I Heart Kuya (Completed, 2019)

Chapter 71 - Sliding Doors (December 31, 2018)

"Dad?" He didn't even had the chance to hide his cigars. Hindi naman talaga siya pinagbabawalan na ngayon ng kahit ano. Pero respeto na rin sa bahay ng tatay niya, he never really wanted to show his dad his smoking.

"I was knocking. Hindi ka sumasagot. I can hear you moving around kaya pumasok na ako. I thought you were in headphones." Ani Sonny na parang naguguluhan. "Nagsisigarilyo ka lang pala.

Hindi rin kasi namalayan ni Lenard na may kumakatok na pala. He was so deep in his thoughts.

"I'm sorry. Galing ako sa veranda kaya siguro 'di ko po narinig." Lenard's excuse is so lame pero sinabi na rin niya.

"Amoy yosi na dito. Just open your windows at bumaba ka na. Kakain na..."

Tatanggi sana si Lenard pero nauna nang bumaba si Sonny bago pa siya nakasagot.

Kung akala niya mahirap na ang pag-iisa niya sa kwarto with his dangerous thoughts of what ifs and what could have beens, mas mahirap palang harapin ang dalawang tao na nasa harap niya ngayon.

"Kumain ka ng maigi Lenard. Paborita 'yan ni Miala pero wala siya ngayon kay sorry siya." Pabirong sabi ni Mindy habang nilalagyan ng pasta ang pinggan ni Lenard. Kaya halos hindi niya lalo matignan ni Lenard ang babae.

He tried to eat a few bites. Pero habang napapansin niya ang ka-sweetan ng mga magulang nila. He felt really bad.

Para na talaga siyang magkakasakit. Para siyang sinasaksak ng paulit-ulit habang nagpapalitan ng ngiti ang nanay ni Miala at ang tatay niya. Because he knew, if they just knew what happened to Miala, marahil sa ibang paraan siguro magkakakilala ang dalawang ito. Not in a romantic meet-cute that his father bragged him for a lot of times. Siguro ay kung natuloy ang bunga ng pagmamahalan nila ni Miala noon, their parents could've faced each other as strict in-laws.

Pero iba na ngayon. Ibang-iba. Lenard didn't even know what to feel. Alam niyang nasasaktan siya. Pero a part of him is happy that his dad is happy. His heart seems to be melting pot of different conflicting feelings of everything that happened and all that could have been. He didn't know what to wish for. He didn't know if he at least could be thankful for anything.

At one point he becomes so resolute that everything might have happened for a reason. Na baka nga hindi sila nagkatuluyan ni Miala dahil para ito sa mga magulang nila. All he knew is that ang utang na lang nila sa universe para maging maayos ang lahat, ay sabihin kay tita Mindy niya ang katotoohanan sa nakaraan nila. And maybe, there'll be some issues, but eventually, it will all fall into place.

Pero paano na ngayon?

Dahil hindi lang basta relasyon ang namagitan sa kanila.

"What's wrong?" Tanong ni Sonny nang mapansin ang pagtitig ni Lenard. "Kanina ka pa. Ano bang problema mo?"

Tumingin din sa kanya si Mindy.

"W-wala po." Sagot ni Lenard at sumubo ulit ng pasta. "Saan po si lola?"

"Ah. She's feeling a little under the weather." Anu Mindy. "Pero okay na siya. Nabinat lang siguro. Nag-swimming kasi ng matagal noong nakaraan."

"Ah... Si lola talaga." If this was a normal circumstance, siguro humalakhak na si Lenard at inasar si lola Roxy. But this time's different. He knew he needed to do something.

He has been passive for so long at kung wala pa siuang aksyong gagawin ngayon, the gods may not allow him to live.

Alam niyang it's not his story to tell Mindy about their past. Pero alam niyang kailangan niyang sabihin ang mga bagong nalaman sa kanyang ama. He at least owe this truth to Sonny na siyang nakakaalam din ng ibang pangyayari.

Siguro sumagi na rin sa isip niya na selfish din naman ang tatay niya for wanting this woman so much to the point that he is willing to forget that he and Mindy's daughter had a past. Pero ganun naman 'di ba? Lenard knows that sometimes, when you love, you become selfish, just to get that love. Dahil mahirap eh. Bihira kang makakakita ng mamahalin mo at magmamahal sa'yo. At kapag nahanap mo 'yun, alam niyang mahirap ng pakawalan pa. Especially with his dad who has been through a lot since his mom's affair.

So he has decided that once they are alone, he will tell his dad about everything. He will just leave everything to him. He will try his best to convince his dad na si Miala dapat ang magsabi ng katotohanang iyon, but at least in their part as family, he let it be known to his dad.

Alam niyang magiging malaki ang epekto nito sa relasyon ng mga magulang niya, especially with how his dad will handle things, but he is sure he will tell him about it. Sasabihin niya na nabuntis niya noon si Miala, at nawala ang batang ito.

Pagtapos nilang kumain, after he excruciatingly shoved all the pasta in his plate to his appetite-less mouth, pinuntahan niya agad ang tatay niya. Na parang naghihintay na rin na may sabihin siya. Maybe it was obvious, and maybe his dad has just been waiting for him what's bothering him, simula pa nang maabutan siya nitong nagyoyosi sa loob ng kwarto, but Sonny's face is really expectant.

Kaya kahit lumingon si Mindy na nauunang maglakad papuntang kusina, nakaramdam na rin ito na parang may mahalagang paguusapan ang mag-ama. She just smiled and allowed the two to have their time for themselves.

"Now you're gonna tell me something huh? Was this about the videos online?" Nakangiting sabi ni Sonny na parang nabibiro while leading him to the backyard.

Iiling sana si Lenard, but he knew na kailangan niya rin palang linawin ito sa tatay niya.

"Well. That... and other things."

Sonny raised his eyebrows at tumango.

Pero bago pa sila makalabas, they heard Mindy run. May nabunggo pa itong isang paperweight sa side table na kahit hindi nabasag ay nagbigay ng malakas na ingay sa bahay.

Nakita ni Lenard na sapo-sapo ni Mindy ang bibig niya bago pumasok sa banyo. She proceeded to hurl bago pa man ito magkaroon ng pagkakataon na isara ang pinto.

At first he wanted to ask his dad kung may sakit ba si tita Mindy niya, but as he looks at Sonny, he suddenly felt his ears ringing. Because with his dad's expressions, it was all obvious.

"D-dad?! Is she? Is she..." He trails off.

Bahagyang tumango si Sonny.

*later*

>>Next Chapter: Chapter 72 - Crazy