Be My Daddy

Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Five

Warning: SPG

Lifetime

Dahil palapit na ang birthday ko, nagpasya sina Valerio na pumunta rito sa Davao para daw makapagcelebrate kami ng sama-sama. Tinanong ko nga kung isasama niya si Mama kaya lang nasa Poland raw ito ngayon.

Nauna si Heaven dito sa Davao City dahil mayroon din siyang seminar with other psychiatrist.

She's staying in a hotel near the institute. Nag offer pa nga ako na sa apartment ko na siya tumuloy kaya lang may iba pa ata siyang plano. I took a day off so I could join her and we can talk.

"So, kumusta kayo ni Kuya Alder?" Tanong niya habang hinihigop ang kape niya.

I find it oddly satisfying to watch her do that. For years I have watched her choose milktea over coffee and now it's an achievement that she chose coffee over her top tier favorite.

Oh, well. Adulting. You cannot survive adult life without coffee. And to make it simple, you cannot survive life without coffee.

"We're getting to know each other, Heaven." Ngiti ko sa kaibigan.

"That's nice... But did you two... Kiss? You know..."

"Heaven, you know. Besides, kiss? That's for grade schoolers."

"Oh you did it already? What happened to taking slow?"

"Tinanong ko rin 'yan sa sarili ko. Pero pag nasa sitwasyon kita at ganoon kagaling humalik si Alder, bahala na talaga."

"Okay, I get it." Tumawa siya. Kalaunan ay nagseryoso at tumikhim saka seryoso at diretsong tumingin sa akin.

Nothing has changed a lot about Heaven. Mas gumanda lang lalo at pinanatili lang ang apple cut na buhok. Bagay naman sa kanya dahil maliit ang mukha niya at maamo. You'll even mistake her as a teenager at this point. Idagdag pa na marahan at mahinhin pa rin siyang kumilos. At, ito pala ang pinakagusto kong pagbabago, she has a Dra. before her name now.

"Am I in trouble?" Tanong ko dahil napatagal ang titig niya sa akin.

"Not exactly... Look, Cadi... You know I care about you, right?"

"Oo naman."

"And I want what's best for you."

"I know, Heaven."

"And as your friend... I want to be able to help you sort things out. Wait, don't get me wrong. I admire you so much for being independent and surving all that you've been through. Believe me, I can only sympathize because if I were in your position, I wouldn't have survive any of that."

"Heaven, you're strong-"

"I know that, Cadi. But this isn't about me, okay?"

I nodded.

"You left Manila four years ago, turning five next year... I never asked for an explanation why you left that way in an instant. We didn't want to pressure you. We just know that that was your way of settling things, you know..." She paused a bit.

"I mean... I totally respect your choices and I think it has been effective for you. But it won't be for a long time. You've been suppressing everything, Cadi. Your feelings, emotions and your reactions... The longer you'll do that, the more you'll get lost..."

Tumango ako nang marahan. Naiintindihan ang ibig sabihin niya. Noon pa man, alam ko nang hindi magiging maganda kung kikimkimin ko ang mga bagay-bagay pero tinabunan ko ang kaisipang iyon at hinayaan ang damdamin ko na magdikta ng mga desisyon ko noon.