Manang Mering and The Top: The Sequel

Now, here is a sequel of Marcel Navarra's work that transpires the art of Localized Filipino literature. By Abadies, Mary Rafel P.

A Sequel to Manang Merin and the Top                                  

It has been a year since it happened, I can’t say that I’m proud of it but one thing’s for sure, I don’t regret what happened. I love Abbi and I believe when you love someone you are willing to give him everything and that’s what I did I gave him my all. I was certain I would end up with him, I was so sure of having him as my first and last but right now I’m not sure if he would also feel the same for me, for us.

After what happened to me and Abbi I got depressed and cried for one long week, but everything became more romantic after that. Abbi became sweeter, bringing me flowers almost every time when he pays me a visit. He became more loving and caring, showing more affection to me than he ever did before. And so I told to myself, I did the right decision, he loves me and so I feel the same nothing else would matter.

“Good morning my love”, then he went near to hug me and kiss my cheeks. “Oh good morning darling, you’re earlier than usual today” I said to him as I was preparing the table for breakfast. “Nah, I just missed you, now I’ll be missing you even more” then he hugged me tighter. This is why I would fell even more for him, each and every day he’s really a sweet man. I broke our hug to face him and said to him cheerfully “Perfect timing, let’s eat!” He gave me a peck on the lips before moving a chair for me to sit on and another for him. “This smells good Hon, you’ll be a perfect wife for sure.” He is looking at me intently while saying that and smiled brightly that made me blush. 

In the duration of our breakfast, we just talked about random things and then suddenly something caught my attention, the plate of Abbi was double. Absentmindedly I said “Sweetheart you are eating with two plates, goodness gracious!” cutting him off on whatever he is saying. “Love no need to shout, those are just plates for Pete’s sake.” And everything went well during that day, just like those days during the three months time.

After that day, time became so slow, I always wait for Abbi to come back so that I could tell him the good news. After the day last time he went to our house, I was always feeling ill and most likely vomiting every morning and so I went to the health center for a free check up after which I heard a very good news from the doctor, I am pregnant. I know I might end up like this after what we did, so I prepared myself for things like this. But on the contrary after weeks, months and until now still no sign of Abbi.

I was taken aback from reminiscing by hearing footsteps from the outside of my room, my brother rushing towards me carrying my little angel Abigail. “Manang! Manang, Abi is having a high fever she’s been really hot though she’s not crying for pain but I’m still worried. What should we do Manang?” He handed me over Abigail, she’s really hot but she’s not even making any noise, any crying which makes me more worried too. We rushed her to the health center but they cannot pin point what is really the problem to my Abigail, they were recommending us to go to the nearest hospital for check up. We immediately obeyed and went for the nearest hospital that there is.

We were able to have Abigail checked up, and for three days now she was confined here in the hospital for observation and for other medical test to check her real condition. I was praying that it would not be something severe, I am willing to accept the fact that Abbi no longer cared for me, even though he didn’t know about my situation I feel like he had dumped and rejected me already, but not my Abigail, I will do anything just for the sake of my angel. As I was sitting in the hallway near the information desk of the hospital, I saw a familiar figure, the very person I was thinking at the moment. Abbi is smiling carrying a baby boy in his hands, months older than Abigail perhaps, while a girl was carrying a hand bag beside him, probably a bag full of baby stuff. Just by seeing them from a far, I can tell that they look like a family together, one happy family. They were making their way to my direction, any moment now Abbi might see me, I don’t know what to do, my mind is telling me to just walk away but my body is doing the otherwise, I was glued on my sit as I was staring at the very man I fell in love with. He turned to look at my direction and immediately our eyes met and for a few seconds it seems like time stopped and we are glued to each other’s eyes. After a moment, regaining my strength back, I had the courage to go near him and slapped him on the face. Then the woman shouted “Hey! What’s your problem miss? Why did you that to my husband?” It was like a bomb, exploded directly to my face. I don’t know what to feel at the moment, and so I was walking away when someone grab my risk the said “Merin, let me explain”, I looked at him angrily “No need, I understand fully what’s happening. I’m not that dumb as you think Abbi. I have waited for you! I thought you will be happy knowing that I was pregnant, I was pregnant with your child. Don’t you worry I can take good care of Abigail all by myself. Just get lost and bring your wife with you” emphasizing the word wife with despise. I continued walking with my tears falling down my cheek. 

A YouTube video screenshot of a film derived from the story.

Narrator’s POV

Before something happened to Abbi and Merin, there were a lot of girls Abbi dated, he was not that serious of Merin. He got tired of having a virgin girlfriend who cannot suffice his needs. But right after something happened to them, he begun to realize how he love his girlfriend how different she is to the other girls she dated. That for years he was able to hold on to her without love making. But after almost three months of happiness with Merin it seems like it was too late for this realization, one of his girls from the past claims that she is pregnant with Abbi’s child. Taking responsibilities for that child she left Merin without a word, scared of what would be her reaction and hoping that one day they will still be for each other at the end. And right after the revelation at the hospital, Abbi was really shocked he left the love of his life pregnant. Imagining the struggles that she had been during that one year without him, it’s breaking him, shattering him to pieces. He felt guilty, guiltier than he is feeling each and every day. He became depressed and lost after that day, and then one day a guy went to their house claiming that the baby boy was his son, later on he knew from the mother of the child the truth, that it was not really his son. He felt more devastated, remembering leaving Merin and his daughter. He hurriedly went to Merin’s house, only to find out that their daughter died, he was crying while walking to get near the little coffin. He get to see his little angel, for the first and the last time.

THE VIDEO THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO WATCH IS A CLIP OF THE STORY BASED FROM MARCEL NAVARRA'S STORY. IT AIN'T NO SEQUEL THOUGH. ENJOY!!!

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