Jeruzah POV
Nang maihanda ko na ang pagkain ay agad kong kinatok ang silid ni Makas. Limang beses ko itong kinatok, at nang pang-anim na katok ay biglang marahas bumukas ang pintuan. Bumungad sa akin ang masamang tingin ni Makas.
I gulped not because I'm scared but because of his exposed body. He is just wearing his boxer kaya malaya kong pagmasdan ang katawan niya.
Mula sa malapad niyang balikat, ang mala-pader nitong dibdib, ang mga pandesal nitong kahit araw-arawing kainin ay mukhang hindi pagsasawaan. Habang pababa nang pababa ang paningin ko ay siya namang pagpatak ng mga butil ng pawis mula sa mukha ko. Umagang-umaga ay tila ako biglang nauhaw.
"Eyes up here woman!"
"Ay malaking bakat!"
Ngumusi naman ito ng malamig na siyang ikinabahala ko, sa tuwing ganito ang tingin niya ibig sabihin ay galit na siya. Inayos ko ang aking pagkakatayo sapagkat anumang oras ay natitiyak kong babagsak ako sa sahig sa panghihina dahil sa mga matatalim nitong tingin.
"State your fucking bussiness for waking me!" He grumply said. Mukhang maling ginising ko siya.
Huminga muna ako ng malalim bago siya muling titigan sa mga mata ngunit sa huli hindi ko nakayanan ang intensidad kaya muling napako sa sahig ang tingin ko.
"Ahmm... ano kasi pinagluto kita baka gusto mo nang mag agahan habang mainit-init pa," nakayuko kong alok habang pinaglalaruan ang mga daliri, dala ng nerbiyos
"I'm not hungry. Fucking go away," bago pa man ako makasagot ay bigalng nagingay ang telepono nito. Inirapan pa ako ni Makas bago niya sagutin ang tawag.
"Hello babe," nakangiting bati ni Makas sa kabilang linya subalit maya-maya lamang ay bigla itong nataranta. "Hello babe? What? What happened to you? Anong masakit ano bang nagyari?"
Aligagang nagdamit si Makas nagsuot ito ng denim pants at white t-shirt bago ako nito lagpasang tila hangin. Gulo-gulo pa nga ang medyo mahaba-haba na nitong buhok ngunit tila hindi na ito napansin ng lalaki.
Gulong-gulo ako. Sino iyong tumawag at bakit babe ang tawag niya? Is it a girl or a boy and the babe is just an eanderment?
"T-Teka Makas!" I tried to chase him but I just failed. Nakita ko na lamang itong papalabas na ng bahay.
Malungkot akong napabaling sa mga pagkaing inihain ko. Again my effort go to waste. Kahit ayaw ko at alam kong masama ngunit hindi ko maiwasang magtanim ng sama ng loob. All of my effort this passing day, they are all put to waste. I reay tried hard just to please him but maybe it's still not enough.
I just eat silently and lonely that morning. Kahit maids wala man lamang kami sa bahay. Ako lahat ang gumagawa, paglalaba, pagluluto, grocery, paglilinis. I don't know but I feel more than a maid than a wife.
Whenever he leaves I was always leave behind this silent house. Kahit makabidahan wala man lamang dahil ang huling beses na dalaw ni Kit sa akin ay noon pang nagtalo kami ni Makas, simula noon hindi na nasundan.
Kinagabihan ay muli akong nagluto at inantabayanan ang paguwi ni Makas but just as always he didn't come home. Ilang linggong palaging ganoon ang set-up naming dalawa. Kung iba siguro mananawa na at iniwan na si Makas but maybe I just already felt numb kaya nasanay na.
I know na hindi maganda ang pagiging sanay sa sakit but I cannot help it my numbness is the one who's ptotecting my love for Makas to escape. My numbness is the one who still keeps me sane.
The truth is I'm tired but what can I do? Nagmahal at tumibok ang puso ko eh, at sa lahat ng mamahalin ko iyon pang may saradong isip at pusong bato.
Mabilis na lumipas ang mga araw at isa lang ang napapansin ko kay Makas. Halos hindi na siya umuwi sa bahay ngunit nakikita ko siyang nakauniporme. Because of curiosity I went to his company to bring him a lunch.
The guards and employeers bow down at me to give respect but it my eyes did'nt escape the unknown emotion in their stare. I dont know if it is a sympathy, ora deserve look, I don't really know.
I just shrugged it off and went inside the elevator going to the 30th floor. Makas office was located in the top floor which is the 30th floor. That whole floor is for Makas room only.
Whenever the elevator stop at every floor, I encourage some employee to just ride with it. Hindi ko alintana kung private purpose ang elevator na sakay ko. Hindi ko kasi maatim na ang tagal nilang nakatayo doon hinihintay ang punuan at siksikang elevator na makarating sa palapag nila.
"Maraming salamat po Ma'am!" the young employees cheerfully replied habang isa-isa silang nababawasan at muli ay naiwan na naman akong mag-isa sa elevator, good thing is before I became alone the elevator reach my destination quick.
As I roam my eyes on every corner I cannot help but to feel the warmth of the people here, the theme of Makas company has a yellowish interior that keeping the employees warm.
Kahit sinong pagod sa trabaho ay mapapangiti dahil talagang nakakahalina ang init na binibigay ng kulay na dilaw. A yellow color symbolizes a happy sunny day, it also symbolize friendship. A strong bound between the employees and company is what making their bond to be strong that's why a company this big is successfull.
Kahit gaano katalino, kagaling at makapangyarihan ang tagapamahala at mga boss hindi pa rin maalis na mas malaking porsyento ng successful ng kompanya ay galing sa hirap ng mga empleyado. Kahit gaano ka kayaaman hindi mo mararating ang tuktok ng tagumpay kung wala kang mga mapapagkakatiwalan at maaasahang mga taong tutulong sa iyo.
Nang marating ko ang opisina ni Makas ay agad kong nakita si Mrs. Del Grado, she's Makas secretary. She's already in mid fifthees but still looking young and strong.
"Maayong buntag, Ate!" I happily greeted her that make her startled. I don't know the language but I know what it means. Ate Mina or Mrs. Del Grado always greet me with that language that's why.
"Ay susmeng bata muntik na akong atakihin sa puso sa iyong bata ka," she seriously said. Everyone was intimidated with her but I'm different. My mom was just like her intimidating woman but a softie inside.
"Sorry, Is Makas here Ate?"
"Oho nasa loob po, ang kaso may kameeting pa po," she said with her usual tone and with that word 'po' again. I just shake my head because I seriously stop her talking to me with that 'po' language because she is older than me but she a stubborn one really.
"It's okay I'll just drop his lunch," I smiled at her before opening the door but just to be atonished in the scene I seen.
I immidiately close the door violently because of shock. I know that the people inside knows my existence already. Ate Mina was also shocked at what I do but I can't care more! I need to care more to my heart.
"Ate can you p-please g-give, pakibigay na lang po sa asawa ko ang lunch niya mauna na po ako," I said while stummering. I'm holding my tears to roll down my eyes.
'Ni hindi ko na nga narinig pa ang nais sabihin ni Ate dahil mabilis akong pumasok ng elevator at doon ibinuhos lahat ng sakit.
Who would'nt be hurt if you see your husband laughing with a girl in his lap. What kind of meeting is that? An erotic meeting? Lumalabas na kayayari lang ng dalawa sa so called bussiness meeting nila because the girl dress were crumpled as well as with Makas cloth. Kahit sinong makakakita alam na agad ang nangyari sa pagitan ng dalawa.
I just kept silently crying the pain I'm feeling right now in the elevator. I know na dapat sinugod ko sila kasi may karapatan ako pero hindi kasi ako ganoong tao. Some can hate me but for me a question is bakit ko sasaktan ang kapwa ko babae?
Sa panahon ngayon pagnangaliwa ang asawa ang dalawang babaeng biktima ng kalibugan ng mga lalaking walang kakontentuhan sa buhay ang siyang nagbabangayan, nagsasakitan at nakalilimutan na nilang nandiyan si boy na niloko at pinaglaruan silang mga babae.
We womens forgotten that there's he who cheated on us but because we let the pain over rule us, we tend to blames other for it.
Employees are intently staring at me, some with sympathic look while some didn't care and throwing me a deserving look. I coudn't care on how I look like now. With a swollen eyes and pathetic face? I don't care anymore. I'm deeply hurting to damn care to all of them.
They can bash and curses me for looking like a pathetic woman right now. Because in the first place they all knew what's happening in this damn company! That's why they have that indifferents looks while I'm heading to Makas office huh.
Just like that I leave the company with a shattered heart. Not minding where my feet drove me out until a beeping horn make's me back to my reverie. As I look at what is it a blinding light welcome me. That's when I knew that I was already in the middle of the road.
'Beeeeeeeep!'