Chapter 9
It was a scene no mother would ever want to see.
The memory of that incident haunted me until the last day of my life. Sa tinagal-tagal ng panahon, hindi nabawasan ang bigat sa dibdib ko, ang galit, ang awa.
There was that cold-blooded son-of-bitch with a knife in his hand, abusing my daughter, slaying her young, innocent soul.
I used the nearest tool in sight, a pair of scissors. I stabbed the monster on the neck, again and again. He was a big creature. Yes, a creature. He was not human. He was Satan's spawn. He rolled off and fell on the floor, his always-cold eyes pleading, full of dread. But I didn't stop. I kept stabbing him with all the strength I had.
It was as if I had been possessed by some spirit. I only stopped when I realized I was covered in blood.
Tiningnan ko si Isabella. Mistula tuod siya sa kama, hindi nagsasalita, dilat na dilat ang mga mata. There was blood on her. Inayos ko siya. I went to the bathroom and washed the blood off my hands.
When I came back to the room, Isabella was in exactly the same position I left her in. Kahit nanlalabo na ang mga mata ko, binuhat ko siya. I felt like I had superhuman strength that moment. I carried her to her room. Pinunasan ko siya, pinalitan ng damit. Wala siyang kahit na anong reaksiyon.
I was so terrified but I knew I had to take care of Roberto, the beast.
I called my lover and he came. I told him everything in the briefest possible way I can. He held my hand tight and without any more questions took care of the body. For hours I cleaned the place and when I was sure everything looked fine I went back to Isabella.
Ganoong-ganoon pa rin siya. Nandoon lang ako sa tabi niya, umiiyak, isinusumpa ang isang taong patay na. My bundle of joy, robbed of her innocence by the person who was supposed to take care of her.
I thought her disposition would improve by letting her go back to her old activities. I let her attend a birthday party, PJ's, a neighbor, a sweet, jolly kid. It was a mistake. They got scared of her because she did not talk to anyone.
She got thinner and thinner and so one day I asked a doctor to come see her. I asked Leticia de Dios, a doctor with a clinic near my place of work. Ayokong lumapit sa mga doktor na kakilala ko. Natakot akong malaman nila ang sikreto namin.
Leticia was very professional. She never asked any personal things. She said one thing that crushed my heart though---Isabella was pregnant. The seed of a monster was in her womb.
I would have gotten rid of the baby if I found out sooner. But it was already four months old. I also felt it would be a big violation to Isabella's body which had already suffered enough. I decided to let nature run its course.
Four months after that, Isabella gave birth. It was unexpected for she was not scheduled to deliver the baby then. Tinawagan ko si Leticia at dumating siya. I waited nervously outside the room while she was giving birth. Thank God, she made it.
Back then I didn't know that while giving birth Isabella spoke. And Leticia heard it clearly. In a trancelike fashion, she said what happened the night I killed her father. But Leticia never told me she found out about it that way.
She called me and when I entered the room, Isabella was asleep. I took one look at the baby and saw the face of my husband. And I just cried. I knew that baby would forever remind Isabella of what happened to her. I could not let that happen.
