Somewhere in the comments section ng part 3, I mentioned na Finale na ang next but please bear with me for now.
Cheerios!
***
Would you ever leave your husband just because your fuck buddy asked you to marry him?” Tori asked me habang tinutusok-tusok nya ang natira nyang steak.
“Stop playing with your food, Tori, for chrissake!” Para akong nanay nya na sinaway ang ginagawa nya. One thing na happy ako ay yung fact na nakikinig sa akin si Tori.
“Can you hear yourself? I mean, seriously Tori, you know what happened all along! Of course, if I could, I would file an annulment but not because of Gabriel!” Medyo napataas ang boses ko.
“Okay, then fine. Chill lang! Grabe ka naman maka react eh! I know the reason, fine. But hindi mo naman nasabi ang whole story, sorry naman!” Tori said in defense.
“If not for Dad, I will not marry that bastard of a husband. If not for all this business shit and reputation fuck, I will not marry him! He should be thankful na kahit hindi ko sya mahal, I respected him and consulted him pa rin in matters concerning Matthew.” Galit na galit na ako dahil unti-unti na naman nag-flashback ang nangyari sa akin eight years ago when Allan, my husband forced himself into me.
“There was a dinner event hosted by my Dad. Allan’s father, one of Dad’s top clients, was invited and he brought Allan along. Iyon ang unang beses na nagkakilala kami ni Allan. Kasama ko ang boyfriend ko that time but unfortunately, kailangan nyang umuwi ng maaga dahil may sakit ang brother nya at kailangan sya bisitahin sa hospital. Madaling araw na, nakainom na ang lahat. Nakahiga na ako sa kwarto ko, may tama na rin ako sa dami kong nainom pero ramdam ko pa ang nangyayari sa akin.”
“Madilim ang paligid, at naramdaman ko na may humahalik sa aking tenga. ‘Bumalik ako para sa’yo, Babe.’ sabi nya. Akala ko boyfriend ko ang humahaplos sa hita ko. He told me kasi sa akin na babalik sya kung sakaling maagang makakabalik ang Mama nya sa hospital. Pumikit lang ako at ninamnam ang sarap ng haplos nya na umakyat na hanggang sa aking pussy.”
“Wala na akong matandaan after noon, Tori. To be honest, lasing ako but parang may kakaiba pang nagpatulog sa akin. Nagulat na lang ako the following morning na sumisigaw si Dad ginigising ako, sa tabi ko, ang hubo’t hubad na si Allan.”
“It was a great hullaballoo. Dad, knowing na may boyfriend ako, looking at me and Allan alternately. Okay na sana after that day. But after a month, hindi ako dinatnan ng period ko. The pregnancy kit showed a positive result.. Then ayun na, Dad forced me to marry Allan. Wala naman pagtutol sa side ni Allan. Wala akong choice dahil isa sa malaking account ni Dad ang company na pinagwo-workan ng Papa ni Allan.”
“I could not hate on Dad. I can’t blame him, he just based his actions with what he has seen. Wala ako maalala kaya wala akong maidepensa. On the positive side, I thought matututunan kong mahalin si Allan. But Tori, ang puso ay tumitibok on it’s own, the same thing na hindi mo maididikta ang dapat nyang maramdaman.”
Tori hugged me, and she has this powerful hug that would take away lahat ng sama ng loob na nararamdaman mo.
“Ikaw kasi, you made me tell you the whole story of my sad life.” Hinampas ko ang braso ni Tori playfully at napansin ko na umiiyak sya.
“What the hell? Why are you crying?” Tanong ko sa kanya.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know the whole story about you and Allan, I thought you’re just a lustful chick who wants to play around with men.” Sagot ni Tori in between her sobs.
“Such a cliche ‘noh? Well, I’m a lustful chick and a playful bitch if you want to call me that. I am who I am. I am because of what I have become. I have no regrets with what I am doing and what I have done, Tori. Maybe that’s the difference. Kung sakaling mamatay ako at haharap ako kay San Pedro at pag sinabi nya na ‘Star, sabi sa libro ng buhay, malandi kang babae. Napakarami mong naging lalaki. Makakapasok ka lang sa gate na ito kung masasabi mo sa akin kung ilan ang naka-kantot sa iyo sa lupa!’ Mapapanga-nga na lang ako at sasabihin ko sa kanya na ‘Sorry po San Pedro, hindi ko na po matandaan. Many to Mention!’ at sasabihin nya sa akin na ‘burn, bitch, burn!’ ganyan!”
Natawa si Tori.
“Stop crying. Ako nga hindi umiiyak. Do not cry for other’s misery. Remember that you have your own miseries to cry about too. You’ll see, makakawala rin ako kay Allan, and I will make sure na hindi nya makukuha si Matthew. It’s only a matter of time, Tori.”
“C’mon, we went here to have fun and not to be sad for what kind of fucked up life we have. Kaya nga we have the money to drown our miseries and just forget for a while na life has been unfair to us. You have your story, I have mine but isipin mo na lang, single ka. You can play with them men and so what? But if people found out about the likes of me, imagine how they will skin me to death with all their criticisms. Kaya deadma na yan. Let’s drink and get drunk and get fucked up, literally!”
And with that note, itinaas ko ang aking wine glass sabay sabi: “Cheers to the bitches!”
“To the bitches…