Chapter 2: Elizabeth

"Busy? Seriously?? Anong kakainin natin kung di ko mag ta-trabaho?! Naghahanap naman ako lagi nang paraan para bigyan ka ng oras, kahit na pagod na pagod ako galing trabaho!"

"I still cooked for you and Elizabeth. I'm still doing my responsibility as a mother and I am trying to be a good wife!"

"Well, do s*x really matters to you a lot Daren?! Is maried all about s*x? Anong gusto mo mag s*x tayo araw-araw para lang mapatunayan na mahal kita? Ano bang mas importante sayo s*x o love??" Sinusubukan kong maging kalmado, feeling ko masasakal ko na siya sa sobrang galit.

Gusto ko siyang kaladkarin palabas pero baka makita kami ni Elizabeth, ayokong malaman niya ang mga pinag gagawi nang ama niya!

S*x? Talaga lang ha?! Ang babaw naman kung ganon, pinakasalanan niya ba ako kesa gusto niyang makipag s*x sakin?? Kailangan bang mag s*x para lang mapatunayan na mahal niyo ang isat-isa? Mature ka lang tignan Daren pero yong utak mo pang bata!

"So, are you blaming me for everything? Are you saying I'm lazy? That I should work instead of you?!" he asks, raising his eyebrows at me.

"Yes, definitely! Kase ikaw iyong lalaki sating dalawa at ikaw ang mas may responsibelidad pag dating sa hanap buhay! Every time I come home, you're always playing video games! Aren't you? Hindi ka na bata para sa mga ganyan Daren! The one who doesn't have time is you, but I do try to understand you all the time. Hindi mo man lang ba inisip itong anak natin bago ka gumawa ng ganito, at sa loob pa talaga nang kwarto natin?!!"

Hindi mo man lang ba ako naisip?

"If have just told me before that you didn't love me, I wouldn't force you! Remember that I'm not a dog who will chase you, if you leave! I don't care how many years we've been together and how many years we've loved each other, I don't want to be stupid to someone like you!" Lakas loob kung sabi.

"Then fine, let's separate! But I'll take Elizabeth with me--" I cut him off to speak because I immediately punched him in the cheek.

"You?" I asks and smirk.

"You can't keep an eye on her even if you're just at home! And now you're saying that you'll take my daughter with you? Hindi ako makakapayag na kukunin mo ang anak ko! Patayin mo muna ako bago mangyari iyon." I said coldly.

"She's also my daughter Elyse!!"

Yeah, I know. I'm not stupid, dumb!!

"I'll let you visit Elizabeth, I'm not gonna stop you if you want to visit her but you can't take her away from me." I muttered and wiped my tears in the cheek.

"Fine! I won't force you!" he said then started getting dressed.

"Tungkol nga pala sa tanong mo kanina. Yes! Mas important ang s*x sakin, at kailangan ko iyon! Hindi mabubuhay ang isang relasyon kapag wala iyon, Elyse."

Ang kapal nang mukha! Nang mga araw ba na hindi namin ginagawa ang bagay na iyon sa iba niya ginagawa?! Matagal niya na ba akong niloloko??!

"I'm not going to sleep here." he murmurs before leaving.

"Then don't! Walang pipigil sayong hayop ka!"

14 years na kaming magkakilala ni Daren. Naging mag kaibigan kami hanggang sa niligawan niya ako.

Sabay kaming nangarap pero nabuntis ako, akala ko masisira na ang buhay ko dahil don pero naisip kong ipagpatuloy parin ang pag-aaral at ganon din siya hanggang sa nakapag tapos kami ng college.

Natupad ko ang pangarap kong mag patayo ng sariling companya. Pero si Daren, sumuko siya sa pangarap niya mas pinili niyang manatili nalang sa bahay at bantayan ang anak namin.

Di ko namalayang tumulo na pala iyong luha ko, huminga ako ng malalim at bigla ko namang naalala ang sabi ni Mama noon.

'Hindi dapat ako umiyak dahil lang sa lalaki, ang tunay na lalaki hindi nag papaiyak nang babae. Kung totoong mahal ka ng isang lalaki, hinding-hindi ka niya papaiyakin at lolokohin. Kung tutulo man lang luha mo, hindi dahil sinakpan ka niya kundi pinasaya ka niya. Tears of joy ika nga nila.'

For the first time he made me cry, and he hurt me this much. He said he don't love me anymore, then fine! I'm not gonna waste my precious time to someone like him, he's not worth it at all!

Napatawa nalang ako nang maalala ko iyong sinabi niya sakin noon. He said that I'm the only girl he'll love me for the rest of his life. That he wouldn't leave me, that he won't ever cheat on me... but now... all of that happens! 

Napaka sinungaling at manloloko mo Daren!

We've known each other for 14 years, we've been together for 12 years. I thought I already knew him very well, but I haven't. It doesn't really matter how many years you've known each other or how you've been together with your partner.

Because time comes that one of you will fell out of love, I don't believe in forever... tsk, that's a cap. The most funny word that I've ever heard.

Forever? There's no forever in this world, people die, plants die, animals die... even this world will end too.

You know, reality sucks. All you can do is enjoy your lives, because I believe we only live once.

"Mommy? Are you crying?" Napahinto ako sa pag iisip at tinignan ang anak ko.

"No, sweetie. Hindi umiiyak si Mommy."

Hindi mo man lang na-realized na tumutulo na pala iyong luha ko.

Para naman akong nanigas nang pinahiran niya ito gamit ang maliliit niyang mga kamay.

"Then, what's this?" Tukoy niya sa luha.

"How was your school?" Pag iiba ko sa topic.

"It was good, I got A+ again." Napangiti ako sa sinabi niya. She's a smart kid, naaalala ko ang sarili ko sakanya pero di tulad ko noon na nakukuha ko ang mga gusto ko. Hindi naman mayaman iyong mga magulang ko.

"Very good, I'll buy you a new toy tomorrow because you got A+."

"Eh, marami na akong mga laruan Mommy." she said while her lips are pouting.

"What do you want me to buy then?"

Nag kibit balikat siya. "I don't want you to buy anything, all I want is you Mom. Sapat na sakin na makita kang masaya..."

"Ha?" Medyo naguguluhan ako.

"I just don't want you to get hurt, if you don't love Daddy anymore then divorced him already." I was shock by what she said.

Did she know anything? How?

"Elizabeth..."

"Yes, I am only 10 years old Mom to think like this already, but I'm smarter than you think, I understanding everything what you've been through." Nag sisimula nang tumulo iyong luha ko dahil sa mga sinabi niya.

"Remember that your not alone Mom, I'm always here, I won't leave you." she hugged me and wiped away my tears.

I'm lucky to have a daughter like her.

"I love you," I kissed her on the cheek and just smiled as I stared at her face. I will never regret that your Daddy and I made you that day, isa kang napakalaking blessing para sakin.

"Gutom ka na ba? Gusto mo bang kumain?" Tumango naman siya bilang sagot.

Niluto ko ang paborito niyang adobo.

"Eat a lot so you don't lose weight." Saad ko at ngumiti salanya.

"Mommy, I always eat a lot. You should be the one to eat a lot because you're working to make money." Sabi nito kaya napatawa ako ng mahina.

Nabaling ang tingin ko kay Yaya na nakatayo lang sa gilid. "Yaya, kumain ka na ba?"

"Hindi pa po, Ma'am Elyse."

"Ayy halika samahan muna kaming kumain dito." Aya ko sakanya.

_

Nandito na ako sa kwarto nakahiga sa kama, 11 pm na pero gising parin ako. I can't sleep, I used to sleep next to someone so, I'm having a hard time now because Daren isn't here.

Nagulat ako nang may biglang kumatok sa pintuan, tumayo naman ako para tignan kong sino iyon.

"Oh, gabi na sweetie bakit gising ka pa?" Takang tanong ko sakanya.

"May masakit ba sayo? Masakit ba ulo mo? Nako, baka may lagnat ka!" Hinawakan ko ang noo niya para tingnan kong mainit ba siya.

"Mommy relax lang po kayo, walang masakit sakin." Wika niya sabay ngumiti siya sakin, nakahinga naman ako nang maluwag dahil don.

"Then why are you here?"

"I can't sleep because I know you can't sleep easily when you're not next to someone." I just smiled because of her behavior lately. She acts matured this days, nobody would thought that she's just 10 years old to think and act like that.

"You want to sleep next to Mommy?" Masayang tanong ko at hinalik-halikan ang buong mukha niya. Tumawa siya at mukhang nakikiliti sa ginagawa ko.

"Yeah," pumasok siya sa kwarto at ni-lock ang pinto, hinila niya naman ang kamay ko patungong sa kama.

"Diba dapat maaga kang matulog Mommy kase may pasok ka pa sa trabaho bukas?"

Yeah, I have a meeting tomorrow morning around 10 am.

Pareha na kaming humiga sa kama at niyakap niya naman ako ng mahigpit.

"Good night, I love you Mom." she kissed my cheek before closing her eyes.