“WHERE have you been?” Mark asked Tamara in a raised voice. The man sounded mad at her, but Tamara knew that her friend is just worried about her. “I thought you already got home, but when I came here, I can’t find you.”
Tamara plopped down on the couch. She leaned her back and took deep breaths repeatedly. “I just took a breather.”
“Really, huh?” Mark stood in front of her and propped his hands on his waist. “Then why you’re clothes are dirty? What are those?” He crouched in front of her to take a look at the green stains on her yellow blouse. “Is that a moss?”
Tamara looked at her clothes and gasped. She covered her hands on the stains. “I-I stumbled on a wet road while walking…”
Mark grabbed her blouse to take a close look at the moss. “You can’t fool me, Tamara. These moss can only be found in always wet places, and it’s a dry season in Manila…” He looked up at her. “What did you do in Manila Bay?”
Tamara’s eyes widened. “Nothing!” she said and avoided Mark’s scrutinizing gaze. “Are you a detective? Let me remind you, Mark, you’re a nurse—”
“Did you jump off the bridge?” Mark asked and pulled her blouse. “Tamara, answer me!” He pulled harder, making Tamara lose her balance and fall on top of her Mark.
They were in the same position when the door opened, and Wil stepped inside. He stopped on his feet when he saw them on the floor. “What is this?”
Tamara quickly stood up and kicked Mark away from her. “It’s just an accident,” she said and raised her brow at Wil. “And, you? What are you doing here?”
Wil smirked. “Did I just catch you cheating on me, Tamara?”
“What?” Tamara asked in disbelief. “Me? Cheating on you with Mark?” she laughed out loud. “Are you serious?”
Mark pushed her in the head to stop her laughter. “It’s just an accident, Wil,” he said. “I’m just asking her where did she get those moss in her blouse. She just arrived here, a few minutes ahead of you.”
“Do you really have to say that to him?” Tamara made a ‘tss’ sound. “Anyway, back to you, Wil, so why are you here? I thought you have a team building for the whole weekend?”
Wil removed his coat and hung it on the rock. “This is my house. I will go home whenever I want to.”
Tamara burst out laughing again. “Excuse me? This apartment is mine. I pay the bills and rent monthly. I’m also the one cleaning it, including your dirty clothes. So what makes you say that this is yours?”
Wil faced her in furrowed brows. “Can we talk about it, Tamara? I’m tired—”
“Tired of what? Tired of flirting with your other girlfriend?” Tamara spat the words, but it looked ineffective. “I think I should be the one saying that I am tired, right?”
“Ah, Tamara, I’ll go now…” Mark told them. “Call me when something bad happened—”
“I don’t have a phone, remember?” Tamara asked, not taking her eyes off Wil.
“What happened to your phone?” Wil asked in a knotted forehead.
“You’re more concerned about my phone because it was the latest model, the new version, and not old. Unlike me?” Tamara tried to fight her tears, but she failed. “Am I right, Wil? You don’t like me anymore because I am old-fashioned. You get used to me because I’m not excited and adventurous, just like your new woman.” Tears started to fall from her cheeks. “Is it because I have belly fats?” She squeezed her belly. “Is it because I have pimples? And, my skin is not as fair as the woman working in an air-conditioned office? Is it because my hair is frizzy and dry, and I seldom hold a brush to fix it?”
Wil looked away from her and sighed. “Tamara—”
“You can’t even look at me…” Tamara whispered and started to cry. “Wil, do you know why I looked like this? It’s because I spent most of the time thinking of the best ways on how to make your life easier. I wash your clothes, iron it, and make sure that it’s ready for you to wear. I cook our food, wash the dishes, and clean the house at the same time. Then at night, I will go to the hospital for my shift. If I’m on a dayshift, all the house chores will be done once I get home. I don’t even have time to look at the mirror…”
“That’s why I’m letting you hang out with Mark, Tamara,” Wil said and shook his head. “I leave the house more often because I wanted you to have a time of yourself—”
“What a stupid reasoning, Wil,” she said blatantly. “That doesn’t justify your wrongdoings. It doesn’t give you the license to cheat on me!”
“Then what do you want to happen now?!” Wil shouted back. “What do you want? Tell me!”
Tamara pressed her lips together. Her tears fell endlessly on her cheeks. She looked straight into Wil’s eyes, hoping that she will again see the affection he has for her before. But she doesn’t. What she saw in his eyes were hatred and anger…
“Let’s break up…” she said and broke down in tears. “Let’s end this here… Four years of living together are enough for me to realize that I don’t deserve an immature man like you!”
Wil didn’t speak for seconds. It felt forever for Tamara. Every second ticked by is like a timer threatening her heart. Any moment now, she will be a broken-hearted ugly woman who looked older than her real age because of the stress that her boyfriend gave her.
“Is that what you really want, Tamara?” Wil asked in a pleading tone. “Why don’t we let it pass for tonight and talk about it tomorrow?”
Tamara smirked. She wiped her tears and looked at him. “Let’s end this tonight…”
***