After eighteen years...
"Anong nangyari kay Chesca, Axel?" Celestine asked me while eating our dinner.
Chesca didn't go down and locked herself in her room. Hinayaan ko na lang dahil alam kong nagtatampo siya. My daughter is a daddy's girl, at kapag ganitong nagtatampo siya sa akin ay nagkululong siya sa kwarto nito.
"Hayaan mo na lang muna. Ready na ba 'yung mga names na ilalagay sa invitation niya?" Tanong ko.
"Ah yes. Co-confirm nalang niyan. Wait lang kunin ko para makita mo."
She's turning eighteen. We are preparing little by little for it since she was too excited about it. She's so busy in her acads plus mga competition kaya kahit malayo pa ang debut niya ay inaayos na namin. Ayaw naman naming magahol. Halos kaming dalawa ang nagpa-plano at nagpeprepare nito. I want her to have her dream debut.
"Here."
Inabot sa akin ni Tine ang isang papel na may mga pangalan ng mga kaibigan niya. I looked at it and I couldn't help but to smile. My princess is really friendly. Hindi rin ako makapaniwala that she's turning to be a legal lady soon. Napahinto naman ako sa isang pangalan na nasa hulihan.
"Nga pala, sinabi niya na ba sa'yo kung anong namamagitan sakanila ng anak ni Ritsumi? Si Rion." Bulong nito sa akin at napatingin ako sakaniya.
"Hanggang ngayon kasi hindi ko alam kung bakit si Rion ang escort niya. You know I asked her already, but she didn't tell me anything. Mas closed kayo kaya feeling ko may alam ka na tungkol sa dalawa."
I smiled with what she said. Chesca always shares her secrets and she never hides anything to me. I looked at the invitation again and read the name of her escort.
Rion Andrei S. Adams
Rion was a 17 year old guy. And yes, anak siya nila Ritsumi at Luther. Months lang naman ang tanda ni Chesca sakaniya. Hindi ko alam kung pinaglalaruan ba kami ng tadhana o ano, pero nagulat na lang din ako nang ipakilala siya sa akin ni Chesca bilang manliligaw. It was the first time that Chesca allowed someone to court her. Lahat nang nagtangkang nanligaw sakaniya noon ay binasted niya but Rion was an exemption. He let her court her. My mind couldn't absorb it actually. Dahil sa dinami rami ng pwedeng manligaw at magustuhan ng anak ko, bakit 'yung anak pa nila?
"Nanliligaw sakaniya. Potential boyfriend na rin."
"H-ha? May balak siyang sagutin si Rion?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong nito.
"Oo. Baka sa debut niya raw." Sagot ko habang umiiling.
"Omg!"
Hindi naman sa ayaw ko kay Rion para sa anak ko. Rion is actually a kind guy. Hindi niya namana ang kamalditahan ng nanay niya at kasungitan ng tatay nito. He'a actually different compare to his two siblings. 'Yung isang babae, spoiled na madaldal na ewan. 'Yung isang lalaki naman napaka maldito. And yes, Ritsumi and Luther have three kids while they were together and I only got one.
They have lived in Nevada for many years. I don't know how many times they've come here. Hindi ko mabilang dahil sa sobrang dalang. Sa sobrang dalang may mga times nga na hindi ko pa sila nakikita. Nitong nakaraang taon lang sila umuwi for good daw. I don't know why and I didn't bother to ask. Luther and I are still not in good terms. Hindi pa rin kami nag uusap. Si Ritsumi naman, kung makikita ko o makakasalubong ay ngingiti lang or tatango.
Hinayaan ko na lang din. Wala namang mangyayari kung makikipag usap pa ako sakanila. Everything has changed. Both of us are happy with our own family. I just want to be civil to Ritsumi kahit na may nakaraan kami. Matatanda na rin naman kami at wala na akong panahong ungkatin pa ang lahat dahil parehas ng tahimik ang mga buhay namin. Kay Luther lang talaga ako sobrang ilap at iwas.
