HERNAN MONTES

                                        
                    CHAPTER ONE
:TEN YEARS LATER...
Nakangiting pinagmasdan ni hernan si trixie ng bumangon ito sa kama. She walked gracefully like she was on a catwalk. Her naked model figure was strutting around his room. Just a while ago. She was underneath him, wriggling and panting like a pro. Naputol ang daloy ng pilyong isip niya nang makita niyang binuksan nito ang closet. Kapagkuwa  ay kinuha ang may kalakihang bag na hindi niya napansin dala nito kanina. Nakita niyang inilabas ang ilang pirasong damit at inilagay ang mga iyon sa bakanteng bahagi ng closet niya. Kaunti lang kasi ang mga gamit niya doon dahil sa mansiyon pa rin siya umuuwi kapag nasa pilipinas siya.
Ilang beses siyang pumikit dumilat para siguraduhing hindi siya namamalikmata lang. Pero talagang naglalagay ng gamit si trixie sa closet niya.


WHAT ARE THOSE? Tanong niya nang mahagilap din ang kanyang boses.
MY THINGS! Nakangiting lumingon ito sa kanya.


Why the hell you putting your things inside my closet? But ofcourse, he couldn`t say those words. Pero hindi niya naitago ang pagsalubong ng mga kilay niya ng makitang may hawak na mga toiletries. And she was walking towars his bathroom.
Panic started to set in. She was putting her personal stuff in his pad. You are not an idiot, Hernan you know what it means.


"Trixie" tawag niya dito bago makarating sa bathroom.
"Yes Honey" she almost gave into that sweet smile.
"Why are you putting your personal stuff here?"


Nauwi sa ngiwi ang ngit nita. I just thought it`s time to do so... she pause dramatically. "I mean ive been coming here for both of us if I will have my stuff her! You can also put your stuff in my condo." Tama naman ang sinabi nito dahil kung hindi sa pad niya sila nagkikita ay sa condominium unit nito siya nagpapalipas ng gabi. Im sorry trixie, But the idea is making me uncomfortable." pag-amin niya.
Lumapit ito sa kanya at hinalikan sa labi but at the moment, he remain passive.


What is the matter with you Hernan? tila nainsultosabi nito.
Im not comfortablewith the idea of your putting your personal stuff here."It`s like an invasion og my privacy.
Why? I thought we`re already exclusive. Well mali ba ako hernan?"


Hindi agad siya makasagot, How could he answer that question with out hurting her.!


You don`t have to answer..."lumapit ito sa closet at kinuha ang mga gamit nito oon. Basta nalang siniksik sa dalang bag.
Trixie, please...
Please what you asshole? Ang dami kong pinalampas just to be with you.Madami din nagkagusto but I turned them all down because of you. And now look like your`re going to have a heart attack just because I put my stuff here?"


Trixie was a woman of the world. they look good together. They were compatible most specially in bed Ang akala niya ay parehas lang sila ng gusto at alam nila kung saan sila nakalugar sa buhay ng bawat isa. pero pinili niya na wag isatinig iyon. He would only aggravate to the injury.


Pagkatapos ibalik ni trixie ang mga gamit sa bag ay nagbihis na ito. When she zipped up her pant, he knew it would be good-bye for them.


Trixie...


Itinaas nito ang kanang kamay para pigilan siya magsalita.


Don`t say you are sorry, hernan. After all, you did show some signs that what we have is just temporary. I just thought otherwise. Wrong impression on my part."she smiled bitterly Atleast, you habe a balls to admit it now na nalaman ko agad. Now i don`t have anymore reason to put my life on hold just for you.


Wala padin siya maapuhap na sasabihin ang he decided to keep his mouth shut.


One last question, Hernan...!


Fire away..! that was the least thing he could do for her. ang sagutin ito.


Ako ba ang unang babae na nagtangka maglagay ng mga gamit dito na tinanggihan mo?


Umiling siya!!!


Tumango-tango ito,"Somehow that gave him the courage to ask her what was on his mind.


Where does this leave us?


Nagkibit balikat ito. Nothing, Ihave wasted too much time on you, hernan. hindi ako papayag na maglaan pa ng oras sa isang taong hindi naman pala handang ibigay ang gusto ko.
Good-bye Hernan.' Iyon lang at tumalikod na ito."


A MONTH AFTER...
"HI GORGEOUS!" Nilingon ni hernan ang nagsalitang babae pagkatapos ay hjinarap. Nasa isang bar siya sa malate. He woke up feeling lonely early that morning. He felt his life was a complete waste .


"I heard you ang trixie have broken up."


Sa halip na ipagtabuyan ito ay isang mahinang "uh-huh" ang sinagot niya. 


Obviously, trixie did not waste time spreading the news about their break up. Hindi lang ito ang babaeng nagtanong sa kanya ng tungkol sa paghihiwalay nila ni trixie.


"Naglalasing ka ba dahil iniwan ka niya?" tanong uli sa kanya ng babae.


Now she did catch his attention with what she said. Iyon pala ang sinabi ni trixie sa lahat na iniwan siya nito .Nagkibit balikat lang siya. wlaa siyang pakialam sa mga ipinagkakalat ni trixie sa kanilang paghihiwalay. He couldn`t just tell everyone they broke up because he did not allow her to put her personal stuff in his pad. Alam niyang minahal siya ni trixie at sinaktan niya lang ito. But he couldn`t give his what she wanted. Ang ibigay ang buong sarili sa kahit kaninong babae. hindi siya magiging komportable sa ganoon set-up.


Ang huli niyang balita ay lumipad na ito patungo sa europe para sa isang fashion show and he was truly happy for her, because she was able to move on, that fast. Nagulat siya ng maramdaman niyang may humihimas sa hita niya. at tiningnan ang babaeng katabi na may mapang-akit na ngiti.


"So what do you say?" anas nito. Her body spoke in volumes.
"My palce or your?" tanong pa nito.


Tinitigan niya ito pero lasing na ata siya. Because he did not respond like a normal, hot blooded male.
Napailing siya.


Umabot ito ng tissue paper at may isinulat doon. Inabot sa kanya ang tissue paper at pumunta sa likuran niya sabay bulong sa tainga niya.


" If you happen to change your mind, just give me a call. I would be glad to take trixie out on your mind."
" I will try to remember that," sagot niya.


Nang makaalis ito ay dinampot ang tissue paper. Apperently, she wrote number, but he was not interested. Taliwas sa akala ng babaeng iyon. Hindi siya naglalasing dahil sa paghihiwalay nila ni trixie. It might be unfair to admit it. Ang problema talaga niya ay kung ano ang puwede niyang gawin sa buhay. Suddenly, he was bored with his life.


At saan nmn ang destinasyon mo ngayon? 


Nilingon ni hernan ang kanyang mama at nginitian ito. Napailing siya ng mapansin ang orasan ay alas-diyes pa lang ng umaga para komunsumo ng alkohol ang mama niya.


Umiinom ka na agad, ma," sabay buntong-hininga.


Kaunti lang naman enough to start my day,"sagot nito.
Where are you going, Hijo?
To Belgium, "sagot niya.
Anong gagawin mo doon hijo?
I was invited to come for a business conference ma. "Remenber darren castillo?"
Yeah, "sagot nito.
Niyaya niya ako na um-attend doon.
"You`re barely home hijo...." 


Natigilan siya sa akamang pagsara ng maleta nang marinig ang malungkot na boses ng kanyang mama.


Don`t you want me to go, ma?
Mabilis umiling ito. " ofcourse not," at bahagyang tumawa 
Forgive me son. Ganito na talaga ang tumatanda at nagiging emosyonal na.


He close his eyes. He had heard those lines from her years ago.


Teka nga tama ba ako na a-attend ka ng isang business conference sa Belgium? 
Yep."Gusto niyang pagaanin ang pag-uusap nila para hindi ito malungkot.
Why son? " Gusto mo bang lumagay sa tahimik at nakakaisip ka na ng negosyo?


Ma, ang sabi ko aatend ako ng business conference hindi magtatayo ng negosyo, that is two totally differnt things.
Well, you wouldn`t attend a business conference if you`re not planning to put up one.
Ma, ang layo na agad ng tinatakbo ng usapan. From business conference to settling down. Whew! You are making me nervous.
Bakit naman? Ano ba ang nakakapagpanerbiyos sa sinabi ko?
Nagkibit balikat na lang suiya para hindi na humaba ang kanilang usapan.


Anog ang gusto mong pasalubong Ma? "Pang-iiba niya ng usapan"
Nothing just come home safe for me hijo. " niyakap niya ito.
I will, Ma I promise."Bigla nanaman siyang na-guilty. Nararamdaman niya iyon pag nag-uusap sila mag-ina. Maybe because he remembered that fateful day when he heard his parent argument. A ten years ago but nothing are change of the relationship of his parent. Parang lalo pang lumala iyon. And he knew his mother was still the same misaerable married woman she was ten years ago. "Maybe worse."
Always be careful,Hernan.
I will, Ma.


O, Pare nag-iisa ka yata? tanong ni gerald kay hernan.
Lahat ng itinuturing kong kaibigan ay busy sa gabing ito,"pabirong sagot niya. Naroon siya sa bar side. May iba ring pilipinong dumalo sa business conference sa Belgium mga kasing edad lang din nila. Ofcourse all of them come from a affluent families. Only those with money could afford the conference anyway,"  Pamasahe pa lang malaking gastos na. Tumungga na lang siya mula sa bote ng beer, at nilingon si gerald.
Ikaw pare," Want to join me?" umiling ito.
Man, Im running my business right now no drinks policy ako?
I can`t believe you are taking it seriously. Imean, with a bar for a business. How can you avoid drinking?
"Tinapik nito ang balikat niya, Disiplina lang, pare.

ViRTuE&ScRuPoLoUs: HERNAN MONTES

ViRTuE&ScRuPoLoUs: HERNAN MONTES: " PROLOGUE Papunta na si hernan sa Master Bedroom ng kanilang Mansiyon. Nasa staircase na siya ng kanila..."

HERNAN MONTES

                                      PROLOGUE
Papunta na si hernan sa Master Bedroom ng kanilang Mansiyon. Nasa staircase na siya ng kanilang mansiyon ay naririnig na niya ang mga magulang niya na nag-aaway. parang nakaraan lingo lang ay naalala niya nag-aaway ang kanyang mga magulang. "And he remmembered her mother was accusing his father of cheating on her.
Habang papalapit na si hernan sa pinto ay dahan-dahan siya s kanyang paghakbang. Napapitlag siya ng marinig ang boses ng kanyang mama. Her usually soft-spoken mother was really shouting. And for her to do that,she must be really pissed-off.
Nagtiis ako Anthony ng maraming taon na hindi mo ako pinapansin. I have been your "Doormat Wife" for twenty-one years. Sa kabila ng matagal na taon na pagtitiis ko. Ang hindi ko lang matatanggap ay ang nagagawa mo pang mambabae.
     
       Naisip niya bigla ang mga pagkakataong magkakasama sila bilang isang pamilya. And he realized he only had a few memories to rely on. Bihira nga pala ang mga pagkakataong magkakasama sila at tuwing Pasko at Bagong Taon ang sa pagkakatanda niya. And that was because his parent "Respective Families had their reunions on the said date.


You are being ridiculous, Avelina. Hindi ako nambabae"


Somehow,he was relieved to hear his father answer.


Hindi ka nambabae? Then how would you explain those nights you said you were working overtime,But when I callied up your office, you were not there?"
I am the president of the company;"FOR GOD SAKE!"  And when you say overtime it doesn`t necessarily mean I am working in my office. You should know that by now. Iyan ang hindi ko maintindihan. Ikaw ang presidente pero kung magtrabaho ka para kang bayarang empleyado. Mas lamang pa nga ang oras mo sa kompanya kaysa sa amin ni hernan. And i bet you are not being paid overtime.I can`t believe I am hearing these things from you. I thought you understand. 
"Well here`s the bad news. I don`t understand. It`s only now i`ve realize i`ve been a martyr for staying here with you. Na para lang naman akong tau-tauhan sa bahay na ito.Yan ang epekto sayo ng alak Avelina sa mga pag-iinom mo. Alcohol is starting to consume your brain. Nagiging emosyonal ka." And what is wrong with being a emotional.?" Ang problema sayo Anthony masyado kang bato. All you have in mind is that balsted company of yours. Sometimes, I even if we are included in the top ten of your priority list.


He did feel it  sometimes. He realized he shared the same sentiments with her mother. Pero dahil abala siya sa pag-aaral at sa extra-curricular activities. Kaya hindi niya masyadong napagtutuunan ng pansin iyon. Bigla ay naawa siya sa kanyang ina. She devoted all her time to him and his father. And the two of them took her for granted,Nakaramdam siya ng guilt. 


Ilang minuto ang lumipas bago niya narinig ang kanyang papa.


What is the purpose of this argument, Avelina?" Tumawa nang naKAKALOKO ANG KANYANG MAMA. She mimicked his father`s voice and repeated what he said. I just want you to know how i feel, Anthony."
For what?
For you to know how miserable I am, Anthony.


He expected his father would say soothing word to calm her mother, to reassure her that whatever she was not true, that he appreciated her as a wife. (it came as a shock to him when he heard his father`s voice again.)


Kung pakiramdam mo ay miserable ka, Umalis ka dito sa bahay. Hindi kita pipigilan."
Narinig niya ang Pag-iyak ng kanyang mama. Hindi niya namalayan na papalabas na ang kanyang papa kaya nakita siya nito. " Hernan! How long have you been there. Halatang nagulat ang kanyang papa na mabungaran siya pagbukas ng pinto.


Long enough to hear you break my mother`s heart. Pero sa halip na sagutin ang tanong ng kanyang papa ay nagtatakbo na siya patungo sa kanyang silad. Nang isara niya ang pinto ay saka lang niya na-realized na nanginginig na pala ang buong katawan niya.


All those years, his mother had been miserable. Saka pa lang niya napagtanto ang nararamdaman nito. Ang madalas na pag-iinom at tila kawalan ng sigla pati ang mga ngiting hindi na umaabot sa mata nito. Narealize niya kung anong klaseng padre-de-pamilya ito. It all went with the perks of his  father being the owner of multinational telecommunications company.