Sometimes life throws something at you that’s unexpected and unwelcome. A surprise is good as long as it’s a good surprise. But as its name implies you don’t know what to expect that’s why it’s called a surprise.
You are unprepared for something that could shatter your heart into tiny pieces.
Engr Eric (not his real name) shared his love story with me. “Mam, hayan alam mo na ang buhay ko.” He’s happy he was able to share with me his love story, it’s a form of release. May nakausap sya. And me, posting his story in public is not gossip but something that would serve as life’s guide or maybe we can pick up a thing or two from what happened as a life lesson.
He was 32 when he met this 22-year-old gorgeous entertainer. In 5 months he married her and fully embraced his role as stepdad to her two young children aged 3 and 5 from her previous relationships. They had two daughters of their own and Engr Eric became the happiest husband and father. He spoiled her. Not rich, he worked hard to provide for his family. Everything she asked for he gave. When she asked for something he couldn’t afford, he would tell her to give him time to save. And he did. In a few months he would give her whatever she wanted.
She worked abroad in a cruise ship. One day, Engr Eric received 4 photos from his wife. He excitedly opened the file and was shocked to find 4 photos of his sexy wife, naked, and body-locked on the beach with another man, naked too.
Eric—– “Mam, apat yung pictures, yung isa naghahalikan sila. Yung tatlo, hindi ko masabi sa inyo kung anong ginagawa, basta hindi maganda ang ginagawa nila. Masyadong malaswa.”
Me——- “Eh sino ang kumukuha nung litrato.”
Eric —– “Sya, galing sa phone nya mam. Baka nagpakuha sila, or…..”
Me——– “Eh di shock na shock ka.”
Eric —— “Pumasok ako sa kwarto at umiyak ako mam.”
When she came home, Eric talked to her and asked her to stop the relationship. But he felt she was no longer present. She also didn’t want to sleep with him anymore and was just ignoring him.
Eric —— “Ramdam ko na hindi na asawa ang turing nya sa akin.”
Eric —— “Kinausap ko sya mam, pero wala na, sumama na sya dun sa lalaki.”
After a year, his wife and the guy split up. And Eric asked her to come back. She did, and she admitted having committed a big mistake and promised not to do it again.
Eric —— “Nanira ka pa ng pamilya” (The guy kasi was also married.)
Eric thought that was the end of his nightmare. As a boy, he promised not to have a broken family because that was what happened to his parents, they split because his mom went with another man. Ayaw daw nya maulit ang nangyari sa kanila. Kaya he promised to himself he would do everything possible to keep his family intact.
Two months later, his wife- has a new boyfriend. Wahhhh. Eric was devastated but not like the first time. Yung una kasi, it was more difficult because he saw photos of them having unrestricted physical calisthenics. Magkapatong sa beach. How romantic. Close-up shots pa. Until now, the images were still vivid in his photographic memory.
Illustration by Dreamstime.com Lovers on the Beach, CTTO
Me—— “Hayaan mo na lang sya, nagdadalaga yung misis mo, hindi mo yun mapipigilan, wala sya sa sarili nya.”
Me—— “Hanggang ngayon in love ka pa rin sa kanya?”
Eric —— “Oo mam, kahit nga mga anak ko sinasabi sa akin. Kaya ayaw ni papa na mag girlfriend kasi in love pa sya kay mama.”
Eric——- “Tutoo naman mam, lagi ko pa syang naiisip.”
Me——– “Ano’ng nagustuhan mo sa kanya?”
Eric —— “Ang galing nyang kumanta (laughs)”
Me——– “Ang ganda, ang sexy?”
Eric—— “Dati yun mam, ngayon hindi na (laughs), mataba na”
He raised their 4 children all by himself. He never looked or dated any woman. He just focused on raising his children. And uyyy, love pa nya misis nya.
He is asking her to come home so she could be present in the lives of their children. Even a once a week visit is good enough for him. So far she hasn’t showed up for several months.
Me—— “Bakit, nasan sya?”
Eric —— “Nakita ko mam sa Facebook meron na naman syang bagong boyfriend, nasa boat, nasa beach.”
Me——— “Mahilig sa beach ang misis mo.”
Eric —— “(laughs), pangatlong boyfriend na nya yun, gitarista daw. Naiinis ako sa kanya.”
Me——— “Huwag mo ng pansinin yung misis mo, ituring mo na lang na parang distant relative. Bakit ka naiinis, may gusto ka pa. Hayaan mo lang sya, yun ang gusto nyang gawin, huwag mo na lang pansinin, huwag ka ng mag-imbestiga sa Facebook nya.”
Eric —— “42 na sya, parang teenager pa rin kumilos.”
Me——— “Titigil din yun, pag 75 na. Babalik na sa’yo para mag-paalaga.”
Eric —— “Hindi ko na sya tatanggapin, wala na syang asim.”
