Pacomment naman diyan! Update ako sa friday! 

~Author-sama

Flashback

"Bro, kumain ka naman." Wela sighed as she entered Waldrin's room. Nagkalat ang mga bote at cans ng beer sa carpet at medyo nangangamoy na sa loob. Her brother is seating on the edge of his bed at nakatingin lang ito sa kawalan, as usual wala ito sa sarili. 

Napatingin si Waldrin sa kamay niya. Suot-suot pa rin niya ang wedding ring nila ni Maxene, and he is wearing Maxene's wedding ring on his pinky. Hindi dapat mawala yun. 

"Waldrin! You are killing yourself!" 

"My life is gone, what's the use of living?" He glanced at her. Nangingitim na ang ilalim ng mga mata nito as he is pale as white. Namumuti at sugat-sugat na ang bibig nito. 

"BULLSH*T!!! MALIGO KA NGA!!!" Wela pulled her at push her towards the bathroom. She opened the shower para mabasa si Waldrin at baka sakaling mahimasmasan ito. 

"Waldrin! Lahat tayo nawalan, lahat tayo nasaktan! But stop hurting and killing yourself dahil andito pa kami! Nasasaktan kami sa ginagawa mong unti-unting pagpatay sa sarili mo! Maawa ka naman saming andito pa at nagmamahal sayo! O kahit maawa ka na lang kay Mommy!" 

His eyes widen in realization pero agad ding humapdi ang mga mata niya upon realizing that Maxene is already gone. He kept on punching the wall until his knuckles bleed. Umaalingawngaw sa loob ng banyo ang kanyang iyak at sigaw. 

He is in pain... Too much in pain... 

"Sshhh it's okay, brother... It's okay, we are here for you." Wela hugged him tight. They may not be that close but she knows her brother needed his family right now. 

"YOU DEFINITELY NEED TO MOVE ON!" Wela spat ng makita ang mansyong regalo sana ni Waldrin kay Maxene noong kasal nila. Waldrin decided to move here, to live with the memories of Maxene for the rest of his life. 

"I am okay ate, mas gusto ko dito. Mas nakakahinga ako ng maluwang..." He sighed as he stared at Maxene's huge portrait in his living room. Namutawi ang isang malungkot na ngiti sa kanyang labi as he stared at her picture. 

"Ewan ko na sayo Waldrin! Malaki ka na! I can't keep babying you!" 

Waldrin hugged his sister and kissed her cheek. "I am okay now, thank you. Stay happy." 

"I love you little bro, don't waste your life. Hindi yun magugustuhan ni Maxene." Wela tapped his back. 

"WALDRIN! Are you listening to me?" Leanna snapped her fingers in front of Waldrin's face. Graduating na sila and they met Leanna dito sa school.

"Why are you here?" He asked her. Ito yung bench na lagi nilang tinatambayan ni Maxene noon. This is the place for him and Maxene only pero nakaupo ngayon sa tabi si Leanna. His blood boiled pero agad din niyang kinalma ang sarili niya. 

"Why? Syempre because I am your girlfriend!" Masayang sambit nito. 

"You are not! Ilang beses ko bang sasabihin sayong hindi kita gusto at hinding-hindi kita magugustuhan! You even told Marshan that you are my girlfriend?! ANO BANG PLANO?!" 

Hindi niya namalayang nakahawak na siya ng mahigpit sa panga ni Leanna na ngayo'y naiiyak na. 

"B-But you needed me! You needed me to ease the pain you are feeling right now! Waldrin ako lang ang makakatulong sayo! I'll help you to move on!" He pushed her face away at marahas na tumayo mula sa bench. 

"I don't need you. Si Maxene lang ang kailangan ko." He hissed and walked out on her. 

Walang araw na hindi nakadikit sa kanya si Leanna and he just couldn't care less as long as he's living with Maxene's memories. Pinakalat ni Leanna na sila na ni Waldrin and Marshan was very mad, she stayed away from them dahil na rin sa issue nito sa kanyang pamilya. 

Isang araw pinilit siya ni Leanna na ihatid siya sa bahay nila dahil malakas noon ang ulan. He even asked Christian, Raven and Jude to send her pero umiyak lang si Leanna dahil ang gusto nito ay siya ang maghatid dito. 

He had no other choice but to send her home. Inisip na lang niyang he's doing her a favor because she is a friend. 

He didn't expect that Leanna set it up para maipakilala siya nito sa mga magulang niya bilang boyfriend. He couldn't deny it because he knows Dr. Marquez, ito ang doctor ni Maxene and he is a very good man, maging ang asawa nito ay napakabait sa kanya. He cannot afford to disappoint them. 

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT?! FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL HINDI KITA GIRLFRIEND LEANNA!!!" Waldrin was fuming mad. Leanna is manipulating everything, she is broadcasting it to everyone, she even introduced herself to his family. 

"ANO BA ANG HINDI MO MAGUSTUHAN SAKIN?! I HAD ALWAYS BEEN HERE FOR YOU! Kung gusto mo akong gawing rebound okay lang! Just please let me stay besides you. Kahit wag mo na kong mahalin, hayaan mo lang akong mahalin ka." 

He clenched his jaw. Leanna never left his side. She never let him feel he is alone. But for him, she is just a friend. He appreciates all her efforts pero hindi niya talaga ito kayang mahalin. He cannot imagine being with someone who is not Maxene, he'd rather live alone.

"You deserve someone better Leanna, I cannot like you because you are not her. And you will never be her." He breathed. 

"No... No... I don't need you to love me back. I just want to stay with you and love you. Please!" Umiiyak na pahayag nito. Muling napabuntong hininga si Waldrin. 

"Please stop! Just love somebody else! Hindi talaga kita kayang mahalin!" 

"No! You can't stop me!" Marahas na pinunasan ni Leanna ang mga luha niya and walked out on him. 

Since that day, Leanna's obsession became worse. She has duplicates of all Waldrin's cars keys kaya bago pa ito makauwi ay nasa loob na siya ng kotse nito para lagi siya nitong inihahatid pauwi. She even know all of his schedules, she brings him lunch everyday at sinisigurado niyang nakikita iyon ng mga malalapit sa kanila so they can assume that they are going steady. 

She hangs out with his friends and family at nagkwekwento ng mga bagay-bagay na ginagawa ni Waldrin para sa kanya na hindi naman totoo. She's clingy to him in front of everyone, napagod na rin siya sa kakasita dito kaya hinahayaan na lang niya.

Waldrin just ignored it dahil alam niya sa sarili niya kung ano ang totoo. He's hoping that Leanna would just grew tired of pushing herself to him at kusa na itong tumigil sa kadesperadahan niya. 

But things got worse when Leanna announced that they are engaged over their family dinner while wearing the ring she bought for herself. He immediately pulled her out of their house as soon as Marshan went home. 

"NASISIRAAN KA NA BA?! HOW CAN WE BE ENGAGED WHEN I AM STILL MARRIED!!!" I snapped at her while showing her the wedding rings I am wearing. 

"Waldrin, you're widowed. And of course, they are expecting us to get married soon. I already talked to a wedding planner and the date is already set! Wala ka ng aabalahin, ako na ang gagastos!" She smiled sweetly at him. Umigting ang panga ni Waldrin as he clenched his fist. 

He could've just hit her but he couldn't. She's being too much! 

"Marry yourself then." He hissed and pushed her papasok sa sasakyan nito. Umiiyak muli si Leanna pagkasakay nito sa sasakyan niya. Mas lalong umigting ang panga nito. She's been like that, lagi na lang nitong iniiyak kapag nagagalit ito sa kanya. 

Hindi niya ito pinansin. He is fuming mad. Hindi niya ito inimik hanggang sa maihatid niya ito sa bahay nila. He even had to drag her out of his car. 

Nakahinga siya ng maluwag as he reach his house. Agad niyang binuklat ang mga photo album kung saan punung-puno ito ng mga pictures ni Maxene. It is his stress reliever. Hindi na rin niya mabilang kung ilang beses niyang napanood ang mga videos na pasimple niyang kinukuha noon. 

Bahala na lang si Leanna na mag-ilusyon sa kung ano man ang gusto niya. Wala naman siyang kinompirma sa mga sinabi nito. 

------

MAXENE woke up with a very dry throat. Napaungol siya sa sakin ng lalamunan at sakit ng katawanan niya. Her eyes hardly adjusted to the light after opening. She tried asking for water pero ungol lang ang lumabas sa kanyang bibig. 

Naalimpungatan si Waldrin ng makarinig siya ng ungol. His eyes squinted as he gazed at the digital clock on the side table. It's is still  3 am. Muli siyang nakarinig ng ungol and his gaze shifted to Maxene. 

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya at agad na napatayo ng makita niya ang pagkurap-kurap ni Maxene. 

"Maxene!" He gasped. Agad niyang pinindot ang emergency button. Ramdam niya ang mahinang pagpisil ng hawak ni Maxene sa kamay niya. Muling bumuhos ang luha niya as his heart filled with glee. He kissed her forehead many times as he kept on telling her how much he loves her. 

Pumasok ang Daddy ni Maxene to check on her, kasama nito si Yrew.

"Good morning my princess..." He smiled at her and checked her dextrose. 

"D-Dad..." Namamaos na sabi nito. Yrew told Waldrin to give her water at painumin muna ito gamit ang straw. 

"She's okay now. Stable naman lahat ng vital signs. Palakas muna siya ng isang linggo then you can go home." Dr. Chua tapped his shoulder. 

"Thanks Dad." He sniffed bago muling alalayan si Maxene sa pag-inom ng tubig. Lumabas na ng kwarto ang dalawang doctor. Maxene was just staring at Waldrin's face na umiiyak pa rin sa galak habang umiinom siya ng tubig. 

"I love you..." He whispered to her. Ngumiti si Maxene sa kanya and mouthed 'I love you, too' dahil wala pa siyang boses. 

"Ang ganda mo kahit mukha ka ng bampira." Waldrin chuckled as he brush Maxene's hair. Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata niya na mas ikinatawa ni Waldrin. "I miss you so much. Bilisan mong magpagaling, nalulungkot na ang mga bata." 

"While you were asleep lagi silang tumatawag at nagvivideocall para kamustahin ka. Next check up mo malalaman na natin kung anong magiging gender ng baby natin." He said excitedly. 

"I-I'm sorry..." A lone tear fell from her eye na agad naman pinunasan ni Waldrin. 

"It's okay, ako dapat ang nagsosorry dahil hindi ako kasing lakas mo. I should be the one protecting you. Ang mahalaga gising ka na." He held her hand and kissed her palm. "Ang mahalaga ligtas kayo ng baby natin." He leaned down to kiss her on her lips. 

HINDI rin nagtagal ay nakalabas na rin ng hospital si Maxene. They went immediately to Waldrin's parents house para sunduin ang mga bata. 

"MOMMY KOOOO!!!" Umiiyak na sinugod siya ng mga yakap ng kanyang mga anak. Her tears fell habang yakap-yakap ang mga ito as she showered them with kisses. 

"H-Hindi na ko bad girl ulit..." Gretel cried hard. Habang ngumangawa na si Hansel na kasama pang pagsinok. 

"It's not your fault okay? Mommy will protect the both of you no matter what." She sniffed as she kisses the two. Mahigpit ang yakap sa kanya ng dalawa dahil napalayo sila sa kanya ng halos isang buwan. 

"Stop crying now, hindi na aalis si Mommy." 

"I love you Mommy." Gretel sniffed. 

"I love you, too sweetie." She kissed her lips at bumaling kay Hansel na hindi pa rin natitigil sa pagngawa. "I thought big boys don't cry?" She teased him. Ngumuso ito at sumubsob sa leeg niya. 

"Ayokong maging big boy eh! Gusto ko baby mo lang ako..." He pouted. 

"But you'll be a big brother soon..." 

"Eeehhh ayoko!" He bawled. Natatawa na lang si Maxene na bumaling sa asawa niya at sa mga in-laws niya. 

"Glad you're okay, iha..." Alicia smiled at her. 

"Pasensya na po ulit sa abala.." 

"No problem sweetie, basta kapag nahirapan kayo sa mga bata, you can always bring them here." She smiled.  

Nagsimula na ring magsidatingan ang mga kaibigan nila. Halos lahat sila nag-iiyakan ng makita si Maxene. Binibisita naman siya ng mga ito noon kaya hindi niya magets kung bakit umiiyak pa rin ang mga ito. 

"Akala ko mawawala ka na!!!!" Hagulgol ni Vicky habang yakap-yakap siya. Napapangiwi na lang siya sa lakas ng boses nito. 

"Ang OA. Parang andun ka naman nung magising ako..."

"Tsss wag kang panira gusto kong magdrama." She hissed. Natawa na lang ito. Monique and Christian approached her and gave her a hug. Sila na siguro yung couple na lowkey lang di gaya nina Marshan at Vicky na masyadong OA. 

Napagdesisyonan na rin ni lang doon na maglunch. 

"Actually, guys I have a great news." Waldrin caught their attention. Napatingin silang lahat sa kanya, maging si Maxene na nagtataka. He just smiled sweetly at his wife at inakbayan ito. 

"We're having triplets."