Austen-Henderson Series 5: ENCHANTED BY MR. DEAN

Special Chapter 2

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Special Chapter 2

"YOU have a nice place." Matulin na lumibot ang mga mata ni mama sa buong bahay. Ako mismo ang nag-ayos ng bahay namin ni Tiago Lance, kasama ang mga pinsan ko at ang asawa nila. Their ideas were all wonderful. Lumabas na tila propesyonal ang nagdisenyo niyon.

"Mama..." I saw my mother smiled in half after sitting on the sofa. I offered her a drink which she greatly accepted.

Mataman kong pinagmasdan ang aking Ina. After almost three months, naisipan din niya akong dalawin. I just hope she came here with an open heart. Sana naman ay matanggap na niya si Tiago Lance para sa akin.

"I miss you, daughter." Napakagat ako sa aking labi nang masilayan ko ang paglambong ng lungkot sa mga mata ni mama. Tumikhim ako.

"Namiss din kita, mama. Balak ko po sanang ikansela ang kasal namin ni Tiago Lance noon sa civil..."

"But you didn't." Gagad ni mama sa anumang sasabihin ko. Lumunok ako nang maulinigan ang munting tampo sa boses ng aking Ina.

"Mama, I'm sorry if I failed to fulfill your request. I can't marry another man because I'm in love with my husband."

Bumungtunghininga siya. Hinintay ko na lamang na magsalita si mama ngunit matiim lamang siyang nakatitig sa akin. "All my life, I struggled for my freedom, ma. I grew up wondering why there's men in uniform surrounding me."

"I was crying playing alone, ma. Ni wala akong kalaro. Ni hindi niyo ako pinayagang makihalubilo sa ibang mga bata. I don't remember a happy moment being a kid. Palaging ang mga pinsan ko lamang ang kasama ko."

"Gusto ko lang naman nang normal na buhay, ma. Iyong may ibang makilala o maging kaibigan ako. But no one wants to be friend with me because they were scared of my bodyguards."

"I was suffocated. You guys run my life. All of you decides for me. Ni hindi ko alam kung kaya ko bang magdesisyon nang maayos para sa sarili ko. Ni hindi ko nga naranasan na madapa at tumayo sa sarili kong paa."

"I didn't regret that I eloped home. Because of that I met Tiago Lance. He taught me so many things. Little by little, I changed. Natututo akong mamuhay mag-isa, magluto, maglinis ng bahay, makihalubilo sa iba't ibang tao. Natuto akong magtiwala sa sarili ko, ma. At natuto akong magmahal."

"Tiago Lance is a good person, mama. He loves me, and he never made me doubt about that every day we're together."

"He maybe missing a lot but he has a pure heart. Please give him a chance, ma."

Matulin na lumipas sa amin ang katahimikan. My mother cleared her throat. Gusto kong marinig ang mga rason niya. Gusto kong maintindihan ang pagtanggi niya sa amin ni Tiago Lance. I want to listen to her, because her opinion is important to me. Hindi man kami malapit sa isa't isa nang aking Ina ay mahal ko siya.

Her face shows no emotion. "I was like you when I was young. Struggling."

"Me and your dad were also a product of arranged marriage." Namilog ang mga mata ko nang sabihin niya iyon. Ngayon ko lamang nalaman iyon. I never thought theire marriage were fixed. They were a perfect couple. Kahit dominante si mama ay nakita ko ang pagmamahalan nila ni Daddy.

"I was against with my parent's decision so I run away." Mama said.

"I met a man who's as beggared as a rotten rat. I fell for him. I thought, his love was real."

I watched my mother as she continued talking. "We were so happy, Barbara. And I was pregnant carrying his child. We're supposed to be married, but I overheard him talking to a woman, which happens to be his real wife."