Conquering Territories: Completed

25

"He do have a daughter?" My thoughts were interrupted after hearing Vin's voice.

Maging siguro siya ay nagulat sa sinabi ni Jacob. I mean, from the looks of him, wala sa hitsura niya ang magkaka-anak ng maaga. Kahit minsan lang ay hindi pumasok sa isip ko ang bagay na 'yon.

I decided to stay quiet after that. Hindi ko na sinagot ang tanong pa ni Vin. I still couldn't process everything. The word "Jacob" and "Father" doesn't suit well.

The door opened once again, showing Jacob carrying a young girl. From the looks of it, the girl he was holding was his daughter. Her real daughter.

Jacob smiled at us. This time, his smile was genuine and proud, far from his annoying and prideful smile. He was genuinely happy right now.

"This is my daughter, Vale." Jacob looked at the girl she was holding. The girl waved her hand, before shyly burying her face on his father's chest. Hindi ko tuloy mapigilan ang mapangiti sa kanilang mag-ama. He looked contented.

"Hi Vale," I said before smiling at the whole turned his head around. The girl smiled beautifully. I couldn't help but to notice the similarities between Jacob and her daughter. She was a perfect copy of his dad.

Jacob put the girl down, making her stand on her own. She's a beauty. "Hello po."

"Nasabi na ba sa'yo ni Daddy mo kung bakit kami nandito?" I leveled her before asking that question. My lips suddenly formed an "o" after noticing something on her eyes. It was intricately beautiful.

The color of her eyes was crafted artistically. Shade of gold was found on the border of her pupil, leaving the rest of her iris blue in color. It was a perfect mixture of color, making it resemble something like a flower

"You... You're beautiful," I blurted out. The color of her eye really caught my whole attention.

"Vale do have central heterochromia, making her eyes a mixture of different color," Jacob said. It looks like he already knew about it since the day her daughter was born. "Don't worry, central heterochromia won't harm her body in any way."

Seeing Jacob as a father figure really impressed me. I thought he was just someone with big head full of air. His image in my mind suddenly became ease and calm, far from his usual annoying image. Hindi ko alam na may ganito pala siyang pagkatao.

"Let's go?" Jacob said before he gently held his daughter's hand and guided us towards outside. Vin and I followed the two of them. Vin carried his camera with him while I brought my small note with me. Ilang minuto rin kaming naglakad bago kami umabot sa isang dalampasigan.

The breeze welcomed us as we stepped on the sand. Since we're living on an island, hindi na ako nagulat na sa tabing-dagat ang napili nilang spot para kunan ng shots si Vale. In just a matter minutes, Vin was now with Vale, instructing her on how to pose and how to be the camera's star.

Hindi na ako lumapit pa sa kanila at naupo na lang sa buhangin. Vin was busy taking Vale's photo. It looks like he knew what he was doing.

"So," Jacob sat beside me, eyes focused on her daughter enjoying the sand and waves, "do you have any questions? Sigurado ako na maraming tumatakbong tanong ngayon sa isip mo."

I looked at Jacob, and noticed that his emotion. It looks like he was expecting me to ask him questions directly, which somehow made me smile. Mukhang hindi naman siya natatakot na sagutin ang mga tanong ko.

"When did you have her?" I directly asked. Hindi na ako nagpaligoy-ligoy pa dahil alam ko namang doon rin kami mapupuntang dalawa. He asked for it.

"I was 15 during that time," he started. His hands started to scribble the sand, maybe trying to calm himself. "Hormones. Peers. Fantasies. Maybe I was too hung up with the idea of sex during that time, making it."

Jacob's voice faded after saying those words. Embarassment somehow enveloped him, I guess. He was a just a minor during that time, and having a child was quite a big responsibility.

"Nasaan ang asawa mo?" I asked. Jacob slightly bit his lip. I guess I made the wrong question.

"She died. After giving birth, she died." Caught suddenly my tongue. I really chose the wrong set of questions.

"I'm sorry."

"Na, I already accepted it since then," Jacob said as he looked at his daughter's smiling face. "Tanggap ko na kami na lang ni Vale ang magkasamang tatanda. Hindi man siya kasama ni Vale habang lumalaki, palagi ko pa ring ipapa-alala na may Mama siya na laging nakatingin sa kanya.

A smile was formed on my lips after that. Jacob's words was quite new for me. Hindi ganito ang Jacob na palagi kong nakakasama sa classroom. He's different. A good different from the one I knew.

"So, everything you did to excel was not for yourself but, for her. Right?" I decided to be frank this time. Sigurado naman ako na hindi magagalit si Jacob. He was relaxed this time. A figure of him which somehow made me happy.

"Yes, everything's for her. Paano ko naman siya mabibigyan ng magandang buhay kung hindi ko magawang maganda ang buhay ko. I want to give her the best. She deserves everything."

Those lines somehow made me guilty. My judgements towards him was cruel. He wasn't selfish. He wasn't egotistic. He was just a father who wanted the whole world for his child.