PLEASE BE MINE...AGAIN (Completed/Editing)

Chapter 15.1

It was the Educational Trip of all the Grade One pupils and Jackie was part of it. Everyone was already waiting for the school bus that would take them to the zoo. Kasama sa naturang field trip ang pamilya ng bawat mag-aaral na kasali. Nakatayo sila malapit sa gate ng eskwelahan kasama ang lahat ng class advisers sa iba't-ibang section ng grade one.

Sinuyod ni Lorabelle ng tingin ang buong paligid at karamihan sa nakikita niya ay mga batang may kumpletong magulang. May tatay at nanay ang karamihan sa mga ito. Bawat isa sa mga ito ay may bitbit na bag na marahil ay naglalaman ng mga pagkain at mga gamit para sa picnic pagkatapos nilang pumunta sa zoo.

Everyone seemed to be very excited for the trip, well, except Jackie. Nanghahaba kasi ang nguso nito nang tiningnan niya. Hindi rin nakaligtas sa paningin niya ang tila mangiyak-ngiyak na hitsura nito.

"Jackie, baby, is there any problem?" nag-aalalang tanong niya rito. Bahagya siyang yumukod upang magpantay ang mga mukha nila. Aling Maridon went near them to listen to their conversation.

"Oo nga naman, apo. May problema ka ba?" tanong din ni Aling Maridon saka marahang sinipat ang noo ng bata. Bakas din sa boses nito ang pag-aalala. "Wala ka namang sakit. Ayaw mo bang sumama sa field trip?"

"No, lola Don. I wanna go but can't you see? I think I'm the only one without a dad here," she muttered, her lips pouted even more in dismay. "I wish Tito Steven is here."

Nagkatinginan sila ng ina dahil sa tinuran ng bata. Tila hindi makapaniwala ang bawat isa sinabi nito. Then she remembered one thing.

"Naku, hindi ko pa pala natawagan si Steven, 'Ma. 'Di ko siya nasabihan na mag-a-absent ako ngayon dahil field trip ni Jackie!" taranta niyang wika sa babae.

She hurriedly fished for her cell phone inside her bag then dialled Steven's number. Nakadalawang ring lang bago ito sumagot.

"Hello, hon?" Masigla ang boses nito habang sinasagot ang kanyang tawag na tila ba wala lang dito kahit alas otso pasado na ay wala pa siya opisina. She couldn't stop herself from wondering what's behind it.

"A-ah, Steven, ano kasi—"

"Hmm, let me guess, hindi ka makakapasok sa trabaho ngayon dahil field trip ni Jackie?" wika pa nito. And by just the sound of his voice, she could tell that he was smiling. Her eyebrows slightly knitted in confusion. Saka bakit nito nalaman na may ganoong activity? Wala naman siyang nababanggit dito.

"Ha? Paano mo nalaman?" Ngunit hindi na ito sumagot bagama't hindi naman nito pinutol ang linya.

"Tito Steven!" narinig niyang sigaw ni Jackie. "Tito Steven!" Then she ran towards the man who was standing nearby with a phone on his right ear. Nang makalapit ay mabilis nitong hinawakan ang kamay ng lalaki saka hinila palapit sa kanila ni Aling Maridon.

"Bakit narito siya, anak?" Aling Maridon asked, sounding a little bit confused.

"Ewan ko po," simpleng sagot niya saka nagkibit-balikat.

She looked at Steven who was now closer to them. He was staring at her too, their gazes met. Her heart thudded as their eyes locked. Hindi niya rin mapigilan ang sarili na huwag kiligin dahil sa preskong hitsura nito na halatang bagong paligo. He was wearing a green-gray cargo shorts with white t-shirt and on his back was a backpack. Saan kaya ito pupunta?

"Hi Lora!" bati nito sa kanya. "Good morning po, Aling Maridon." At ganoon na lang ang pagkamangha niya nang nagmano pa ito sa kanyang ina.

"Kaawaan ka ng Diyos, Steven. Kumusta?" magiliw namang sagot nito. Ni hindi man lang ito nag-atubiling kausapin ang lalaki. She treated him as if he was the same teenage son of the land owners, whom they used to serve before.

"Ayos lang po. Kayo po, kumusta?"

"Heto, tumatanda na," saka binuntunan ni Aling Maridon ng tawa ang sinabi. "O, Lora, bakit ang tahimik mo diyan?" baling nito sa kanya.

"A-Ah... Steven..." she whispered. He looked straight in his eyes and then she looked at Jackie.

"Mom, is tito Steven going to be my dad for today?" Jackie interrupted, smiling ear-to-ear as she asked. She sounded so excited, as if her voice was telling her to say yes.

Ilang sandali siyang nagpalipat-lipat ng tingin sa dalawa. Then she thought of something. Yeah, maybe it's about time that Jackie would know the truth. Wala na rin namang issue sa pagitan nilang dalawa ni Steven.

She looked at Jackie for a long time. Her tears formed in the corners of her eyes, ready to fall anytime. She started to feel emotional inwardly.

She cleared her throat before she spoke. "No, baby. Tito Steven won't be your dad for today." Her voice was low.

She witnessed how Jackie's face turned gloomy. Tila nanghinayang ito sa sagot niya. Nanatili namang tahimik sina Steven at Aling Maridon.

"Jackie, Tito Steven won't be your dad for today because he will be your daddy forever. He is your real dad." Along with her confession, her tears fell. She watched the different emotions race through the child's hazelnut brown eyes. There was shock and as she'd expected, a great touch of joy.

Nagliwanag ang mukha ng bata at halatang labis nitong ikinatuwa ang narinig. "What? Tito is my daddy?" anito sabay tingala sa lalaki. Tila naman hinaplos ng malamig na kamay ang kanyang puso habang tinitingnan ang malapad nitong ngiti.

Steven faced their daughter. Bahagya itong yumuko upang magpantay ang kanilang mga mukha saka masuyong hinawakan ang magkabilang balikat nito.

"Yes, Jackie. I'm your dad." He held her small body in his arms for a hug filled with fatherly love. "I love you so much, baby," puno ng sinseridad na bulong nito sa bata.

Hindi nakaligtas sa paningin ni Lora ang pagpatak ng luha mula sa mga mata ng lalaki. Hindi na rin niya napigilan ang pagpatak ng sariling mga luha bagama't nakangiti siya. She felt so relieved after everything. Na tila ba natanggal ang bigat na dala-dala niya sa dibdib ng ilang taon.

Aling Maridon held her hand and gently squeezed it. "Masaya ako para sa'yo, anak," anito na bahagya ring namamasa ang mga mata. Ngumiti ito sa kanya.

"Thank you, 'Ma." Then she painted a smile on her lips.