Loving a Believer

Chapter 14: New Start

"I know everything na po."

She heaved a sigh and stared back at me. "Hindi naman siguro lingid sa kaalaman mo ang nangyari sa Mommy mo. Naroon ako noong iluwal ka niya... Mahal ng Daddy mo ang Mommy mo at mahal ka rin ng Daddy mo." Ngumiti siya sa akin nang bahagya.

I looked away and bowed my head. I didn't want to believe her. Daddy didn't love me.

"Nakita ko ang mga ngiti sa labi ng Daddy mo nang masilayan ka niya, kahit na... alam niyang hindi ka kaniya. Tinuring ka niyang sariling anak."

Nag-init ang mga mata ko, kaya binitawan ko ang tela at karayom na hawak ko at mabilis na tumayo. "B-balik na po ako sa taas," I said before heading to the stairs hastily.

Tinutubuan ako ng pakialam kay Dad na matagal ko nang tinanggal sa sistema ko. I didn't want to hear things about him anymore... but I couldn't deny that Manang Linda's words touched my heart.

Does he really love me? I thought as I opened the door of the room.

The ambiance of the room had changed because Manang Linda changed the color of the curtains and bed sheets. I lay down and stared at the ceiling.

"Don't lessen your anger, remove it." I heard Storm's voice chastising me. "If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you."

"But how?" I asked myself. "I still hate him."

"Just think about the good things that this person has done to you. Let the good memories be greater than the bad memories."

Good memories? Do we have good memories? I thought. I closed my eyes and looked in the back of my mind for a good memory that we shared.

I was playing alone in our backyard, catching some dragonflies when I saw Dad on the side, watching me.

"Dad!" I called him. I was about to run towards him when my foot hit something that caused me to stumble. Sumubsob ako sa lupa.

I cried loudly, feeling the pain in my knees and hands. Dad quickly came to me and helped me up.

"Shh..." Pinagpag niya ang mga alikabok sa damit ko. He took a handkerchief from his pocket then he wiped my sweat all over my face. "I told you to not run," he said. "Stop crying. Come on, let's go inside." He held my hand, and then we walked together to come inside the house.

"Napa'no 'yan? I told her to stop catching dragonflies. She's stubborn!" Mommy said with annoyance.

I clasped Daddy's forearm and hid behind him. I didn't want to see Mommy angry at me even when I was a kid.

Daddy didn't talk back. Instead, he led me to sit on a chair before looking for the first aid kit in the cabinet. I just watched him while crying silently.

"Daddy, are you going to lock me inside my room?" I asked him.

He didn't answer me. "Give me your hand," he said as he kneeled down in front of me.

I gave him my hand.

He put cream on the wound and blew it to lessen the pain. He did the same to my knees. "Stop crying now," he softly said.

"Mommy is mad at me," I said.

"Don't mind her," he said and then carried me in his arm. "I brought something for you," he told me.

He took me to the living room where I saw many toys. They almost occupied the living room. My teary eyes widened in surprise.

He put me down on the sofa and took the nearest toy - a barbie doll. "You'll play this and never catch dragonflies so that Mommy will not get mad again, okay?"

I nod my head slowly while my eyes were staring at the toys with my lips parted in amazement. My heart was filled with joy and excitement seeing a lot of toys for me here.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it, Dad!" I answered with a wide smile on my lips. I was so happy I could not contain my loud voice.

His face softened and then smiled at me...

I couldn't deny the fact that Dad became a good father to me. It was just that his ways were different from the other Dads I knew.

I just smiled bitterly, and I felt hot liquids well on my cheeks.

I was starting my Christian walk now, my new start, and I was serious about it. If God wanted me to forgive my Dad and if this was the way for me to achieve the peace and joy I always wanted to have, I would do it. This was the time for me to show God that I was sincere in my faith.