CHAPTER SIXTY   Isang buwan…   It’s almost one month since I came here. Most of my mornings, I spent it walking on the dalampasigan. Minsan kasama ko si Manang, madalas ako lang mag-isa. Visible na ang baby bump ko. There is really a growing seed inside me. I just let it be, hindi ko na rin naman kaya ang sakit kapag pinilit ko pang tanggalin sa sinapupunan ko.   “Hoy, taya ka!” I heard children talking in the background.   The kids are running around the area. Masaya silang nagtatawanan at naglalaro sa dalampasigan. Madalas nakatingin lang ako sa kanila. I didn’t enjoy my childhood as much as theirs. Kids of my age don’t like to play with me and I’m always in my room practicing violin. I was smiling at the scenario. Subconsciously, I was caressing my tummy softly. Agad akong napabitaw nang mapagtanto ko ang ginawa ko.

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO   Things that are broken stay broken, they can’t be fixed, they say. One of those examples traditionally is the broken glass. Kapag nabasag ang baso, you can never bring it back to its full glory. Hindi ito maisasalba kahit anong lagay mo ng tape para mapagtagpi ang mga piraso.   I don’t want to believe that. A glass can take a full recovery in a long process of beginning anew. It just needs to start from where it started. Sa pabrika kung saan ito ginawa, doon din nito mahahanap ang sarili pabalik. At mabubuo ito gaya ng dati.   Things stay broken if they want to stay that way. We are capable of changing that status if we opt to. It’s in our hands. It’s our choice.   I don’t want to stay from that dark place anymore. I don’t want to stay depressed because of the things that happened to me before. I don’t want to continue hurting for the loss I had. I don’t

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR   I went back to my station. Inirapan ko siya nang makabalik ako sa ginagawa ko. Binudburan ko ng konting flour ang dough. Isinalang ko iyon sa pasta maker. I just waited for its magic to be done.   “Sioux, will you please cut the onions into small pieces? As in very small. Hurry!” muling tawag ko sa kanya. Nilagay ko ang butter sa mainit na pan, I let it melt for a minute. Hinihintay ko lang na matunaw iyon, ilalagay ko na ang garlic.   Sioux was beside me, he was cutting the onions into small pieces. Napasulyap ako sa ginagawa niya. Nakagat ko ang labi ko. The onions looked like they were massacred. I felt bad for them. Imbes na cube iyong cut noong onions, irregular shape ang kinalabasan noon.   “Oh my God, unbelievable!” I was unable to hide my amused smirk. Mukhang wala talaga siyang ideya sa ginagawa niya. Probably, all his life, he never experienced this. Ma

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX   I want to throw myself in the bed when I get inside the room. Naglakad ako kanina, and it was tiring but really fun.   I inserted my keycard. The door opened.   Nagulantang ako ng tuluyan akong makapasok ng hotel room. My two luggage is on the bed. Someone was definitely here. I checked the closet first. There are couple of dresses there, but most of them were gone. Bumaling ako sa dalawang luggage ko sa kama. On top of one of them, I found a bouquet of purple tulips.   I knew who the culprit is.   Nawala iyong kaba ko sa dibdib. Kinuha ko ang bouquet, there was a note.   Have a safe flight tomorrow, babe. I miss you terribly. Kept my promise of distancing myself for SIX FUCKING MONTHS. I packed your things while you were out. You’d be in trouble packing all your stuffs, they are too many. I took the o

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT (SPG)   Again. I woke up in an empty bed. There is no Sioux Kyros Centauri beside me. He’s always been MIA early in the morning. Most of the time, he would be so up early trying to learn how to cook which is very hopeless. He almost burned the whole kitchen twice. He’s a fast learner but not with cooking. Talagang napapa-face palm ako.   I had acquired a new habit while I was with him, I throw the kaldero, its takip and the pan to him whenever he irritates me and it is very often. I know for sure, one day, mauubos ang kasangkapan namin sa pinaggagawa niya. It wasn’t healthy for most couples, but well, it became normal to us. Tuwang - tuwa pa siya kapag asar na asar ako.   Some mornings, kaharap niya ang video games niya umagang - umaga. It’s starting to annoy me as well. Hinahayaan ko na lang minsan.   Hindi ako natuloy sa pag-uwi ng mansyon ni Daddy. Natagpuan ko