Hiding The Mafia's Son

Chapter 9

I cooked a simple breakfast for us.

Family.

It may sound great if I just haven't known better.

"You had fun?" tanong ko kay Aki nang pumasok siya sa kusina saktong inihahanda ko na ang lamesa. Tapos nang maglinis ng katawan.

"Dad taught me some basic self defense"

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Basic?"

He shrugged.

"Just some boy stuff mom."

"Since when?"

Nagtitimpla ako ng kape nang pumasok si Zykiel sa kusina at umupo sa tabi ni Aki at siya na mismo ang sumagot sa tanong ko.

"3 years ago,"

I felt terribly betrayed. Alam kong magkakilala na sila. But I didn't expect it to be that long. At paanong hindi ko iyon nalaman kung ganoon na pala katagal? They met when Aki's just 6 years old! I swallowed the lump in my throat and pushed back my tears.

I was the victim. And that horrible experience made me a mother at such a young age. Too young actually. 12 year-old girl should still be exploring the world. Feeding her innocence. But I wasn't. I was forced to suck the traumatic experience and take care of the living evidence left by that torturous experience. A living evidence that has feelings like me. He can suffer pain, sadness and betrayal. Just like how I feel it. A living evidence that look exactly the same as him.

Now, the demon is back and he is trying to steal my son. He is trying to steal everything from me again including my sanity. Parang pinapamukha niya sa akin na napakawalang kwenta kong tao. Na wala akong kwentang babae. He is toying me. And no matter what I do, I am nothing compare to him. At the end, it is still me who will kneel just to beg for my freedom. At the end, it is still me who lose my dignity.

Inilagay ko sa tapat ng pinggan ko ang isang tasa ng kape at ibinigay naman kay Aki ang gatas niya.

"Mine?"

I glared at him. What is he trying to do? I'm not his wife para pagsilbihan siya. Nanginginig ako sa galit at gusto kong magwala dahil sa sakit ng ulo pero pinigilan ko ang sarili. Napatingin ako kay Aki na pinapanood kaming dalawa.

Great!

Labag sa loob na kinuha ko ang isa pang tasa ng kape at maingat na inilagay sa tabi ng pinggan niya. Kung pwede ko lang sanang ibuhos sa kanya ay ginawa ko na ng walang pagdadalawang isip.

"Thanks" he mumbled

"Hmm"

Hindi naman siguro siya umaasa na itatrato ko siya na parang okay lang ang lahat diba? I can be casual but not too casual for his own satisfaction. Kung wala lang si Aki ay hinding hindi ko siya gagawan ng kape.

Umupo na ako at nagsimula na kaming kumain. It was Aki who lead the prayer. Tahimik kaming kumakain nang biglang tumunog ang telepono sa sala.

"Let me" boluntaryo ni Aki at umalis na ng kusina para sagutin ang kung sino mang tumatawag.

Nilunok ko muna ang nginunguya bago siya binalingan habang siya ay maganang kumakain. Alam kong sinabi ko sa sariling hindi ko muna iisipin ang kahit na ano sa araw na ito para pagpahingahin ang utak ko. Hihintayin ko na munang bumuti ang pakiramdam. Ngunit hindi ko rin mapigilan ang sariling maging atat na mawala na siya ng tuluyan sa buhay namin ni Aki.

"We have to talk." panimula ko. "You have to clear everything because it keeps running in my head like crazy. Giving me a severe headache and I hate it."