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Epilogue

Redeemed

Hale

"It can't... We can't..." My eyes widening as I looked at Faye after what she just told me. She's been my girlfriend, and I knew that we were careful... "Why?" I can't control myself. I was frustrated and scared...

She was crying in front of me. "Ayaw mo ba na magkaanak tayo, Hale?"

My eyes widening as I looked at her. "But how this happened, Faye?! Akala ko ba nag-p-pills ka?"

She looked away. Don't tell me... Damn it!

Napahilamos ako ng mga palad sa mukha ko. I brushed my hair using my fingers. I don't know what my father will do to me if he knows about this. Mawawala sa akin ang lahat!

I knew that I was at fault, too. I got my girlfriend pregnant and we're still so young! Ni hindi pa nga kami nakakatuntong ng college. I was just finishing my senior year in high school. It was very frustrating. At hindi nga ako nagkamali nang malaman nina mama at papa.

My family are rich and we live in Vigan City which has been my parents' hometown. I just insisted on studying here in Manila because I wanted to be independent...or to be more free here, to be honest. I get to live alone in my apartment and drive my own car. And I was already expecting to go to college just couple of months from now and this happened.

"Tama na!" Inawat ni mama si papa.

Pinunasan ko naman ng kamay ko ang labi kong dumugo dahil sa suntok sa akin ni papa.

It's all right. I'll just accept this. I'm at fault, too.

Kaya naman wala na rin akong nagawa nang pinakasal kami ni Faye when she just turned 18 at medyo malaki na rin ang tiyan niya noon sa araw ng kasal namin. I did not really expect that I'd get married this young. Pero ito ang kagustuhan ng parents namin...

"Siguradong pinikot ka ng asawa mo, Hale..." Andreah whispered in my ear.

After Faye and I got married we lived with my parents in Vigan. Iyon ang napagdesisyunan nina mama dahil magpapatuloy pa naman ako sa pag-aaral. While Faye just stayed home to take care of Angela and Angelo. Iyon din ang gusto niya. Ang mga sumunod na mga taon pagkatapos kong ikasal ay tinuon ko na lang ang atensyon ko sa pag-aaral at hindi na ako nagloko pa dahil baka talagang tanggalan na ako ng mana ni papa. So after I graduated I started working in our family business. And that's when I met my mama's assistant.

Andreah was a few years older than me. I didn't know anything about her or her family. Hindi na rin naman namin pinag-uusapan iyon. I knew that it was wrong to have an affair... Hindi ganoon kasaya ang pagiging mag-asawa namin ni Faye... But I was still married to her...

"Ang bata n'yo pa pero ang landi-landi na niya at talagang nagpabuntis pa sa 'yo para masiguro niyang wala ka nang kawala, Hale... She's evil." Andreah continued saying things...

Thinking about Faye, mabait naman siya. I knew that she's a kind person. But I didn't like how she grew obsessed with me... Parang naniniwala na rin ako that she really did tricked me... She always assured me that we were safe. Pagkatapos sasabihin na lang niya sa akin na buntis na pala siya...

"Hale, ginabi ka na naman mas'yado ng uwi..."

"Bakit gising ka pa?"

"Hinihintay ka namin ng mga bata kanina. Father's day kasi ngayon..." She sighed.

Natigilan din ako. I felt guilty. Ang dami kong nakakalimutang gawin bilang tatay...at asawa...

Alam kong gago ako...

Kaya ganoon na lang ang guilt ko when Faye died in a car accident... Hindi ko alam na sinusundan niya pala kami ni Andreah nang gabing iyon... Hindi ko alam na alam na pala niya...

"Oh..." Andreah moaned as I kissed her. We were already inside a hotel room...

And then my phone started ringing. Hindi ko na lang sana papansinin...at pinipigilan din ako ni Andreah na hayaan na lang iyon. Pero may iba akong naging pakiramdam sa tawag. Kaya iniwan ko muna si Andreah sa kama na halos hubad na rin at sinagot ang tawag.

My lips parted. At halos mabitawan ko ang cell phone na nasa tainga ko...

Mabilis akong umalis sa hotel at pinuntahan si Faye. But I was too late... She was already lifeless...

I went home to Angela and Angelo and I didn't know what to do. Especially when they both cried after knowing that their mom's gone...

Tinalikuran ko lang sila, and I didn't do anything... I was a coward.

At nang mawala na rin ang parents ko dahil sa katandaan... Inubos ko na lang ang oras ko sa pagpapatakbo ng kompanya namin. Naisip kong ito na lang ang naiwan sa akin nina mama at papa. I wondered if I have ever been a good son to my parents... They've given me everything and yet look at what happened to me... I was such a brat.

I didn't know how to face Angela and Angelo... I knew that they will hate me if they knew that I was at fault that they can't be with their mom now... And we were never close to each other... Palagi kasi akong wala sa bahay noon pa man and Faye was the one who's always been there for them.

So I didn't know how to even talk to them... I was so young when I had them. When they were born, I was amazed... But I didn't know what to do... I wasn't ready... And I was not sure if I was fit to be a father...

But I realized that instead of facing it, I just did nothing than to keep on running away from my responsibilities. Ang one person made me realized this...

"Mag-asawa ka kaya uli?" Migo suggested.

I just looked at him. He shrugged. "You said hindi mo alam ang gagawin sa mga anak mo... Maybe they need someone who can mother them." dagdag pa niya.

Umiling lang ako sa kaibigan.

He's been my friend for the longest time. Simula noong mga bata pa lang kami at sabay ding lumaki dito sa Vigan.

"Anyway, about what I was telling you."

Tumango na ako. "All right. I'll do it."

His eyes widened. "Thank you, Hale! You know that this won't be possible without your help."

I just nodded.

That's when I met Mister Chavez and his family. Migo Peralta is a police detective and he was investigating about the illegal business of the Chavez family. Gusto lang naman niyang mapalapit ako sa pamilya sa pamamagitan ng business ko at baka may makuha akong kahit konti lang na impormasyon. And I was just trying to help my friend...

Mister Chavez and I became business partners for a while... At nakakapunta na rin ako sa bahay nila. That's when his second daughter just suddenly told me that I should marry her instead...

I don't know where she got the idea that I'd marry her sister...

The first time I noticed her in the Chavez estate was when she was serving me some snacks when I came to do business with her dad. Hindi ko pa nga nalaman agad noon na anak din pala siya ni Mr. Chavez. Because only Ella Chavez was introduced to me.

At first I was amused. But also I cannot deny the fact that I grew attracted to her. Sa ilang beses ko na siyang nakikita dito sa bahay nila ay kahit simple lang masasabi at makikitang maganda talaga siya. And then I also thought about what Migo told me...

Liz was mature despite being young. I feel like she can do anything with the attitude that she has. Many times I feel like she's stronger than me. I knew that it wasn't easy to deal with Angelo and Angela. Ako nga na tatay nila ay hirap lumapit sa mga bata. But Liz was patient enough and did it eventually.

And I also grew more curious about her. I wanted to know more about her. So I started doing my own investigation. Gusto kong magalit kanila Mr. Chavez sa mga nalaman ko. Liz's definitely his daughter. Pero pinapabayaan niya lang ito. And what made me more mad was that the damned old man did not even send his daughter to school. Nasa bahay lang si Liz at gumagawa ng mga gawain doon. She was neglected. And I wanted to take care of her now that she's in my care and I will protect her.

Our married life was nothing but bliss... I feel like I've experienced things for the first time with Liz. It's not hard to fall in love with a woman like her. And I feel like she's perfect for me.

But married life isn't all just the rainbows and butterflies. Especially when she found out about my ugly past... That I didn't want her to know, too. But I also knew that it was inevitable...

"What are you doing here?"

Lumapit sa akin si Andreah. Nagpumilit pa itong pumasok dito sa opisina ko. Since Faye died I cut our ties. I realized that I was so wrong and I couldn't let it continue. What's in between us was nothing more than just an affair. Alam kong malinaw din naman iyon sa kaniya noon pa man. There was no promises or anything of the likes made. And I hope she's aware of our mistake, too.

She smiled. Ang alam ko ay galing siyang ibang bansa. Nagalit noon si mama nang malaman din niya ang tungkol sa amin ni Andreah noon. At tingin ko ay isa din iyon sa mga dahilan kung bakit siya na stress. At isa pa iyon sa mga nagpa-guilty din sa akin.

"You got married again, Hale? With who? Bakit hindi mo sinabi sa akin? Ako na lang sana ang pinakasalan mo."

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. And then she started hugging me while telling me things that I can't pay attention to. Sasabihan ko na rin ang secretary ko to escort her out pero iyon pa ang naabutan ni Liz...

After that nagulo na ang buhay namin. I understand Liz... But I hope she also realizes that I'm not anymore the same person as I was in the past. And I truly love her and need her. I hope she forgive me...

Hindi ko sinasadyang mapagbuhatan ng kamay si Angelo. And I thought that I messed up bad. I left home that night to reflect on what I've been doing... And when I got home late at night, naabutan ko na mukhang pagod nang natutulog si Liz sa kama namin. This wasn't what I wanted for us, for her. Gusto kong nasa maayos lang siyang kalagayan hangga't nandito ako sa tabi niya. I didn't want it to be just like when she was still at her family. I want to give her a family that's different from where she grew in. And I feel like I failed.

"I'm sorry..." I talked to Angelo after that night.

Ilang sandali siyang tahimik bago magsalita. "I will only forgive you if you promise that you will never hurt Mommy Liz again."

Nagkatinginan kami. "You've done that with Mom before..." Alam kong tinutukoy niya si Faye. Nagyuko ako ng ulo. "I hope you already learned from it..."

I can't take my eyes off my son. Yes, he's my child. But I know that he's different from me. And he will be better than me.

I was comforted by my family's love and understanding. And with Liz I felt like I was redeemed from my mistakes and wrongs... And I thank God for still giving someone like Liz to me despite my selfishness in the past.

"I won't ever allow you again to cause harm to my family, especially to my wife." I told her.

I also said sorry to Andreah. Like how I've always asked Faye's forgiveness kahit wala na siya. At kahit hindi na niya ako mapatawad. I'm still sorry for all of my selfishness. I knew that I hurt people because I was selfish. And that's the truth.

But I will protect my family now. And my wife. Dahil ito ang pinangako ko sa sarili ko nang pakasalan ko si Liz.

Naluluhang nakatingin lang sa akin si Andreah. But I knew that she's accepted defeat... Bumagsak ang mga balikat niya at nagyuko siya ng ulo. I can only hope that she'll be better too after this.

"This is so relaxing, Hale, isn't it?" My wife beautifully smiled to me as we were just relaxing on our vacation with just as two.

Ang mga bata ay iniwan muna namin kanila manang sa bahay at nandoon din ang Tita Olga at papa ni Liz na nakalaya na rin sa kulungan... Pareho ring natutuwa ang mga ito sa mga bata kaya willing din silang mag-alaga muna ng apo and let us have this vacation for ourselves in a while.

Words aren't enough to express how grateful I am, pagkatapos naming malampasan ni Liz ang mga nangyari. And I believe that's mainly because she's forgiven me. If not I don't know anymore what could have happened to me...

Maybe it's true that a woman can live without a man... But a man can't live without a woman in his life... Or maybe I just love my wife so much that I can't lose her in this lifetime...

"Ah. The massage was great." aniya. At pabalik na rin kami sa kwarto namin dito sa resort.

It's like our second honeymoon. But this time it's better... I know that things will be much better from now on. As long as we're together. Liz made me realize and feel that we can always do things together. So she's given me confidence, too.

Niyakap ko siya nang nasa loob na kami ng kwarto namin. Umikot naman siya at hinarap din sa akin ang katawan niya. And then she smiled, and I still got lost in her beauty until now.

"Namimiss ko na ang mga bata." She pouted a little.

"You will see them once we go back. But please, I'll ask you to just think of me and think about us for now... Just the two of us..." malambing kong bulong sa kaniya.

Ngumiti naman siya. "Okay..." Pagkatapos ay umawang ang labi niya.

I lowered my head to meet her parted lips and I started kissing her with passion and love...

And of course we ended our beautiful night with us making love until we're both satisfied... She's the only one who can satisfy my heart and my soul.