Chapter 35 – Together again.

It's a weekend.

Hannah decided to pay Leah a visit. Isinama niya si Elisha para makipaglaro ito kay Seth at para makita nito sa unang pagkakataon ang kapatid ng kaibigan nito.

As expected, Eli's reaction was adorable. Seeing Bethany for the first time, Eli repeatedly told her na bigyan na rin niya ito ng kapatid. Inggit na inggit ito kay Seth.

"Eli, mommy and daddy need to get married first," sabi ni Leah.

"When are you getting married, mom?" Ungot nito na ayaw bitawan ang kamay ni Bethany.

"In the right time, anak."

"When is the right time?"

"You'll just know it, Eli." Paano naman niya ipapaliwanag kay Elisha na malabo pa sa sabaw ng dinuguan ang relasyon nila ng ama nito? Eli won't understand.

"Okay," naka-pout na sabi nito bago lumapit kay Seth na tinawag ito papunta sa playroom.

"Ano na? Four days na si Nate sa Macau, ah? Kailan ang uwi?" untag ni Leah.

Malungkot siyang umiling. Four days in Macau and he had only called her once. Pagkatapos ng tawag nito noong pagdating nito roon, Hannah haven't heard from Nate again. Nagtatanong naman siya kay Sarah pero ayon dito ay hindi naman tumatawag si Nate and he gives instruction through another personnel in Macau.

Miss na miss na niya ito and she had tried calling him pero hindi ito sumasagot. Sinusubukan niyang intindihin na busy ito. He's still Nate Sarmiento after all. The very busy owner of the soon to be one of Asia's best hotel brand.

Kaso nahihirapan na rin siyang magpaliwanag kay Elisha kung bakit wala pa ito at kung bakit hindi ito nagpaparamdam. Kaya sila pumunta ngayon kina Leah ay para libangin ang bata. Hopefully, maging enough distraction din iyon para sa kanya.

Pero itong si Leah, 'di man lang mapalampas ang pagkakataon na 'wag muna nilang pag-usapan si Nate.

"No communication?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong nito.

"None at all," malungkot pa rin niyang sagot.

"Have you tried calling him?" Ibinaba nito sa crib ang natutulog nitong sanggol.

"Many times," hindi niya maiwasang mag-alala pero iniisip na lang niya na wala naman itong ginagawang delikado roon. And in case na may nangyaring masama kay Nate, for sure, pinaalam na dapat iyon sa pamunuan ng hotel.

"Oh Hannah..." nakikisimpatiyang sabi nito.

"Hey, I'm okay, Leah." She cheered.

"Siguraduhin mo lang. Kilala kita, Hannah. Iba ang tendency mo kapag nalulungkot ka."

"You make it sound too bad."

"Oo kaya. The last time, anong ginawa mo? Basta ka na lang umalis," pagpapaalala nito.

"Hindi na mangyayari iyon. Mali ako ro'n. I've learned my lesson," she assured.

"Well, good if that's the case." Kinuha nito ang cellphone nito sa ibabaw ng mesita. "Got to call Caleb. Wait lang," saglit itong lumayo.

Itinuon naman niya ang atensyon sa natutulog nitong anak. She suddenly missed Eli when she was just an infant. Hindi madaling mag-alaga ng newborn. Lalo na kapag hindi ikaw ang ina. Una sa lahat wala siyang breastmilk. Pero bukod naman doon ay hindi siya nagkulang sa pagpapalaki kay Eli. She grew up into a wonderful girl.

She looked at Bethany closely. Mas madami itong nakuhang features ni Leah. She's definitely Leah's little version. Nakadama siya ng inggit. She suddenly wanted her own baby. Siya rin kaya ang magiging kamukha ng anak niya? It would be cool to have a baby boy too and have a little Nathaniel. Napangiti siya sa naisip.

"Hannah," Leah called ilang saglit pa lang ang nakalilipas. "You need to see this," may binabrowse ito sa cellphone nito nang lumapit sa kanya.

"What's that?" Kunot noong tanong niya.

"Promise me you're not gonna freak out." Inilayo nito saglit ang cellphone na iniaabot na nito sa kanya kanina.

"Tungkol ba saan iyan?"

"It's about Nate."

Sukat sa sinabi ng kaibigan niya ay parang may sumipang kaba sa puso niya. Anong nangyari kay Nate?

"What happened to him?" Halos hablutin na niya ang cellphone ni Leah. "Please, give it to me. Let me see... Is he okay? Did he get involved in an accident? Is he sick?"

"He's safe. Don't worry," Leah assured.

"Then what's the problem? Let me see it, please?" She begged, wala siyang balita kay Nate sa loob ng apat na araw. Ito ang unang pagkakataon na malalaman niya kung anong nangyayari sa binata.

"Promise me you're going to be okay?"

"Alright, I promise," frustrated niyang pangako.

"Here," alanganin nitong ibinigay sa kanya ang cellphone nito.

Hannah had to hold a hand over her mouth as she looked at what's on the screen. It was Nate in one cozy restaurant in Macau according to the caption. But he wasn't alone. He was with Olive.

In another photo, they were walking side by side, magka-holding hands. And still in another, they were on a beach and were both smoking hot with their bodies displayed in their respective swimwear.

Pwede pa sanang palampasin ang mga iyon if it were not of the last picture where Nate and Olive were kissing. Sa lips. In that same beach as the other.

'Nate and Olive did it again! Aren't they the sweetest couple yet….'

Hindi na niya itinuloy na basahin pa ang mga kasunod na nakasulat. Ibinalik niya kay Leah ang cellphone nito bago pa tuluyang bumagsak ang mga luha niya.

No. She's stronger now. Nate loves her. He just hadn't told her yet.

'Oh yeah, Hannah?' Her mind questioned her. 'Can't you see? The reason why he hasn't been calling you is Olive... Nagkabalikan na sila!'

Was it the reason why Nate didn't call her again? Kaya rin ba wala siyang balita kay Olive? They're actually together, in Macau.

"Hannah... Are you alright?" Worried na tanong ni Leah na inalalayan siyang maupo.

"Oo naman... Ano ka ba?" She forced a smile habang pilit na nilalabanan ang pagbalong ng luha mula sa kanyang mga mata

"Hannah..."

Ang sakit sakit lang, she was worried sick about him... She's dying to know if he's okay in Macau. Turned out, he's more than okay... He was happy in the pictures. Olive makes him happy.

Ilang araw lang ang lumipas, nakalimutan na nitong inalok pa siya nitong isama sa Macau. Dapat pala sumama na lang siya.

"Leah!" She grabbed her friend by the shoulders at sumubsob doon, sa likuran nito para hindi nito makita kung gaano siya kahina.

She couldn't hold her tears any longer.

"It's just rumors... Please don't believe yet," sabi ni Leah matapos ang ilang minutong hinayaan lang siya nitong umiyak.

"I don't believe it," tugon niyang sinubukang tumawa kahit gaano pa kapeke ang kinalabasan no'n.

"Why are you crying then?"

"It just hurts..." amin niya. "But I'll be okay."

It was just one article. It didn't mean it's true. It didn't represent Nate.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," pero nanatili siyang nakasubsob sa balikat nito habang kinakalma ang sarili niya. "Unless Nate tells me that it's true, I'm not going to believe anything about him and Olive."

"That's right, Hannah..." natuwa ito sa sinabi niya.

She thought she's going to be okay.

Pero lumipas pa ang mga araw na walang Nate Sarmiento na nagpaparamdam while rumors about him and Olive continued. At some point, umabot pa iyon sa 'di umano'y napipintong kasal ng dalawa.

Si Olive panay pa ang release ng statement about her and Nate.

"Hannah, that's not true. I have known Nate long enough to say na hindi siya ganito. He wouldn't like a girl then marry another," Paul told her.

Pinagda-drive siya nito papasok sa hotel.

"I believe you," she smiled at him, kahit sa loob niya, pinipilit na lang niyang maging matatag.

She promised Eli she's not leaving her again. She wouldn't resort to a decision that will crush her daughter's heart.

Isa pa, Nate told her not to leave unless he tells her to. Wala pa naman itong sinasabi na umalis na siya kaya hindi siya aalis.

She just wished he would contact her. Asap because she's not sure how long she could keep her wits intact.

"Do you promise to wait for him?" Medyo worried si Paul sa kanya.

"Promise..."

She definitely would. Hindi pa nga niya nasasabi na mahal niya ito eh. Kaya maghihintay siya. She has to tell him she loves him. And if he would still choose Olive, then she'll rest her case. But until then, hindi siya aalis.

"I'm taking your word, Hannah."

"Yeah," ngumiti pa siya.

If there's one thing na malapit na niyang ma-perfect, it was the art of smiling even when she was already beyond broken inside.

-----

"I wonder if Nate knew about the rumors," salubong naman ni Sarah sa kanya pagdating niya sa hotel.

"He's busy, Sarah. Sabi mo nga 'di ba kahit ikaw hindi niya kino-contact?" She turned on her unit.

"I'll make a way to contact him. This has to stop. Olive's misleading everyone!"

"Sarah," humarap siya sa nanay-nanayan ni Nate. "What if it wasn't just rumors?"

Alam niyang isang araw magigiba rin ang nagpapanggap niyang tatag, this must be it.

"Hoy ha, Hannah, if it's true, dapat nag-issue na ng statement si Nate. Kaso it was all Olive. Do you honestly think na totoo ang mga sinasabi niya?"

"They have pictures." She began to sob. "And he hasn't called me yet. Not even a single word from him, Sarah. Tell me, paano akong hindi mag-iisip na totoo iyon?"

"Trust Nate, Hannah." Tinapik siya nito sa likod. "I'll try my best to get in touch with him. Nate would be disappointed if he finds out you're giving in."

Tumango siya…

'Please do...'

-----

Back at home, Hannah's already having trouble explaining to Elisha about her father's whereabouts.

"I already miss him," said Elisha.

"Me too, Eli. But he's so busy. Ayaw nating istorbohin si Daddy, 'di ba?" Mabuti na lang at bata pa ito. Wala pa itong muwang sa mga tsismis.

"Doesn't he miss us?"

"Pwede ba 'yon? Of course he misses us. But daddy is working hard for us, Eli. He'll be back soon. You better sleep now or else you're going to be late tomorrow." She kissed her little girl.

"Okay. I love you, mommy."

"I love you too, Eli."

"Tell daddy I love him."

"Yes, Elisha. Good night."

"'Night mommy."

She waited until Elisha fell asleep.

Kinuha niya ang cellphone sa bedside table ni Elisha, looked up for Nate's number and stared at it for a long time. Nate's handsome face was staring back at her.

She felt tears escaping her eyes.

He loves Nate so much. Miss na miss na niya ito. Sana man lang tumawag ito o sagutin ang mga tawag niya so she could already tell him how much he means to her. Hindi bale nang hindi personal. She just wanted him to know already.

Lumabas siya sa kwarto ni Elisha at nagpasyang manood ng late night news. Kahit alam niyang hindi makakatulong iyon sa kanya, she still went to turn on the TV.

She was going through different channels when something caught her attention.

Hannah could swear that her heart missed a beat. Para ngang tumigil sa pagtibok iyon at napatulala na lang siya sa nasa TV screen.

It was a live feed of Nate and Olive's arrival in the country. Live! It's live! Nate's back! And he was with Olive na kung makakapit sa braso ng binata ay wagas na wagas. Media's all around them and Nate didn't seem to be bothered at all.

In fact, he was smiling!

Nakabalik na si Nate and he didn't tell anyone. If she didn't happen to be watching at the moment, she won't even know. Mabuti pa ang mga media, nakasalubong sa airport. Pero bukod doon at pinakamasakit sa lahat, totoong magkasama ito at si Olive sa Macau.

'It's true!' Sigaw ng utak niya habang sapo-sapo ang tapat ng dibdib niya. Her heart was aching so badly she could almost feel it breaking apart. Hindi na maampat ang luha niya. 'It's true... They're together again!'

Nate lied to her about his true feelings for Olive. He still loves her. Perhaps, he never even stopped. And it's just hurting her so much because she thought he already felt something for her too.

Hannah calmed herself and decided to go outside for a breath of fresh air bago pa siya mag-collapse. For a while naglaro sa isip niya ang pagtakas ulit sa problema.

But no. She's not going anywhere. She will wait for Nate and ask him personally. If he's already in the country, it won't be long and he's coming home.

'Just a little more time, Hannah!' She told herself between uncontrolled sobs.

In the end, she decided she couldn't face Nate anytime soon. She's too hurt to handle a confrontation with him. He might run away from her kapag nakita nito ang itsura niya. And that won't help her. She needed him to choose her over Olive.

Hindi pa naman huli ang lahat, 'di ba? Sasabihin pa niya na mahal niya ito. But tonight wasn't the right time to tell him. She needed to gather herself first or else baka hindi ito maniwala and she's going to lose her chance on him forever.

And she won't allow that to happen…