Since Nine Book 3: Shattered

Getaway

CHAPTER 5

RAMCEL

Ramcel hugged her wife tightly as soon as they got out of the room. She wanted to throw something at the Mayor just to knock some sense to him. Anong karapatan nitong magpakitang muli kay Victoria kung bibitawan lang nito sa huli?

Coming out to your parents wasn’t easy. She was lucky she had a very understanding and open minded family. She almost fainted when she told Eleanor about her preference. She feared that her strict grandmother would disown her but that didn’t happen. Instead, she asked Ramcel if she have a girlfriend.

“I…I don’t have a girlfriend,” Ramcel managed to say when she recovered.

“How can you be a lesbian and not have a girlfriend?” She remembered her grandmother asked her as she comfortably sat behind her study table in the library while sipping Oolong tea.

Ramcel was stunned because that wasn’t the reaction she was expecting from Eleanor, who got amused smile on her lips when she didn’t…couldn’t answer. She decided to tell Eleanor about who she was one afternoon when she just got home for a semestral break during her 2nd year at the Academy.

Ramcel and her grandmother talked more about it and she told her about Victoria.

Swerte din naman si Victoria sa Mama nito. Her mother supported them. She never showed any disapproval. Ramcel just hoped her father was the same. Apparently not.

Bakas ang lungkot sa magandang mukha ni Victoria nang maglakad sila palayo sa opisina ng Daddy nito. Hindi nya alam kung anong sasabihin dito kaya mas pinili nyang hawakan lamang ang kamay nito habang binabagtas nila ang daan palabas ng bahay. Mabuti na rin sigurong hindi na nila nakita pa sina Maristela para hindi na kailangang magpaliwanag.

But Ramcel suddenly wanted to punch Hector when she saw him on their way out. Nasa bungad ito ng pintuan at nag-attempt pa itong kausapin si Victoria.

“Back off,” Ramcel warned. Sinamaan sya ng tingin ni Hector pero hindi sya nagpatinag. She also shot him a death glare. Buti hindi na ito nagpumilit pang lumapit kay Vi.

She led her wife back to her car. She pulled Victoria into another hug and kissed her forehead. Sana maramdaman nitong narito lang sya sa tabi nito kahit anong mangyari. Alam nyang natatakot si Victoria kaya hindi nito masabi sa Daddy nito ang tungkol sa kanila kaya lalo nyang minahal ang asawa nang umamin ito.

Hindi nya inaasahan iyon. They didn’t talk about it before they left Manila. Ang alam lang nya, sasamahan nya ito sa Batangas to see her father para linawin ang tungkol kay Hector.

Tahimik lang na nag-drive si Ramcel palayo sa bahay ni Mayor. Nang makalagpas na sila sa town proper at puro mga palayan at niyugan ang mga nadadaanan nila, nagsalita si Victoria.

“I’m sorry, Ram,” sabi ni Victoria.

Tinapunan nya ito ng sulyap. “For what?”

“For being unfair to you by keeping you a secret,” sagot nito.

Ramcel pulled over on the side of the road. “But it costs you something.”

“You’re worth it, Baby.” Kinuha ni Victoria ang kamay nyang nakahawak pa rin sa manibela. Napatingin sya sa kulay tsokolate nitong mga mata. “Kahit sandali ko lang syang nakilala at nakasama, that’s already enough for me. At least, I had the chance to know him. I won’t grow old wondering who my father was. Inaamin kong inilihim ko ang tungkol sa atin dahil natakot akong baka hindi nya ako tanggapin. I was very selfish. When I thought I would lose you, that’s when I realized, I made a mistake. Bakit kita ililihim kung isa ka sa pinaka-importanteng tao sa buhay ko? Ayoko nang mabuhay pa na nag-aasam sa approval ng iba. He’s my father but this is who I am. Kung hindi nya ako kayang tanggapin, wala na akong magagawa.”