Steel Skin: Pitch Black

03:00 The Devil Rolled The Dice

The Devil Rolled The Dice

"What do you want to talk about?" Valdemar asked nonchalantly whilst chewing his food. It's 7:30 in the morning and they are currently at the dining hall of their own mansion.

Katherine Florentin, of course, separated from their parents a long time ago after his marriage with Paolo Borcelli. Kaya kasalukuyan, si Valdemar nalamang ang nasa mansiyon ngayon at ang mga magulang nila, not to mention the yayas din naman.

Amber, her mother, who's looking intently at his son eating, ignored his question and asked back.

"Would you stay longer here with us?" sabik na tanong ng ina niya kung saan sandali siyang tiningnan ni Valdemar. Kumurap lamang ito at muli na namang kumain. Amber could hardy see the emotions in his son's face.

"Nah. I'll be back after three days in Italy mom." he spoke, and finally landed his eyes into his mom's face.

"The more I stay here, the more paperworks pile up waiting for me." kaswal niyang sabi at muli na namang yumuko upang kumain. He intended to do that; he does not want to witness the shift of sadness into her mother's face.

"Can you not think about the job for a while? I want to have a date with my son." nalulungkot na sabi ni Amber sa anak niya, nagawa niya ring himasin ang likuran ng anak niya upang kumbinsihin ito at subukang lambingin. But she could totally see the stiffness in his son in front of her which made her taken aback.

What is his son doing? Why is he acting like the woman in front of her is a total stranger? Why is Valdemar getting so distant?

Nobody wanted him to be like that.

"You put me here in this position Ma, kailangan kong gampanan." he coldly said. What was he referring to?

Her mother, taken aback, retorted back with a glare in her eyes. Baka kasi gusto ng anak niya ng patigasan, at baka pag ginawa niya baka ito mismo ang lumambot. Nagmamatigas na kasi ito kapag nilalambing eh.

"Nobody had put you there, in that position Valdemar." her mother replied back glaring at him, kung saan napahinto sa pagnguya si Valdemar at napatingin sa ina niya. He could see the pain in his own mother's eyes, kaya naman a slight pain in his chest is weirdly felt.

"Bakit ma, kailangan ko pa ba ng approval ng lahat para maging ganito?" mahina ngunit matalas ang bibig na tanong ni Valdemar pabalik. Alam niyang nasasaktan ang ina niya sa sinabi niya ngunit hindi niya piniling makisimpatya dito. Si Amber na mismo ang pumutol sa titigan nilang dalawa at yumuko saka kumurap ng ilang beses. Now Valdemar knew it's really obvious na nasasaktan ang ina niya.

Hindi nagtagal ay pumasok sa dining hall ang ama niyang si Gary, freshly shaved na walang kaalam-alam sa naging usapan nila. He is wearing his Golf outfit and this became one of his routines since he retired from the company.

"Good morning," bati niya sa dalawa, saka umupo sa upuan niya. He automatically held his kubyertos and placed his table napkin in his lap. Patay-malisya namang kumain si Valdemar at ina niya.

"Asan ka kagabi Val? Bigla kang nawala." panimula ng ama niyang naglalagay ng pagkain sa sariling plato. Amber helped him scoop rice down his plate. Hindi pa man nakakasagot si Valdemar nang muli itong nagsalita.

"May usapan pa tayong mag-uusap tayo kagabi." dagdag niya.

"That's what I'm about to ask." sagot agad ni Valdemar.

"Anong gusto niyong sabihin sakin?" kaswal niyang tanong at saka nag angat ng tingin upang tingnan ang dalawa. Tumingin naman si Amber sa asawa niyang si Gary at hinagod ang braso nito at binigyan ito ng tingin na parang sigurado ba talaga si Gary na ngayon nila sasabihin.