.

"Don't be too enthusiastic, Auliffe. You just gave birth to your son, and you could be hurting your body horribly," Lucille commented pretentiously as she walked by her and entered the ward.

Nang marinig ang ganoong pananalita mula kay Lucille ay nagngitngit sa inis si Auliffe.

 Napakagaling na aktres! Pwedeng-pwede ng sumabak sa isang soap opera. Kung gaano kaamo ang mukha nito ay ganoon naman kadilim ang budhi ni Lucille.

"I don't invite you here. Umalis ka rito," naiinis na bulong ni Auliffe tila takot magising ang natutulog na anak. Bahagya siyang sumisilip sa labas ng kawarto at baka biglang maglalabasan ang mga tao.

Lucille, on the other hand, didn't appear to hear her eviction order at all, so she drew a large red wedding invitation from her fine purse and presented it to Auliffe. Marahas na hiniklas ni Lucille ang kamay ni Auliffe. Malawak itong nakangiti habang inilalagay ang invitation sa kamay ni Auliffe.

"Ikakasal na kami ni Joaquin sa lalong madaling panahon, and I have personally asked you to our engagement party. How can you be missing as a witness on such an important occasion?" Lucille chuckled, a bit harshly.

"Hindi ko lubos maisip na may kasama pala akong ahas sa loob ng marmaing taon. Hindi ka ba nahihiya? Don't you think it's shameless to show off the winner? Na galling naman sa agaw..." Pinunit ni Auliffe ang imbitasyon sa kasal. Her knuckles becoming pale.

All of this, love, wedding, and Joaquin, belonged to her at first. Lucille, on the other hand, brazenly took it away.

"The tactics are unimportant; what matters is the outcome... Auliffe. Don't feel too offended. Masyado kang tanga para sa isang Albano."

Auliffe thought she was naive enough to let her in. Lucille had already arrived at the bedside. Nakarating na si Lucille sa tabi ng kama, ang tingin nito ay nakatuon sa natutulog na bata. Biglang kinabahan si Auliffe para sa kaniyang anak.

"Ito ba ang batang ipinanganak mo dahil sa isang gabing hindi mo ginusto?" she said, reaching out her hand to the newborn, mending her long, sharp nails like a beast's clawing. "Isang illegitimate child. I am sure, hindi siya tatanggapin ng mga Albano as one of them lalo na si Daddy."

"Bitawan mo ang anak ko!" Auliffe grabbed her hand and pushed her away.

Auliffe had just given birth to a child and had no energy at all. But with a light push, Lucille suddenly fell to the ground.

"Ah!" She exclaimed, looking at her in tears with her big innocent eyes open.

"Auliffe, don't treat me like this. I'm your cousin... I know it's my fault, I shouldn't have been with Joaquin that night. I honestly didn't mean it. Can't you forgive me for what I'd done? Hindi ko naman ginusto ang nangyari. Lasing kaming pareho nong gabing 'yon!"

Natigilan si Auliffe bago niya napagtanto ang nangyayari Natawa si Auliffe sa inasta ni Lucille. Hindi niya alam kung anong pakulo nanaman ang ginagawa nito. "Tumayo ka d'yan, Lucille. Stop acting like you're being bullied!"

Looking at Lucille, before realizing what was going on, a tall figure suddenly passed by and squatted in front of Lucille.

"Auliffe, ano bang problema mo at sinasaktan mo si Lucille?! She didn't do wrong. I didn't know you were like this!" sigaw ni Joaquin na puno ng pag-aalala ang mga mata habang nakatingin kay Lucille.

Ngayon niya lang nakita ang ganitong ekspresyon kay Joaquin. Hindi ito ang tipo ng lalaking palasigaw hanngang hindi naririnig ang magkabilang oanig. Pero ngayon...

Nakatalikod si Auliffe sa pintuan kaya hindi niya napansin ang pagpasok ni Joaquin. But Lucille saw it and performed such a heartbreaking scene.

"I accidentally fell, Joaquin. Huwag mong sisihin si Auliffe... kasalanan ko naman," banayad at mahinang pananalita ni Lucille na kahit sino ay mapapaniwala mong isa siyang anghel. Hindi mo aakalaing isang santa santita ang katulad niya.

Napakagat si Auliffe sakaniyang pang-ibabang labi at pairap na umiwas ng tingin sa dalawa. Pinipigil niya ang sariling huwag maluha sa nakikita. Hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala na isang gabi lang ang babago sa takbo ng buhay niya at ni Joaquin.

Sure enough, Joaquin looked at Auliffe indifferently. Na parang hindi sila naging magkarelasyon ng ilang taon. Dahil lang kay Lucille nalason na rin ang pag-iisip niya.

"Yes, I must be responsible to Lucille. If you blame it, blame me!" walang pakialam na sigaw ni Joaquin kay Auliffe kahit na masaktan ito.

Ngumisi si Lucille nang matapos siyang making at makita ang ekspresyon ni Auliife. Hinbdi ito makapaniwalang mas kinakampihan siya ni Joaquin. Sure enough, he was the man he fancied, so he had a sense of responsibility.

"H-hindi kita sinisisi, ni hindi ko hiniling na lumapit siya sa akin o p-pumunta rito." Nakasimangot na sagot ni Auliffe.

Napakuyom ng kamao si Auliffe. She couldn't stop herself from muttering as she spoke.

Joaquin frowned and asked Lucille, "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I... I'd want to beg for tiny forgiveness, and I hope she can welcome us; I don't want a marriage that isn't blessed by family."

Lucille sobbed pityingly, as though Auliffe was the one who had sinned the most.

"Well, I wish you a happy wedded life and hope you grow old together. Sapat na 'yon?" she dryly said. "Lucille, aren't you concerned that Joaquin will suspect you're acting if you continue to lie on the ground and refuse to get up?" Aullife mockingly stated.

Lucille's face became a little glum. Sumigaw siya sa tabi ni Joaquin, na nagtangkang hilahin siya, ngunit muling bumagsak si Lucille sa lupa. This time with a massive pool of blood beneath her body.

"Joaquin, ang anak natin..." nanginginig na bulong ni Lucille habang nakatitig sa kamay niyang nababalot na rin ng dugo.

Nanlaki ang mata ni Auliffe. She's being different with Lucille pero niya gusting may mangyaring masama dito. Joaquin's expression also changed, and he picked her up from the ground in a panic. Ngunit tumigil ito sa harap sa may pintuan.

"How did you become so awful, Auliffe? Alam mo bang siyam na linggo na siyang buntis..." He tossed a phrase at Auliffe before departing.

Siyam na linggo ng buntis si Lucille? It turns out that they have been in bed more than once. Auliffe openly laughed and trembled constantly.

Ibinaba niya ang kanyang ulo at biglang napansin ang mainit at mahalumigmig ang kanyang putting hospital gown. Dahil kakapanganak niya pa lang ay mahina pa ang kaniyang katawan. She bleeding... Nagdudugo na siya simula nang manganak, at mahina ang katawan niya kaya inalalayan lang siya ni Manang Lupe.

Sa pagkakataong ito, naramdaman ni Auliffe na tila nauubos ang lakas sa kanyang katawan. Napasandal siya sa pader at doon kumuha ng lakas. Dahan-dahan siyang bumagsak sa lupa, at hindi na makabangon. Tumulo ang mainit luha sa kaniyang mga mata na kanina pa pilit na pinipigilan.

"Damn! Anong nangyari sa'yo?" Pumasok si Hawk na may dalang isang basket ng prutas, at nang makita niya si Auliffe na nakaupo sa lupa at umiiyak ito ng malakas, namutla ang mukha nito sa takot. What happened after he left?

The sleeping baby was awakened. The little guy didn't know what was going on, sobbing and hissing with exhaustion.

Auliffe was semi-conscious. Ang kanyang mga kamay ay mahigpit na nakahawak sa braso ni Hawk, ang kanyang mga mata ay unti-unti ng lumalabo.

"H-Hawk..." Paos at mahina ang boses niya.

"Hey, I am here. Don't be afraid, I am here with you, babe." Hawk murmured as Auliffe cries.

"Nagmukha akong tanga..." bulong ni Auliffe sa sarili at pilit na ngumiti na mas lalong ikinainis ni Hawk.

Before that night, she had always regarded Lucille as her own cousin even though they aren't blood-related, and Joaquin as her lover who had stayed with her all her life. But they betrayed her together.

Mabilis niyang binuhat si Auliffe at marahang inihiga sa kama. Naglakad siya mapunta kay Nicklaus at binuhat ito bago kinuha ang cellphone sa kaniyang bulsa. Tinawagan niya si Narvi. Inis na inis si Hawk dahil ilang ring na ang lumipas ay hindi pa rin ito sumasagot. Muli niya itong tinawagan habang isinasayaw si Nickalus.

"You must be worried of mommy. Hmm?" kausap nito sa anak.

"WHAT?!" sigaw ni Narvi sa kabilang linya.

"I n-need your help. Si Auliffe.. s-she's unconscious," nag-aalala niyang sambit sa kausap.

"Give me a minute. I'm on my way." Pinatay nito ang tawag at makalipas ang dalawang minuto ay bumukas ang pinto.