Chapter 20
Julia's Point of View
It's been a week since the plane crash, and all the six bodies were found burned. Na-identify na din as one of the six si Kath. Nandun yung suot niyang singsing and of course the DNA findings. The board members ng company nila along the investors were devastated about the news, the heiress was dead. Pero naisip nila na baka she was just faking her death again pero nga daw bakit naman daw gagawin yun ni Kath kung masaya na siya?
Daniel will inherit everything Kath left due to spousal rights. Pero mukhang walang pakielam si Daniel about dun, simula nang nakabalik kami sa Manila, hindi na siya lumalabas ng bahay nila ni Kath especially their room.
Masakit isipin na wala na si Kath pero kailangan kong maging malakas para matulungan ko yung best friend ko, hindi kasi siya maka-cope sa nangyari. At nasasaktan ako para sa kanya. Tulala lang si Daniel na wala bang wala siya dito.
I lifted up the tray na dadalhin ko sa kwarto ni Daniel, he hasn't been eating at worried na ako, ilang araw na ba siyang ganyan? Nung bumisita si Tita Clarisse, he suspected her of the plane crash pero why would tita do that? Wala naman siyang makukuha pag pinasabog niya yung eroplano at isa pa due to mechanical reasons as well as the weather.
It was a tragic accident.
Kumatok na ako sa kwarto pero walang sumasagot kaya dahan dahan akong pumasok, nakita ko si Daniel na nakahiga sa kama at nakaharap siya sa parte ng kama kung saan siguro natutulog si Kath dahil nilagay niya yung picture frame dun ni Kath. Umiiyak na naman siya.
Lumapit ako at nilapag ko sa may kama yung tray, tinignan ako ni Daniel pero mabilis din niyang binalik sa picture yung titig niya. "Dan kain ka muna." I said.
"Hindi ako nagugutom." sagot niya
"Ilang araw ka ng hindi kumakain Daniel, pagnalaman ni Kath na hindi ka kumakain....." hindi ko na natapos yung sinasabi ko dahil bigla siyang umupo sa pagkahiga.
"Babalik ba siya pag kumain ako?" he asked "Babalik ba siya sa akin pag kinain ko yan? Mababalik ba niyang pagkain na yan si Kath? Babalik ba siya?" he asked tears were falling in his eyes "I miss her so much Julia na gusto ko ng sumunod sa kanya." he said.
Tears fell in my eyes "Dan don't say that."
"Pero wala ng saysay yung buhay ko kung wala siya." He said "Ang sakit sakit Julia. Hindi ko alam kung kakayanin ko pang mabuhay kung alam kong sa susunod na araw wala parin siya."
Lumapit ako ng kunti kay Daniel. "Dan, kailangan mong maging malakas."
"Para saan pa Julia?" he asked.
"Madaming naiwan si Kath na kailangan mong ayusin." I said.
"Isa na ako dun sa iniwan niya." he said "Iniwan din niya ako."
Niyakap ko na siya "Hindi niya gustong iwan ka Dan alam mo yan."
Umiyak siya sa shoulder ko "Can't she come back?" he asked. "I want my wife back."
And I knew that Daniel would never love again. Na wala ng babae na mamahalin niya except kay Kath. Hindi na siya maghahanap pa ng iba.
After that, medyo kumain si Daniel pero kunti lang at nagpaiwan lang siya sa loob ng kwarto. Paul was arranging the funeral for Kath. Once again may ilalagay sila sa grave ni Kath this time totoo ng may laman ito na bangkay.
Alam mong hindi pineke yung pagkamatay ni Kath dahil Paul was devastated too. Ilang araw din ba siya bago siya nakapag function as the acting heir ng mga kayamanan ng Rutherford. He treated her like a sister at it was his job to protect her no matter what pero wala kay Paul hindi niya nagawa ng maayos yung trabaho niya.
Bumaba na ako at dun ko nakita si Khalil na nakatitig sa picture ni Kath kasama yung mom niya. Hindi ako gumalaw kung nasaan man ako at tinignan ko lang si Khalil. He always had the strong facade in front of everyone these past few "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." he said as he put it down and he brushed the tear away from his eyes.
Dahan dahan akong lumapit sa kanya. "Khalil." I called.
Nilingon niya ako and the serious expression was on "Kamusta na si Daniel?" he asked.
"He ate." I said.
A few days later, it was Kath's memorial. I had to forced Daniel to take a shower and change into some three piece suits. Kailangan nandun siya pero ayaw niyang pumunta dahil ayaw niyang aminin na wala na si Kath. But he needed to go as the husband of the Leila Kathryn Rutherford-Vanderbilt. He is to get everything Kath left.
The car stopped at the cemetery, it wasn't raining but the sky was gloomy. Bumaba na ako and Daniel forced himself to get out of the car. I was about to hold his hand para may kasama siyang maglakad papunta sa puntod but then Tita Clarisse came.
"It won't look good kung nasa tabi ka ni Daniel, Julia." she said at tama siya ang pangit tignan. So I stepped away a little farther from him at si Tita ang tumabi kay Daniel "Alam kong may hindi pa tayo pagkakaintindihan Daniel pero wala akong kinalaman sa pagkamatay ni Kathryn. And you have tp get a grip. Madaming magku-question sa ability mo at rights mo sa Rutherford fortune." sabi niya habang naglalakad kami, nasa likod ako kasama si Enrique.
"Kunin na nila yun. I don't need it. I need my wife back." Daniel said in a straight face.
"Itatapon mo lahat ng iyon? Sa tingin mo iingatan nila yung kompanya? You have to take care of it dahil iniwan sayo to ni Kathryn. Mahalaga to para sa kanya." Daniel still doesn't want anything with the Rutherford fortune. Pero dahil nga sa spousal rights he is to get everything. There's no need for a will dahil they were legally married and legally sa kanya na iyon.
Nakarating na kami sa punton ni Kath, it was opened and the casket was there suspended in the air waiting for us. The prayer began and dahan dahan ay binaba na ito and everyone closed to family ay naghahagis ng bulaklak.
Paul threw the white rose and looked at the casket "I'm so sorry milady." he said as he brushed the tear off.
It was my turn and I gently threw the rose "Sana maayos ka diyan Kath. I miss you." I said sa isip ko.
"Daniel." pagtawag ni Tita "Go and say goodbye to Kathryn."
Daniel shook his head pero binigay sa kanya ni Tita yung isang rose and dahan dahan silang dalawa yung lumapit sa binababang casket. "Hindi ba pwedeng bumalik na?" he asked as he looked down "Kailangan ba talagang magpaalam na ako?" he cried "I love you so much and I miss you." he said as he threw the white rose down the ground.
Everyone said condolences to Daniel and he would just nod to them. Isa isa na din silang nagsiuwian pero gustong magpaiwan muna ni Daniel so I accompanied him. Umupo kaming dalawa sa tapat ng kakalapat lang na lupa.
"Julia?" he called "Nararamdaman mo bang patay na talaga siya?" he said as he looked at me. I slightly nod dahil ramdam ko yung pagkawala ng presence ni Kath. "Ako kasi hindi. Alam kong wala na siya pero iba yung sinasabi ng puso ko. Ayaw niyang maniwala kasi ramdam ko parin siya. Para lang siyang wala sa paningin ko katulad nung nagkahiwalay kami dati. Ganun lang pero hindi ko ramdam na patay na siya." he said.
"Hindi ka kasi kaya ng puso mong mag cope." I told him.
He nodded in agreement "Madami akong plano para sa aming dalawa ni Kath. Sobrang dami pero ni isa wala pa kaming nagagawa dahil akala ko mahaba yung panahon na magkasama kami at hindi ko kailangan madaliin." pagkukwento niya.
Pumunta kami ni Daniel sa main house ng mga Rutherford to check on Paul. And alam ko kasi today they would draft the rights and all. Aayusin na nila at ilalagay sa pangalan ni Daniel ang lahat ng kayamanan ng mga ito.
Daniel immediately went to the old room of Kath at ako naman ay naglibot libot muna sa garden nila Kath, dito sila nagpakasal. Dito ko nakitang sobrang saya nilang dalawa.
Pumunta na din ako sa loob ng study kung nasaan si Paul, pagpasok ko nakita kong ang daming papel na nakakalat, at si Paul ay andun nakatayo habang may hinahanap sa mga papel na iyon. "Paul anong ginagawa mo?" I asked.
"Naghahanap ng clues." sagot niya. What clues? Patuloy siyang nagbabasa at naghahanap at the same time. "Sabi ko na nga ba." he said pero I know he was not talking to me pero sa sarili niya "7 sila sa loob!" he said.
7 na ano?
Pumasok na din si Daniel at nagtataka din siya sa ginagawa ni Paul "Paul... ano ba yan?" he asked.
Ngumiti si Paul kay Daniel, ngayon ko lang ulit siya nakitang ngumiti ng hindi pilit pero hindi siya sumagot at may hinanap pa ulit siya. Nakatayo lang kami dun ni Daniel sa may sulok habang siya naman ay nagpupunit ng papel at dinidikit ito sa kung ano man nandun sa table.
Siguro ito ang ginawa ng death ni Kath.
"Paul." pagtawag ni Daniel. "Akala ko ba darating yung mga lawyers?" he asked irritably.
"Lawyers! Ou nga pala kailangan ko din silang makausap." sabi niya sabay kuha nung telepono at nag dial, he called the Rutherford lawyers to come.
"Ano ba kasi yang ginagawa mo Paul?" Daniel asked again.
Tumingin ulit si Paul kay Daniel at ngumiti "Milady is alive."
Naging stiff si Daniel sa sinabi ni Paul "An...anong ibig mong sabihin?" he asked.
"Hindi siya namatay!" Paul said "Sabi sa reports anim na tao lang ang sakay ng eroplano pero they were seven! Seven!" he said "I remembered may 4 crew and then 3 passenger, milady, the driver and the maid." he said "Pito sila. At hindi anim. Buhay pa si milady."
"Paul be reasonable." I said "Baka yung sinasabi mong isa ay isa sa mga crew or yung maid pero nakita si Kath, yung singsing and the DNA findings." Gusto ko man maniwala pero there were real facts.
"That can be tainted! We tainted the DNA before so ngayon pwede din! She's alive. Kasama ko siyang lumaki kaya parang pamilya ko na siya at hindi ko man naramdaman na patay na siya. Hindi. Kaya buhay siya at hahanapin ko siya." Paul said
"Sure ka ba Paul?"
Tinignan ni Paul si Daniel "Yes Daniel at hahanapin ko siya at ibabalik ko siya."
"Kung totoong buhay si Kath bakit may nagtatago ng katotohanan?" I asked.
Napaisip din si Paul "I don't know pero hahanapin ko siya at yung sagot diyan. There's someone powerful behind all of this. Nagawa niyang baguhin yung sinasabi ng reports at ang DNA ni Kath." he said "So Daniel I need you to stay here."
"No. Sasama ako sa paghahanap mo kay Kath." Sagot ni Daniel. Now the two believed that she's alive. I want to believe pero ayokong umasa.
"Ikaw na ang namamahala ng lahat ng ito at kailangan ka dito. I am not kaya hahanapin ko ang aking amo at ibabalik ko siya. Hintayin mo nalang ang pagbalik namin."
"Paul are you really sure she's alive? I want to believe you pero ayoko ding umasa na buhay si Kath." I said.
He nodded. "She's somewhere."
I knew it!hahaha exciting! Omigosh!
ReplyDeleteI knew it!hahaha exciting! Omigosh!
ReplyDeleteoh my !
ReplyDeleteexciting !!!
Yeah men! That's it! Ohmygod. This is sooooooooo exciting!
ReplyDelete