The 2nd Bitch

Whenever a girlfriend or a wife is dumped, betrayed, fooled, busted or left behind, because of another woman, we tend to call the woman a BITCH. Surprisingly (to me), the dictionary defined bitch (as a noun) a member of the canine animal especially dog; a person who is thoroughly dislike; a lewd woman. So what's the difference between a female dog and the "other woman"? I've got an answer to that but I might get censored with my naughty opinion so I prefer not to say it in public.

I told you in my 3rd blog that I've got yet another surprising discovery. This time, a personal encounter.

It's been more than a year since my daughters and I left our home in Valenzuela and started a new life in San Fernando, La Union. Let me just clarify, however that it wasn't us who left first. So if it isn't us? Who did? It's a he-said, she-said thing in my next blog.

With the meager income we have at Bethany Hospital, and left with two fatherless kids, without any financial support and with the desire to prove something, I decided to seek a job abroad. Applying to Saudi Arabia way back 2004 was as easy as 1-2-3. With my ICU experience and having passed the exams and interviews, I didn't have a hard time getting an offer - to Al Hada Hospital, under the Ministry of Defense and Aviation, Taif. Travelling to Manila was one thing I hated the most when applying, considering the heavy traffic, pollution, expenses, the heat, mad drivers, name it and Manila has it. Within 4 weeks of travelling weekly to and from Manila to facilitate my papers, I finally attended the final requirement prior to flying to KSA: the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS). Finished it off early, I decided to watch a movie before travelling back home. I'm a movie addict, more so enjoyed watching it on the big screen. So even if I am alone or no matter how much dolby surround or imax cinemas cost, I don't mind as long as I satisfy myself with my vanity.

The nearest mall  to where I am was Robinsons Place, Ermita. 99% of malls in Metro Manila are equipped with state of the art cinemas, of which, Robinsons, one of the biggest, and I personally prefer it over SM, I thought of dropping by to spend at least of a couple of hours to watch a movie prior to travelling 6 more hours back to La Union. Besides, travelling from 5pm onwards in Manila is a total disaster with heavy traffic and highways are almost always congested.

To maximize my time, I did suroy suroy muna. Did window shopping and some shopping first. It's past 7pm when I finally decided to buy my ticket for an Ashton Kucher movie. Title forgotten, it was the best movie I could find and no matter how lame it was, it's the movie I wanted to see that time. After buying my ticket, I thought of going back to buy some stuff for pasalubong, something my kids will munch on when I arrive home. I went down from 5th to 4th floor and walked through my way going to Padre Faura wing (north wing) hoping to find some kiddie goodie stuff along the way. While walking, I wasn't paying attention to my way, instead, my head turned on to my left and to my right enjoying all those mall stuff but when I looked straight ahead, to my astonishment, for lo and behold, my husband! (Technically, I still call him husband because we're not yet legally separated- til now) and he's walking towards me! I believed he haven't seen me yet because he was paying attention to something on his right, not looking on his way, too and we're at least almost 4-5 feet away. With him on his left side were bunch of girls talking to one another. Very distinctive was this young girl, fair complexioned, with long hair and  to my estimate, only 18 years old, with almost same height as mine (don't ask for my height!.......okay, I'm 5 feet....almost!LOL!) and she's holding hands with my husband! Or should I say, my husband was holding hand with hers.... AND SHE'S PREGNANT! In her white maternity dress, I can tell, as a nurse, that maybe the belly was 7-8 months big, almost to burst out . When Bong saw me, he said, "Hi, Gie" casually. I looked at him straight in the eye but immediately focused my attention to the girl. I believe the girl didn't notice me because I didn't stop walking nor did they stop walking. Neither did I make a scene nor say a word. I can't figure out, however, how I must have looked like that very moment. I just kept on walking and before I knew it, I was already on dead end near the food court. Seemed like my world just turned upside down that very minute. I was looking for something I could hold on to because I feel like fainting. I was alone. I knew nobody and nobody knew me. If something happened to me that time, then they must just stared at me and left me behind like a poor orphan.

I tried to stay focused and the first thing I looked for was my cellphone, which, very untimely has a bar left for my battery. I texted my kids, informing them that I saw their dad with ANOTHER WOMAN, a pregnant woman. Given the chance, if only I can bring back those times, I should not have texted them. It was a very immature act, indeed. But I have no one to share my frustrations with. My kids knew from the very start what happened between me and their dad and them knowing firsthand what I've just witnessed wasn't so evil after all.

When I regained my full consciousness, I still went to the moviehouse. Sayang naman yung binayaran ko. But I never understood anything. My mind was busy internalizing what happened. I haven't really absorbed what just transpired. Reality bites? Reality sucks? Nope, for me, that time, reality enlightens. I've heard that after our separation, he's already living in with somebody but he never admitted it. Was the girl I saw in Robinsons the same as the girl on my 4th blog? NOT either. She's the 2nd bitch! Or maybe, 3rd or 4th or 5th. It doesn't matter. What's matters most that time was I no longer live in  false hope- a hope that he will come back for us but the incident gave me a better view of the future.

In addition, I didn't push through with my application to KSA, not because what I saw served as a bad omen but I overheard my kids, Kryztl 9, Knycole 5, talking to one another and their conversation hit me deeply: "Knycole, from now on, let's practice living alone, you and I only. Daddy has left us and mommy is about to leave us also". I cried when I saw them hugging each other while they both cry because of the impending separation. That's the time I knew, it's not yet the right time to leave.