Chapter 20

“Bakit kaya hindi sumasagot si Ricky?” Maya asked herself as she put her phone down on her bed. “Baka naman nakatulog! Pupuntahan ko na lang siya bago ako umalis.”

Maya went back to sorting out and putting her clothes and her other stuff in her suitcase. She needed to return to Manila. Emman is in the hospital. He has dengue. Half an hour after she returned from her trip with Ricky, and while she was enjoying the cup of coffee that Manang Miring brewed for her, her phone rang. It was Emman’s mom on the phone.

Veronica Castro told Maya that Emman requested her to call to inform her that he has dengue. Emman’s mom, Tita Roni, told Maya that his condition is serious as it took several days before Emman dragged himself to the hospital to have a blood test. He basically ignored his recurring fever. Luckily, it was not yet too late for him. He was having blood transfusion that afternoon.

Maya told Tita Roni that she would return to Manila as soon as she can arrange a flight. She went online after that and luckily, managed to book a seat on the last flight from Laoag that evening. If not, she was planning to take the bus back. She wanted to be with Emman, and she know that Emman insisted that his mother phone her, because one of them has to be at the cafe. They have a staff who can man Cafe Arts, but she is not yet capable of handling their day-to-day operations single-handedly, longer than a day. Likewise, only Emman and she, can sign checks for their employees payroll and for paying the suppliers, and it was almost the end of the month.

When she was finished packing, she looked for Manang Miring. She found the older lady in the garden. “Manang Miring, sasaglit lang po ako kina Ricky. Hindi kasi siya sumasagot sa phone. Magsasabi lang po ako na alis na ako mamaya. Dapat po kasi doon ako magdi-dinner.”

“Sige po, Ma’am Maya.” Manang Miring replied. “Okay na nga po pala iyong sasakyan ninyo papuntang Laoag. Mabuti po at hindi bumiyahe pala ngayon ang sasakyan ng pinsan ko. Pagbalik ninyo po, nandito na si Kuya Sonny.”

“Salamat po ng marami, Manang.”

Maya opted to rent a vehicle to take her to the airport instead of requesting Ricky to take her. He has already driven a lot the past several days. Then if he takes her, he needed to return pa to the beach house. It is too much for him as the trip to the airport is more than an hour from where they were, in the evening.

She walked to Ricky’s place via the beach. When she arrived at the entrance to the Lim property, she immediately saw someone sitting on the veranda, engrossed in something she was reading. Maya’s heart lurched. Even before the lady looked up and gave her an initial curious stare, she knew who she is! So, Lorraine found Ricky after all, she thought to herself!

She took a deep breath and in the most calm manner she could summoned from deep within her, she approached Ricky’s ex-fiancee. Lorraine stared at her intently as she approached. Maya saw a pretty, sophisticated, and not exactly very friendly woman, waiting for her to reach the veranda. Lorraine looked familiar. She had seen her before. Ricky’s ex-fiancee tilted her head a bit, and it was than that Maya suddenly remembers a weird play Emman dragged her to one evening. Lorraine was one of the actresses in that play she had to endure for almost three hours.

“Hi! Good afternoon! I’m Maya, Maya Dela Rosa, I’m looking for Ricky.” Maya said with a polite, friendly smile. “Nandiyan ba siya?”

Lorraine looked closely at the beautiful, poise girl before her. As she had watched her approach, she knew instinctively that she was her rival in Ricky’s affection. Most probably, she was the girl with Ricky on that nearby. She lives nearby pala! Ricky just returned and now this girl suddenly showed up here from the direction of the beach! Siguro dito sila nagkakilala.

“Lorraine Tan, I’m Ricky’s fiancee!” She told the girl, whom she now remembers was the name of Ricky’s caller earlier. “Honey is not here at the moment. Just tell me why you are looking for him and I will relay it to him when he returns.”

“Nice to meet you Lorraine.” Maya said politely, offering her hand to Lorraine which she ignored, whether deliberate or not, she was not so sure.” May I speak with Manang Auring na lang, if Ricky is not around.”

“Wala rin siya. I’m the only one here.” Then in a voice tinged with annoyance, Lorraine said, “Why can’t you just tell me what you want, anyway. I told you I’m his fiancée. Do you doubt me. By the way, who are you in Ricky’s life?” She also asked point-blank.

“Oh, I’m a friend of Ricky’s.” Maya said simply, seeing the hostility in the other girl’s eyes.

“Friend…? Really?”  Lorraine asked with a raised eyebrow. “Parang hindi na naman niya nababanggit sa akin.”

Maya decided then that she does not have time for this, and all the hostility coming from Lorraine. She really needed to leave or she would be late for her flight.

“It’s okay, Lorraine, I’ll just call Ricky again.” Maya said calmly. “If he returns, please just tell him also that I dropped by. I have to get going. Thank you.”

“Yeah, just do that.” Lorraine said, sounding uninterested at Maya’s plight. In her mind, she was thinking, do that, and he will not answer you still. She deliberately didn’t tell Maya that Ricky accidentally left his phone in the house.

Maya left through the direction she came from. Lorraine saw her took out her phone again. She went inside to check. Several seconds later, Ricky’s phone rang. She smiled. She heard a beep from it after it stopped ringing. She got the phone and shamelessly read Maya’s long text message to Ricky.

“So, she is returning to Manila. Good riddance!”  Lorraine muttered. She looked at the phone, tinkered with it, deleted Maya’s message. She also went to Ricky’s call logs and ‘cleaned’ it. Ha, all is fair in love and war and Ricky loved her first than that girl. She loves him despite the wrong choices she had made recently and she will fight for him to the end and no slip of a girl will get him from her, and their long history.

Maya left for Laoag with Manang Miring’s cousin several minutes after she returned to the beach house. She was a puzzled where Ricky is, especially after seeing Lorraine residing comfortably in his grandfather’s beach house, and why he was not answering his calls.  At least she had left a message for Ricky explaining her unscheduled return to Manila. Baka his phone is on silent mode na naman like what happened when they were on their road trip. She is sure that Ricky will get in touch with her as soon as he can, especially since they were supposed to have dinner. Baka may pinuntahan lang na importante, or emergency, and Lorraine was just refusing to tell her. Judging by Lorraine’s attitude, mukhang di naman si Ricky ang may emergency.

Maya understand that Ricky needed to deal with Lorraine also. In the short time, she had known him, he had been honest with him. She also does not doubt what Ricky feels for her. She does not have enough proof, having known him in such a short time, but she just knows that Ricky loves her and that everything he said about falling in love in a short time is true. She feels it deep in her heart. Kampante naman siya kay Ricky. Maya said goodbye to Manang Miring and promised her that she will come back again as soon as she can.

More than two hours after Maya left for Laoag, Ricky finally was able to leave the hospital. Manong Tunying will be confined there for several days as he has concussion, broken shoulders and legs. The doctor told them that Manong was lucky because mababa lang ang kinalalagyan niya ng bumagsak and he fell on the sandy part of the garden.

He went straight to Maya’s house instead of his own, hoping that he can still catch her there. He wished that he had memorized Maya’s cellphone number so he could at least borrow a phone while waiting earlier. He does not know the landline number in Maya’s place, either.

“Manang Miring, magandang gabi po, si Maya po.” Ricky greeted the caretaker as soon as she opened the gate after he rang the bell.

“Naku, Sir Ricky, kayo po pala. Hindi po ba kayo nagkita pala ni Ma’am Maya kanina? Nagpunta po siya sa bahay ninyo para sabihin na kailangan niyang bumalik ng Maynila kasi may dengue po si Sir Emman, iyong business partner niya sa negosyo niya. Ipinahatid ko nga po sa pinsan ko sa airport para sa last flight pa-Maynila. Tinawagan niya po kayo sa phone ninyo. Nung hindi kayo sumasagot, naglakad po siya sa beach papunta sa inyo.”

“Ganoon po ba, Manang. Dinala ko po kasi si Manong Tunying sa hospital. Nahulog sa hagdan habang nagkukumpuni ng bubong.” Ricky replied, at the same time, it registered in his brain that Maya has been to the house and that she and Lorraine had probably met!

Before he can asked the caretaker for additional information, she asked worriedly. “Naku, kumusta naman po si Kuya Tunying?”

“Medyo okay naman po siya. Napilay po ang balikat at medyo masakit pa ang buong katawan. Inoobserbahan po muna siya sa hospital kasi nabagok ang ulo niya nung nahulog.”

“Naku, sana naman po, wala nang ibang epekto. Di bale po, Sir, tatawagan ko na lang si Ate Auring, baka kasi may kailangan silang mga gamit.”

“Okay na po, Manang. Pinapunta na rin doon ni Manang iyong isang anak niya to help her our and to get things for they stay in the hospital. Sige po, uuwi na muna ako sa bahay. Tatawagan ko na lang po si Maya.” He also wanted to ask Manang how was Maya when she left. Was she upset, sad or annoyed? But he felt that if would just invite more questions and curiosity on the part of the caretaker. Besides, she may not be able to tell him, anyway.

“Sige po, Sir. Talaga pong hindi umalis ang batang iyan nang hindi nakakapunta sa inyo. Baka raw po kasi maghintay kayo. Pero mamaya ninyo na po tawagan kasi po nakalipad na po siya ngayong mga oras na ito.” Manang Miring said, checking the time.

“Sayang po, hindi ko na siya inabutan. Naiwan ko po kasi ang phone ko sa bahay kanina nung dinala namin si Manong Tunying sa hospital. Sana po ako na ang naghatid sa kanya sa airport. I will call her na lang po as soon as soon as she had landed in Manila.” Ricky said, calculating the time on when he can do so. “Sige po, Manang, mauuna na po ako. Thank you po.”

When he reached his home, Ricky took a deep breath before he entered the house, as if preparing himself for another round of battle with Lorraine. He already missed Maya terribly. He also needs to deal with a Lorraine in such a way that she will finally able convinced that they are really, really over. He was not worried that Maya met Lorraine as he had told her about his ex-fiancee. He was more concerned on what kind of lies and poison, Lorraine in her current state of mind, had tried or had fed Maya. What kind of damage she tried to inflict? Was she even civil to Maya?

“Hi Ricky!” Lorraine greeted from the direction of the living room. She stood up from where she was watching TV. “Are you hungry? I made dinner. Sandali lang ha, I will just heat the food for you. Kumusta pala si Manong Tunying!” She said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

“Lorraine, what did you say to Maya?” Ricky asked instead of answering Lorraine’s question. “Manang Miring said she went here earlier.”

“Maya…? Maya who? And who is Manang Miring? Di ba Auring ang pangalan ng caretaker ninyo?” Lorraine asked, playing innocent, confident that she had removed all traces that Maya has been here and that she had tried to reach Ricky. “Wala naman akong narinig na naghanap sa inyo. I rested in your room after you left.”

“Really?” Ricky asked, not really believing her. Then the second part of what she said, registered. “Resting in my room? And why are you using my room? Didn’t Manang put in you in the guest room?”

“Well, why not. We are about to get married, and as if we haven’t shared a room before.” Lorraine said nonchalantly. “I told her I will use your room since that’s what we have been doing at ikakasal na naman tayo. Besides, do I need to justify my preference to her din kasi?”

“Lorraine!” Ricky said, trying to control his temper at Lorraine’s bullheadedness. “Ah never mind!” He decided to deal with her later. He looked for his phone. Maybe, Maya left a message for him.

Ricky found his phone among the things he had dropped on the sofa earlier. He checked his messages. No messages from Maya! Strange! So unlike the Maya he had come to know. No missed calls either and that kind of had him thinking as Manang Miring told him that Maya called him. He checked his call logs and found it empty. He looked at Lorraine.

“Lorraine, what have you done?” Ricky said, still trying to hold on to his temper. “I don’t want to accuse you of anything really, but I found my call logs empty! I haven’t touched that since last week. Did you mess with my phone?”

“Ha, baka, there is a virus lang in your iPhone. Nabura lahat ng call logs mo. You know naman all these smartphones, feeling nila mas smart pa sila sa owner nila!” Lorraine said, fidgeting, realizing that she made a tactical mistake when she deleted the logs.

Ricky knew then that Lorraine has not changed and will not change at all that she was lying through her teeth again. She was like that when he caught her in the act with that actor and the drugs.

“Lorraine…..?”

Lorraine knows that tone of voice too. If she has to recover from her blunder and to get to Ricky’s good side, she needs to come clean!

“Okay, okay, that girl came here looking for you after trying to reach you. Your phone rang several times before she came through the beach. I introduced myself as your fiancée, then asked her to leave a message with me since you were not here.”

“Then….” Ricky asked, holding on the tiny thread of control he still has.

“Well, she didn’t leave any, just left.” Lorraine said. “Nung wala ka, umalis na. Wala naman siyang ibang sinabi.”

“That’s it?” Ricky asked. “It’s so unlike Maya to not leave a message or send me a text message, unless you did something bad that she is needed to run away from the situation.”

“Well, she is just returning to Manila! What’s the big deal? Sino ba kasi iyon? Don’t tell me, bago mong girlfriend. We just broke up. Ano iyon, your major rebound girlfriend?” Lorraine said, taking the agressive stance.

“Wait, wait, wait, how did you know that she was going back to Manila kung wala naman pala siyang ibang sinabi sa iyo?” Ricky asked, getting very suspicious.

OMG, Lorraine, you and your wits!  Lorraine felt like banging her head against the wall with all the miscalculations that she made that evening.

“Errrr, she left you a long text message.” She reluctantly admitted. “I was jealous so I deleted it, before I deleted the call logs.”

Ricky lost it. In a very calm manner, he said, “Lorraine, how could you? You used to be a decent human being!”

Lorraine knew than that he was very angry at what she did. “Ricky, sorry! Please, I only did it because I was so jealous of her. I love you very much and I will do everything to save what we have. I don’t want to lose you.”

“Lorraine, you have lost me long before Maya came to my life and there is nothing to save! How many times do I have to tell you that. And it is not love anymore if you can’t see reason and if you are hurting other people, thinking only of yourself. I pity you.” Ricky didn’t mince words. “Feel free to stay in this place. I will arrange for your transportation in the morning. I’m really sorry it has to be like this.”

With that, he went to his room, and hastily packed his bags. He was about to leave the room, when he remembered his and Maya’s grandparents journal. Thank God, he put it somewhere safe before he went on vacation with Maya. Several minutes after, he was in the living room again.

“Wait, where are you going?” Lorraine asked, panicking a bit, seeing Ricky carrying his bags.

“I’m leaving. You should be okay here. I will send for our caretaker’s other daughter to be with you. She lives nearby. Her name is Rosario.” Ricky said, having made up his mind, he felt calmer. Despite coming there uninvited, Lorraine is still the daughter of a family friend and they had shared some good times together. But he refused to tell her where he is going. “Good bye, Lorraine. I hope you realized that this is really the end for the two of us. I love Maya, very much and I want a future with her.”

Lorraine just stood there, shocked at what she heard, and at Ricky’s tone when he declared his love for that girl. It was different, very, very different.

Ricky loaded his things into the car, took a deep breath, called Manang Auring, explained that he will leave the beach house at that moment, and requested that she send Rosario to the house for Lorraine. He also requested her to have Rosario arrange Lorraine’s transportation to the airport in the morning. He also told Manang Auring that he will take care of Manong Tunying’s hospital bills. Having done that, he got into the car and started his long journey back to Manila. He had decided to follow Maya, instead of just calling her when she reach Manila. He does not care if he has to drive all night, nonstop, just to be with her again!