The Mistress's Daughter (Under Revision)

Chapter 13

KABANATA XIII

[JIRSTEN MYLES]

I just sighed after I entered my room after I cleaned up the living room. Fortunately, mom and uncle were not there yet. Manang Cora also went to bed early so no one witnessed what happened behind the house.

Nagtungo ako sa tapat ng kama ko para kunin ang isang kahon para sana ay lalagyan ng mga ginamit ko kanina. When I opened the rather large box, I was stunned to see again the necklace that my mother gave me when I was a child. It was made of silver and had emerald stone. I wrapped it in a small plastic so it doesn’t get dusty. It includes a photograph of a painting of a naked woman.

Ibinaba ko sa sahig ang mga hawak ko bago kunin ang kwintas kasama ng larawang iyon na nababalot ng plastik. I took off the plastic bag. I never saw this picture again since I was in 8th grade.

Binaliktad ko ang larawan nang maalalang may nakasulat dito noon sa ibang lingguwahe.

“Ik zal terug komen - Luuk leeuwenhoek”

Napakunot ang noo ko. Anong wika ito? I quickly took out my phone to translate the language. My lips parted when I saw that the language written appeared to be Dutch. Only one thing came to my mind. The letter was written by my father.

“I’ll be back,” basa ko sa translation. “Luuk Leeuwenhoek.”

Mabilis kong hinanap sa social media ang nakalagay na pangalan pero sa kasamaang palad, ang daming lumabas na katulad ng pangalan niya. It seemed like his surname was common in Netherlands.

I looked at the necklace. I always wore this when I was young. Until one of my classmates stole it from me. Buti na lang ay naibalik din sa akin. Napa-guidance pa kami dahil sa pag-aaway. Simula noon ay hindi ko na isinuot. I wonder why mom didn’t pawn it back then. Sa hitsura pa lang nito ay mahal na.

Muli ko itong isinuot at nahiga sa kama. Tumingin ako sa kisame habang nilalaro ko ang kwintas sa leeg ko.

“I’ll be back,” muling pag-uulit ko sa nakasulat sa litrato. Is it possible that my father didn’t abandon us back then?

“Luuk Leeuwenhoek, I’ll go to Europe and find you.”

TWO DAYS AFTER, Owen didn’t bother me again. Madalang lang kaming magkita sa bahay at ni minsan ay hindi man lang niya ako ginulo o binigyang-pansin.

Yesterday, we came back to the mental rehabilitation center. I tried to accompany his mother, Grace. Nakakatuwa siyang kasama. Lahat ng kwento niya ay tungkol kay Owen. Sa unang tingin ay hindi mo siya mapagkakamalang may diperensya sa pag-iisip.

Lagi lang siyang nakangiti. Pero minsan ay nagiging bayolente siya. Lalo na sa tuwing hinahawakan ang mga gamit niya. Minsan ay nakita ko siyang nakikipagtalo sa sarili. Tila kausap si tito Oliver at pinagtatalunan nila ang babae niya.

My mother was the reason why she ended up like this, wasn't she? If only I had known, then I would have been able to stop my mother.

“Jirsten, are you ready for your first day?”

Nasa hapag kainan kami ngayon. Bakas ang tuwa sa mukha ni tito nang ungkatin niya ang paglipat ko ng Unibersidad.

I sighed. “Tito, hindi naman na kailangan. I am already third year college. Dalawang taon na lang ay magtatapos na ako.”

Sa huling pagkakataon ay gusto kong pigilan sila sa paglipat ko, even it’s too late. Naka-register na ang pangalan ko sa SLU. Hindi ko man lang nabanggit kay Chynna ang paglipat ko. I’ve been avoiding her for the past few days.