“Tangina, pare! Amoy dagat naman ‘yang mga anak niyo!” Tunatawang tuon ni gago, si Jack.
“Sus, inggit ka lang, eh,” usal ko.
“Yoko mag asawa, ninong na lang ako ng mga anak niyo. Bigyan ko tig o-one taon taon,” sagot niya.
“One million?” Si Ivan.
“One pesos,” tumawa pa si gago.
“Ah shit, anong oras na ba?” Tanong ko.
“Nine thirty pm,” sagot ni Ethan.
Nine thirty?! Halos tatlong oras na pala akong nandito.
“Uwi na’ko, pre. Hinahanap na ako ng asawa ko—”
“Naks, asawa. Hindi na girlfriend, asawa na,” Jack teased me as he drink his coffee.
Pinakita ko ang kanan kamay ko kung saan ko suot ang singsing tsaka ko sila finuck you sign.
“Mag hanap rin kasi kayo ng misis niyo,” I teased back.
“Mamaya ka na umuwi, ngayon na lang ulit tayo nag get together, oh. Kasama naman ni Lian si Agatha, eh. Diba Ivan?” Siniko pa ni Jack si Ivan.
“Yeah, don't worry. My girlfriend won't let your wife get into anything dangerous,” tuon ni Ivan.
“Siraulo, mag kapatid sila, eh,” usal ni Jack. “Kaya siguro Marine, Aqua at Pacific ang pangalan ng anak niyo dahil sa dagat niyo sila ginawa, ano?” Tinaas taas pa ni Jack ang kilay niya, agad kong nabuga ang alak na iniinom ko.
“Gago,” mura ko.
“What does it feel like?” Tanong ni Ivan.
“Masarap ‘yon syempre, diba pare? Isipin mo sa bawat bayo nyang gagong ‘yan siyang pag pasok ng tubig—”
“Putangina,” mura ko. Napuno ng tawanan ang billiard room sa bahay ni Ivan.
“Ang babastos niyo,” tuon ni Ethan habang umiinom ng chuckie, seryoso lang ang tingin samin.
“Sus, sabi ng nakipag one fifty,” si Jack, tumatawa pa si gago.
Napakunot noo si Ivan, “huh?” Si Ivan.
“Fuck you,” mura ni Ethan.
“Kidding aside tol, how's your family outing?” Tanong ni Jack kay Ethan.
“Not that good,” sagot ni Ethan.
“Hindi ka nakipag salamuha?” tanong ko.
“I just don't like the fact that they are my blood relatives,” Ethan answered.
“Dahil dyan, shot ka muna,” inabutan siya ni Jack ng alak, di naman niya kinuha.
Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin umiinom ng alak itong si Ethan, eh. Takot malasing.
Parepareho kaming napatingin sa pintuan nang may kumatok. “Bukas ‘yan,” tuon ni Ivan.
Pumasok ‘yung kasambahay nila na may hawak na telepono. Tinaasan siya ni Ivan ng kilay.
“Sir, may tumatawag po kasi… kay sir Kenta ho.” I stood up as I walked towards her to pick up the phone. I looked at the number and it was not my wife's number, an unfamiliar number.
"Hey," I said on the other line.
"Hoy! ‘Yung kapatid ko, manganganak na! Hindi ka sumasagot sa cellphone mo! Pumunta ka na ngayon dito, putangina, lakas niyo uminom tapos ‘yung kapatid ko nag-aagaw buhay!" It was Aldrian.
Shit...
"What’s the address?" I asked, my forehead knitted as my heart pounded like insane.
"Hospital XXX, nasa ER! Dalian mo, ponyeta! Nauhan ka pa ng magulang mo pumunta!" he shouted on the other line. Ah, fuck, this guy’s still mad at me. I don’t even know why.
"Bullshit, I’m going," I muttered, dropping the call before he could say more. Without another word, I grabbed my coat and bag, rushing out as my friends followed behind me.
"Hey, bro! Ako na ang magda-drive!" Jack offered.
I was panicking as I walked so damn fast, my breaths quick and shallow, when Ivan grabbed my arm—how could I not panic if my wife was about to give birth to our childs?!
"Let him drive, Ta. Alam natin lahat na magaling si Jack pagdating sa drive," Ivan said seriously.
"J-Just fucking make it fast," I replied through gritted teeth, frowning as I climbed into the passenger seat of Ivan’s black BMW.
"Thirty minutes?" Jack asked while fastening his seatbelt. Ethan and Ivan settled into the backseat.
"Bullshit," I muttered under my breath.
"Fine, fifteen? Is that okay?" Jack asked, starting the car engine. Before he drove off, Ivan flicked his cigarette out the window.
"Yeah, just make it fast," I snapped, still trying to control my anger.
I pulled out my phone, desperately trying to call Mama, Papa, Agatha, or Mommy and Daddy, but no one was answering. Aldrian was the only one I didn’t bother calling—I knew he was already furious with me.
With every passing moment, my heart raced faster. Each turn of the wheels felt like the ticking of a clock, and the sweat on my forehead dripped like a leaking fountain.
"Hindi pa ba kayo ayos ni Aldrian?" Jack asked, breaking the tension.
"Yeah... that guy’s really getting on my nerves," my voice was sharp.
"Hays, baka dahil kay Miray. Alam mo naman ang relasyon ng dalawa. Hindi kaya ginagamit lang ni Miray si Aldrian? We all know how her brain works, dude," Jack said, making me scowl even more as I redialed my mommy’s number.
"Wala akong pakialam sa kanilang dalawa, tangina. Malayo pa ba tayo?!" I snapped.
"Chill. Give me five minutes, okay?" Jack replied calmly.
I don’t care if Miray’s using that guy to forget me. I don’t even care if I see her again. I don’t feel anything for her—no anger, no love, nothing. I don’t give a damn if Aldrian hates me for being with his sister. As long as Lian loves me, that’s all that matters.
Pag tigil pa lang ng sasakyan kaagad ko ng tinanggal ang seatbelt na suot ko, nanginginig man ang buong katawan pero ginamit ko pa rin ang buong lakas ko para pumasok sa hospital. Every noise around me, every step, every sound, and the cries of others in the hospital trigger something even deeper within me.
Tumakbo ako sa hallway, wala na akong pakialam kung may nababanga man ako. Nanginginig ang buong katawan ko habang ang kamay ay pinag papawisan—shit… I'm fucking worried. Napagkasunduan namin na mag no-normal delivery siya kaya double ang kaba ko dahil hindi ko alam kung magiging successful ba… pero… may tiwala ako kay Lian, may tiwala ako sa asawa ko.
“Ta,” it was… Miray voice.
Tumayo siya sa upuan, ganon rin si mommy habang si daddy, papa, mama, Agatha at si Aldrian nakaupo. Akma pa lang sanang lalapit si Agatha pero hinawakan na siya ni Aldrian sa kamay.
“Si Lian?!” Tanong ko.
“Nasa loob pa, kuya. N-Nag l-labor pa…” sagot ni Agatha.
Hindi ko na siya sinagot, pilit akong pumapasok sa ER pero pinipigilan ako ni papa, Lian’s father.
“What the fuck?! Asawa ako!” Sigaw ko tsaka siya tinulak.
Tangina, hindi ko mapigilan yung sarili ko. Kailangan ako ni Lian. Mula dito rinig na rinig ko ang sigaw ni Lian.
