Facing The Legacy (FS # 1)

Kabanata X

Lumapit ako doon at hinawakan si mommy sa likod. I can't do this.. hindi ko kaya makita si mommy na umiiyak.

"Mom! What life?! Whose life?! I don't even know if this is my life." napapikit ako sa nakikita ko. I can't bear this. I can't bear to see my family.. falling.

"Jessica please" sabi ni daddy. I know he is also torn with everything. 

"Jessica do you really want to do this?" tanong ni Jayden. Si Jayden ang tipo ng hindi nakikielam sa mga ganito so I wonder why he is now speaking up.

Nakita kong yumuko si Jessica at tumango siya.

"Let's give her what she wants. She wants to know the Wong family, then let's give it to her." Natigilan kaming lahat sa sinabi ni Tita Caly.

"Life is short, she needs to know her family just like you Camille before nung nawalay ka sa amin." sabi ni Tita Caly. I saw mom was speechless. 

She was talking about mom. Si mommy ay nawala nung bata siya. She grew up with a foster family. Pero naging madali ang lahat dahil mismong ang pamilyang 'yon ang nag desisyon na ibalik si mommy. Hindi rin naging mahirap dahil hindi naman siya pinag agawan. Once in a while ay dumadalaw din si mommy doon.

"But that was different, nawala ako dati pero si Jessica ay binigay na sa atin tapos ano yon? Ibabalik natin? Hindi bagay ang anak ko na pwedeng pag pasapasahan!" hysterical na sabi ni mommy. Hinawakan naman siya sa balikat ni daddy.

"Pero siya na ang may gusto" sabi ni Tita Caly. Doon nalang natahimik si mommy.

"Let her be.." nagulat ako sa sinabi ni Tito Third.

"Kung 'yan ang gusto niya. Hayaan niyo na." Ani Tito Chand.

"We need to do this to protect the family. Jess will enter the world of her biological family. Nasa sakanya na kung babalikan niya pa tayo." sabi ni Tito Third.

Nakita ko kung paano sumangayon ang mga Tita at Tito ko. Kaming mag pipinsan at mag kakaibigan lang ang walang masabi. 

"Okay.." nagulat ako sa sagot ni Jessica. Mom can't even say anything. Dad only hugged mom.

"Jess, tell me you don't want this." nabasag ang boses ni mommy. Yinakap ako ni Jade. I also can't bear to see this.

Yumakap ako kay Jess. Jayden hugged us from behind.

"I think this will be the best for me.. for the family, mom." napaluha na ako sa sinabi ni Jess.

Bumitaw ako sakanila at umiling.

Tumayo ako at tumakbo paakyat sa kwarto ko. Linock ko ito at napaupo ako sa sahig. The family that I was protecting was falling in front of me..

Little by little..

If only I didn't ask for Dylan's help, if only I am there nung nalaman ni Kuya Jos ang lahat.. hindi sana mangyayari ito. Maybe.. maybe.. may nagawa ako para pigilan lahat ng ito.

This is all my fault.

Tumayo ako at humiga sa kama ko. I looked at the picture frame in my bedside table. Lalo akong napahikbi dahil sa sakit. I felt my heart breaking.

Picture namin 'yon ni Jayden at Jess. Everything is ruined now and it's because of me. I was a big part of this whole chaos.

"I am sorry" pumikit ako.

I cried myself to sleep.

Nagising ako ng masakit ang mga mata ko. Pumunta ako sa banyo at hindi na ako nagulat na makita ang mga mata kong namamaga.