Can We Start Over Again – 14

Can We Start Over Again – 14

Richard arrived at the Dela Rosa residence after a long drive. It was close to midnight but he didn’t hesitate to knock on their door. He just wanted to make sure that Maya was home.

He’s been worried already when he couldn’t contact her. Maya didn’t call him either, like what she told Liza she’d do.  It’s so unlike her and he’s really distressed as many scenarios were already playing in his mind.

Nanay Teresita opened the door and was startled to see Richard. She craned her neck expecting to see her daughter but was confused when she didn’t see her. “Richard si Maya?” She questioned the anxious-looking Richard who greeted her with a kiss on her cheek.

He treats Nay Teresita  like his own mom and they were very close even when Maya was away.

She led Richard inside their home.

“Nay yan din ang reason why I’m here. Maya went to the office earlier today. Unfortunately I was out. My secretary told me that umalis si Maya after an hour to meet a friend. She promised to return to the office and she even told Liza that she’d call me. But I couldn’t contact her. I tried calling Tatay Arturo kanina pero he wasn’t answering too.”  Worry was etched on his face.

Nanay Teresita got worried as well. All she knew was that Maya will be visiting Richard and that she will surprise him.  She never mentioned any friend aside from him.

“Teka tingnan ko yun telefono. Hindi ko pa naman pinapansin yun. Yun Tatay Arturo mo may dinaluhang convention kaya hindi yun makakasagot sa tawag. Ayun nga sobrang pagod kaya tulog na tulog. Naku Maya asan ka bang bata ka?” Nanay Teresita frantically searched for her phone inside their bedroom.

She was relieved to find messages from Maya informing her of the exact same thing she told Richard’s secretary but Nanay Teresita knows that something was amiss. She knows her daughter so well. She dialed her number while returning to the living room where Richard was waiting.

“Maya nak? Asan ka ba?” She blurted out the moment Maya answered the call.

Relief was etched on Richard’s face the moment he heard Nanay Teresita talking to Maya on the phone.

“Nay yun tinext ko sa’yo. Yun na po yun. Saka ko na lang ipapaliwanag.” She couldn’t admit to her mother what she found out and how hurt she was. She knows that her mother is close to Richard and his parents.

“Maya akala ko si Richard ang pupuntahan mo?”

“Nay wala siya doon atsaka… basta Nay. Saka ko na lang ipapaliwanag. Kapag tumawag si Richard dyan sa inyo, bahala na po kayong magpaliwanag. Hindi ko na muna siya kakausapin.” Then she stifled her sob which didn’t escape her mother.

“Maya kung ano man yan, ikaw na ang magpaliwanag kay Richard. Nandito sya. Kanina pa to nagaalala sa’yo.” Nanay Teresita handed the phone to Richard not allowing Maya to avoid talking to him which Nanay Teresita suspects her daughter was doing. She felt that something happened which compelled Maya to avoid  Richard.

“Maya! Where are you? I’m sorry wala ako kanina. I felt so bad to have missed your visit. Akala ko babalik ka? I waited for you. Tinawagan rin kita. Where are you? Masaya ako that you’re home. Are you just visiting or is this what you told me?” He was excited that he talked nonstop.

“Ricky hindi ko pa sigurado. Sasabihin ko na lang kapag nagkita tayo. Sige na gabi na kailangan mo nang magpahinga.” Her lackluster reply didn’t escape him but he ignored it.

“When are we going to see each other? I’ve already blocked the rest of the week. I’m all yours.” He still sounded excited despite Maya’s reaction on the other line.

“Hindi mo na kailangang gawin yun. Hindi ko pa sigurado kung kailan tayo magkikita. May mga aasikasuhin pa ako. Sige na Ricky. Pahinga ka na. Thank you sa pagpunta dyan kay Nanay. Dyan ka na matulog kasi delikadong magdrive. Late na.” Her voice couldn’t hide the sadness and hurt she felt. Even the sound of her voice betrayed what she felt. He could tell that something was bothering her.

“Are you okay? Why do you sound like you cried? Do you need me there?”

“Wag na Ricky. Dadamayan ko na muna etong kaibigan ko. Nalungkot lang ako sa kwento nya. Pupuntahan na lang kita kapag okay na siya.”

“Maya you’re making me worry here. I don’t even know where you are or kung sinong friend yan? Can you at least tell me?”

“Ricky wag na. I’m okay. Kaya ko naman ang sarili ko. I’ll just call you kapag free na ako. Wag kang mag-alala. I’ve survived Manila. Kakayanin ko naman dito sa New York.”

“So you’re in New York? Asan ka nga Maya? Tell me. Pupuntahan kita. I won’t bother your friend. Please just tell me where you are. Hindi ako mapapakali nito. I know something’s wrong. Please tell me.” He was pleading already.

He disliked being left in the dark on what’s happening to her.

“Ricky naman eh. Mapilit ka naman. Kaya ko na ang sarili ko.”

“But Maya …”

“Can you at least give me privacy. I also have my own life, you know. Sige na Ricky. Bye.” Then she ended the call, not allowing him to say more.

The annoyance in her tone was evident and it left Richard clueless as to why she acted that way. He was also hurt that he seemed unimportant to her.

Teresita dela Rosa just stared sadly at the handsome man she already treats like her own son.

“Nay alis na po ako. These flowers are for Maya pero sa inyo na po.” He tried his best to act normal not wanting to worry Maya’s mother.

“Dito ka na lang magpalipas ng gabi Ricky. Tawagan mo na lang sila mama mo.”

“Wag na po Nay. I also need to be at the office early tomorrow. Mukhang okay naman po si Maya. Wag na kayong mag-alala. Tatawag na lang raw sya sa akin. Mukhang may dinadamayang kaibigan. Hindi nga sinabi kung sino. Hindi naman siguro boyfriend.” He even tried to joke.

“Wala naman akong alam na may boyfriend si Maya, Richard. Sigurado ako kaibigan lang kung sino man yun.”

He just smiled then bade goodbye to Nanay Teresita.

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After she left Richard’s building, Maya decided to check-in at a nearby hotel. She couldn’t roam around looking pitiful and distraught at what she learned.

She tried to recall her past conversations with Richard and she realized that he had always been fond of Rafi.

She couldn’t help but compare herself to Rafi again.

She regretted not paying much attention to him when he was still very vocal of his care and concern for her.

She made him wait until he already found someone else to take her place.

Maya sent messages to her mother, not wanting to upset her.

She just needed a few days to clear her mind and at least calm her heart.

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Preview:

Richard was searching for any clues about Maya online after he failed to contact her weeks after that one phone conversation they had the day he went to her place.

He saw  these about her:

“Maya dela Rosa retires from showbiz to join her boyfriend.”

“James and Maya – expecting to be parents soon!”

“Maya de la Rosa, biglang nagretiro sa pagaartista upang pagtuuanan ang pagbubuntis sa anak nila ni James Ventura.”

“James Ventura keeps his silence about Maya dela Rosa.”

These and a few more articles appeared.

Richard didn’t realize that he was already clenching his fists.

 

A/N : Kalma lang po.