Always You

Prologue

I could not forget that night. My 9th birthday party had just ended. I was about to open the gifts inside my room when I heard noises coming from the adjacent room. For the first time, I heard my parents fight. It was so loud that I decided to go to the library room where the noises of two arguing people came from. As I reached for the doorknob, I heard my mom cried so hard, so hard that it was heartbreaking.

"Sa tingin mo hindi ko alam?" my mom said aloud. "Wag mo akong gawing tanga!"

"Mina, please stop it!" sagot ni dad.

I was about to call their attention when yaya Ines grabbed my shoulders and pulled me towards her.

"Ay naku batang ito halika rito. Wag kang maingay at nag-uusap lang ang daddy at mommy mo", pabulong niyang sinabi.

"Pero yaya, I think they are fighting." I was about to cry but yaya said, "Magkakaayos din ang mommy at daddy mo mamaya. Bukas na bukas ay magkakabati rin sila. Bumalik ka na sa room mo iha."

At that moment, I knew something was wrong. But still I hoped that the following day will be okay. I kept on thinking what was the cause of the fight. As far as I know masaya naman ang pamilya namin. But I was wrong.

The next day, dad was not with us at breakfast. My younger brother was asking where dad was, but mom kept quiet. She didn't utter anything. I knew there was something odd, but I just kept silent.

The following weeks were hard and cold. Mom and dad were always fighting. Mom would scream so loud that it really made me and my brother cry. Dumadalaw naman si Dad sa bahay pag wala si Mom. Weeks turned months at nagulat nalang ako when Mom told me something that will change everything.

"Your dad and I are separating, Andrea", she said without any hint of emotion. Nakita ko kung gaano ka haggard ang mukha ni Mom. Lumalaki na rin ang eyebags niya kakaiyak. Lagi na rin siyang umiinom these past few weeks.

" If you want to know where your dad is andoon siya sa anak ng unang asawa niya", she added.

Hindi naman secret sa mundo na second family kami ni Dad. He remarried when his first wife died. I have two half-siblings- si Kuya Tony and Ate Maica. But we are not close. We don't get to talk to them either. Hindi rin naman kasi close si Mom sa kanila.

Actually, I wanted to cry in front of Mom. I wanted to tell her na nasasaktan din kami na mga anak nya sa nangyayari. But I chose not to, kinimkim ko lahat ang gusto kong sabihin. Natatakot kasi ako baka may masabi akong hindi maganda.