Chapter 5: Altar

Ava's POV

I went home last night tipsy. I didn't think about my husband anymore because for sure, he doesn't think about me as well. He looked so happy together with his colleagues especially the girls. They were so happy together as if he didn't have a wife. Luckily, he didn't see me and gladly, I was able to control myself not to get near them and gave him a word. That he has a wife and flirting with some girls in front of me was cheating.

Pero sino nga ba ang niloloko ko? Na kahit siguro mag-wild ako sa harapan niya ay hindi niya pa rin ako papansinin pag-uwi rito sa bahay. At tiyaka hindi ko rin alam kung may nakakakilala nga ba sa'kin na mga katrabaho niya... ni hindi nga niya siguro sinabi sa mga empleyado niya na may isang Ava na nagdadala sa apilyedo niya at naghihintay palagi sa bahay na pansinin niya.

"Ma'am, magandang umaga po," bati sa'kin ni Manang Rica. She was smiling so brightly so I did the same thing to her and then near her.

"Kamusta ang off mo, Manang? Did you enjoy it with your family?" I asked. She nodded.

"Ay oo naman po. Salamat po dahil in-approve niyo po ang day off ko. Kumusta naman po si Baby Altar?" she asked. I was about to respond when someone from the stairs was shouting. I smiled widely when I saw my son together with her nanny, Maela.

"Mom!" he shouted and excitedly walked down the stairs while hus nanny was holding his hand and guiding him carefully.

"Masigla na masigla pa rin, Manang," natatawa ko na lang na sambit ko na siyang ikinatawa na lang rin ni Manang.

"Mom! Where were you last night? I was looking for you because U want to sleep with you?" His eyes were sad and his lips were pouted so I just knelt in front of him and then held his shoulders.

"Sorry, my baby. I just need to go to work last night but don't worry, we will sleep together tonight," bawi kong sabi na siyang ikinaliwanag ng mga mata niya. Agad akong napahagikhik dahil itong anak ko, madali lang mapasaya pero madali lang ring malungkot. In his early age, four years of age, he already knows how to understand very well especially kapag may work kaming mga magulang niya.

He doesn't demand time and I was really glad because he grew up very well in the hands of Maela. Well, Maela didn't graduate in her college but I was really happy that I hired her because she was so caring, kind and helpful to me.

"Yehey!" my son exclaimed that made us giggle.

"Maela, kumain na ba kayo? I think I woke up late and it's saturday, did you already cook?" I asked her.

"Ma'am, nakapagluto na po si Manang Rica no'ng paggising namin. Dumating po siya ng maaga," Maela responded. I smiled and then nodded.

"Mabuti naman. Manang, can you call my husband? Sabihin mo na kakain na," utos ko kay Manang pero nakita ko sa ekspresiyon niya ang pagdadalawang-isip na siyang ikinatigil ko na lang rin.

"Mom? Did you forget that he doesn't eat here in our house? He always eats outside with his workmates," my son muttered. Even him knows that his father doesn't eat in our house.

Limang taon na kaming kasal at hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa rin ramdam ang pagmamahal na dati ko pang gustong malasap sa kaniya. I even sacrificed my dream to be a fashion designer just to help him and their company but at the end of the day, I still received nothing but hatred and coldness from him.

I tried. I really tried. Cooked for him. Prepared everything for him. Pero lahat nang 'yon ay wala lang para sa kaniya dahil hindi niya ako kailanman nakikita! Ang lapit-lapit lang namin, nasa iisang bubong lang kami tapos... tapos gano'n pa rin? I sacrificed a lot pero parang hindi niya pa rin ako kayang mahalin.

"S-Sige, Manang, ako na muna ang kakain. Tirhan pa rin natin ang sir niyo dahil baka kapag nagising na 'yon, maghanap 'yon ng makakain," sabi ko na lang.

Pupunta na sana kami sa dining area nang mapaangat ang tingin namin sa hagdanan kung saan bumaba ang anak ko at si Maela kanina. Al was standing there, he coldly stared at us for a second and then diverted his gaze in the stairs until he reached the ground.

I stood up and then smiled sweetly, "Al, kumain ka na mun——" Hindi ko natapos ang sasabihin ko sana nang lagpasan niya lang ako at ang anak niya. Parang may kung anong hapdi agad akong naramdaman sa puso ko na akala mo'y napaso dahil ro'n. Napatingin ako sa anak ko na napanguso na lang habang ang mga mata ay malungkot na siyang ikinahinga ko na lang nang malalim bago siya nilapitan.

"Pasensiya ka na anak, ah? Baka pagod lang si Daddy sa work kahapon," I tried not to show him my emotions because my son was weak for that. He was so easy to hurt that's why kung maaari, gusto ko siyang palaging masaya kaya binibigay ko lahat nang gusto niya.

"M-Mom, I'm okay. I understand. Daddy is busy and he is tired. Let's go na lang po sa dining area. Mag-e-eat ka pa po," he softly said and then neared me. He held my hands with his little ones and then dragged me to the dining area. Parang kinurot ang puso ko dahil alam kong sinusubukan lang ng anak kong maging okay at hindi ko inaakalang nakakaya niyang maging ganito sa murang edad pa lang niya.

Sorry anak. Ginawa ko na ang lahat pero mukhang ayaw pa rin sa'kin ng daddy mo.

Naging housewife ako ng limang taong pagkatapos ng kasal dahil 'yon ang gusto ng mga magulang ko. The collaboration did very well that's why the business of my husband's family survived and he became the CEO. While our company was still supporting them just like how I supported him. Do secret papers to help the company as well.

Pero sa mga nagawa ko, hindi pa rin niya 'ko nakikita. O baka, ayaw lang niya talaga ako makita.