"What the hell?!" Iyon ang primerong reaksyon ni Romee nang idetalye ko sakanya ang pangyayari kanina sa ospital. "Aidan has a point ha! Sa lahat ng ospital, bakit nga naman sa MGH pa? Zip my dress, please."

Tumayo ako upang salubungin ang likod nitong naka-harap sakin. I pulled the zipper of her dress up to close it, before I sighed and answered. "I don't know, maging ako'y hindi inaasahan na makita si Wendell sa ospital."

"Ask, Tito Dave to fire him." Balewalang sabi nito.

"Romee, it's not that easy. Hindi iyon ganoon ganoon lang!" sabi ko. "Isa pa, wala namang ginagawang masama yung tao."

"But he's a threat to your relationship with your husband!" Binalingan ako nito, she smiled faintly at me. "I'm not judging you, Paris. I will never do that. What I'm trying to say is, if we can throw away the possible cause of a chaos, then why not do it."

"That's unfair for Wendell, wala namang ginagawang-"

"Wala pa." Romee sighed. "Wala pa, ulit."

"Napag-usapan na namin iyon, Wendell and I stayed good friends. And Ro, he's nice to me-"

"We're all nice to people we like, to people we love, Paris."

"Wendell doesn't love me, I'm sure he realized that now-"

"Oh really?" She mocked. "Oo nga, hindi. Hindi na. Iyong pag-sunod niya sayo dito sa Pilipinas, wala lang 'yon. Trip niya lang, ganon?"

"Romee, hindi naman dapat pakahulugan lahat ng bagay. B-baka nakita niya na magkaka-future siya sa MGH that's why he took it instead of other hospitals-"

"Edi sige nga, you go practice your residency in Netherlands. Ipupusta ko buhay ni Zander, since wala naman siyang kwenta, kung hindi ka susundan ng Wendell na 'yon." Matapang nitong sabi. "Cut those bullshits, Paris. We both know why he's at MGH. We both know what he's after at! Ang hindi ko lang maunawaan, bakit ang kulit niya? He already know you're married, you have a child. When is he gonna stop?"

Hindi ako umimik. Sa totoo lang, wala namang ginawang masama o labag si Wendell kanina. I know him, he's a good man. I get my sister's point, but we can't just accuse people easily. Wendell was long over me, alam ko iyon. He's moved on from all the false hopes I gave him without even noticing it. Years back, I've already made it crystal clear that I love my husband, I love him deeply and that no other man can top that.

"Alright, I'd let it go." Pagsuko ni Romee. "But I'm telling you, Paris. One wrong move of that Wendell man, he's dead. And I mean dead."

"Is Ethan coming tonight?" Pag-iiba ko ng usapan.

"Nah, that's not a good idea. You know dad, he still doesn't like the fact that Ethan is dating me." She rolled her eyes. "Like, Ethan is his favorite, alright. But that doesn't mean he wants to be in laws with him. Knowing dad, he's just so hard to please."

Natawa naman ako doon. "Why are you dating Ethan anyway?"

"Why won't I date Ethan?" Balik tanong niya.

"Is this something like a getting even, revenge thing or whatever, Romee?" Naiiling kong sabi habang nakangisi. "Ethan and Zander are bestfriends-"

"Ethan and who?" Kumunot ang noo nito. "I don't think I know who you're talking about."

Muli na lamang akong natawa, this sister of mine is seriously having an issue with people around her, even with herself. Just like me, of course.

Nang makababa kami ni Romee ay naabutan namin na nasa komedor na sila mommy, even Reid just came in. Si Ricos ay nasa kandungan ni daddy na nasa kabisera, he was telling him stories and daw patiently listens.

"You want lobster, Ricos?" Mom asked my son.

"Hm," bahagya pa itong ngumuso at nag-isip. "No, I want chicken."

"Okay," nilingon ako ni mommy. "C'mon, let's eat."

"Halika na, Ricos. Kakain na si papa." Nilapitan ko si Ricos, ngunit nginisihan ako nito bago yumakap kay dad.

"No mom, you go eat on your own na po. Papa will feed me, we'll share plates." Masaya pa nitong sabi.

"Ricos Anton," I warned.

"Papa..." tawag nito kay dad na para bang naghahanap ng kakampi.

"Sige na, Paris. Kumain ka na, daddy mo na ang bahala kay Ricos." Mom chuckled, na agad din namang nauwi sa pag-simangot nang lingunin ito ni daddy at pagalitan.

"No lobsters for you." Masungit na sabi ni daddy bago nito ituon ang pansin kay Ricos.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Romee, lihim akong napangisi, samantalang ito naman ay mahinang napahagikgik bago naupo sa tabi ni mommy.

Ipinaghila ako ni Aidan ng upuan sa tabi ni Reid bago ito naupo sa tabi ko.

We all had a peaceful dinner, ang mga kwento ni Ricos ang pumupuno sa hapag. Maging si Reid ay kinakausap ito, he was talking about how his day on his art school went. Nangako pa nga ito kay Romee na kapag magaling na daw siya, he will sketch his aunt.

After dinner, Ricos requested to stay overnight. Halos hindi na kasi ito maihiwalay kay daddy when he started talking about things, he just wouldn't stop and he sees dad as his very patient listener.

"Mom, please? Tomorrow is Saturday. Dad said that every weekends, the paint brush takes a day off that's why we don't have class." Pagpupumilit nito. "Please mom."

"Sige na, Paris. Payagan mo na ang anak mo, isa pa, there's no work tomorrow." Mom said. "Pwede nga na dito narin kayong mag-asawa magpalipas ng gabi."

Nilingon ko si Aidan, sandali lang ako nitong pinagmasdan bago ilipat sa kung saan ang tingin. "Kailangan ako sa ospital bukas, mommy. May pinapaasikaso sakin si Uncle Dave, you know, he always free his weekends for Tita Shei. So I should be there when he's not around-"

"Sige po, we'll let Ricos spend the night here." Putol ni Aidan sa sinasabi ko.

Nang marinig iyon ni daddy ay tinalikuran na kami nito, karga karga ang dumadaldal na si Ricos patungo sa kung saang bahagi ng bahay.

"Susunduin nalang namin bukas, kapag tapos ng duty ni Paris sa ospital." Dagdag pa ni Aidan.

"That's great!" Mom smiled.

"Kahit Sunday niyo na kaya balikan si Kulit!" Nakangising sabi ni Romee na nasa likuran ni mommy, she's clinging on Reid's arm. "Mag-date kayo after work, chill! Relax! Diba, mommy? Para kayong kulang sa push..."

I'm not sure what she's up to, but I can feel my cheeks burned. Lalo pa ng ngisihan din kami ni mommy at gatungan pa ang sinasabi ni Romee.

"Oo nga, you two! Loosen up a bit." Mom said.

Bago pa kung ano ang masabi ng mga ito ay nagpaalam na ko. Narinig ko pa ang mga pahabol na hagikgik ni Romee kasabay ng paalala niya.

"Date kayo, Aidan ha!"

An awkward silence filled the spaces between us when we're finally alone. I heard nothing from Aidan hanggang sa makauwi kaming dalawa. Tahimik lamang nitong ginagawa ang mga dapat niyang gawin.

He's mad, I know. And I'm giving the right to be mad. I'm at fault, alam ko iyon.

Hanggang sa humiga ito sa tabi ko ay nanatili itong walang imik. The bed is huge, there's no way our elbows will touch. Nakatalikod ito sakin nang patayin na nito ang ilaw ng lampshade sa bahagi nito.

Naupo ako sa kama habang nakalingon sakanya. He's awake, of course he still is.

"Aidan..."

As expected, seconds passed and I didn't get any response.

"Aidan, I just wanna say sorry. I didn't know that he's here, I swear I didn't. Hindi kita pipilitin na maniwala sakin, pero Aidan nagsasabi ako ng totoo." Nakagat ko ang aking labi nang isa-isang tumakas ang mga luha mula saking mga mata. "I know his presence upsets you, but I swear... I didn't know. I'm sorry..."

Hindi ko na inaasahan pang sasagot ito, I turned to the other side and closed my eyes. Silently letting my tears drop from my eyes.

"Paris, let's go home. Kakalimutan ko lahat, we won't talk about it again, I swear, I'll never... sumama ka na sakin. Iuuwi na kita, doon nalang tayo kay Ricos, c'mon... Paris. I will do everything, just please, give me a peace of mind and come home with me..."

"Aidan, I need this! This is me before you came, this is what I have to do... maybe you're right, we both took the youth in each other. I'm sorry, I'm choosing to stay... I'm staying..."

"What about me? Paris, paano ako?"