Epilogue

Happy Ending

Alecx

I saw him just watching me from afar... Sinubukan kong ibalik ang atensyon ko sa ginagawa kasama ang mga bata pero hindi na naalis ang isipan ko sa kaniya. Sa huli ay nagpasya akong magpaalam nalang muna sa mga bata. Hindi ko alam kung maaabutan ko pa ba si Ryder pero sinubukan ko paring habulin siya at naabutan ko pa nga siya. He was about to get in his car nang makita niya rin ako. Natigilan siya at bahagyang bumalik at lumapit sa akin.

He was wearing casual clothing and I was also in my usual modest dress. Like what I usually wear now especially when I'm here at the orphanage. Mas naging komportable kasi ako kapag ganito. Simple lang ang ayos ko at medyo malayo na sa nakasanayan ko pero tingin ko naman ay mas gusto ko itong present version ng sarili ko. I smiled. "Aalis ka na?" I calmly asked him.

"I'm sorry, I was just... checking," hindi halos siya magkandaugaga sa sinasabi niya.

I nodded. "May birthday ang isang bata dito sa loob. Uh, baka gusto mong mag-stay muna? Magsisimula pa lang naman kami... O, nagmamadali ka ba? May pupuntahan pa?" I tried to invite him in again. Sa loob na siya galing pero hindi ko alam kung nagtagal ba siya...

He slowly nodded his head. Tumango rin ako at nagpatiuna na.

"I didn't mean to disturb you. I was just..." he tried to explain.

I halted a bit on my steps and turned to him. I gave him a small smile. It's been months since we last saw each other. Hindi na kami kasal... At hindi na rin kami nag-uusap... Ngayon pa lang ulit. "Ayos lang... Uh, ikaw siguro iyong tinutukoy nina Sister Angelique?" Naalala kong may sinabi nga sina sister na lalaking bumibisita rin dito minsan. Kahit sa mga bata ay narinig ko na rin ito. A man was visiting here aside from me and bringing food and toys for the kids. Naghinala ako... pero hindi ko rin lubusang maisip. Ilang beses sinubukan kong kilalanin ang taong iyon. Pero madalas din ay hindi ko siya maabutan. Ngayon lang siguro...

"Uh... yeah... The kids here are nice..." aniya.

I smiled more. Mukhang siya nga rin ang taong iyon. Hindi siya nagpakilala nang lubusan at mukhang ang lalaking sekretarya na madalas din niyang nakasama sa pagpunta rito ang tanging nagbigay ng pangalan. I nodded. "Oo, mababait talaga ang mga bata rito. Masunurin sila sa mga nag-aalaga sa kanila rito at masipag din sa pag-aaral nila."

Ryder nodded. We were walking back to where the kids are. Nakita ko si Jeth na sinalubong kami.

"There you are! I and the children were looking for you. Bigla ka yatang nawala..." he looked at Ryder too beside me.

Tumigil kami ni Ryder sa harap ni Jeth. "Jeth, this is Ryder Martinez. Rye, this is Jethro. He sometimes helps me here with the children, too..."

Nagkamayan ang dalawang lalaki sa harap ko. Ngumiti ako at tinawag na rin kami ni Sister Angelique. I also introduced Ryder to them na kilala na nga rin nila. Tapos na sa pagluluto para sa birthday ni Anika at ilalabas na rin ang b-in-ake kong cake para sa bata.

Isa si Anika sa mga batang napalapit na rin talaga sa akin. I'm even thinking of adopting the child...

"Wait here, tutulong lang ako sa kusina." paalam ko kay Ryder.

"I'll go with you." mabilis ding sumama sa akin si Jeth.

Tumango nalang ako at hinayaan ito. Pero nilingon ko rin si Ryder na nag-iwas ng tingin sa amin ni Jeth.

I sighed, but I can't help it also but to smile with what I'm feeling inside my stomach... Parang ang tagal na simula nang huli akong makadama ng ganito... I bit my lip.

"And... that was your ex-husband?" Jeth asked as we made our way to the kitchen backdoor.

Bumaling ako sa kaniya at tumango.

His forehead creased a little. "What is he doing here?"

"Binibisita niya rin pala ang mga bata dito, Jeth. Paalis na sana siya kanina but I invited him to Anika's birthday."

Kunot pa rin ang noo ni Jeth. I just smiled at him. Malinaw naman sa amin na magkaibigan lang talaga kami. Nilinaw ko rin iyon sa kaniya dahil ayaw kong baka magkaroon pa kami ng hindi pagkakaunawaan.

"Alright..." ani Jeth na nginisihan ko lang. He sighed.

Jeth helped me with Anika's cake. He stayed with me until we were outside the orphanage's garden or playground for the kids again and I was showing Anika her cake. Hindi umalis sa tabi ko si Jeth habang naging abala rin ako kay Anika at hindi ko na rin naasikaso si Ryder.

"Thank you, po!" she happily thanked me.

I just gave her an assuring smile.

We sang the girl a birthday song. Masiglang kumakanta at bumabati ang mga bata sa kasama at kalaro nila. Sinulyapan ko rin si Ryder na nandoon at marahan ding kumakanta kasabay namin.

"Make a wish!" I told Anika.

She closed her eyes to make her birthday wish. And when she opened them she immediately blew on the candles. I smiled as I tugged some loose strands of hair behind her ear. Both her parents died when she was still little. Dahil wala nang ibang pamilya o kamag-anak na puwedeng kumupkop sa bata kaya halos dito na rin siya lumaki sa orphanage. And now she's 7 years old and a healthy and a pretty girl.

We all clapped our hands for the birthday celebrant just right after Anika blew on her birthday candle. Pagkatapos ay nagsimula na rin kaming kumain sa mga handa na pinauna muna namin ang mga bata. Both Jeth and Ryder were also helping in attending to the needs of the children. Napapangiti nalang ako. I have never been this peaceful my whole life until now...

"Kumain ka na rin." Pagkatapos kong asikasuhin si Anika at ang iba pang mga bata ay nilapitan ko na si Ryder na nakita kong abala pa rin sa ilang mga lalaking bata na mukhang natutuwa rin kay Ryder. I smiled.

Ryder turned to me. May ngiti pa sa mga labi niya mula sa masayang pakikipag-interact sa mga bata. When was the last time I saw him smile genuinely like this? Napangiti rin ako dahil sa ngiti niya. "How about you? Hindi ka pa rin kumakain," he noticed, too.

Nakangiti pa rin akong bahagyang umiling. "Tara, sabay na tayo."

Mukhang bahagya pa siyang natigilan sa sinabi ko pero kalmado ring ngumiti sa akin at sumunod na. Giniya ko siya sa isang maliit na lamesa. Tumulong din ang ilang staff ng orphanage na lagyan kami ng pagkain ni Ryder doon. "Nako, thank you, po. Kaya naman namin pero salamat." I thanked the kind staff.

Ngumiti lang ito sa akin at nagpatuloy sa ginagawa. Nang iwan kami nito ay kumpleto na sa pagkain ang mesa namin ni Ryder.

Umupo na rin kami ni Ryder doon. Bahagya ko pa siyang pinagsilbihan sa paglalagay ng pagkain sa plate niya.

"Uh, thanks," he said.

I just smiled at him. Unti-unti na rin kaming nagsimulang kumain pagkatapos.

"So, you've been donating in the orphanage, too?" I asked him after a while.

Nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin. "Uh, yeah... I-I hope you don't mind?"

Maagap akong umiling. "Of course no. Not at all." iling ko. "I'd be happy to know that more people are helping this orphanage. Ito yata ang pinakamalaling bahay ampunan na alam ko. Maraming mga bata rito na wala nang pamilya... But despite what each child here had been through, tingnan mo at nakakangiti pa rin sila. And you can still see and feel hope in them..." Napangiti ako nang bumaling sa mga bata na mukhang nasasarapam naman sa kinakain nila. Nag-volunteer ako na gumastos para sa mga handa sa birthday ni Anika.

"Yeah..."

Bumaling ako kay Ryder at ngumiti.

Nakatingin lang siya sa akin at pagkatapos ay napangiti na rin.

"You're... with him...?" as if he carefully asked me.

Bumaling ako sandali kay Jeth na busy naman kay Anika. "Oh, si Jeth?" Bahagyang tumango si Ryder. "Ah, tumutulong din siya dito sa orphanage kapag hindi siya busy... Pareho kayo." I gave Ryder another smile. "He's my friend," I added.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Ryder before a smile slowly broke on both our lips.

Isa lang iyon sa mga naging encounter namin ni Ryder sa orphanage simula noon. Palagi na rin siyang nakakabisita sa orphanage at madalas na kaming magkita doon. Hanggang sa natuto na rin ang mga batang tuksuhin kaming dalawa sa isa't isa minsan. Hindi ko alam kung paano iyon nagsimula pero siguro nakita at napansin na rin ng mga bata na may kung ano sa amin ni Ryder... I shook my head. Ang mga batang 'to talaga... Napangiti nalang ako.

Hanggang sa dumating ang araw na unti-unti ay inimbita ako ni Ryder na lumabas kami, mag-dinner... Mamasyal sa umaga... Giving me gifts like flowers and chocolates and other sweet gestures... Doon ko naramdaman na baka sa pagkakataong ito ay puwede na kami...

"What happened to Isobel...?" I asked him one time when we were alone watching the city lights below as we sat on his car's hood and was near a cliff. Maganda ang lugar at tahimik... Hindi ko alam kung saan nakuha ni Ryder na mag-date din kami nang ganito but I liked it. Siguro ay kaka-research na rin niya ng best dates ideas... I smirked upon remembering what I saw in his search history one time.

Bumaling sa akin si Ryder. Magakatabi kaming nakaupo sa hood ng sasakyan niya. Nagkatinginan kami. "She wasn't well... She needed professional help." he said.

Bahagyang umawang ang labi ko at hindi agad ako nakapagsalita. "How is she? Dexter, her husband... O naghiwalay ba sila nang tuluyan?"

Umiling si Ryder. "He was jealous for no reason... Kaya nasasaktan niya minsan ang asawa niya. Nang hindi na kinaya ni Isobel, she went away and left her husband. Gusto niyang makipaghiwalay, but her parents won't allow her. She wasn't stable... Her cousin and her aunt help her seek professional help... The last thing I knew was her husband was trying to help her, too. And is now staying by her side."

I nodded slowly trying to absorb what I heard... "You loved her..." It was obvious. Nanatili ang tingin ko sa harap namin.

Ryder sighed. "Yes, I did loved her, Alecx. She was my first love... We shared good memories together despite the bad. But we already closed that chapter..." he honestly said.

Napangiti ako sa pagiging honest niya sa akin. Siguro kung noon ay magseselos pa rin ako... But it's different now. I feel like all the insecurities I had was already thrown out the window. Mas alam ko na ngayon. Alam ko na kung ano ang gusto ko at ang deserve ko.

Loving doesn't just mean to feel the butterflies in your stomach. It is more than that. It is something deep. As deep as wanting to find acceptance and security... Iyon naman siguro talaga, 'di ba? Maybe we didn't feel that acceptance and security for a long time, even in our family... friends, or at work. So we hope to find and feel that with someone... Someone who can love as with acceptance of who we really are and what we are. And that someone we can feel safe and secured with...

Maybe we can do that too within ourselves. We can love our own self by accepting what we are and get rid of our insecurities alone. We can do that alone... But sometimes... iba pa rin siguro talaga na bukod sa 'yo ay may iba pang taong magmamahal sa 'yo ng kung paano mo rin mahalin ang sarili mo o higit pa. It's also nice to love and to be loved.

"And now...?" I asked him playfully.

Nakatitig sa akin si Ryder. "Ikaw na ang minahal ko simula nang makilala kita, Alecxandra." And then he sighed and looked in front before looking back at me. "I knew I hurt you. I was confused... I got confused when Isobel came back... I wasn't yet sure of my feelings back then. Pero nand'yan ka na... So I tried my hardest not to hurt you... but I still did. I did because I thought I wasn't yet over the woman I also loved before..." he tried to explain.

Nakatingin lang ako kay Ryder. Ngayon niya lang yata sinasabi ito. Maybe because I haven't given him the chance to tell me these things before, too. At ngayon ay may pagkakataon na kaming sabihin sa isa't isa ang lahat...

"It's okay, Rye... I understand now... I was wrong, too. We were too in a rush back then..."

Nanatili ang tingin namin sa isa't isa.

Ngumiti ako sa kaniya. "But now... here we are. Slowly making our ways... Hindi na tayo pareho gaya nang dati, Ryder..." I gasped a little.

I gently rested my head on his shoulder. And then I felt his warm arm wrapped around me. I smiled contentedly.

***

"I didn't know, Rye... Na pinalibing mo pala ang anak natin..." I said as my heart was warming as we're nearing the mausoleum. My eyes were also warming in tears. It's been years but it's still painful. Thinking about what happened to my unborn child still hurt me.

Ryder was holding my hand as he lead the way. "I did it when you were still unconscious at the hospital then..."

Tumango ako sa sinabi niya. May konting luha na ang mga mata ko nang tuluyan kaming nakapasok sa isang malinis at mukhang alagang alagang mausoleum.

Tiningnan ko si Ryder. Pinalis niya ang luha sa mga mata ko gamit ang kamay at daliri niya. And then he pulled me close to him and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes for a while.

"Are you sure?" I asked Ryder when he told me about Anika. Kagagaling lang namin sa anak namin at pauwi na ngayon. Kahit papaano ay gumaan ang loob at damdamin ko. No matter what happen and wherever my angel right now, I know he or she is in a paradise place. And will forever be in my heart.

Pinagbuksan ako ni Ryder ng pinto ng sasakyan. "Yes," he confirmed.

Nakaawang pa rin ang labi ko at hindi halos makapaniwala sa sinabi niya. "For real? We are really adopting Anika?"

He nodded. "Yes, if that's what you want." he gave me a smile.

Napangiti na rin ako and I almost jumped to hug him. Hindi pa ako nakakapasok sa sasakyan. Ryder just chuckled. Minsan ko na rin kasing nasabi sa kaniya na gusto ko sanang ampunin si Anika. Magkakaanak pa naman ako balang-araw at hindi mawawala sa puso 't isipan ko ang unang anak namin ni Ryder but volunteering to help with the children at the orphanage has taught me to love and genuinely care for the children who's not even mine. Kaya naisip kong gusto kong maging pamilya ng kahit isa lang sa batang nandoon ng legal.

Kumalas ako sa yakap kay Ryder at tiningnan siya. "Kung ganoon, kailangan na nating magapakasal... uli?" I bit my lip after what I just burst. Nagpadalas-dalos ako sa sinabi siguro na rin dahil natuwa ako. Pero nakakahiya rin kay Ryder... Dapat ay hindi ko siya pinapangunahan.

But he only smiled. "I'm just waiting for you..." he said.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa kaniya. He's really considering it! Naisip ko lang naman na gusto kong bigyan din sana ng complete family si Anika. Na may parehong mommy at daddy. Kaya ko biglang nasabi kay Ryder ang tungkol sa pagpapakasal.

"Well... I'm ready, uh, anytime now..." I can feel my cheeks burning.

What the hell? We aren't in a hurry, alright. Dinahan-dahan na nga namin ni Ryder ngayon. At sa totoo lang kahit halikan ay hindi pa namin muli nagagawa despite dating each other for couple of months now! Pakiramdam ko nga ay sobrang pure lang ng relationship namin. We just spend time with each other and do things that can make us both happy... Mga ganoon lang.

Ryder chuckled a bit pero nagseryoso rin siya. And then he held my hand. Tumingin siya sa kamay ko ang rubbed my ring finger a bit. "I want... to marry you again when you're ready." nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin.

Tears formed in my eyes again. I nodded. I will marry you again, Ryder. This time, gagawin na nating tama at maayos ang mga bagay... I smiled to him. Ganoon din siya sa 'kin.

***

"Hello, Rocket. I missed you." sabi ko habang sinusubukan siyang amuin.

The horse made some sound as if he's telling me that he remembers me and he missed me, too. I chuckled.

Ryder and I got married again after talking about it with ourselves and then our families who were just both happy for me and Ryder. They supported us with everything including adopting Anika. Anika too was just so happy when she knew after we told her. Naiyak pa ang bata at pareho kaming niyakap ni Ryder. And after some months of preparation natuloy na nga kami ni Ryder sa isang beach wedding. Dito sa Villa Martinez ko piniling magpakasal kami uli dahil dito naman talaga kami nagkakilala.

That day I was walking to the path that was made in the white sand of Villa Martinez that will lead me to where Ryder was standing and patiently waiting for me. Nakangiti ako at masaya nang araw na iyon, very unlike our first wedding... But when I saw Ryder crying a bit as he was seeing me in my wedding dress slowly walking to him, medyo napaluha na rin ako.

After all we've been through nandito pa rin kami. This isn't yet our ending. Alam kong magsisimula pa lang kami uli sa pagiging mag-asawa, this time without the other motive but just with me and Ryder wanting to love each other for the rest of our lives... But I will consider this as our happy ending for now after everything that we've been through...

The instrumental of Because You Loved Me was playing for our wedding song...

Napangiti pa rin ako sa kabila ng mga luha. Nakita ko pa sina mommy at Tita Railani na umiiyak na rin. I tried to smile to assure them. Before I focused my full attention back to Ryder na naghihintay sa akin sa dulo...

I realized that the person we're bound to love isn't perfect like no one could be perfect... They may hurt us... They are flawed... The love they can give us may not be perfect... But the love we'll share with that person will give us hope... and faith. We learn to have faith in that person that despite the imperfections there's hope for a love that can still conquer all... That can conquer all the flaws and imperfections, and all the hurt and pain... Because love... can heal.

So despite everything that I had been through, after all the hurt and pain I have experienced... it's Ryder. It's really Ryder. Because after all it was him that I learned to love so deeply that I was willing to forgive and give him another chance. After all he had brought not only pain in my life but also joy. A kind of joy that can conquer the hurt and leave all the pain in the past. At alam kong ganoon din ang nararamdaman ni Ryder for he said that I healed him, too.

"Wanna ride with me?"

Bumaling ako kay Ryder. For our honeymoon pinili kong dito nalang din sa Villa Martinez. Gusto pa sana ni Ryder na mag-travel kami but we can also do that next time. I smiled to my husband. "Hmm, I can ride a horse on my own now." I told him.

Nakatingin naman siya sa akin.

I smiled. "I learned when I was abroad..."

Puwede naman akong matuto kahit noon pa na mangabayo. Hindi lang iisa ang mga kabayo nila ni Ryder dito sa isla. But that time my mind was set to only riding with Ryder. Na... nand'yan naman si Ryder at puwede naman akong makisakay sa kaniya... I didn't see the need to learn to do it for myself... But life's not like that. Sometimes even if we have someone or people to lean on to, we still have to be independent, too. Even with things as simple as this. Minsan kasi masyado na pala nating iniisip na hindi naman tayo nag-iisa... But sometimes we can be alone, too... Or even most of the times... O minsan naman baka iniisip din natin na baka hindi natin kaya... But truth is kakayanin naman talaga. Because we can be strong on our own, too.

We can be whole on our own. And one day we can share that wholeness with someone else...

Ryder rode Rocket as I was riding another horse. Masaya lang kaming nangabayo sa grassland na bahagi ng isla. At nang mapagod ay bumalik na kami sa aming villa. Tita Elisabeth Martinez also congratulated me and Ryder and was also happy for us. Halos i-offer nga nito ang lahat nang pwedeng ma-offer ng island just to make our honeymoon stay here more memorable. But it was already more than enough that we're back here in this place again.

Pagkatapos ng kasal ay kami nalang ni Ryder ang naiwan dito sa isla. Nag-aaral na si Anika sa school kung saan namin siya in-enroll kaya sumama na rin sa parents namin ni Ryder pabalik ng Manila. Our family will take care of our daughter while we were away for a while for our honeymoon.

"Ryder..." I moaned his name.

His tongue expertly licked my wet femininity and it was making me crazy... in a very good way.

Napasabunot ako sa ulo niya na nasa gitna ng mga hita ko. And after a while I came... Pinilit ko ang sarili kong bumangon kahit nanghihina pa sa nangyaring pagsabog sa kaibuturan ko. I pushed Ryder on his chest na bahangya niyang kinahiga sa kama at ako naman ang pumuwesto sa gitna ng mga hita niya. Lalo akong ginanahan sa ginagawa as I heard him moan.

And after everything I was under him at pinaibabawan na niya ako. He even teased my sensitive flesh for a while with his hard on before going in that made me groan. I was even a bit tighter since it's been a long while since we last did it.

He started moving slow at first until his pace became steady and quicker. I can hear the bed would rock with our movements... "Oh, Ryder!" I almost screamed my moans.

"Ah!" he was moaning and groaning, too.

Lalo pa siyang bumilis. I held onto him tight. I hugged him as we both reached our blinding climax...

Hiningal pa kami pareho nang naramdaman ko ang paghalik muli ni Ryder sa labi ko. My eyes were already closed but I managed to respond to his kiss a bit and I smiled after he let go of my lips. I felt him kissing my forehead and telling me that he love me before exhaustion totally got me and I drifted to a peaceful sleep...

"I love you, too, Ryder..." I think I managed to mumble a response still.

"I love you..." I heard him assuring me again with his love and I knew I was smiling before sweet dreams welcomed me...

Dati naitanong ko kung paano ba natin malalaman kung sino ang para sa atin... Well, the answer might be uncertain... Like how this world is full of uncertainties, too... Pero ngayon isa lang ang sigurado ako. Si Ryder ang para sa akin.

At maaring ako rin ang para sa kaniya.

Para kami sa isa't isa despite the mistakes and pain of the past... Because we can only see our future with each other. And no one else.

Author's Note: This is the end of this story. I don't know yet when I will start writing Villa Martinez Series 5. Thank you so much for reading my story! I will update a new story on Monday. Goodnight.