19th of a series
Betrayed Hearts: A Journey of deceit and redemption
From an active local leader with so much ideas to share, Romy became a prisoner alternately of our conjugal bed and the wheelchair bought by his children. He turned out to be like a little child totally dependent on me for support in everything he would like to do.
To ease my burden, his kids hired a caregiver who would assist me 24/7 but even with a caregiver, he would not allow me to leave his side holding my hands. One time when I thought he was asleep, I stayed on the chair beside his bed to play ‘Candy crush’. Suddenly he stretched his arms sideways trying to find where I was.
Since I was deeply engrossed by the game, I did not notice what he was doing, causing him to be grumpy for hours. Though I fully understood what he was going through, I admit that there were times when I was turning impatient. I am only human and getting old and tired.
Anyway, everyday was a challenge I needed to overcome. Whenever I was starting to lose my temper, I would remind myself of the vow I made when I married him – to love and to cherish him in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad times till death do us part. I knew what he needed was sympathy, patience, understanding and above all, unconditional love.
Being totally blind is not a joke. I felt his pain and agony. There were moments when I cried in silence especially when he complained of not knowing time and space. Everything is black, he would always tell me and much as I wanted to appease his feelings, I was helpless. All I could do was hold his hands and swear to him time and again that I would continue to love him for as long as we both shall live. At night when his ‘nanny’ was not around to assist me, I would read to him funny anecdotes and poems he wrote in his column.
Sometimes, I would read to him inspirational quotes from the Scriptures to boost his will to fight. As a man who grew up surrounded by friends, he felt sad and alone when nobody calls or visits him at home. I was a hands-on wife who would do anything within my limited power to make him happy.
But mischievous fate played on me…or on us unexpectedly. On the eve of September 29, 2019, my 68th birthday, he revealed something that rocked me to the bone! I realized later I was partly to blame. On that evening when we were lying together in an improvised bed at home, I blurted out of the blue, “next year, we shall be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary, in that span of 20 years, have you ever had sex with anyone?”, to which he readily replied “yes!”. And so I asked, “with whom?” He answered “wag na, baka magalit ka lang”.
I swore I would never get mad so he spilled the name right in my face. Unbelievable! Had he chosen to answer NO, there would be no arguments and the trust I had given to him would remain intact. The days that followed were not the same anymore. I wanted to hate and hurt him but I can’t. More often than not, I would spew unsavory epithets just to get even. Little did I notice that his ‘nanny’ was recording our arguments and sending it to his children.
It was my daughter-in-law, Madeline S. Calanasan caught Romy’s caregiver’ in flagrante delicto, recording our heated argument in front of us. That SOB pretended she was simply watching a display of plants and flowers and even swore “My loyalty belongs to you Mama”. The nerve!
To be continued
Melinda Bagsic Evangelista
I was born to write and I believe that’s my calling. I love writing because it brings me to the realm exclusively of mine. It is also my opinion that “immortality” can be achieved not by searching for the Holy Grail and drinking from it but by living your life worth-writing or writing something worth-reading. Since I cannot promise you a life worth-writing, I keep myself busy writing something worth-reading. I am thankful to God for giving me the talent and skill to see life in different perspectives not seen by many and the courage to share it to my readers. This first ever Tutubi Digital News Magazine is a perfect avenue to bring you the many facets of life that you can ponder upon in this time of the pandemic. Enjoy reading all the articles.
