Playing With Seduction

Chapter Four

"Mom..." I quietly said as I saw her walking in after she walked Vito to his pickup truck. "What do you think of Vito?"

Ayaw kong mag-isip ng masama kay Mom but I couldn't help it after overhearing the conversation they had earlier. What were they hiding? Ano bang binabanggit ni Vito na 'nangyari'? Was my mom having an affair with a younger man? 

"I think he's a nice young man. Bakit mo naman na tanong?" Her brows crumpled.

"Oh, nothing..." I shrugged. I didn't want to just come up to her and all of a sudden, accuse her of having an affair with Vito. I didn't even want to believe it was true. Iniisip ko na lang na baka mali ako ng pagkakaintindi. Mom was still in the process of grieving and Vito was kind enough to help her through it because he himself had gone through it before with his father. Iyon ang gusto kong paniwalaan.

I still wanted to believe that Mom loved Dad so much to even look at other men. I'd always loved their fairytale love story. I'd always believed in that. A city boy and larger-than-life playboy  falling in love with an equestrian haciendera. I'd heard of their story from Mom over and over. How Dad spent a week at the hacienda and got jealous of David, her ex-boyfriend, how she followed him to the city and did everything to win his affection. Si Mom ang nanligaw kay Dad. They eventually lived together until she found out about Dad's then estranged wife. Nagalit si Mom at bumalik sa hacienda at si Dad naman ang sumunod sa kanya. Nagtrabaho siya sa hacienda at napatawad din naman siya ni Mom and Lolo Jaime. And after that, they lived happily ever after. I remembered how Mom's eyes would sparkle with sweet nostalgia everytime she tells me their story. Mom and Dad loved each other so much and they would never cheat on one another. 

"Bakit? Do you like him?" There was a change in Mom's tone as she quietly looked at me, waiting for my answer. Was she jealous?

"N-no! Of course, not!" I exclaimed. 

"So, what happened in the woods?" There was sterness in Mom's tone as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Nagkasalubong lang kami... Nilabas ko lang si Pepper at nakasalubong ko siya kasama ang kabayo niya. " I told her. 

"Yun lang ba talaga ang nangyari?" Mom asked, unsmiling. It was so not like her to pry in our personal business. That was Dad's job. 

"Yes... Why?" 

There was a short pause before she took in a deep breath and exhaled.

"Vito is a handsome young man and I understand that you're now a woman. And sometimes when a man and a woman spend time alone together, something else happens..." Her hand reached up and tucked some loose strands of my hair behind my ear. Why was she telling me all these? Dahil  ba 'something else' happened between Vito and her when they were alone kaya akala niya ginagawa ko din iyon?

"I'm not as strict and conservative as your father when it comes to raising you but I don't want you fooling around with someone you just met." Sabi ni Mom.

"Mom, what are you talking about? Fooling around? With who? With Vito?" My eyes felt like it would pop.

"Honey, your shirt is inside out." She cocked a brow.

My eyes lowered to my shirt and I was baffled for awhile."I... no, it's not what you think! Nag-swimming ako sa falls. You know, that place where you and Dad used to take us? I don't even like Vito, Mom!"

"Why don't you like him? He's a nice man." Mom's brows furrowed.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "He's just... he's just... he look stupid. Napaka-presko niya, Mom. Baka akala niya he's God's gift to women."