THE GOOD SISTER

Chapter 39 - Dead Copy

"Hi ma, thanks for coming."

"Wouldn't miss it. Is your dad here?"

"Coming, just parking."

"Late as usual," her mom muttered.

"Ma, don't start. This is Jay, ma."

"Oh, hi. What a cutie you are. What's your full name, son?"

"Richard Faulkner, Jr. ma'am." He respectfully shook her hand.

"And you own this restaurant, is that right?"

"Yes I do, ma'am. But this is actually a family business. My real profession is writing. I'm a novelist."

"So I heard, two books published and another two coming up. Dei has outdone herself in choosing a partner."

"I fell in love, ma. I did not 'choose' him. "

"Oh come on, don't tell me that the financial readiness did not factor in, even just a bit?"

"Ma.......not here, ok?" Kat whispered sharply.

"Oh......there you are. And where is your......boyfriend?"

"This is Inigo, ma. He's also director for my current project."

"Hmmm......hi Inigo," She said dismissively. "Dei, still no dad?"

-----

He walked into the room still handsome with silver streaks in his temples, the same gait, still no tummy. He was as handsome as Therese still remembered him when they split up twenty-one years ago. And surprise, surprise, he brought a woman with him. The nerve.

Therese was head over heels in love with Teddy since way back. The trouble with Teddy though, was that he worked too hard and had almost no time to spare for his pretty young wife. This made Therese restless and fall prey to supposedly, a 'well-meaning' friend who got her pregnant. The 'friend' is now her husband, whose attentions are never enough for demanding Therese.

"Therese," Teddy greeted amiably, his hand at the small of the back of a woman half his age. "This is my fiancée Karla."

"Oh. I thought we were here for Dei's engagement. Didn't know you were also announcing your own."

"I didn't know either, Karla proposed only yesterday," He winked at Karla who smiled at him sweetly and pinched his middle.

Therese noticed the exchange and felt enraged. Why did she feel a tinge of jealousy? They had been separated for more than two decades already.

"Dad, Karla, nice of you to come. This is Jay."

They shook hands and Therese saw how Dei and Teddy still enjoyed a closeness she envied back then. It was a source of insecurity for her that her husband loved Dei more than he cared for her, his wife. During the times he was busy with work, he would sometimes bring Dei with him to the office just to spend time with her, while Therese was left to fend for herself in the company of her friends.

Dinner progressed and Therese felt so out of place. Even her daughter Kat seemed closer to Dei now. She refused to blame herself even though she knew it was her fault that Kat and Dei were now closer. She did not take an interest in Kat's profession and instead showed disdain for Kat being a showbiz personality.

She was angry for once again feeling left out. She felt the need to lash out at someone, to release this frustration. She was the odd woman out with no date tonight, her husband was out of the country on business.

"So when is the wedding?" She asked Dei, not particularly interested to know.

"We haven't discussed it yet ma."

"Don't you think your timing is off to get engaged now?"

"I'm sorry ma, what?"

"You heard me. With Kat's movie, people not liking your closeness to Jay because they think you're stealing him from your sister?"

"But ma," Kat protested, "We all know the truth. Dei and Jay sacrificed enough for me already. Besides, I'm getting tired of this stupid publicity stunt as well. Inigo and I can't come out in the open with our relationship because of this movie."

"Dei, you've always been selfish. You left us to study abroad, came back without even visiting me, and now this."

"Ma, will you stop this? Nakakahiya kay Tito Teddy."

"Why? Isa pa yan eh, bringing his too-young-for-him fiancee."

"Excuse me, can I just say something?" Richard said quietly. He put his arm around Dei and rubbed her arm reassuringly.

"I should be blamed for the timing of this engagement. It's not Dei's fault that I couldn't wait till the movie was done. I've been planning to propose after the movie was shone but I couldn't keep it in anymore. I wanted to put the ring on her finger to be assured she'd be mine already. So if you need to blame anyone, blame me, ma'am. Don't put this on Dei."

Everyone was quiet after that. Therese stood up and left the room to get some air. She knew she was being a bitch and she just wanted to let off steam for being so.....disillusioned. They all seemed happy and she was still the same as she was twenty years ago, unable to find the elusive genuine happiness that hovered in her mind.

She took a cigarette from her case and cursed when her lighter wouldn't work. Another lighter materialized and she was surprised to see Teddy beside her.

"Oh. It's you. I bet you think I'm such a bitch huh?"

"Still unhappy, Therese?"

"What do you care about how I feel? You're on top of the world."

"I'm concerned. The party's over thanks to you. This was Dei's night, you should've waited till it was just the two of you to raise your concern."

"Your daughter has always been envious of Kat. She's always proving she's better than Kat at anything."

"She's your daughter too. Please don't take your frustrations out on her. I know it has much to do with me, so take it out on me instead."

"You left us. You got too engrossed with work and refused to set aside time for me."

"And that gave you cause to find solace with someone else. What more do you want Therese?"

"You never fought for me."

"How could I when you never talked to me about what bothered you? You chose to find someone else to be with. This is all water under the bridge Therese, and I'll warn you now. If you ever attempt to hurt or embarrass Dei like that again, you'll see a side of me that you've never seen. Goodnight."