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Chapter 40: Easy Way Out

Chapter 40: Easy Way Out

Hinintay ko si Yllona sa isang coffee shop. Kailangan kong malaman kung ano'ng nangyayari. Hindi ako maniniwala sa aking nabasa hanggang hindi ito nagmumula sa kanya.

Pumarada ang familiar na sasakyan ni Yllona sa parking lot. Lumabas siya suot ang casual na button-down white blouse and ripped jeans, partnered with black heels. Yllona looks like a model off-duty.

Ang dati niyang pixy-cut na buhok ay mahaba na ngayon at hanggang balikat. Parang kailan lang noong una ko silang nakilala ni River sa isang party sa mansion ng mga Monaghan.

"Hey," bati niya nang makita ako.

Umupo siya sa tapat ko. There's smile on her face, but I could tell that it's not her usual dazzling smile. She must have known what is happening.

"Yllona, is Landon okay?" tanong ko.

Sandaling natigilan si Yllona bago sumagot. "He's... okay."

Kahit paano ay nakahinga ako nang maluwag sa nalaman. He's okay. And whoever the reason why, whether it's Helena, it doesn't matter. As long as he's fine.

"I heard about the engagement."

Doon nabigla si Yllona. "What— How—"

From the looks of it, mukhang balak nilang itago ang impormasyon na ito sa akin.

"Look, Denise-" Mabilis niyang sinabi. "No one knows what's happening inside the family island. Hindi na kami nakatapak dito mula noong kaarawan ni Lolo. This is unlikely for Landon to have this kind of decision without telling us."

I tried to smile. "It's okay."

Yllona blinked. "No, Denise. It's not!"

"Don't I have the right to take the easy way out?" I asked. "Don't I have the right to say, hey this is fucking painful so I should probably give up before I lose my fucking mind!"

Tuluyang tumulo ang luha ko. Yllona stared at me. Worry, confusion, and pity poured all over her face.

"I'm sorry," tahimik niyang sinabi. "I always thought that it's selfish for you to give up easily without hearing anything from him. What I didn't realize is how much you're hurting since this chaos started, or how much you're losing who you are in this process of getting him back."

Wala akong nagawa kundi ang pilit pahirin ang luhang tuloy tuloy na pumapatak sa aking pisngi.

"You know, we are rooting for you, right? Me and River. We always got your back. Pero kung nauubos ka na dahil sa laban na ito, papayagan ka na namin na umalis."

Yllona held my hand. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this family, Denise."

Ilang minuto ang lumipas bago ako kumalma.

"So, what are your plans now?"

Umiling ako. "I don't know," sagot ko. "I applied for a exchange program in the university. Kapag nagrant ito, gusto kong umalis sa lugar na ito."

"Are you going to come back?"

Hindi ako sumagot.

"Would we still hear from you?"

Tinitigan ko si Yllona. "Promise me one thing, Yllona," I said. "Never mention anything to Landon, even to River. Hindi mo alam kung nasaan ako."

Yllona was about to counter what I said, but then she sighed and nodded. "I promised."

I smiled at her. "Thank you."

"Will this be our last meeting?"

I feel sorry for Yllona. She almost looks like someone who lost a best friend.

"Hey, maybe it won't be."

Yllona tried to smile. "You can always reach me, whenever you decide to come back."

I probably won't. Tahimik kong sinabi. Tumayo kami at niyakap ang isa't isa.

"Hey, I'm gonna miss you," she whispered. "I won't have anyone to doll up."

"And I would lose my model off-duty best friend."

And in that exact moment, I've realized that I indeed earned a best friend. At hindi na ako matatakot na sabihin ito. That I let people in, and even though some of it ended up ripping half of me, the other half gained a lifelong friendship in the form of Yllona and River.

"My twin will be devastated."

"Thank River for me, for everything."

"You think of him as a best friend, am I right?"

Tumango ako. "Yes."

Yllona snickered. "Well, sucks to be him." Saka siya natawa.

Matapos magpaalam sa isa't isa, pumunta ako sa Saint Jude upang bisitahin si Mama. Ano mang araw mula ngayon ay maaari na siyang ilabas sa center. Kaya inaayos ko na ang kanyang mga papeles.

Matapos pumunta sa opisina ng center, bumisita ako sa kwarto ni Mama. She was already packing her things one at a time.

Sa loob ng ilang taon, sa lugar na ito namalagi si Mama. Four years. Now we can finally turn our lives around.

"Maaari akong mag trabaho, o magtayo muli ng maliit na flower shop, o kainan," ito ang sinasabi niya tuwing paguusapan namin ang kanyang paglabas.

She looks so happy, and that is enough reason for me. This is why I need to move on from all the mess I've been part of. Dahil gusto kong nasa tabi niya ako sa pagbabalik niya.

"Pero talaga bang aalis tayo sa bayan na ito?" Tanong niya.

Tumango ako. "Minsan lang sa dalawang taon ang exchange program, Ma. Hindi ko ito maaari palampasin."

"Pero kapag hinanap tayo ng iyong Ama-"

Natigilan ako sa kanyang sinabi. Hindi niya na dapat sinasabi pa ang mga bagay na ito. Apat na taon siyang hindi nagpakita sa amin. We don't even know if he's still alive.

"Ma, it's unlikely na hinanap niya tayo. We didn't leave this city for the last four years. Kung nandyan siya at gugustuhin niya, madali niya tayong mahahanap. But it's different now. We can make it on our own now."

Hinaplos ni Mama ang aking buhok. "You've grown to be so strong, Denise. But strenght is not measured by building walls and shutting yourself away to avoid pain."

"I'm facing my pains right now, Mom. To prevent myself from further pains in the future."

Niyakap ako ni Mama.

"Did it hurt that bad when I wasn't around for you to protect yourself this way?"

Tumango ako habang nasa bisig niya. "And I'm afraid I'll lose myself in the process if I don't end it."

Buong araw ay nasa Saint Jude's ako. I helped Mama packed her things kasama na ang ilang painting na kanyang nagawa.

Nakuha ng isang painting ang atensyon ko. It was the painting on the beach.

"Please do me a favor, anak," sinabi ni Mama habang binabalot ng papel ang painting.

"Ano po 'yon?"

"Please give this painting to Landon Monaghan."

Natigilan ako sa kanyang sinabi. Alam kong kilala ni Mama si Landon. Ilang beses niya na itong nakita at nakausap. Isa din siya sa dahilan kung bakit mabilis ang naging paggaling ni Mama.

Pero ang pinapagawa niya. Hindi ko alam kung maaari ko pa itong tuparin.

"Alam kong isa siya sa dahilan kung bakit gusto mong umalis ng bayang ito. Ngunit isa sa kanyang hiling ang makilala ka, ang lahat ng tungkol sayo. Kung paano ka pinalaki. Ang mga bagay na gusto mo noong bata ka."

"That was before, Mom. Madami na ang nagbago," sinabi ko.

"That's why I want to send him this painting. Dahil matapos man ang lahat, gusto kong ipakilala ang aking anak, at magpasalamat dahil isa siya sa mga taong nasa iyong tabi noong panahong wala ako."

Napangiti ako sa sinabi ni Mama. Ngunit nagdadalawang isip parin ako sa hiling niya. Sa huli ay wala akong nagawa kundi ang pumayag.

"Susubukan ko."

Umalis ako sa Saint Jude na malalim ang iniisip. Sinabi ko na babalikan ko ang painting upang ibigay bukas. But how?

Bumalik ako sa condo kung saan naghihintay si Elyse.

"Long day, huh?" Tanong niya nang pumasok ako. Nakaupo siya sa sofa, wearing pink flanel pajamas and eating popcorn while watching tv.

"Yeah," tahimik kong sinabi.

"Change to your pjs, then."

I smiled despite the long exhausting day. Nagbihis ako saka tumabi kay Elyse sa living room.

"You look horrible," she said. "Can you smile a bit?"

I gave her a half smile. She rolled her eyes. "Worst."

I smacked her with a throw pillow.

"Ouch!"

Nagbatuhan kami ng throw pillow. Nang mapagod, pareho kaming tumahimik.

"I heard you applied for the exchange student program."

Hindi na ako nagtaka na alam niya. She was on the hallway when I approached our Dean about it.

"Uh huh."

"The other university is two hundred miles from here, Danny."

"I'll be okay."

"I won't see you that often then? Good," said Elyse.

But I could hear her voice breaking. Bigla niya akong niyakap. "I hate you, Danny," she whispered.

Ngumiti ako. "I love you too, Elly. And It will never change."

Kinabukasan, napagdesisyonan kong pumunta sa mansion ni Landon Monaghan. Alam kong hindi na siya namamalagi dito. He's already on the family island, preparing for his engagement.

Dito ko ilalagay ang painting. He won't probably see it. But what's important is I keep my promise to Mama, to give the painting to Landon.

Pinagmasdan ko ang mansion mula sa gate. Mukhang tuluyan na itong inabanduna. Hindi ko mapigilan na manghinayang. Napakaganda ng mansion na ito noong unang beses kong tumapak dito.

The wide lawn, the brick walls, the vines and tall windows reflecting sunshine on middays. I guess this is the last time I'm gonna step in here and see those sights.

Pumasok ako sa nakabukas na gate. Noong una hindi ko pinagtaka ito. It was left unattended mula noong hindi na umuuwi dito si Landon.

Pumasok ako sa loob ng bahay dala ang painting. Ngunit sa pagpasok ko, naramdaman ko agad na may ibang taong nasa bahay.

I heard the echoing sound of stilettos from the second floor. At kung sino man ito ay mukhang naramdaman din ang pagdating ko. Tila nagmadali ito sa ginagawa bago bumaba ng hagdan.

Natigilan ako nang makita siya. Ano'ng ginagawa ni Helena sa lugar na ito?

She stared at me from the staircase. Hindi ako nakapagsalita. Compared to her, the fianceé, the suspicion is on me for coming here at Landon's house.

"What are you doing here?"

Ito ang unang beses na kinausap niya ako nang direkta. Ito ang unang beses na nagkaharap kami.

Ngunit hindi ko naramdaman ng pagiging estranghero namin sa isa't isa. Dahil ba magkamukha kami?

"Do you still go to this house?"

"Sorry," nasabi ko. "I'm just here to drop something."

She stared at the painting covered in manila paper. Bumaba siya sa hagdan para lapitan ako.

I fought the urge to step back. Pakiramdam ko teritoryo niya ang tinatapakan ko.

"Denise, what you had with Landon was a quick bliss. But you don't want to wreck what we have, right?"

Hindi ako nakapagsalita.

"You're lucky. Oh, I know how lucky you are, being born in the good side of the Limericks," she said.

"While it's been hell on earth to me for all of the years I'm alive. Landon is my only gateway to a good life. So please do me a favor and gracefully walk out of our lives."

"Do not treat Landon as your easy ticket to whatever luxury you want in your life."

Ngumiti siya sa sinabi ko. "Oh please. Don't tell me you've really fallen for him? Cut the crap, Limerick. We both know you and I are the same. You want the good side of life he brings. So you keep chasing, and hoping to what? Be a mistress?"

Isang sampal ang tumama sa kanyang pisngi. Hindi ko napigilan ang aking sarili.

Gulat siyang napatitig sa akin. "How dare you?!" Nagtitimping sinabi niya.

"I would never stoop to your level, Helena. I have my dignity, and it will remain with me. And yes, you're right. I love Landon. But I'm choosing myself."

Humalakhak siya.

"Oh honey, you better be. You probably should thank me too. Because once you know the truth, you'll curse that family."

Naguluhan ako sa kanyang sinabi. "Ano'ng ibig mong sabihin?"

She gave me a warning smile.

"Landon is mine, Denise. If you want to save yourself from pain, you should keep things that way."

***

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