Evanesce

Chapter 1

"It is a must. Babalik na naman ba tayo rito, Aislinn? You just proved to me again that you really are an airheaded-"

"Kaithlin! Bata pa ang kausap mo kaya maghinay-hinay ka naman sa mga salitang ginagamit mo sa anak natin!" si Dad nang hindi na rin nakayanan ang mga salita ni Mom.

"This is why she never learned from me. Stop taking her side, Arieto. She's already a grown lady."

"A grown lady? You're unbelievable, Kaith! She's only twelve and you're ruining it instead of letting her experience the things that a child could ask for during her childhood days. Hindi ka man lang ba naaawa sa anak mo?"

"I am not ruining it! Tinutulungan ko lang siya kung paano mamuhay sa puder natin. This is for her future kaya huwag mo akong pangunahan sa mga desisyon at pagdidisiplina ko sa kanya!"

"We're not the one to decide that for her, Kaith. For once, be a considerate and loving mother to her even if you failed to do it to Jaslynn."

Natahimik na lang ako at hindi na nag-abalang magsalita pa o tumingin ulit kay Mom o kay Dad. Habang nagtatalo pa sila ay inabala ko na lang ang sarili ko sa mga tanawing makikita sa labas. Hindi pa nagtagal nang mamalayan ko na lang ang sarili kong lumuluha na naman. I secretly and silently wiped it away without making unnecessary movements that might trigger my Mom again.

My Mom is always like this since that incident so I grew up anxious and ambivalent of her. Ever since, I don't want to disobey any of her rules because I don't want her to get mad at me but unconsciously and unintentionally, I always messed things up. In her eyes, wala na akong ginawang tama and I don't really know how to please her. Bigla ko tuloy na-miss si Ate. I wish she was here. At least I have her by my side.

"We're here, sweetheart. And look, there is your Grandma and Grandpa waiting outside," said Dad, reason for me to create a smile out of frown of sadness. But my Mom seems to be an antagonist to ruin it before going out of the van.

"Remember what I told you."

Biglang napawi ang mga ngiti ko at sumunod na lang ako sa kanila. Nagmano naman agad ako kila Lolo Raoul at Lola Nevi pagkatapos ay yinakap sila at hinalikan sa pisngi.

"Oh, I missed you, Grandma, Grandpa!" I said between hugs and kisses.

"We missed you too, our youngest!" Grandma said letting a low chuckle just like Grandpa.

This is so nice.

Sumunod naman sila Mom at Dad para bumati kila Lolo at Lola. Tahimik lang akong naghintay sa kanila habang nagmamasid sa paligid.

"Come, hija. Let me show you your suite," my Grandma as she motions her hand to show me the way to the elevator. I gave her a smile and followed her.

Grandma and Grandpa are my Mom's parents. They are still living healthy and I wish more of that to them. Kaya lang siyempre minsan hindi maiwasang makaramdam ng panghihina o kahit na anong sakit ng katawan dahil sa katandaan nila. But I'm so happy to see that they are really trying to live healthy by eating a lot of nutritious food.

"Lola, lahat po ba ng pamilya natin ay darating bukas?" bigla kong tanong habang nasa elevator pa rin.

"Of course, hija," si Lola.

"Sigurado akong maaaliw ka at marami kang makikilala at makakalaro sa pamilya natin," si Lolo naman habang may malawak na ngiti.

I was just about to talk when my Mom did the talking again.

"Dad, we talked about this. No one's playing in the midst of telling the world about the marriage. We need to be serious for christ's sake. Bukas na iyon."