#RTG40 Chapter 40
My forehead was creased when Sandro slid a ring in front of me.
"What's that?" I asked him.
"A ring, obviously. Please wear it."
"And why, if I may ask, your Highness?"
He rolled his eyes... Hindi ko alam kung saan nagmana 'tong batang 'to. "I'm so sick of telling the divorced dads in my school that you're not available," sabi niya habang naka-kunot ang noo. "So, please, wear that for my peace of mind."
Bahagya akong natawa. "Okay, you grumpy boy," sabi ko habang sinu-suot iyong singsing.
"But... are you dating anyone?" tanong niya.
"Do you think I have time to date?" natatawang tanong ko sa kanya.
10 years ago, my whole family moved to Texas. Then almost a year after, my father died... Shortly after, sumunod si Mama... I had to take care of my son and Irina. Hindi ako kinakausap ng kapatid ko. I knew that she's blaming me sa pagkamatay ng magulang namin. She didn't need to say it—ramdam na ramdam ko naman.
She passed her exams in MIT.
I offered to help her finance her studies. Hindi siya sumagot. Pagka-tapos ng libing ni Mama, nag-empake na siya at umalis. Basta nagpapa-dala ako ng pera sa kanya dati. Gusto ko nga ring umattend ng graduation niya, pero baka masira ko lang iyong araw niya. The last I heard, she's living in California and working in some research facility.
I planned on taking the BAR here in Seattle.
Pero hindi talaga lahat ng plano, nasusunod.
I had to work to support Irina and Sandro. I had to work for the mortgage. I had to work for a lot of things. I worked as a paralegal... malapit na rin sa law. Pwede na rin. I still get to read cases... That was enough for me.
"What do you want for your birthday?" I asked him.
"Let's just eat out," he replied.
Bata pa naman ang anak ko... pero bakit parang teenage na siya?
"Are you sure? Don't you want anything?"
"Nope. I'm good," sabi niya bago binuksan iyong bag niya at nagsimulang gumawa ng assignment.
I stared at Sandro.
When he was younger, lagi niyang tinatanong sa akin iyong tatay niya... He was so curious. May event kasi sa school nun. Marami siyang kaklase na nandun iyong buong pamilya. Marami din na isang magulang lang dahil divorced na. That was the first time he asked me about divorce. I had to take a deep breath to explain to him kung ano ang divorce.
"Are you and my dad divorced?" he asked.
"It's a long story."
"Well, I have time."
"Maybe when you're older."
"When is that?"
"Soon."
Lagi niya akong tinatanong kung ngayon na ba iyong soon na iyon... but after a while, he just stopped asking. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba naka-limutan niya na o wala na siyang pakielam.
But I'd never lie to him about his father. Sasabihin ko naman kapag nagtanong siya... pero hindi na siya ulit nagtanong.
"Next time, I'm gonna be real mad," I told Sandro nang makita ko iyong invitation sa bag niya. Kung hindi ko pa binuksan, hindi ko pa malalaman na may event sa school niya.
BINABASA MO ANG
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