The Catch (COMPLETED)

Swivel

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Tita Ruth stood quietly for a while, staring at you. I have always known her as a kind woman but who knows what she was thinking at the moment. We did betray her son and you are the woman who broke her son's heart.

I knew her silence was making you more uncomfortable by the second so I took your hand and held it firmly. That move finally got some reaction from her and averted her gaze from you. She looked at our hands then my face before staring back at you.

"Maine... Iha, I'm not here to cause you any trouble." She started.

"Tita... I'm sorry." You whispered and I can tell by how your voice was cracking that you were fighting back your tears. You bowed your head and bit your trembling lips.

"Tita? What happened to Mama Ruth?" She asked and gently smiled at you.

You raised your head to look at her with tearful eyes.

"Iha, you know you're like a real daughter to me. Ivan is an only child and you lost your mom at an early age. Alam mo na ang pinagsamahan natin for two years is more than you being my son's girlfriend. Itinuring kitang anak ko. Minahal kita bilang anak ko." She said.

"Ma..." Your shoulders start to rock and tears fell from your eyes. "Sorry po." You said again.

She moved closer and hugged you, gently stroking your back as you sobbed and cried.

"Ssshhh... Tama na ang iyak, iha. Masama sa bata yan." She whispered. "Tama na."

Tita Ruth nodded at me to signal for me to join your hug so I did. Moments later, you moved your head on my shoulder and buried your face there while she moved away.

After you have calmed down and had a drink of water, she held one of your hands as she talked to us while I kept an arm around you.

"I must admit, nasaktan talaga ako sa mga nangyari sa inyo ni Ivan but I can't say I didn't expect it." She said as she looked at us. "I've seen the way you two looked at each other and the way you looked at my son, iha. I knew since the beginning that you could never love my Ivan the way you love RJ."

She paused and sighed. "I warned Ivan but he didn't listen. He said mahal na mahal ka niya and he can only be happy when he's with you."

I wasn't sure why but with that, I held you closer.

"Nanay ako. At walang ibang hangad ang isang ina kundi ang kaligayahan ng anak niya kaya sinuportahan ko si Ivan. Mabuti ka namang bata, iha. Umpisa pa lang, magaan na ang loob ko sa'yo at nakita ko kung gaano mo sinubukang ituon ang pagmamahal at oras mo sa anak ko kaya naisip ko... pinagdasal ko... na sana nga magawa mo din siyang mahalin gaya ng pagmamahal niya sa'yo pero minsan hindi tinutupad ang panalangin lalo na kung mas maganda ang nakatakdang dapat mangyari. Sapat na sa akin na alam kong minahal mo din naman si Ivan."

You nodded your head. "I did." You whispered and those two words struck my heart like spears.

"But not as much as you love RJ, not the way my son loved you." Tita Ruth added.

You quietly nodded your head again and she sighed.

"I knew that pero hinayaan ko and I can't help thinking that part of the fault about everything that happened was mine."

"No, Ma. Ako po ang may kasalanan. Ako lang. Ako lahat." You said.

"Iha, you're too hard on yourself. Lahat tayo may nagawa. Your relationship with Ivan was a time bomb ticking down from the beginning and we had a hand at making that. If I didn't turn a blind eye, if my son wasn't too stubborn, if you didn't deny your feelings and try to love someone else instead of the one your heart has been telling you, if only RJ was brave enough to just admit his feelings for you instead of setting you up on that date with his friend." She said and raised an eyebrow at me like an aunt scolding her naughty nephew.