Fleeting Moments

Chapter 22: Birthday

I nodded at him, urging him to step foot inside my room even with my father just beside me. Umiling siya agad.

" . . . tapos magpapadapo ka lang sa . . . bangaw na 'yan."

"'Tay," saway ko. Nilingon ko si Ryo na awkward na um-exit at naglakad pupunta siguro sa kuwartong tinutulugan niya.

Suminghal si Tatay pagkaalis ni Ryo. My shoulders slumped, and I let him see how sad he was making me feel. Naihilamos niya ang palad sa mukha bago ilapag ulit ang tasa sa mesa.

"E, akala ko ba kasi ay naghiwalay na kayo niyan? Bakit biglang may anak? Paano kung iwan ka ulit niyan nang may anak na kayo? E di, kawawa kayo niyang apo ko?"

"Nagkabalikan nga po kami." Heat shot up to my cheeks. It felt weird to say that out loud. "At hindi pa naman po kami iniiwan ulit."

"Kaya hihintayin mo munang iwanan kayo ulit? Ganoon ba 'yon?"

Napatahimik ako roon. Umiling siya sa akin na parang ipinagmamalaki na tama ang punto niya. It has always been tough to change my father's mind. Lagi siyang sigurado sa mga desisyon niya, at kadalasan, imposible na talagang mabago.

When I left for college, hindi pa rin buo ang suporta niya sa desisyon kong iyon. I only managed to change his mind when I entered my second year, noong napatunayan ko nang kaya kong mag-isa.

But how could Ryo prove that he's worthy of his trust if he won't give him the chance to do so? Bilang boyfriend nga, hindi na makuha ni Ryo ang loob niya, paano pa kaya ngayon?

"E, ano po ba'ng gusto n'yong mangyari, 'Tay? Hiwalayan ko ulit 'yung tao? Saka bakit naman po hindi n'yo sinipot sina Tita?"

Siya naman ang natahimik doon. Kahit naman sabihin niyang hiwalayan ko, hindi ko gagawin.

"Hindi naman sa ganoon—"

"E, ano nga po, 'Tay? Ano po ba'ng gusto ninyong gawin ni Ryo?"

Malalim ang buntonghininga niya. "Alam mo namang nag-aalala lang kami sa inyo niyang apo ko."

"Hindi po ako iiwan ni Ryo, ako po ang unang aalis kung may gawin siyang kung ano," sabi ko. I knew it was quite different from the breakup that happened since we didn't have Raiko yet during that time, but I wouldn't stay in a ruined marriage nor would I let my child go under the stress of seeing our family staying together while rotting.

Mabigat ulit ang buntonghininga ni Tatay. I felt like he was aware that he wouldn't have a choice but give Ryo his blessing, pero ayaw niya lang bumigay agad.

"Saka ano po ba'ng plano ninyo? Ang magtampo sa 'kin hanggang sa kasal ko?"

Kung humihigop siguro siya ng kape, baka naibuga na niya. He stared at me wide-eyed, as if he could not believe what I said. Ryo and I are adults. Raiko's right here in front of him. But he just doesn't stop treating me like a child and is always doubting my decisions.

"Kasal? Agad-agad?"

I guess Nanay hadn't told him, or maybe my mother didn't have any plans to do so. Hindi ugali ni Nanay na mangialam sa pagtatalo namin ni Tatay.

"Hindi naman po agad-agad," umiiling kong sabi.

Ryo and I haven't talked about it, yet. More importantly, I didn't want to initiate the wedding talk. Sapat na iyong inakala kong magpro-propose siya dahil doon sa singsing sa bagahe niya. Saka baka naman sabihin ni Ryo, nagmamadali ako.

Napahilot sa sentido si Tatay. He looked like he was having a headache just by thinking of me getting married. For the rest of the morning, I had to fill him in with the details of my pregnancy and lecture him on his manners.