PARENT FOR HIRE

kabanata 57

"Old man what happened to her?" Galit na sambit ni Grey na agad sinuri si Mallari. Natawa naman siya sa inasta at sa sinabi nito. Bakas ang nararamdamang pagkainis sa ama.

"I'm sorry I wasn't---" Grey stopped him from telling his side.

"You can't protect this lady, really dad?" Panunuya pa nitong muli sa ama. She hugged him to stop from continuing his sharp words to came out.

"I'm okay, don't call your daddy old man." Saway ni Mallari rito. Yumakap naman ito sa kanya ngunit kita niya ang masamang tingin nito sa ama.

"I can protect your mom Grey. I'm sorry again, don't worry. This will never happen anymore." His dad assured him.

"You should." Sagot pa ng musmos. God! She can't believe she have this men in her lives.

"We need to go now anak." Darth said to Grey. Napansin niyang ayaw nitong kumalas pa sa kanya.

"Shall I let him come with you?" Grey asked her. Tinignan pa nito siya ng may pag alala. She smiled to her son.

"Nothing to worry baby, I need your daddy also beside me." Aniya na nagpatango naman dito. Napangiti siyang muli ng matamis dito. Isang mahigpit na yakap pa ang pinagkaloob nito sa kanya bago ito kumalas at hayaan silang umalis.

"You're beautiful." Sambit ni Darth sa kanya na nasa likod niya at magtama ang mga mata nila.

Tapos na siyang gupitan. Her hair now is shorter than last time. This new apple hair cut of her now made her looked more gorgeous than before. Ito ang unang beses na nagpaikli siya ng ganito at natutuwa siyang makitang bagay ito sa kanya. The new look of her hair tells maturity of her over the years and she liked it.

Sa dami ng nangyari hindi niya alam na kakayanin niyang lagpasan iyon at natutuwa siya para sa sarili. Malaking achievement niyang matuturing iyon. She is happy now kahit pa alam niyang hindi pa naman talaga niya nakakamit ang totoong kaligayahang gusto niya para sa sarili.

Noon pa man ay hindi niya na inuna ang pansariling kaligayahan. Dala ng pagmamahal para sa iba, tila hindi niya na matandaan kung kelan nga ba niya inintindi ang pagmamahal sa sarili. But then, she knew to herself everything happened is worthwhile. Lahat lahat ng iyon. She knew that what is her happiness for herself is them.

Hindi niya namalayan ng nakalapit na sa kanya si Darth. He put his hand in her shoulders. Ang mainit na palad nitong dumampi sa kanya ay nagdulot ng magaan na pakiramdam sa kanya. Rinig niya ang pagbilis ng tibok ng puso niya sa simpleng kilos nito.

"I maybe not a perfect man for you, but can you be the perfect woman for me." He said that made her heart beat fastly and took her breath away.

"There is no such thing as perfect in this world." Aniya bago nag-iwas ng tingin dito. Ramdam niya ang kakaibang epekto nito sa kaniya. He was the only man who can make her feel that, no one else.

"But you are." He said sweetly.

Sa isang restaurant ng isang hotel ngayon ang tungo nila ni Darth pagkatapos sabihin sa kaniya ni Kelly he was already arrived and he waited for nothing. Nahuli na si Mallari, aniya ay may nangyari kasing hindi inaasahan ngunit hindi niya na binanggit pa iyon. He will be surely mad for whoever. Kaya hindi niya na dinetalya pa ang lahat.

"What happened to your hair?" Bungad agad ni Kelly sa kanya pagkakita. She kissed him in his cheeks and saw how Kelly got curious seeing who is with her. Pinaupo rin naman agad sila sa mesa nito. He even already ordered their food at hindi niya rito nasabing kasama niya si Darth kaya nagpahabol nalang.

"Why? Hindi ba bagay sa akin." Natatawang niyang sambit upang hindi na ito maghinala pa.

"You cutted it so short. What's with it?" He asked as if he is catching him to tell more, but she did not.

"Because I wanted to." Aniya. Mabuti nalang hinayaan na siya nitong kumain nang maihanda na ang inorder kahit pa nagtataka parin ito. Inabala nalang niya ang sarili sa pagkain.

Darth handed her the food and she let him. Hinayaan nalang niya ito sa gusto nitong gawin. He even waited her eat first before he started. And all the time, Kelly was only observing the two of them, but she did not mind that. She knew she informed Kelly about her feelings for Darth before until now.

"By the way, I want to know where is your hotel. Doon nalang ako so I can be with you." Sambit ni Kelly. She was about to answer him when Darth answered it first.

"She is living with me." Mataman nitong sagot. Nakipagsukatan ang kaibigan niya rito ng tingin. They are both glaring to each other kaya naman upang matigil iyon ay nagsalita siya.

"I'm currently with him. I have no job here kaya sa kaniya muna ako tumira para kahit wala pa akong trabaho dito ay makapagpadala parin kela nanay." Paliwanag niya. Kelly turned to her.

"Kailan ka babalik sa trabaho mo New York?" Tanong pa ni Kelly.

"She already passed her resignation letter there. Hindi na siya babalik roon." Singit muli ni Darth. Tinignan siya ni Kelly upang kumpirmahin iyon kaya naman tumango siya rito.

"You have a good salary there, why leaving it?"

"She didn't need that."

"I'm not talking to you. Are you manipulating her life again old daddy?" Pang iinsulto nito kay Darth dahilan upang magtiim bagang ito. Hindi na ito sumagot pa kaya mas lalong ngumisi ang kaibigan niya ng nakakaloko.

"Stop that. I made that decision. I'm staying here for good Kelly. Gusto ko rin makasama na ang mga magulang ko, I want to take care of them." She said. Napabuntong hininga si Kelly at agad na nag-iwas ng mata sa kanya.

"Alright, just always take care and be happy here. Umuwi lang talaga ako ng Pilipinas to see you. Isasabay na rin sana kita pabalik doon but then I guess you made up your mind now. Tomorrow I'll be back to New York. I can't lose my job, you know." Malungkot nitong sambit. She felt sorry for him. She knew his feelings for her and she is glad that this friend of her did not pushed her. Instead, he let Darth have her kahit pa noong hindi na nila ito nakikita. But then, the care he gave to her is so much. She is greatful to have this man in her lives. Araw araw niyang ipagpapasalamat ang pagiging tunay na kaibigan nito sa kanya.