Chapter Eight
Last Chapter
I parked my car a few miles away from the church. Ngayon ang araw ng kasal ni Lux. Tumingin ako sa orasan. Any minute now, dadaan na dito ang bridal car niya. Haharangin ko ang kotse nila at kukunin ko si Lux.
Wala akong pakialam kung nandoon si Patricio at kasama pa niya ang militarya. I was going to get Lux and my child and no one could stop me, even the devil himself. I looked on the side mirror when I heard a car coming.
It was a fancy white car with a bouquet of flowers in front of it.
Here comes my bride.
I smiled. I'd finally see Lux again. Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. I was happy that I was finally going to see her again but I was also anxious and nervous. Hindi ko alam kung anong magiging reaksyon niya at kung anong mararamdaman niya kapag nakita niya ako pagkatapos nang nangyari noon. Would she be glad to see me? Would she hate me?
I started my car. Nang malapit na ang kotse ay iniharang ko ang kotse ko sa gitna ng kalsada para hindi sila makadaan. When the car stopped, I got out of mine. Binuksan ko ang driver's side at inilabas ang baril ko.
"Sir, huwag." Itinaas ng driver ang kamay niya.
"Labas." I demanded.
Halos masubsob ito sa pagmamadaling lumabas. I slipped into the car and I backed the car on reverse before turning it around. Tumingin ako sa rearview mirror.
I saw Lux beautifully sitting at the back of the car. She looked beautiful. So regal and elegant. She would've looked even more beautiful if I were her groom.
"Hey." I gently said.
"P-pakawalan mo ako." She said.
"I missed you, Lux. I missed you so much."
"Please, let me go..." Pakiusap niya. She attempted to open the car door but I quickly pushed the lock button.
"Pakawalan mo ako!" Galit na asik niya.
"I'm sorry... Alam kong galit ka sa akin. I'm so sorry, Lux. You know I wasn't going to hurt you. I will not do anything to harm you. Your father, that bastard Patricio, he killed my parents. I hate him." Nagtagis ang mga bagang ko. Lumingon ako sa rearview mirror para tigan si Lux. She just sat there, hatred burning on her face. "But you... I can't hate you even though you're his daughter. You're not like your father. You have a pure heart. You see the good in me that I don't even see in my self. Mahal kita."
"What do you want from me?" Tears started to flow down her cheeks.
"Sumama ka sa akin. Magsimula tayo ng panibago. Doon natin buuin ang pamilya natin." I said and took in a deep breath. "I remember what you said about letting go. I'm willing to let go, Lux. Handa akong pakawalan ang galit ko kay Patricio para sa'yo... para sa magiging anak natin."
"I don't know what you're talking about. Please,just let me go!"
"Don't you love me anymore?" I suddenly felt a lump forming in my throat.
"NO! I don't love you! Pakawalan mo na ako! Please, please... pakawalan mo ako." She began to sob.
"You're lying. That's not what you said after we made love!"
"Pakawalan mo na ako. Kapag nahuli ka ni daddy, kapag nalaman niya ito, he'll kill you." Humihikbing sabi niya.
"Wala akong pakialam. I'm willing to risk my life for you and our child."
"This is not your child!" She hissed.
"We both damn well know that that child is mine. Huwag mo akong gawin tanga. Ako lang ang lalaking kasama mo nang mga panahon na iyon!" Sabi ko.
"Hindi ko alam ang mga pinagsasabi mo! You son of a bitch, pakawalan mo ako!" She cried out, slamming her fists on the window of the car.
"Hindi mo pa rin ba ako mapapatawad sa ginawa ko? I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. Alam mong hindi kita kayang sasaktan. I'll take care of you and our baby."
It broke my heart to see her cry but I couldn't let her go. Nasaktan ko siya. Pero gagawin ko ang lahat para makuha ulit ang loob niya at mahalin niya ulit ako katulad ng dati. Bubuuin namin ang pamilya namin. We'd get married and raise our child together and we'd even have more in the future.
Hininto ko ang kotse sa tapat ng bahay na pinagtataguan namin ni Riel. It was already dark and Lux had already fallen asleep in the back of the car when we got there. I got out of the car and opened the door on the backseat. Maingat na binuhat ko siya at ipinasok sa loob ng bahay.
"What happened to her?" Tanong ni Riel nang makitang hawak ko si Lux.
"She just fell asleep. Dadalhin ko lang siya sa kwarto, baka maya-maya gumising na siya kaya maghanda ka na ng makakain natin." Utos ko sa kanya.
"Okay." Riel answered.
I took Lux inside my room and laid her down the bed. Sandali kong pinagmasdan ang mala-anghel na mukha niya. She was as angelic as she looked. I traced her jaw with my fingertips. She was mine now. Wala nang makakahadlang sa amin. Wala nang dahilan para pigilin ko ang nararamdaman ko para sa kanya.
I was willing to forget what his father did to my family. Handa akong bitawan ang galit ko sa ama niya para sa pagmamahal ko sa kanya at para sa magiging anak namin. My face softened when my gaze trailed down to her stomach.
She was carrying my child. I wondered what our baby would look like. Sana mas maging kamukha siya ni Lux. The baby would look as angelic as Lux. I would love him or her with everything I have. Ngayon pa lang naeexcite na akong maging isang ama. I couldn't wait to hold my child for the first time, I couldn't wait to hear my kid's first cry, I couldn't wait to teach him how to walk and talk.
My hand reached for her stomach. It was still flat but I knew a part of me was already in there. Soon our baby would grow bigger. Hindi magtatagal lalaki na din ang tiyan ni Lux at mailalabas niya na ang bata. I could already see our future together. We'd live a quiet and peaceful life with our child. Sisiguraduhin kong lalaki ang bata ng puno ng pagmamahal. To hell with money. Patricio could go to hell with all the money he stole from us. Basta kasama ko ang mag-ina ko, wala na akong pakialam sa kahit ano. I didn't want the money or the revenge anymore. Sila lang ang kailangan ko.
I heard a gasp. Umangat ang mga mata ko sa mukha ni Lux at nakita ko siyang nakadilat. She quickly jerked away from me. She crawled into the very corner of the bed, hugging her knees into her chest.
"I'm not going to hurt you." I gently said.
"W-what do you want from me?" Nanginginig ang boses na tanong niya.
"I want to live a simple life with you and our future child. Magsisimula tayo ulit. Palalakihin natin ang anak natin ng tahimik. Screw your father! I hate him but my love for you and the child overpowers my hate for him." Sabi ko. "I want to change. I want to be the person you think I am, Lux."
She shook his head and tears began to well in the corners of her eyes. "Ibalik mo na ako sa amin. Please, nakikiusap ako sa'yo."
"Lux, I thought you love me..." I felt crushed.
"I just want to go home. Pakawalan mo na ako, please." Humihikbing sabi niya.
My hand reached up to touch her pero mabilis siyang umiwas. She buried her face into her knees and cried.
"Don't cry." Mahinang sabi ko. "Hindi ko man maibibigay sa'yo ang buhay na nakasanayan mo. Ibibigay ko ang lahat ng pwede kong ibigay sa'yo. I'll give my life for you and the baby. Hilingin mo na ang lahat sa akin huwag lang ang pakawalan ka. I can't do that."
Lalong lumakas ang iyak niya. I went to hold her shoulders but she shrugged my hands away.
Biglang bumukas ang pinto ng kwarto. Riel's poked his head into the door. "Kuya Rigor, luto na ang ulam. Kumain na tayo."
"Sige, susunod na kami." I gave him a nod and he closed the door.
Tumingin ulit ako kay Lux na walang tigil sa kaiiyak. I brushed my fingers through her hair.
"Stop crying. Makakasama sa bata 'yan." I gently said to her. "Kumain na tayo. Alam kong gutom ka na."
"I'm not hungry." Paos na ang boses niya sa kaiiyak.
"Please, Lux..." Pakiusap ko sa kanya. "Isipin mo ang batang dinadala mo. You can't starve yourself."
"I said I'm not hungry!" Galit na sabi niya.
I exhaled a sigh of frustration. "Dadalhan na lang kita ng pagkain dito. You need to eat."
Lumabas ako at iniwan ko muna sandali si Lux para kumuha nang makakain niya.
"Ano'ng nangyayari kay Lux? Is she okay?" May pag-aalalang tanong ni Riel nang makalabas ako ng kwarto.
"She's fine. She just needs a little time." I shrugged.
"Bakit umiiyak siya?" Riel asked.
"Pwede ba huwag mo muna akong kausapin?" I snapped in frustration. "My head is already hurting enough. Hindi ko na nga alam ang gagawin ko kay Lux puro kapa tanong."
"I'm sorry." Mahinang sabi ni Riel. "I'm just worried."
"Hindi mo dapat problemahin iyon. This is between me and her."
Nang makakuha ako ng pagkain ay bumalik ako sa silid kung nasaan siya. She was still crunched in the corner of the bed, crying. Maingat na umupo ako sa gilid ng kama.
"Kumain ka na." Sabi ko sa kanya.
"Hindi sabi ako gutom!" She screamed.
"Kumain ka kahit konti lang." Pilit ko at inilapit ang plato sa kanya.
Tinabig niya ang plato at tumilapon ang pagkain na nakalagay doon. My jaw clenched. Losing the last of my temper, I threw the plate on the wall. It made a loud sound as it crushed into tiny pieces.
"Eh anong gusto mo?" My voice raised. "What the fucking hell do you want, Lux?"
Nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin. Her red and swollen eyes looked straight into mine. "Just let me go. Gusto ko nang umuwi."
"No! You're going to stay here with me!" Mariin na sabi ko. And then my eyes softened. "Akala ko ba mahal mo ako? Why don't you want to stay with me?"
"I don't love you... "
"Don't say that! Alam kong mahal mo pa rin ako. Hindi mo mahal ang lalaking pakakasalan mo. I know you're just going to marry him to save face. Nandito na ako, Lux, pananagutan ko ang batang dinadala mo. I'll never leave you again."
"Rigor..." She softly whispered my name, her voice softening. "Hindi mo na ako iiwan?"
"No, never again. I promise." I smiled as I looked at her. Nabuhayan ako ng loob. My Lux was finally back.
She threw her arms around my neck and hugged me. I wrapped my arms around her waist.
"I love you, Lux." I whispered.
And then felt a sharp and sudden pain on the back of my neck. And then I felt it again and again. Nagdilim ang paningin ko at naramdaman ko ang katawan kong bumagsak.
I groaned when I opened my eyes and felt pain on my neck. Bumangon ako mula sa sahig at napahawak sa batok ko. I could still feel the throbbing pain as I sat up. Nakita ko ang isang malaking bato. The one she'd probably used to knock me out.
Agad na pumasok sa isip ko si Lux. I looked around the room and she was nowhere to be found. Hindi ko na ininda ang sakit at agad ako napatayo. Binuksan ko ang pinto sa kwarto ko at narinig ang boses ni Lux at ni Riel.
"Ano'ng sabi ng daddy mo?" Tanong ni Riel.
"Sabi niya susunduin niya daw ako sa palengke. Thank you so much. Tatanawin kong malaking utang na loob ang ginawa mo." Humihikbing sabi ni Lux.
"You better go now. Baka maabutan ka pa ni kuya." Riel said. I couldn't believe my own brother had betrayed me.
"You're not going anywhere." I said as I stepped out of the room.
Namilog ang mga mata ni Lux nang makita ako. Sumiksik siya kay Riel.
"Kuya, pakawalan mo na siya. She doesn't want to be here." Sabi ni Riel. "Lalo lang tayong malalagay sa alanganin sa ginagawa mo."
"Hindi ako magsusumbong sa mga pulis. Hindi ko kayo ituturo. Please, let me go." Naiiyak na pakiusap ni Lux.
"Why don't you want to stay with me?" My face fell with sadness. "Wala ka na ba talagang nararamdaman para sa akin? Hindi mo na ba ako mahal?"
"I don't know you..." Sabi niya.
"Alam kong nasaktan kita pero babawi ako sa nagawa ko sa'yo. Mahal na mahal kita, Lux. Huwag mo naman gawin sa akin ito. Huwag mo akong iwan."
"Hindi ko alam ang mga pinagsasabi mo."
Humakbang ako palapit sa kanya. She took a step back away from me.
"Lux..." I said as I walked towards her.
"Kuya, tigilan mo na siya." Sabi ni Riel at sinubukan niyang pumagitan sa amin.
"Stay out of this!" I exclaimed, pushing him away.
Nadampot ni Lux ang baril na nakapatong sa mesa at nanginginig ang kamay na itinutok sa akin iyon.
"Put that down, Lux." I firmly told her.
"Huwag kang lalapit sa akin. I'm going to shoot you."
"You won't do that." I took another step closer to her. "Are you really going to shot me, Lux? Go ahead!"
"Huwag kang lalapit!" Natatarantang sabi niya. I could see her hand shaking even more badly now.
"Don't play with that. Just give the gun to me." Lumapit ako para kunin ang baril.
I heard a shot after taking another step and it was followed by a burning pain in my stomach. Napahawak ako sa tiyan ko. I looked down to see blood oozing through my hands. And then I brought my eye back to her. She had shot me...
"Lux..." Sambit ko sa pangalan niya. "Why?"
She dropped the gun and collapsed on the floor, hysterically crying.
"Kuya!" The last thing I heard was Riel's voice.
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