Be My Daddy

Eight

Chapter Eight

Take care

"Calais, are you okay?" Hinaplos ni Mama ang pisngi ko, may bahid pa ng ngiti ang mga labi niya mula sa pagkakatawa kasama sina Tita Sally.

Marahan akong tumango at napatingin sa banda nina Tita Vida. Kausap na niya si Senator at mukhang mayroon silang malalim na pinag-uusapan. Unti-unti ay mas lalo akong naiintriga sa buhay nila, lalo na ni Alder at ng mga Salvatore.

"You missed your Tita Vida so much, huh?" Si Mama, hinahaplos ang aking kamay.

"Yes, Mama..."

"Well, I think they had to go." Aniya at sabay kaming sumulyap sa pamilya nila na papalapit na rito para magpaalam kay Tita Sally.

Napaayos ako ng upo, kaagad napapansin ang matangkad na anak nina Tita Vida. Sanay ito sa atensyon mula pagkabata. He grew up in the limelight! I know how he was forced to smile for the people, for his father... For their reputation...

"Hija," Tumango sa akin si Senator. Nawala tuloy ang atensyon ko sa anak nila at mabilis na bumaling kay Senator. Tumayo pa ako sa upuan ko at nakipagkamay sa kanya.

"Ingat po kayo pauwi." Ngumiti ako ngunit napawi agad iyon nang makita ang tingin ng anak niya na animo'y may ginawa akong masama. Sumusobra na 'tong lalaki na ito ah! Akala mo kung sino! Kung makatingin akala mo pinapatay na niya ako sa isipan niya. Or maybe he's already doing it?

Umismid ako at napansin niya iyon. Mas lalong kumunot ang noo niya at umigting ang panga. He's fairly white, hunky and he sports a clean cut hair too. And his eyes? Even though it's in the color of chocolate brown, it is by far the colded and dullest eyes I have ever met!

"Tita," Bumaling ako kay Tita Vida at niyakap siya.

"I'll visit you often, Cadi. Don't worry." Tita chuckled and she pats my shoulder.

"Remember what I told you,hija." She told me with full confidence. Her eyes brimming with hope and motherly care.

Although I understood every words she said, every advice she gave me and it shine a light upon my dark exteriors, still I couldn't get past the fact that there's an underlying issues that were buried.

I want to know the story... I want to know what happened. I was bothered by the fact that her words had a bit of sting in it. Like a raw, fresh wound has just been cut open. Her words have some depth in it, with a substance forging hard to suppress it but to no avail.

It bothered me so much that I searched about the Arganza and the Salvatore. I can't bring myself to ask Mama about it because I felt that if she knew, Tita Vida probably told her to keep quiet about it. After all, they're the best of friends!

May iilan akong articles na nakita tungkol sa mga Salvator at Arganza pero noon pa iyon. Way back years ago. Halos lahat ay may kinalaman sa negosyo, politika at ang impluwensya ng dalawang makapangyarihang pamilyang ito. Wala masyadong impromasyon tungkol sa mga pribado nilang buhay. Alder is barely mentioned in the articles, but since 2011 when he was still in  high school he gained attention in the papers too for being a role model.

At habang naghahanap na ako ng impormasyon, inistalk ko na ulit si Alder sa Instagram. Wala naman siyang bagong post kaya naman tinitigan ko na lang ang ibang mga pictures niya at paminsan-minsan ay pakunyari itong kinakausap.

"Babe," Hinalikan ni Milby ang leeg ko. I chuckled lowly as I pressed my knees together, locking his hands. Kumuyom ang kamay kong nakapatong sa lamesa ng cafeteria dito sa Tourism department.