Twenty-five

Isaiah had a headache when he woke up that morning. He is used to it. Every day for a month, he would get only a deadly headache instead of having a delicious breakfast.

At eleven o’clock, a few hours before noon, his body was still close to the bed as if there was no work that was waiting for him.

Then, his cellphone rang. It was his brother, Josiah.

He no longer knew the problem with his brother. It is very unlike him to call him every day.

‘‘What’s up?’’ He’s cool but faking it. The eyes are still closed as what his mind feels.

He’s getting tired of it.

‘‘You didn’t come to work, Sai.’’

The man did not know what else to say or explain to his brother. He doesn’t say the real reason even though Josiah forces him every day.

‘‘If this is about Cyra, quit it! Why are you still letting that woman fool you? Get a life, bud!’’

Isiaah just listened in silence. His brother’s voice could be a lullaby. It makes him really sleepy.

‘‘I’m not going in, alright? That’s why I asked Erik to–’’

‘‘Where are you going, then?’’

The man tried to stand up. He neglects himself too much.

It’s hard to imagine, but he managed to consume a month just lying in his bed and just come out every night to drink.

He never saw Maeluthe again after that day.

He actually tried to look for her. In fact, even though he was unable to answer the woman’s calls and texts, he tried to go to the University where he was attending, but he saw no shadow of the woman.

Isn’t she going to school anymore? Is she out of funds? Where is she now? Should I call her? But what can I say then?

He was already mad at those questions in his mind. Gradually, he lost control of everything.

‘‘At work,’’ he answered.

* * * * *

‘‘You already know what I want,’’ he said directly to a staff who was there when he arrived at Sweet Heavens.

Of course, he didn’t go to work. Instead, just like on those previous days, he simply instructed his branch manager, Erik, again.

This will be the last day, he thought convincingly. This is no longer him.

He’s Isiaah Jacinto. He could get any girl he wants, so why would he sneeze at home and feel sorry for a woman who could keep a secret from him.

He felt he had deceived her. He was betrayed.

His mumbling ended immediately. It was his last night for that.

‘‘I am Isiaah Jacinto,’’ he whispered to himself. Even though Maeluthe had been spinning in his mind a few times, it was making him feel more annoyed and crazy.

‘‘I know,’’ said the woman, who couldn’t help but stand beside him. She pinned her hair behind her ear and then smiled at Isiaah.

He didn’t give any attention to that. His thoughts only deepened.

I’m the father of her child, my ass. How can she explain everything? And if so, isn’t that what she should do? Didn’t, apart from anything else, she have to come to me to let me know the truth?

‘‘Don’t you have anyone else with you?’’ The woman asked again.

Isiaah didn’t answer. He just took his glass and poured all the rum into his mouth — mixed with strong wine.

He just did it over and over again for a month. Waking up with a headache, he’ll eliminate the hangover than go to the bar also the night falls.

Even if his friends could no longer stop him, he could no longer be found.

He’s definitely lost.

‘‘Will you join me tonight?’’

He is no longer surprised that the woman has to ask that question. Women would approach him at night, but they’ll be gone in the morning. Girls that are only up for excitement — he is also very used to that thing.

But then, Maeluthe is different. . . and at least, that’s what he knew in the beginning. The woman’s betrayal seemed to be just a large chunk of rock for him.

How can she say that? It would be okay if she just left right after the night he helped her.

She can just say thank you and leave her again but no. . . the woman herself presented to stay in his house. At least, to work.

Isiaah tweaked her hair in great frustration. The woman next to him moved quickly. She gently approached his face and kissed him on the cheek.

Isiaah frowned at hee. The woman still doesn’t lose the smile, which is why the man looks down at her lips.

‘‘Like what you see–’’

The woman had not finished speaking when Isiaah quickly grabbed her lip.

The louder the music in that bar, the busier the crowd, so it was easy for Isiaah and the woman he didn’t know to get out.

Isiaah clung to her tightly, not wanting to break the kiss. He noticed that the height gap between the two was huge, so he quickly lifted the woman.

Isiaah did not park his own car at the hotel closest to the said bar. He has also been here several times, and he knows the owner very well.

‘‘Mr. Jacinto!’’ MJ, the owner of that hotel, immediately greeted him when he saw him.

He immediately handed him the keycard.

Isiaah handed it to the woman without any emotion, telling her to go to the room first. The woman he didn’t know followed with a giggle.

‘‘What’s up?’’ He was even able to greet his friend even though he could no longer straighten his eyes.

‘‘Everything’s fine,’’ he said honestly. ‘‘By the way, Kuya, didn’t you really meet the woman who was with you last time?’’

Isiaah quickly dug into his mind. He smiled slightly at MJ before saying, ‘‘I. . . don’t remember that last time.’’

MJ hurried to the office, so Isiaah quickly followed.

‘‘What is it, MJ?’’

The man approached him again, then lent him a small flash drive. ‘‘The woman left that in the room you used. I thought she would come back, but I gave up after a few months. I am just wondering if you guys will meet again.’’

Did he go here recently? Why doesn’t he remember anything?

‘‘Oh, my. . . you just look so good together, Isiaah.’’ The man continued as Isiaah was busy digging his mind for something. ‘‘I don’t know what happened to you, but you seem really wasted that night. I also found out because you didn’t even lean an eye to me. That girl. . . she took care of you. His clothes were full of your vomits when you came here. I don’t know anything else, except that she left the hotel at around four the next day.’’

Isiaah’s ears were busy listening while his eyes were staring at to flash drive he was holding.

The initials M. L. . . . He assumes that those are initials of a female. He knew that maybe they met in a bar, but then, why would a woman bring a flash drive to a bar?

M L. . .

His chest throbbed when he thought of that single name.

That can’t be. He has no other memory for them that night.

‘‘I’m sorry, Kuya. I got curious, so I looked at the contents of the flash drive. Well, uh, it is just few modules, notes and related studies about Law, Criminal Law–’’

Maeluthe Legson.

Isaiah faced the man weakly. He was out of breath. Thoughts of her were already tangled in his mind.

‘‘MJ. . . I need the exact date. When did that happen?’’

The man was startled by Isiaah’s voice. He easily went in front of the computer to know the exact month.

While waiting, the man walked back and forth. Isiaah doesn’t know how he might react if he confirmed the truth.

‘‘You are the father of this child, Isiaah.’’

‘‘We did it. Even before we met that night on the road. We met at Sweet Heavens, don’t you remember?’’

‘‘Isiaah, I love you. Can you, at least, believe that. . .’’ That voice was hoarse, but there was a big streak of sadness. She didn’t want to leave, but there was nothing else she could do.

‘‘There was no chance did I plan to approach you and ask you to accept this child. Not once did it occur to me to deceive you or to hide anything from you. That’s not how I love you, Sai.’’

‘‘Isiaah. . .’’

Isiaah was afraid to face the man, but he forced himself—for the truth and what he fears.

‘‘It was almost four months ago. January 14.’’