New Year 2003
Spent the night at Manila Diamond Hotel. It wasn't a pleasant stay but rather a freaky night because we didn't actually spent the night together as a family. He was on his phone til 3am and I was pissed off and jealous. We ended up sleeping on different beds.
The next few days were freakier and freakier. And honestly, I am terrorized everyday that I already am designing a master plan in case something worst happens.
January 14 - His day off and my schedule to teach Institute class at 7pm-9pm. He went home almost 10am from a 10pm-6am shift. He had brunch, and we chatted as if nothing big was happening. That time, we're trying to live normally and working our way to mend things. Before he went to bed past 12noon, he instructed me to wake him up at 6pm so he could attend my class. Past 6pm, however he was still sleeping like a baby. I decided not to wake him up, instead instructed my kids not to make any noise so he could sleep some more. After all, I'll only be away for a couple of hours.
I finished off my lecture and went home 15 minutes past 9pm. I was on the gate when I heard loud music inside the house and wondering what my kids and their dad were up to. I thought they're just having fun or something. When I went up the 2nd floor, the computer was on and it's playing his old time favorite Bon Jovi songs. Scooter on the floor, throw pillows disarrannged, kids were in the side sofa, crying and embracing each other. I went near them, and whispered, "What happened?". Kryztl got up and hugged me tightly, trembling, and said, "Mommy, si Daddy!". I asked, "Why?" She said, "Mommy, natatakot ako! Ayoko sabihin". She said she's afraid and don't want to tell me anything. I assured her that there's nothing to be afraid of and that mommy will be on her side. I told her to tell me EXACTLY what happened. She was sobbing and her two hands were on my neck tightly hugging me as she narrated what transpired few minutes before I arrived. She said that she and her 4 year old sister were playing and had a little poking here and there then her little sister cried when she hit her unintentionally. It pissed off their dad, who was playing counterstrike on the computer and when he heard Knycole cry, got up and grabbed the brown comb (which maybe the only thing he saw)and spanked it on hKryztl's left shoulder then took the scooter and banged it at her, which part of her body was hit, I couldn't remember. I made a quick assessment as to what part of her body was affected and saw bruises on her left shoulder. Furious, I left the kids and went upstairs where Bong was, according to the kids. I wanted to confront him of what he did but I never got the chance to say a word because I was shocked at what I saw. HE'S ALL PACKED UP - ALL HIS CLOTHES! He took everything he owned and instead of angry words, I mellowed down and asked, "Bong, bakit?" (Why?). He didn't say a word. Then he put on his shirt, lifted up his bags and went down the 1st floor. Knycole ran after him but he didn't say a word. Instead, he put on his green adidas and left. My kids and I heard the door closed the and the creaking sound of the gate as he walked away. Shocked and couldn't find any word, I and the kids sat down and they were staring at me as if waiting what would be my next move. Then I got up, took the phone and dialled my mom's phone number. Without any thought, I told her, "Mom, Bong left us", then narrated to her the whole story. I don't know what she must have felt that time. As a mom, it must have been very painful to see a daughter suffer that way. The only thing she assured me was, "you can come home anytime".
Still perplexed, I dialled my Bishop's number after that long distance call. I told Bishop Estella what happened. He said I don't have to worry for he will come to the house and help me figure out what to do. True to his words, he was with us after few minutes. He lives few blocks away from us. He said he should not have come because his wife was kinda' jealous because he was with me in my class few minutes ago and again, he has to come to the house to personally talk to me. She didn't have any idea what's going on between me and Bong and I admire my Bishop for keeping confidentiality on the matter. I have to asked an apology for Sister Baby and hoped she understands. He assured me she will and she can. He asked what my plans were. I told him I don't know. He advised me to be wise in making any decision at the height of my emotion. He emphasized the importance of family, of forgiveness, of patience, of giving another chance, of God's grace and mercy. He stayed with us for almost 2 hours and prayed with me and my kids before he left.
I also called Bong's dad, who happened to be a neighbor, because our house was a duplex type and he lived on the other side of the wall. He and his young "wife", Emy didn't have any idea what's going on with me and his son. By the way, his dad and mom separated a long time ago and his dad was "married to" Emy Borromeo, his student at the Philippine Christian University. He told me that maybe Bong was just around the corner and having a time of his life "thinking and meditating", as it was his habit when faced with stress and severed with problems. I emphasized to him that he took all his belongings and I was not confident of his actions. He instructed me to go to sleep and wait for Bong the next day. He tried to pacify me like a child but no word can stabilize my emotions that time.
Past 12mn, my sister Annabelle called me and informed me she, my dad, my brother Gilbert, who brought along with him a gun, my cousin, who drove the van with his wife were on their way to Manila to "rescue" us. I thought she was joking but at 5am, there was a knock on the door and it was truly them! My dad embraced me tightly as he was crying and said with his trembling voice, "What happened to you? Where's my granddaughters? Are they okay?" I wanted to cry, too but I controlled those tears. My sister was teasing us, "ang paboritong anak (the most favorite daughter)". My brothers and she would tease me with the words "special child", as my dad was very vocal about telling everyone, I am his favorite. I was ashamed to my dad because of what happened to me and my marriage because I fought for Bong, leaving everything behind for him and yet, this was the result!
We had light breakfast and after eating, they started taking everything they could take and put them in the van, for my dad and my brother were decided to bring me back home. I didn't even notice what they carried with them because I was busy writing a letter- that 2nd to the last letter I wrote for Bong, explaining why we have to leave, reassuring him of my eternal love for him, and that he knows where we're going; that in case, he would want to look for us, we're simply 5 hours away from Valenzuela, Metro Manila. And that, in case he would come to take us back, we could once again rebuild our family through God's help. I couldn't count the tears I shed that time when I filled back to back the yellow pad I used to writing the letter. Mind you, I am teary eyed as I am writing this piece at 2:08 am today, January 4, 2011, almost 8 years ago when my kids and I left with the hope that there will someday be him and me and me and him with our two daughters.
It was past 6am when we're done with all the packing. On the other hand, Bong's dad was awakened and came to our house and saw what we were into. My dad and him embraced each other and my dad didn't utter any word but cried the whole time. My heart was breaking to see my dad cry for me! Then he finally said, "pa'no, balae, kukunin ko na sila Ginalyn". Then I handed to him the letter for his son. I told him, we're going home to La Union and in case he would want to come take me and my daughters back, he knows where to find us.
Did he come to La Union? Did he make any effort to bring me and my daughters back home? Nope! He said, in his text message: KUNG SINONG UMALIS, SIYANG MATUTONG BUMALIK. I couldn't translate that in a way that I can truly convince you who really left, but he kept emphasizing, "She who have left, should learn to find her way back". Until now, his claim was that, it was us who left. And until now, I kept saying, he left us. But no matter what the case was, it's been almost 8 years since my daughters and I were spared from hell.
