His Hired BedWarmer (Enticed Series 1)

HHBW-36

Chapter Thirty-Six
The Chance of Healing

Reys

I got a call from an unknown number this morning, and that call was the reason why I am here. Nakatayo ako sa tapat ng isang mansion habang palipat-lipat ang tingin ko sa address na sinulat ko sa sticky note. Tama naman, mukhang ako lang yata ang ayaw maniwala.

"Let's go inside," napapitlag ako nang marinig ko ang boses na iyon. Nang lumingon ako ay nakita ko ang isang lalaking nakasuot ng shades at naka-maong na jacket. Nakapantalon ito at naka-rubber shoes ng puti...

"Nandito ka para kay Dad, hindi ba?" aniya at naghubad ng shades nang makalapit sa akin.

Bagong pagbati ba iyon sa mga anak sa labas? Ba't parang ang cool niya?

"I'm Tyron. You're Reys, right?"

Nang makapasok kami sa loob ay wala ako'ng ibang magawa kundi tignan nang pauli-ulit ang loob ng bahay. Ganito pala kayaman ang biological father ko? Nakakapanghinayang na ewan. Parehong may kaya ang mga magulang ko samantalang naghirap ako mula pagkabata ako hanggang ngayon. Hindi ko talaga alam kung ano ang mararamdaman ko.

Pagkatapos ng araw na nag-usap kami ni Meryl ay bumalik pa siya kinaumagahan pero hindi ko siya kinausap at nando'n lang siya sa labas. The she came the following day again hanggang sa ako na ang nainis at kinausap ko na s'ya. She kept convincing me about meeting my father. I could still remember vividly the look on her face when she begged me like a mother.

"You look like your Mom," nakuha ng atensyon ko ang baritonong boses na iyon. Lumingon ako sa hagdanan at namataan ko ang isang lalaking mukhang nasa edad na 50 na yata. May kaunting puting buhok ito at nakasuot ng salamin. He's wearing slacks, long sleeve navy blue polo and his hair is brushed up. He looks young, actually.

"I'm Daniel Villafuerte..."

"Pa'no, dad, mauuna na muna ako," paalam naman sa amin ni Tyron at naiwan kami rito sa sala.

I barely desired the feeling of having a father. Hindi ko alam pero mas nangulila ako sa pagmamahal ng isang Ina. A part of me believed that my father could be somewhere but I never had the urge to find him.

Hindi ko rin alam kung papaano ko siya kakausapin ngayon. Napapahawak na lang ako sa mga tuhod ko at inililibot ang mga mata ko para lang maiwasan siyang matignan habang umiinom siya ng tsaa.

"Nakausap ko si Meryl bago ka nagpunta rito. Ikwinento niya sa akin ang nangyari sa 'yo. You were raped..."

Napayuko ako at hindi nakaimik.

"Kung ako lang masusunod, pananagutin ko ang taong gumawa no'n sa 'yo. Pero, pakiramdam ko ay wala ako'ng karapatan na manguna sa desisyon mo. Nalaman kong iniurong mo ang kaso."

Hindi ko alam kung ba't ang bilis kumirot ng dibdib ko. Hearing him say that makes me glad a bit but I can't help remembering how I struggled to live alone all those years.

"Bukod do'n, kami ng mommy mo ang dapat sisihin dahil pinabayaan ka namin. I don't expect you to forgive me but as a father...I will ask one thing of you..."

Napatingin ako sa kanya nang marinig ko ang sinabi niya.

"Let me help you fix your life. I also asked this favor to your mother. Gusto ko na sana tanggapin mo ang tulong na maibibigay ko para maayos mo uli ang buhay mo."

I didn't answer him, instead I cried suddenly. The pain couldn't be ease no matter how long has passed. Maybe I was the only one who shrugged it off and thought that it'll be fine.

I am owing something to myself...and that is to be someone I wanted to be.

I can't believe that I am only realizing now that I didn't love myself that much.

I should have stand up again and hoped even after I was raped because I am an enough reason to move forward but I stucked myself in my own miseries and felt bad about not having someone.

When I calmed down, he showed me in his study room. Nakita ko ang ilang larawan ni Meryl na naitatago pa niya.

"May asawa na ako nang makilala ko ang mommy mo. Your mom didn't have any Idea because I kept it. My married life wasn't happy at first kaya nalulong ako sa pag-iinom at babae. Pero may isang babaeng natiis ako'ng kausapin nang gabing iyon. She was fierce and full of desires...I could feel it at first," his voice is like sad, I could feel it.

Sa mga mata niyang nasusulyapan ko nang palihim ay nakumpirma kong parte si Meryl ng nakaraan niyang minsa'y tinakasan niya rin.

"But the thing that bonds us wasn't enough to keep us together. Bumalik ako sa asawa kong hinintay ako kahit nalalaman niya ang mag ginawa ko. And all I thought it would set her free because she deserved someone better," Tumikhim naman siya at iniabot sa akin ang litrato. "You should keep that too... she's still your mom. You can keep hating me, but don't hate your mom too much. Kagaya mo ring naging mahina siya nang dahil sa kaduwagan ko."

"Your mom might have abandoned you, but I know for a fact that she never forget her love for you..."

Muling tumulo ang mga luha ko. A wound from a family is different and I just realized by now that time doesn't heal everything...acceptance does.

Alam kong malaki ang pagkukulang nila sa akin, pero hindi ko rin pala kayang magtanim ng galit nang mas mahaba pang panahon.

I guess what hurts the most to me before is that I know nothing about them. After knowing the truth, I figured out that I wasn't the only one who's miserable.

But the truth still hurts me...

"I can give you a life that you wanted, Reys..." bigla naamn itong humarap sa akin.

"If you want to study abroad and find the career path you want to follow then I'll help you. You owe this to yourself..."

***