“Did I scare you?”
“Not a bit,” Ethan denied.
Nang magising si Ally, nakita niyang sakasubsob sa gilid ng kama niya ang nakatulog nang si Ethan habang hawak-hawak ang isa niyang kamay.
He wasn’t kidding. He still loves her. Ramdam naman niya iyon. Kilala niya si Ethan. Hindi ito magsasayang ng oras magpunta roon araw-araw kung hindi siya importante rito. Ito pa rin ang lalaking minahal niya at iniwan two years ago.
Iyong Ethan na handang suwayin maging ang mga magulang nito, ‘wag lamang siya mawala sa buhay nito.
He was the same man who would move mountains just to be with her. Pero ito rin kasi &l
"I'm sorry, Ethan. I overslept," Felicity apologized to him when she arrived. He stood up and pulled a chair for her then gently planted a kiss on her cheek. "It's fine, Siti," he answered, returning to his seat. "So, why did you move our date to breakfast? You know I'm not a morning person. But don't get me wrong. I am not complaining," she said with a smile. Maybe she was just really curious. Mabagal siyang ngumiti. He was contemplating on his mind how to tell her that he already wanted to end things with her. "I know that smile, Ethan," nawala ang ngiti sa mga labi ng babae. For a moment, Ethan thought she appeared insecure. "
"Ally!"Sa ilang taong na nakasama ni Allison si Michael, alam niyang malambot ito sa maraming bagay. Madalas, mga maliliit na bagay. But never in their five years in college did she see him cry like how he was crying in front of her now as he held her hands."Michael," mahinang sabi niya na agad pumiyok ang tinig sa dalawang pantig nitong pangalan."Ally, antagal ka naming hinanap ni Katie," he said. "Why did you leave like that? Hindi ba mga kaibigan mo kami?""I'm sorry," was all she managed to say.She was happy to see her friend. Pero hindi siya masayang ganoon ang pagkikita nila. Since Shanna found her, gano'n lagi ang eksena. The people t
“Thanks for bringing Michael here, Ethan,” Ally told Ethan when he entered her room after Michale left.“He’s just the first of the many that I’d be bringing here for you,” he answered, sitting on a chair beside her bed. Nakaupo naman siya sa gilid ng kama kaya magkaharap sila. But since her bed was higher, mas mataas siya kaysa sa posisyon ni Ethan. “Except for Katie, pinapahanap ko pa siya.”Natawa siya nang mahina. Oo, hindi na siya galit na ‘andoon na naman ito. Parang nasasanay na nga siya that when he came late that day, nalungkot na siya na baka hindi ito darating. Iyon pala may bitbit itong kaibigan niya.“Thank you,” muli niyang sabi. “Sa totoo lang, hindi ko iniexpect na may makikit
"Hindi pa ba nagkakadevelope-an ang dalawang iyan?" amused na tanong ni Ally habang nakamasid kina Leio at Shanna na nakikipagbiruan sa ibang pasyente ng shelter. "Hmn, about that, I am not sure kung gusto kong ipagkatiwala ang pinsan ko kay Leio," Ethan answered, masuyo na inayos nito ang pagkakahilig ng ulo niya sa balikat nito. "Bakit naman? Ain't Leio your friend? Best friend pa nga.""Yes. And so I know how he treats women. Ayokong mapasama sa listahan niya ang pinsan ko. You know, Shanna is so dear to me. Like a sister, actually," he explained."Para namang wala ng chance magbago si Leio," Ally said, chuckling a bit. "I still think they look good together." "Ah, don't encourage them!" Tumawa rin nang bahagya ang binata. "On a serious note, kapag nga nagkagustuhan ang dalawa na 'yan, sa tingin ko okay na rin. Shanna is being picky. Wala siyang magustuhan sa mga admirers niya." "Baka nga kasi
"Mama," tawag niya sa atensyon ng inang nakatayo malapit sa glass wall ng kanyang opisina. Lumingon si Andrea Montenegro at tipid ang malamig nitong ngiti sa kanya. Sometimes, he wondered if his mother ever knew how to be a mother. Wala man lang warmth ang kanyang ina. "What brought you here?" he asked. "Is that how you welcome your mother, son?" Gusto niyang paikutin ang mga mata niya. Ito nga ang wala man lang emosyon pagkakita sa kanya eh. "I'm just asking, Ma." He approached Andrea and kissed her cheek. And that simple gesture surprised his mother. Bagamat saglit lang nag-iba ang ekspresyon sa mga mata nito. "Well, I felt obliged to pay you a visit," Andrea took a seat without breaking eye contact with him. "A Director raised a concern that you're always unreachable. What is going on, Ethan?""Tinatanong mo ba ako, Mama, dahil hindi mo pa alam? O
"She was in and out of consciousness last night, Mr. Montenegro. And today, she's not waking up yet. It's almost past two PM."Halos paliparin na ni Ethan ang sasakyan niya papunta sa shelter. He was in the middle of an important meeting when Yanah called. Nang makita pa lamang niya ang pangalan nito na nag-flash sa naka-silent niyang cellphone, inatake na ng kaba ang dibdib niya. He let his phone ring while abruptly wrapping up the meeting. Nawala na siya sa focus at abot abot ang hiling niya na sana walang nangyaring masama kay Allison habang wala siya sa tabi nito. At heto nga, parang patalim na sumasaksak sa puso niya ang mga sinabi ni Yanah. "Please, be well, Ally," aniya habang blurred na ang paningin na nagmamaneho siya ng lampas na sa speed limit. He just hoped na hindi siya masita. Ngayon lang naman. He needed to be beside Ally at once. "Wait for me, please…" Nang makarating ay halos takbuhin niy
"Ally, alam mo ba na engaged na pala ang babaeng 'yan? Wala man lang pasabi! Kung hindi pa pinahanap ni Mr. Montenegro, wala siyang balak na imbitahin tayo sa kasal niya!" "Michael!" saway ni Katie na pinanlakihan ng mga mata ang kaibigan nilang lalaki.Natawa si Allison. Kahit video call lang silang nag-uusap na tatlo, kitang-kita pa rin ang pamumula ni Katie. "Totoo ba, Katie?" tanong naman niyang masayang-masaya sa nalaman. Eh dati, libro lang ang alam gawing boyfriend ni Katie. Who would've thought that just a few years after graduation ay engaged na agad ito? "Eh, hindi naman kasi sa gano'n," ani Katie. "Iba naman kasi ang sitwasyon. Mapapa-deport ako kung hindi ko pakakasalan ang kaibigan ko rito." "Hmn, ilegal stay?" aniyang nananantiya. Nasa Amerika kasi sa kasalukuyan ang kaibigan nila."Hindi naman totally—""So, kailan ang kasal?" pag-iiba niya ng usapan. Ayaw niyang mapahiya ito o ano.
Hindi akalain ni Ally na seseryosohin ni Ethan ang pagpo-propose ulit kapag may dala na itong singsing. Pero si Ethan Montenegro ito, whatever he says, he will do. Ang pinaka hindi niya talaga mapaniwalaan ay ang makatanggap pa ng marriage proposal kahit nasa bingit na siya ng kamatayan. Hindi niya deserve iyon. Lalo at nararamdaman na niyang napakalapit na niya sa hukay. Each passing day was already getting dimmer. She knew it. She could feel it.Hindi rin deserve ni Ethan na pakasalan ang isang taong maaaring mamatay na ano mang oras. Napakaaga nitong magiging widower kung sakali. He deserves someone who could grow old with him. Hindi katulad niya na isang cell na lang ata ang hindi pa pumipirma para tuluyan na siyang mamaalam. She couldn't hurt Ethan like that.'Come on, Allison. Give the man some credit. He is not even thinking of that. He only wanted to marry you. Besides, the marriage needs not to be registered if you will pass a