Unbind the Strings

Eleven

Tiningnan ako ni Jay na parang 'di niya naiintindihan ang nangyayari. Tears started to from in my eyes and I was just looking at my Dad the whole time. He raised his head slowly and looked at me with no emotions.

His facial hair looks like a hipster and his eyes look sad for some reason. What did he do this time? Bakit kay Jay pa? 

"D-daddy? He is your dad?" tanong ni Jay saakin na walang ekspresyon ang mukha. I don't know what to tell him. I felt so shy for some reason. I can't even look at him. 

"I-I'm sorry...I-I didn't know h-he..." tatanggapin ko kung magagalit sa'kin si Jay dahil tatay ko naman ang gumawa non sakaniya. 

I closed my eyes and I felt his arms wrapped around me. 

"Sorry you have to go through this, Cal." he said while brushing his hand off against my hair.

"I-I'm sorry, Jay...Ako dapat 'yung mag sorry...We lost contact with him ever since he left us so I-I didn't know h-he...he did that to you..." I said while keeping my head down. He hugged me tighter.

"I can cancel charges against him...I don't want you sad, Cal." I shook my head and let go of his hug.

"No...he did that to you kaya he should repay for that. I can manage. I just want to talk to him, is that okay?" I asked him. He wiped my tears and nodded before escorting me to my dad.

"I'll be waiting outside." he said before leaving the two of us there.

"Cali, I-" 

"What? How could you do this to us? Since when did you become violent, huh?" I was trying to control my tears from escaping my eyes.

"Cali, I'm sorry for what I did to you and your mom. I'm sorr-"

"Pucha naman daddy eh! Sorry? Lagi ka nalang nag sosorry! Okay lang sana kung umalis ka na walang paalam...baka matanggap ko pa..." tumutulo na ang luha ko habang nakatingin sakanya. "Sabi mo babalik ka...babalik ka sabi mo eh!" sumisigaw na ako habang patuloy parin ang pagtulo ng luha ko.

Hinahawakan niya ang kamay ko at sinusubukan niya akong yakapin. "Alam mo ba...kung gaano kahirap para sa'kin simula nung umalis ka? Grabe 'yung hirap ni Mommy para lang mapalaki ako at makarating ako sa kung anong meron ako ngayon..." hinahampas hampas ko ang kanyang dibdib.

"Okay lang sana kung ibang tao nalang 'yung nawala, hindi na ikaw...Daddy kita e...Ikaw dapat mag papatahan sa'kin kapag naiyak ako...Ikaw dapat mag hahatid sa'kin sa school, p-pero b-bakit..." hindi ko maituloy ang sinasabi ko dahil sa sobrang iyak.

"Cali, anak...sana mapatawad mo ako..." sabi niya habang inaabot ang aking kamay para mayakap ako. 

"Ikaw ang pinaka huling taong inaasahan kong mawawala, 'di ko naman alam na ikaw pa 'yung mauuna...'wag kang mag alala, napatawad na kita noon pa." I wiped my tears and fixed myself. "You have to pay for your consequences...I can't do anything about that, sorry.."

"Oo, naiintindihan ko. Kaya nga ako na mismo 'yung sumuko eh. Pasensya na talaga anak, nadamay ka pa dito..." I just sighed deeply and turned my back on him. I'm trying to control myself from looking back dahil baka 'di ko na pakawalan si Daddy. Kailangan niya 'yan para matuto siya.

"Bibisitahin mo ba ako?" I heard him said after I stepped forward. I didn't face him and just stopped walking.

"I'll be busy so I don't think I can come. I have to go." I said before slowly walking away.