Bridgetine Squad II Always Only You

KRISTINA | PRESENT TIME, AGE 30                   Pagkatapos ng taunang convention namin sa New York ay nakatanggap ako ng tawag mula kay Mommy.                 "Kris, you need to come home."                 "Why mom? May nangyari ba?" nag-aalala kong tanong sa kanya.                 "Your father has not been feeling well for the last couple of weeks. Nang bumisita ka rito saglit ay okay naman siya kaya lang ay masiyadong maraming pasyente ngayon sa clinic. Sobra siyang napapagod. He's asking if you can help out for a few months."                 Pareho kaming doctor ni Daddy at may family practice clinic kami sa New York. My family is not poor. We live in Cobble Hills in Brooklyn, New York. I chose to go on my own and work for the hospital in the Philippines. May iniiwasan kasi akong tao at magagawa ko lang iyon kung wala ako sa hometown ko.                 "Okay, Ma. I will file for indefinite leave and see what I can do to help. I’ll see you soon. Hugs to you and Papz."                 Napabuntunghininga ako. Ngayon ay kailangan ko pang magtagal sa bahay. Limang taon ko ring iniiwasan iyon. Ang totoo niyan ay bihira akong pumasiyal sa mga magulang ko. Pumupunta lang ako sa kanila kapag birthday ng parents ko o kaya naman ay pasko. Most time ay umuuwi rin ako kinabukasan ng mga ‘yon.  As crazy as it sounds, kahit todo jetlag ako sa mga pinaggagagawa ko ay okay lang sa akin. Anything, basta hindi lang ako magtagal doon.                 Medical conventions lang ang dahilan kung bakit ako inaabot nang limang araw dito. Wala naman akong magagawa dahil parte ng trabaho ko iyon.                 Binuksan ko ang computer ko at nag-book ng flight. One way ticket ang kinuha ko dahil hindi ko alam kung makakabalik ako agad. Nag-email din ako sa director ng hospital na may family emergency ako at na-approve naman agad ang indefinite leave ko . Maganda raw kasi ang record ko sa hospital kaya mabilis ang request. On time ako lagi pumapasok at walang liban.                 Now I am in front of my parents' house kung saan ako lumaki at nagkaisip. Dito ako nag-stay hanggang sa lumipad ako papunta sa Boston para magtapos ng med school.                 Nag-taxi lang ako mula sa airport at hindi na nag-abala pang magpasundo sa driver namin. Naglalakad na ako sa mahabang driveway namin habang hila ang medium size luggage ko nang may pamilyar na bultong humara sa daraanan ko.                 "Well, well... My prodigal wife is back."                 God! He's still as infuriating as ever.                 "Ex-wife.” I corrected him in a flash. “Get the f*ck out of my way, Gallo." I took a step but he keeps getting in my way. Tinignan ko siya nang masama.                 "Have you forgotten? Ikaw lang ang pumirma sa divorce papers natin. As far as I'm concerned, you're still married to me and you are still my... wife."                 Nakakaloko ang tawa niya. Kinagulat ko ‘yon kasi labing-isang taon na ang nakaraan nang may maganap sa amin. Biente-anyos lang kami noong nagpunta kami sa Las Vegas at nagpakasal. A year later, just before we graduated, I filed for divorce.                 I drove to New York University that day from Harvard to hand him the divorce papers. I asked him to sign it and mail it back to the lawyer. After that, I changed my number and moved on with my life. Sure I've dated men over the years since then, pero hanggang halik lang ang kaya kong ibigay. I am not as wild as you think I am. My mouth maybe vulgar at times, but there's only one man that I slept with. It's this man in front of me— Caleb Gallo, my high school sweetheart and also, my ex-husband.                 Pero teka, sabi niya kasal pa rin kami? What the f*ck was that about?                 "Pardon me?"                 "You should check the registry and see that you are still married to me. By the way, you owe me ten years of s*x," nakangising sabi niya. He was looking at me mischievously, na para bang ini-imagine niya ang mga posisyon na balak niyang gawin sa akin. He is wild in bed. Alam na alam ko ‘yon.                 Nasapo ko ang ulo ko. "Are you for real?"                 "As real as I can be." Uminon siya mula sa beer can na hawak niya.                 "This is not funny." Naiinis na talaga ako.                 "I am not being funny. We are still married, baby," malambing niyang sagot.                 "I'll fix it tomorrow." First nagkasakit si Daddy, now kasal pa rin pala ako sa kanya. Naglakad ako palayo sa kanya habang hila pa rin ang bag ko. No one knew we got married but us. Even our parents doesn't know.                 I was already a few steps away from him when I heard him say something. "I already told your parents we're married."                 Parang bombang sumabog ang sinabi niya. "What?" Napatigil ako sa paglakad at hinarap siya. This time, he walked towards me and only stopped when he's an inch away. Ramdam ko ang malakas na t***k ng puso ko. He can still make me nervous. I shouldn't be feeling this anymore, right?                 "Look at me," he commanded.                 "Tell me why you did that." Hindi pa rin ako tumingin sa kanya at ipinako ang tingin ko sa lupang kinatatayuan ko.                 "Because it's the truth. And frankly, it's long overdue." He sounded serious and it made him more dangerous.                 “There’s no need for that.  We will proceed with the divorce and part ways anyway. Now I have to explain a lot of things to them. This is f*cked up!" May diin ang pagkakasabi ko.                 Nakita ko siyang umiling at napatingala ako sa kanya. He's about 6 feet and I'm a bit short at 5 ft 6 inches. He leaned over and stopped when our lips are about to touch. "I didn't sign those papers ten years ago. What makes you think I will sign it now?"                 "Because it's for the best?" Napalunok ako. Mismong ako ay hindi na sigurado sa sagot ko.                 "Still trying to convince yourself. I see...” He chuckled. “After all these years, you're still thinking the worst of me."                 "Can you blame me?" May pait ang pagkakasabi ko  nang muling magsalita.                 He cupped my face with one of his hands. "I loved you then, I love you still. You will never get rid of me Kristina Carlota Padilla... Gallo." Then he kissed me.