His Tempting Widow

Chapter 3: News of His Passing

Shaina paced while patting the sides of her thighs. She felt nervous all of a sudden. Nonetheless, she did not want to think something bad had happened to her husband. There could be some emergency at the office, and he could not get away to contact her for some reason.

“Oh, hey, Shaina. What’s going on? I don’t see your husband’s motorcycle outside. Isn’t he home yet? Is Ace rendering overtime?” Her mother-in-law’s series of questions, as she entered the open door. The older woman, Hilda, closed the door afterward, murmuring that mosquitoes would come in.

Like Shaina, her mother-in-law was a small woman but rounder than her. The latter had gray hair, in her sixties. Her brown skin was a bit wrinkled. She wore a long floral skirt and a plain white blouse paired with flat sandals. She was not living with them since they had their own little bungalow house, which was only a stone’s throw away from the older woman’s house, where she lived alone.

“Lola! (Grandma!)” Spencer squealed while the mute Sarina jumped when they saw their grandmother bringing a white plastic bag. They immediately kissed their grandmother’s hand, opened and investigated what was inside the red plastic bag and found three banana cues in it. Each of them took one and settled on the floor, eating.

“Ma.” Shaina also kissed her mother-in-law’s cheek after touching her forehead on the back of the older woman’s hand, as a sign of respect. “I don’t know. I can’t reach him. I did tell him to come straight home and not go buy things for the kids.”

Before the older woman could speak, Shaina’s cell phone rang. She excused herself and answered it immediately, as she saw it was her husband’s name that appeared on the screen.

“Hon! Where are you?” she asked immediately in worried tone.

“Uh… Sorry, Mrs. Adanza. This is Luke, Ace’s colleague at work,” the man spoke in a quiet tone.

Shaina’s heart jolted. “H-huh? W-why do you have m-my husband’s phone? Where is he? I-is everything all right? Can I speak to him?”

“I-I’m so sorry, Mrs. Adanza. You have to come here at the hospital,” his reply in an alarming sad tone.

“W-what? D-did something happen to him?” Shaina began to breathed unevenly, heart beating so hard and fast. Her eyes went to her mother-in-law, who was listening earnestly on her side of the conversation. The old woman looked mighty worried as well.

“I don’t know if—if I tell you this now over the phone. But h-he… Ace had an accident while he was on his way home… and…”

“What happened to my husband, Luke?” she whispered. Her eyes began to flutter slowly., and she was holding her breath.

“H-he’s gone.” His voice croaked. “I was told he was dead on the spot. I’m so sorry!”

Shaina felt the room spin suddenly upon hearing it. Her mother-in-law caught her by the shoulders, and she clutched at the older woman’s arm tightly with her free hand.

“What’s going on, Shaina?” her mother-in-law questioned, looking at her gravely.

She began to heave and sob. “N-no! T-that can’t be! I heard you wrong, haven’t I? He’s not dead! My husband’s fine!”

“Diyos ko! Unsa? Patay na si Ace? (My God! What? Ace is dead?)” Hilda cried, knees buckling that she almost fell to the floor.

Shaina had to hold her tight as she also sobbed. Her blurry eyes darted to her children, who did not seem to hear them as they were busy eating and drawing. Her daughter had the tablet on, with a nursery rhyme playing. She thought it was better for them not to know about this. Yet. She could not tell them, because right now, it was still unbelievable.

There was a momentary silence on the other end of the phone. “I can pick you up—” Luke offered.

She cut him off. “N-no. His mother and I will go to him. W-which hospital?” she uttered and hiccupped.

After getting the information, she ended the call, looking at her crying mother-in-law.

“A-adtuon na nato si Ace? (Are we g-going to him now?)” her mother-in-law asked, clutching at her arms. The plastic bag of the remaining banana cue was dropped on the floor.

Shaina’s constricted throat needed to be eased, so she gulped and nodded. They both gazed at the two young children.

“I-I’ll ask Paola to take care of them, Ma.”

Hilda nodded and sat on the nearest single beige couch. Her hands were on her face.

With trembling hands, Shaina dialed Paola’s number. She knew she could count on her close friend and neighbor at the moment.

“Oh, my God!” Paola gasped and exclaimed. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Shai. I’ll just change, and I’ll be right there, okay? Just… be strong, alright? For Sarina and Spencer. I promise, I’ll take care of them, and you go to him.”

She nodded as though Paola could see her. She ended the call, and she went over to where her children were after wiping her tears away by her hands.

Shaina knelt down the floor and put a hand on top of her children’s head each. “Hey. Your lola and I are… going to your father. Aunt Paola will come and look out for you, so I ask you to behave, alright?” She stroked their head gently, looking at their eyes that almost mirrored like Ace’s. She tried to hold back her tears and sniffled.

“Yes, Ma,” Spencer answered.

Sarina almost shoved the remaining banana cue to her brother’s hand and got up to embrace her by the neck and kiss her on the cheek.

“Oh, my little Sarina is so sweet,” she murmured and could not help but let the tears fall from her eyes. Her daughter wiped her tears away for her, and she smiled at her. “Spencer, watch your sister, alright?”

Spencer pouted but nodded. She kissed the crown of his head and hurried to her and her husband’s room to change. She wore shorts and a tank top, her usual pair whenever she was at home. Now, she pulled a pair of faded blue pants and a navy blue shirt. She did not even comb her short black hair as she was in a hurry.

Paola was already outside when she came out of the room. Her friend, who was in average height, hugged her tightly and murmured, “I’m so sorry about Ace.”

“I know. Thank you for rushing here. I’m not sure when we can come back though, Pao.” Her eyes wavered.

“It’s okay. Do the kids know?” Paola broke their embrace, looking at her pretty face.

She shook her head and took a shaky breath. “It’s going to be hard for me, Pao.”

Her friend looked at her with sympathy and sadness. “It’ll be okay. I’m here for you, Shai.”