The Betrayal: How I Finally Discovered

It wasn't really my intention to write everything about me. More so about my detailed past, but there is one thing that made me decide otherwise.

Last night, a friend called me at the wee hour of the day, that time when I was about to tuck myself in bed and thought that she was just fooling around to let me know she've found a new, fabulous, wonderful link at FB and can't wait another 6 hours to share it with me. But to my surprise, there were sobbings and crying over the phone while she's narrating what she've just discovered. She said that her boyfriend is having an affair! As I listen to her, I thought I saw myself in her. Her pain made me travel back in time.

August 8, 2002. Started that day with no thought that it'll be one of those days I will never forget in my entire life. The phone rang at about 8am. It's the husband on the line. He's at work and started his duty at 6am. He greeted me with the usual "Hi, Gie" and I answered with the usual "Hi, Papi". That wasn't our term of endearment. Instead, that's how our kids call him and it's "cute" to call him that way, too. He said he wanted to go to Tagaytay City after work. Tagaytay is one of the most oft visited cities in the south because of its cool climate and its breathtaking scenic views, including the Taal Volcano and Taal Lake. He said he will be with Marcus, a colleague at the Manila Diamond Hotel, where he worked as a Front Desk Supervisor. Marcus has a grandmother living alone in her beautiful house in Tagaytay and "she cooks good egg omelet". I don't know exactly what's the difference between my way of cooking egg omelet and hers but he said, it's one of those he misses about Marcus' granny.

As lax as I am as a not-so-insecured plain housewife, I gave my permission. After all, I knew he needed a break from being a father, a husband, an employee, an Institute teacher, a High Councilman. I believed he deserve this little break from home, church and work thing. He said he might spend the night there. In my own point of view, I never percieved anything wrong with him spending a night with a male colleague, not to mention the old woman who will accomodate them overnight.

Nothing came to my mind after that phone call. Continued on with my routine, brought my eldest daughter to school after lunch (she's on an afternoon session) and went back home ready for an afternoon nap with my then 2 year-old knycole. But there was, however, a gut feeling or should I say, in a more spiritual manner, that there was a still small voice that whispered to me, "Call Marcus". I was hesitant at first, knowing that to call him would imply one thing- that I don't trust my husband. But the feeling was so strong that I grabbed my phone book and searched Marcus' cellphone number. He picked up this phone after maybe 4 or 5 rings. As fast as I could, I said, "Hi, Marcus. This is Ginalyn. Bong (the nickname) told me he will be with you later tonight? In Tagaytay? With your grandmother?" As innocent as he was, he said, "I'm on vacation, Ginalyn. Been here in Cavite (City) for 5 days now". I was stunned! But I immediately composed myself then asked foolishly, "Is Tagaytay in Cavite? (referring to the city where he was)".  He laughed and informatively told me, "Yes, but it is at least an hour ride from my place". Tagaytay is located in the province of Cavite and Cavite City is one of the cities of Cavite province and is, as Marcus said, at least an hour drive to Tagaytay. So my question still made sense. Then I asked again one more time, "So he will not be with you tonight?" Sensing maybe that I'm not merely asking a question, he told me, "Yeah, Bong and I wanted to spend a night in Tagaytay but not tonight". "Oh I see, Thank you, Marcus" were my last words. Bothered and confused, I again picked up the phone and called his mother. Yes, HIS mother, my mother-in-law. Why her? I was confused and I thought that if she'll be the first to know, she would give me an uplifting advice, you know, to erase the doubts. After all, he's her son! She might want to save him and incarcerate me for not trusting my husband completely. So upon hearing her say "Hello", I immediately narrated to her what I just discovered. But have I discovered anything yet? Yes, I did! I discovered that HE WAS LYING!

My mother-in-law's answer was so straightforward as if she didn't think a sec and told me, "Me babae yan, Ginalyn". (She has an affair, Ginalyn). Until now, I really don't know what crossed her mind why she told me that "joke"; yes I want to say she was just joking, although she never joked with me. Not that I can recall. I didn't know if she really mean what she just said but I stood there holding the phone listening to what she further divulged but nor understanding really what she's saying. Did I cry? No, I didn't. Not yet.

I waited for Bong to come home that night. But he didn't come home. Instead he made a call at 8pm and told me he's with Marcus in Tagaytay. But he was not with Marcus! Marcus was in Cavite! For hours of meditating what to say or do, I firmly said, "Come home, Rommel. I already knew what you are into". Caught unaware, he hanged up the phone. I tried to call him back but he didn't answer. So I texted and insisted him to go home ASAP. But he didn't reply to any of my text messages. But why did I want him to come home that night? Because I want to know the truth! From Him! Right at that moment! But he didn't show up that night. As furious as I was, I was also worried. What if I am wrong? Or what if it is true? No, I don't want to know! Yes, I want to know!..... No, I don't. Yes, I wanted to know! And finally, yes, I wanted to know the whole truth! Nothing but the truth. That night, I tried to be strong and composed and stayed sane and believing on the covenants I made with him in the temple. I should be wrong! I MUST be wrong!

Seven o'clock in the morning the next day, staff from the hotel called on the landline inquiring if he's at home and why he didn't show up for duty that day. I said he didn't come home, nor bother to make a call or sent a text message so I don't know where he was. He's now on AWOL status. I was terribly tortured! Was he alive yet? Was he with his other woman? Would there be another life without him? How about me? My kids? They're very young and I am jobless! What am I to do? Oh, God, please show thyself to me and tell me what to do, were my pleadings! I thought I'm going crazy. But I didn't allow my sanity be taken away from me that early. I have kids and I knew they need me.

That same day after lunch, I again brought Kryztl to school then tucked my baby Knycole in bed for a nap when I heard the door at the 1st floor opened. It's him! I couldn't remember exactly how I felt that time, especially when I heard him walk through the stairs going to 2nd floor where I and my young daughter were. His countenance was so gloomy and sad and not with his usual festive spirit. He sat down on the floor and leaned on to our green sofa looking at me. I stood infront of him and with all my gathered, well rehearsed statement, pronounced: "MAY BABAE KA, ANO?" (Are you having an affair?). He didn't say a word. Instead he bowed his head that gave me the cue. IT WAS TRUE AFTER ALL. With all the strength, coupled with my adrenaline rush, spanked him on his right cheek while I was shouting at him asking, "SINO? SINO?" (Who is she? Who is she?) He was about to grab me but able to control himself which I am thankful for up to this day because should he'd assaulted me, I should have ended up with a blackeye. He stands at 6 feet so you could just imagine what I became should any part of my body was boxed with those hands. In fairness to him, he never physically battered me. Anyways, while I was confronting him, he took the remote control of the TV and put more volume to it so that our curious neighbors wouldn't hear what we argue about. But I didn't care anymore. What I wanted that very minute was the name of the other woman. He wasn't saying a word. It was me who made all the talking, as if all the respect was gone. Then came a name that he frequently made mention of for the past few months. She was a former "colleague" for at least 3 months at SM City North Edsa, one of the biggest malls in the Philippines, where he worked as a promo representative of Docker's. No, she's not a promo female rep. She's a saleslady there. And they met again after 6 years at Light Rail Transit (LRT) Monumento Station and that's how they've rekindled the past, whatever past that was! When I mentioned her name, he didn't confirm nor deny. Used my common sense, I knew then that she's The other woman. Then came questions that I should not have uttered and I won't write it in here because it's for" adults only". The next few minutes and hours and days and weeks and months were tears and agony until finally, the separation.

So what's my point in sharing to the world about my side of the story?....... Nothing really! I'm just sharing.....and hoping that the women who have undergone the same painful experience as I did will know that they are not alone. And that after the experience evolved a better me. 'Tho I wasn't thankful it happened, I still  thank him for letting me see the other side of this world. After 8 years, I can say that the wound have totally healed.  Seems like you don't believe me? Open my FB account and check on my profile pic and let me know what you think.

P.S. Would you like to know the name of that girl? Or does it matter? There's more to my story than the name of that girl, like my next discovery - the other, other girl I saw with my own two eyes......and she's pregnant! Till next blog......