Chapter 5

Steve staggered to approach the visible wife standing at the sliding door to the small balcony. He was only a few meters away from here. And he would have handled it. But he suddenly fell to the floor because of his drunkenness. He didn’t even bother to stand up. He’s lay down there until he falls asleep.

The sunshine of the sullen Steve is already high because he get hit by the sunlight. He held his hand up because he was dazzled. "Ohhh!" he overcame, as if a roller was rolling his senses in pain. "Shit!" he exclaimed. Only now has he been struck by that kind of intoxication. He also drank, but only slightly, so he was never hit by a hang-over. And this is what they say about hangovers now that he knows. He slowly got up and sat down with his head bowed so that his eyes rotated. He stayed like that for a while. When he can control himself, He got up and went straight to the bathroom to take a shower.

Steve soaked in the shower because he could feel every cold drop of water on his head and body. The pain in the sinuses disappears. He was under water for thirty minutes. When he felt okay, he came out with just a towel. He didn't even bother to get dressed first. He went straight to the kitchen to brew pure coffee. for his hangover while he was making his coffee. Steve suddenly think his wife. And his imagination is moving, like when his wife is making their breakfast, cooking eggs, ham, hotdogs, and toasting bread, making coffee for him and milk for his wife. and enjoy their breakfast together. Steve was unaware of the tears running down his cheeks. Now he can no longer taste her cooking. His tears dripped from the coffee he made. He stared at it and saw his wife's face smiling at him."Lisa!" He pronounced the wife's name. Steve wiped his wet cheek, then walked back into the room to get dressed.

Nagpalit ng pang opisina niya si Steve, kung dito lamang siya sa bahay nila. He's going crazy to think his wife. At baka makaisip pa siya ng masama sa sarili. Yes he can kaso naiisip din ang ina. He love her mother, kaya hindi niya kayang iwan itong mag-isa lalo pa't matanda na ito. Mabuti sana kung nagka-anak sila ng asawa bago siya iniwan nito. Para sana may mag-aalaga sa ina kung sakaling maisipan mawala rin sa mundo.

Pag pasok palang ni Steve sa opisina. Ang kanyang mga empleyado makikita sa mga mukha nila ang lungkot. Nakikimsimpatya rin sila sa kanya.

"Good morning, Sir." bati ng secretary niya."Sir, bakit pumasok ka na, nagluluksa ka pa?" dugtong pa nito.

"I am bored sa bahay! Mas mabuting mag trabaho ako, para hindi ko naiisip ang asawa ko!" kanyang tugon.

His secretary knows kung gaano kamahal ni Steve ang asawa. Noon kasing nangliligaw pa ang boss sa asawa, siya ang takabili ng bulaklak at cake. O, minsan nagpapa-reserve sa mga restaurant nakakainan nila. At nasasabi sa sarili ang suwerte naman ng babaeng ito. Mayaman, mabait, guwapo pa. At mahal na mahal siya ng isang Steve Velarde."Sige, Sir. Kung may kailangan ka tawaging mo lang ako." Tumango ang boss sa kanya at siya ay lumabas na.

Steve make his mind and body para maging busy. Para hindi niya maalala ang asawa. Until midnight siya sa kanyang office. At ang gusto pa niya hindi na siya uuwi. But his hunger strike him, ngayon lang siya nakadama ng gutom, naalala niya alak lang ang laman ng sikmura mula kagabi. Tumayo na siya para lumabas at para narin kumain.

Paglabas ni Steve ni Steve sa opisina niya napakunot siya noo dahil may ilaw pa sa decks ng secretary. Nilapit niya ito hindi umuwi ito."Bakit narito ka pa?" tanong niya.

Napatayo agad ito."Sir, baka kasi may kailangan ka, eh. Kaya hindi pa ako umuuwi. Saka nag-iisa ka rito!" Sa tono ng pananalita nito may pag-alala rito.

Napakunot muli ang noo ni Steve sa narinig na sinabi nito."Are you waiting for me? O, you care about me?" Nataranta bigla ang secretary niya sa sinabi.

"S-Sir, hindi sa ganon, baka lang kasi may kailangan ka. Like pagkain mo, hindi ka kasi kumain ng lunch mo." paliwanag nito.

"Okay, go home! And don't come tomorrow take a rest." Pagkasabi iniwan na niya ito.

Napabuntong-hininga ng malalim ang secretary ni Steve. Galit yata ang boss sa kanya. Totoo ang sinabi nito kanina talagang she care about him. She have a crush on him noon pang bagong salta siya bilang secretary nito. Sino ba naman ang hindi magkakagusto rito. Sabi nga ng mga kasama niyang matagal sa trabaho. Napakabait ng kanilang boss. Nakita naman niya ito kaso hindi napigilan ang pusong magkagusto sa boss ng lihim. Ngayon biyudo na ito kay pag asa kaya siya? Napabuntong-hininga na lang ito at lumabas na rin.

Sa isang Subway restaurant pumasok si Steve. He feels na gusto niyang kumain ng sandwich. Habang hinihintay niya ang kanyang order. He took his mobile phone nagdayal siya. Pero operator ang sumagot sa kanya, nagtaka siya kilala niya si Larry, hindi ito nagpapalit ng number o kaya mag-off ng cell phone man lang kahit nasa ibang bansa ito he use roaming."Bakit kaya?" nasabi niya.

They called out his order Steve took it. He was just sitting down when he saw a couple outside holding hands. And they are happy to talking while walking. The woman looked at the subway and pointed it out. Steve saw the woman's face. He felt like he saw a ghost, but he could not move the body.

Sa pagturo ng babae sa Subway restaurant, ngumiti ang lalaking kasama nito at tila ba ang sinasabi nito"Gusto mo ba" sa kasamang babae.

Tumango naman ang babae. At masayang pumasok ang dalawa sa loob ng Subway.

Steve eyes fix to them bawak hakbang ng dalawa alam niya. Hanggang sa counter para umoder. Nakatingin pa rin siya. Nang matapos sabihin ng dalawa ang kanilang kakainin naghanap ng mauupuan, tama naman na bakante ang katabing lamesa ni Steve.

Nang dumaan ang dalawa sa kanyang tapat. Steve look at the woman. At nabanggit niya ang pangalan ng asawa."LISA?"

Napalingon naman ang babae kay Steve. Ngumiti naman sa kanya ito. At tinungo na nila ang bakanteng lamesa.

Magkaupo ng dalawa."Love, kilala mo ba siya?" tukoy nito ng lalaki kay Steve.

"Hindi, Love. Bakit ba?"

"Bakit mo siya nginitian kanina?" may bahid selos na sabi nito.

"Selos ka naman agad, Love? Hindi ko talaga siya kilala sabi niya kasi. Lisa. Di ba palayaw ko kina Mama at Papa ay Lisa? Lisa, lang naman ang sinabi. Eh, Monalisa ang pangalan ko malayo. Huwag ka na nga lang magselos. Alam mo naman na mahal na mahal kita!"

"Kaya nga, Love. Bakit alam ito?"

"Hayaan na natin siya baka lang he mistake ba."

Dinig na dinig ni Steve ang usapan ng dalawa. Hindi raw siya kilala ng babae. Pero bakit magkamukha sila ng asawang si Lisa? Ano ito her late wife have a twin sister? Wala naman silang alam. Gulong-gulo ang isip ni Steve napatingin siya sa dalawa na sweet na sweet sa isat isa. Dahil sa nakikita nagmamadali siyang lumabas ng Subway. Nakalimutan niyang siya ay nagugutom.