Natalie Trilogy Book 3: The Last Stand

Chapter 6: Make the Most Out of it

C H A P T E R 6 :

M A K E T H E M O S T

O U T O F I T

“Do you want to see him?”

Now she was more than alert, for it was not the wedding coordinator who just ask; it was Bradley.

Nasa likuran niya ito. Walang kasiguraduhan kung gaano ito kalayo sa kanya bagaman kung saan naman humugot si Natalie ng lakas ng loob para harapin ito ay hindi niya alam. Isang malaking misteryo na may mga bagay na bigla mo na lang ginagawa nang hindi mo pinag-iisipan. Ngayon ay hayan siya’t nakaharap na sa lalaking huling tao na nanaisin niyang makasalamuha.

He was handsome as ever, especially on his tux. His eyes were tired but still were smiling, just like his lips that were proudly showing off his dimples. Nakapamulsa ito, ngiting-ngiti pa rin at napakakaswal.

“I mean, them.” Saglit na nilingunan ni Bradley ang dalawang nanny na patuloy sa paglalakad papuntang harap ng simbahan.

“No,” was the only thing she could think of an answer, even though she wanted to say yes. But since she had to get away from that situation, she had to say no.

Kung tutuusin, iyon na nga ang pagkakataon niya para sabihin kay Bradley ang lahat. Malaki ang tsansa na maniniwala ito. Bawas na rin sa pagkadelikado ng sitwasyon para sa anak niyang si Prince. Sa tindi ba naman ng pagksaltik ni Marga, hindi malabong mangyari na baka saktan nito ang anak niya --- iyon ang isang bagay na kay tagal nang nagbibigay ng pasakit sa buong kaluluwa ni Natalie.

Nga lang, ang hindi niya gugustuhin, makompormiso ang magandang lagay ng anak niya at anak ng ate niya sa piling ni Marga. Masakit mang sabihin, kung matagal nang nasa sistema ni Marga na saktan ang dalawang bata, dapat ay noon pa nito ginawa.

Also, Marga was not that stupid enough too to compromise herself to do evil things that could give Bradley a reason to hate her. Obsessed si Marga sa lalaki, at gagawin nito ang lahat ma-please lamang si Bradley.

On top of that, there was her instinct that kept telling her how she trusted Bradley; he was looking out for the kids, especially Prince.

But of course, Natalie was a mother. Every mother worried to much about their kids. Thus, being their, Natalie had to make the most out of it. Kasi hindi niya kayang gawin ang kung anumang nasa proposal ng grupo ni Andres Garza kung ang isip naman niya ay naroroon lang para sa kaligtasan ng anak niya.

Gayunman, si Bradley, nanatili pa rin sa kinatatayuan, tuon na tuon pa rin ang atensyon sa kanya. Parang walang balak na umalis. “Maya told me you love kids.”

Who the f**k Maya was to Ivanna to help Natalie that way? It was way too big of a help!

“That makes sense why you suddenly asked me,” bagaman ay sabi ni Natalie. “What that doesn’t make any sense is that why you’re talking to me.” She said that not because of curiosity. She said it just to distract herself from the idea that maybe Bradley had an interest in her the reason why he was talking to her.

Noon napahimas ng batok ang lalaki. “I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable. I just wanted to give you this.”

Bago pa mamalayan ni Natalie, isang nakatuping piraso ng papel ang iniaabot nito sa kanya. Bagaman kahit hindi naman nasisipat ng lalaki ay nagtatanong na tingin ang iginawad niya rito. Sa mga mata ng lalaki, klaro doon kung gaano nito kagusto na makita kung ano ang nasa likod ng sunglasses na suot niya.

Was he thinking that he knew her somehow?

No, of course not! Natalie was confident. She was just too confident on that matter. Puwera na lang kung sadyang alam ni Bradley kung sino talaga siya.

“Could you get the paper, please?" anang lalaki, kaswal pa rin. "So that I could leave you alone already?”

Natalie did. And Bradley did leave her alone, turning his back and walking away.

~~**~~

Natalie had never been so emotional in her life. Ang masaklap, hindi niya magawang ipakita iyong hinanakit at galit na kumakain sa sistema niya. Ang huling nanaisin niya ay makaagaw ng pansin sa mga taong naroroon sa simbahan lalo na kay Marga na nagmamartsa papuntang altar kanina.

I have a request, sing the song as if I was the one who was speaking it to my wife to be. . .

Iyon ang nakasulat sa papel na ibinigay sa kanya ni Bradley. Ang kantang kinanta niya: From this Moment ni Shania Twain. Now tell her how painful that was for her? Sa sobrang sakit, halos hindi niya maisip kung paano niya natipa sa piano ang piyesa ng naturang kanta.

It was the most painful torture Natalie had to bear. Not to mention she couldn’t do anything to be with Prince.

“How were you able to do that?” Sa kalagitnaan ng biyahe pauwing bahay ni John ay tanong bigla ni Ivanna. Kanina pa ito tahimik mula nang lumipat siya ng sakay sa SUV nito mula sa sasakyan ni Maya na siya namang nilunanan ni Natalie nang makaalis sa simbahan matapos niyang kumanta.

Ivanna had let her out savoring her agony, her tears and sobs. Ngayon ay parang hindi na ito nakatiis mag-usisa.

“What do you mean?” tanong niya, humihikbi pa rin.

“Changing the way you talk, the way you sing.”

Sa bintanang nasa gilid niya ay doon dumeretso ang tingin niya. “Survival instinct, I guess.”

Kapwa nanahimik na sila sa biyahe. Bagaman ewan ba naman ni Natalie kung bakit biglang hindi matahimik ang loob niya. “I’ve been wondering, how come you were also there at the hospital in the same time I went there?” Tukoy niya sa araw na nagpunta siya sa ospital sa West Virginia nang ibaba ang lockdown doon.

“I never lost my faith that you were telling the truth that very night before the mass shooting happened. That said, I also believed that if Marga got you that night, you were still alive, that you somehow had survived. Having that faith kept me thinking every night that you would visit the hospital where it all happened once the lockdown had been lifted.” Tutok na tutok man ang babae sa daan at pagmamaneho, hindi nito maitago ang panginginig ng tinig.

That night must be very traumatic for Ivanna. Sino ba naman ang hindi?

“Maya seemed so generous to do that for a strange person like me, didn’t she?” bagkus ay tanong niya.

Noon kumunot ang noo ni Ivanna. “She should be, because the company that owns the TV network where Maya got famous was my father’s, now mine. So she owes me.”

Hindi siya umimik.

“You’re thinking we’ve been plotting this to happen, aren’t you?”

Saglit na lingon lang sa gawi nito ang isinagot ni Natalie saka muli ay binalingan ang dinaraan ng sasakyan mula sa bintana. Marami nang nangyari sa buhay niya. Natural lang marahil na ma-paranoid.

Bagaman si Ivanna, parang bigla ring hindi matahimik dahil sa pananahimik niyang iyon. “If you don’t mind me asking again, I’ve noticed you cut our line just right after you sang earlier.”

Pasimpleng napalunok si Natalie. Gayunman ay nanatiling sa bintana lamang siya nakatingin.

“You didn’t do anything reckless, just like you’ve promised me, didn’t you?”

Natalie was about to shake her head and deny, pero iyon din ang puntong tumigil ang sasakyan pagkaliko sa susunod na kanto na siyang papasok sa property ni John.

Two black SUVs were blocked their way. Sa paglingon ni Natalie kay Ivanna, siya namang pagbulong nito ng isang malutong mura. Wala pa man, si Andres Garza na ang bumaba mula sa isa sa mga sasakyan.

“I guess he already knew what we just did, Natalie.” Ivanna let out a deep sigh before getting out of the car. Ganoon din ang ginawa ni Natalie.

Bago pa man siya makalapit, agad nang nagsalita ang matanda. “What exactly did you do, Natalie?” kalmado bagaman puno ng awtorisasyon ang tinig nito.

At aaminin ni Natalie, hindi niya makontrol iyong intinmidasyong dulot ni Andres. Maski si Ivanna, hindi maitago ang pagkaaligaga. Ibubuka pa lang sana ng babae ang bibig pero naunahan ito ng matanda, “Bradley just contacted a person I knew to spy on her wife, now tell me, kid, what exactly did you do before you left the church?”

Ivanna’s mouth that moment was left open. “Answer the question, Natalie.”

Todong napangiwi siya. “I asked a sacristan I walked past to give an envelope to Bradley. But I also told him not tell to Bradley who gave it.

“And what was within the envelope, kid?” muli ay tanong ni Andres.

Walang balak si Natalie na sabihin. Bagaman sadyang mayroong kung ano si Andres na hindi niya mawari --- masyado itong magaling mang-interrogate. Sa huli, walang nang nagawa si Natalie. “Bradley’s mom’s diamond ring.”