Chapter 15: Forgotten

Healer's Point of View

"Thank you very much for trusting our company Mr. Solaire thank you! " binitawan ko na ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa'kin.

"Trust isn't something we can pick on the street Miss Janica" tinalikuran ko na siya at lumabas na ako ng Lounge. To all places bakit sa malayo niya pa naisipang makipag meeting sa'kin.

I check my watch and it's 10 am in the morning already. I'm about to enter my car when I saw a familiar back.

Tatlong beses akong kumarap para lang masigurong hindi ako nagkakamali ng tinitingnan.

"N-naomi" I uttered while looking at her. Her hair was black and she's skinny than before. Sobrang laki ng ipinayat niya. I can't believe I'm seeing her right now..

Is it really her?

She stop at luminga linga sa paligid. Nahalata niya ba ako? Nagtago ka-agad ako at sinundan siya ng umandar ang kotse niya.

Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali sa nakita ko, Alam kong siya ang nakita ko. Sinundan ko lang ang kotse niya hanggang sa pumasok siya sa isang Village.

I stop the car hundred meters away from her. Lumabas siya ng kotse at tumakbo sa isang lalaki na mukhang Japanese. That hugs gives me an innermost pain. Para akong sira na pinanood ang taong mahal ko na may kayakap ng iba.

Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali. Humakbang palapit sa kanila at kinunan ang lalaking kasama niya. It's her!.. for fucking sake. Napasabunot ako sa sarili bago pumasok sa kotse.

Kahit gaano pa ako umiyak dito walang mangyayari sa'kin, it feels it's drowning me. I need to talk to her! I need to know her reasons!

Alam kong hindi magagawa ni Naomi sa'kin to! I can't believe she can do this!

We talk about it! She promise to hear me first before she decides!

But why?

Why did you escape from Kuya Blaire?

Why did you leave me?

Who is that fucking man?

Pinagsusuntok ko ang manobela bago ako nagdesisyon na umalis na lang. I calm myself bago ako lumabas ng kotse at umakyat sa penthouse.

Binuksan ko ang laptop ko at hinanap siya sa data base ng government. Napahilamos ako ng mukha dahil hindi talaga lumalabas ang pangalan niya.

Pinasa ko sa laptop ang picture ng lalaking kasama niya. Somehow may lumabas tungkol sa lalaking yun.

Honoyami Ryu? Binasa ko ang profile niya at nagulat ako sa nalaman ko. Isang Skyline assassin? The man she's with was an assassin?

Skyline??

The Trinity's enemy.

Sumandal ako sa upuan at hindi pa nag sisink in sa utak ko ang mga nalaman ko. How come??

That guy has the same guts of me?..

He can't be! Hindi ang isang tulad niya ang magiging katapat ko kay Naomi. Hindi to pwede! I'm going to take back what's mine.

"Mom?" Bungad ko kay Mom sa pinto at pinapasok siya.

"Hey pumpkin, next week is my birthday. Sumama ka sa'kin sa Canada, meet our relatives" napangiwi naman ako sa sinabi niya.

"How I wish Mom, sige susubukan ko" bumalik ako sa couch at isinara ang laptop ko.

"Still mad at your dad?" Hindi ako naka-imik sa tanong niya. Umupo siya sa tabi ko at hinagod ang likod ko.

"What happened 5 years ago will remain as past. Move forward pumpkin. Tell me a story about this girl of yours. I wanna know why you react that much when we talk about Deguzman's" iniwasan ko ang tingin niya at tumungo na lang, nanghihina ako kapag tinitingnan ako ni Mom.

"It hurts me the way you hated your father and brothers. Please pumpkin forgive them if they did a mistake" i deeply sigh bago sumagot kay Mom.

"I-I just can't Mom. T-they ruined me" naging sagot ko sa kanya na ikinabigla niya. Hindi ako nagsalita noon pero hindi ko na talaga kaya.

Sila dapat ang nasasandalan ko pero sila rin ang dahilan kung bakit ako nagkakaganito.

Hinding hindi na ako babalik sa Isla Paraiso. Hinding hindi hangga't hindi ko naibabalik ang dating ako kasama si Naomi.

"Pumpkin.."

"All I want is understanding Mom. I just want them to understand me" niyakap niya ako at hinagod ang likod ko.

"You told me once.. I'm on the right age so I can decide for myself but why Mom? Why I'm still tied with our family's decisions. Bakit parang kasalanan ko pa na nagmahal ako?" Hindi ko napigilang hindi umiyak kay Mom. She's the only one who understands me.

"Always remember that wounds heal and what's left was a scar but that scar only remains as a memory of your past. Don't let past overtakes your future my son" nag angat ako ng tingin kay Mom dahil sa sinabi niya.

"I s-saw her again Mom" Saglit na natahimik si Mom then her lips curve a smile to me.

"Be brave Son. Face her, sabihin mo sa kanya kung gaano mo siya kamahal. Losing your loveones is stupidity. Take her back by hook or crock pero kung hindi talaga. Do the Solaire's Way" Mom even grinned her teeth while saying those words to me.

"Imprison her in Isla Paraiso until she loves you back " napangiwi naman ako sa sinabi niya. Ganon kasi ang ginawa ni Dad sa kanya.

I don't think I can do that.

But who knows?

I'm capable of anything even if it means to kill.

"Hindi kasalanan ng anak ang kasalanan ng magulang. Matatanggap namin siya. Matatanggap siya ng dad mo. It's a promise from me" I hope so ganon kadali yun.

"Kami ng Dad mo, Hindi naging maganda ang unang pagkakilala namin. He's a rigid and vicious one. Tinanggap ko siya ng buong buo. Kahit nasaktan niya ako tiniis ko, pinatawad ko siya kasi ganon ko siya kamahal. Matagal kaming nagkahiwalay and yet I still love him and I choose my happiness than my anger and hatred. Acceptance and Forgiveness is your key to have her back"

There she goes again. Mom keeps repeating their past to us. We saw her hardships, tiniis niya lahat para sa'min. Ipinaglaban niya kami as dad's legitimate sons. What we aim right now it's because we have a strong Mom who never let us down.

"I'll bring her in Isla Paraiso Mom.. someday and that's a promise" she finally laugh at tinapik tapik ako sa balikat.

"Good to hear pumpkin. Aalis na ako at pupunta pa ako sa Pristine University. May kalokohan na naman kasi ung professor mong kapatid" napapailing akong tumayo at tinulungan si Mom na tumayo.

"What mess?" Akala ko pa naman naging matino na ang lalaking yun.

"Ang sabi ng School Director, Nainlove sa estudyante si Baxley" I bite my lips para pigilan ang sarili kong tumawa.

His karma really hits different.

"Okay Mom, goodluck!" Hinalikan niya ako sa pisngi bago siya lumabas sa pinto.

I just realized that we actually live in different paths. May asawa at anak na si Kuya, he's about to reign as the Mafia king while Dad rest and enjoys his life golfing in Isla Paraiso.

Si Baxley naman mukhang nakahanap na ng katapat at isang estudyante pa. How complicated he is.

While me?

I'm 29 but still stuck in my own loneliness, alone in my penthouse. Nagluluksa sa sariling katangahan.

Everything was divided. Si Kuya ang namamahala sa Underground Business as a Mafia boss.

Ako naman I became the Ceo of Solaire group of companies.

Baxley became the person he wants.

We totally agree with Dad's settlement. What a life? I should be working right now but I'm stuck in my room crying because of a woman.

After days of prisoning myself I decided to let go of my pain. I tried to fix myself at saka muling lumabas. I decided to unwind myself on JB's Club.

I bitterly smile watching the others dance on the floor. I have no friends because I only have myself. So I'll drink alone.

This is no use. Kahit anong inom ang gawin ko dito hindi mawawala ung sakit nararamdaman ko.

I'm about to leave when I saw her back again. I pinch myself to clear my thoughts na hindi siya yun but when she faces my view. Fuck it's her.

I didn't hesitate to walk near at umupo sa counter. "One bloody mary" i ask to the bartender while trying to catch her eyes.

"Thanks Hanzo" she said at inubos ang laman ng baso. How brave she is when it comes to alcohol.

"That was strong" salita ko sa kanya na ikinalingon niya sa'kin. Tinitigan niya ako at pagkatapos ay tumawa siya.

What's wrong with her? Dapat nakilala niya ako?

"Yeah I know I'm kinda strong too" natulala ako sa sinabi niya. Tinitigan ko siya dahil pakiramdam ko may mali sa inaakto niya.

Dapat nakilala niya ako but why?

Bakit kung tingnan niya ako ay parang hindi niya ako kilala?

How I miss that goodamn voice of her. I always remember her soft moans and shouts. I missed them but it seems like she didn't know me.

"I'm Naomi Deguzman and you are?" Napatitig ako sa kamay at pagkatapos sa mga mata niya. I cleared my throat bago ko tinanggap ang pakikipagkamay niya.

"Bairon Solaire" i simply said then I tried to smile kahit gulong gulo ako sa inaakto niya.

"Nice meeting you Mr. Solaire" I melted with her voice and smiles. I missed them. I totally missed them all.

"So you're alone?" Maybe something happened to her? It's impossible for her to forget me unless something happened to her.

"Yeah, iniwan ako ng mga kasama ko" she suddenly pouted then stared to me.

"Hmm anyway you look very familiar. Have we met before?" Inilapit niya ang mukha niya sa'kin at kinilatis ako. Napalunok ako ng kagatin niya ang labi niya. It was tempting.

My buddy was alive with that simple move she does. I only felt this way when she's totally distracting my mind.

"Maybe?" I said teasingly. She laugh at pagkatapos hinampas ang balikat ko.

"I got it. I saw you when I arrive here from Japan. The biggest billboard in Manila. It was you right?" She really stayed in japan kaya hindi ko siya nahanap.

"Maybe?" I answered again na ikinatango niya.

This is so awkward for me.

"Do you like me?" Tumitig ako sa kanya dahil sa tanong niya.

"Yeah" I'll grab this chance kung ito lang ang magiging daan ko para mapalapit sa kanya.

Kung anuman ang rason niya para makalimutan ako, aalimin ko yun. I won't let things end like we're strangers.

She remain as my wife. My legal wife.

"I like you too Mr. Solaire" she didn't fake it. Her face remain as is. Yumuko ako para abutin siya but suddenly she stop me with her finger.

"Not that fast" I thought it is...

So we will start again?.. hmm how nice to know.

"Wanna take it slow?" Umiling iling naman siya sa sinabi ko. She grab my necktie at dinampian ako ng halik sa labi.

"Do you have a wife Mr. Solaire?" Nabigla ako sa tanong niya at pinukulan niya ng titig ang singsing sa kamay ko.

"Yeah I do have but she died years ago" nabigla siya sa sinabi ko pero ngumiti rin siya. "Can you hire me as your wife? It's for free" Napangiti ako sa sinabi niya.

"Be my wife then" she laugh again at kinurot ang pisngi ko. Ngumuso siya at hinalikan ako sa labi.

No need to hire you because you're actually my wife.

"Where's my ring then?" Inilahad niya ang kamay niya sa'kin but I just kissed it.

"Come with me and I'll buy you one" she giggled after hearing me. "Let's go! Ano pang hinihintay mo?" Hinila niya ako patayo na ikinatuwa ko naman sa loob loob ko.

She definitely forgot me but it seems like we're going to start a new beginning.

Shall I forget where we started back then?

What we have in the past was lies and pain. I lied myself to her for almost a year we've been together.

Maybe it's time for me to be true to her. The real me. I'm Bairon Kade Solaire, the second one from Solaire's triplets.

I don't want to return to where we started. I want a new start. A start without heartbreaks and pain.

•Clove Verry•