Family. Anong kinalaman ng magulang ko rito? Is this all about their past? Paano ko naman masisiguro iyon kung hindi ko nga alam ang tungkol doon?
"Ano, sir? You want to study my background? For what?" He gave a loud chuckle. Sa puntong iyon, parang gusto nito akong asarin pero naroon pa rin ang kalambotan sa boses niya.
Like he still cares for me.
"Don't get me wrong at that idea. I know your parents very well, hija. And just by looking at your face... hmm, I know I am not wrong."
Pasimple itong kumakain habang nagsasalita. He didn't force me to eat. Siguro ay napansin niya ang kawalan ko ng gana kaagad magmula noong binanggit na niya ang tungkol sa pamilya.
He's old and I still have this bit of respect for him. I need to be professional, kahit na nakita na siya noon at minsang sinakop na ang isip ko. I was desperate to know his looks very well, to be familiar with him.
Ngayong nasa harap na ay parang nagsisi ako sa kahilingan. Isang napakalaking maling desisyon ang nagawa ko.
Iyong mga kamay niya ay dahan-dahang humihiwa ng pagkain. May bawat diin iyon ngunit parang pinapahalata na wala lang sa ganoong paraan.
"Anyway, I am only here to buy your paintings. We are not here to discuss about your parents." Sa huli ay tila nagliwanag ang paligid ko.
I tried to act normally but still, I cannot hide my 'not trusting ability' to this old man. Lumalaki lang iyon lalo.
"It's in the car. Okay lang po ba kung doon ko na kayo dalhin? Marami-rami kasi kaya hindi ko na dinala pa rito," sagot ko saka ito tumango nang hindi ako kinukwestyon.
His fierce look is now gone. Habang nakatingin lang ako sa kanya, hindi ko napigilang bigyaan ng mariing paraan iyon.
Naghahanap ako ng kung anong bagay na pwede kong masabing may kinalaman nga siya sa magulang ko pero wala.
He looks like a blank white paper with a magical pen being used in writing which needs a light to reveal all the words that are written, to reveal the truth and the answers. Ganoon siya kahirap basahin.
Though I am not feeling well being with him, I still did my best to vibe with him.
Buong stay sa restaurant ay kaunti lang ang kinain ko. Hindi na siya nagtanong sa akin pa tungkol doon kung kaya't pareho na kaming dumiretso sa parking area.
I texted Jaeden. Buti na lang ay naroon na siya nang makarating kami ni sir Henry.
Nasa likuran ko siya habang ako naman ay nakikipag-usap na kay Jaeden.
"He's going to take it all. Pasensya na kung masyadong masikip sa sasakyan mo," pagpaumanhin ko sa kanya.
"Nothing to worry. I'll go get them all." Tumango ako saka ito bumaba sa sasakyan.
Dinaluhan ko si sir Henry. He seems amazed now that he's seeing all my works. Halos lahat naman ng mga iyon ay ang mga nakikita ko lang sa paligid. The view of the city, the sea and even some random places I'd like to paint.
"Siguro sir, pwede nating ilipat na lang sa sasakyan mo? This can take some time," suhestyon ko na lang sa kanya.
Sobrang tanga ko lang doon sa point na hindi ko naalalang nasa sasakyan pala ni Jaeden lahat ng bibilhin niya.
Jaeden went behind me. His body touched my back as if protecting me from something. I felt his hand landed to my side waist and gently pressed it.
Gusto kong sumimangot sa naging galaw niya pero hindi ko magawa. Sir Henry's eyes are now landing to Jaeden's.
Mula sa akin, lumipat sa taong nasa likuran ko ang atensyon niya. It's as if Jaeden knew how to catch his attention in an instant.
"Henry." Jaeden's firm voice made the old man smirk. Hindi ko namalayang nasa gilid ko na siya. He's not still removing his hand to my waist.
I thought he's making a scene here. I thought he's just showing Mr. Henry that he owns me through his actions. I was wrong the moment I sensed his aura.
Masyadong delikado iyon.
Kusa na lang akong kumausap kay sir Henry tungkol sa mga dala ko. Feels like there's a tension between them now. Nawalan kaagad ako ng dapat na gagawin.
"Your boyfriend, hija? The eldest of the Juntarsiego, huh?" My heart skipped a bit.
"And you don't need to meddle with that. Please take all the paintings. Where's your car?" Jaeden demanded. Nagpalinga-linga ito sa loob ng parking lot.
He knows Jaeden. Alam niyang ito ang panganay ng mga Juntarsiego. What's with that?
The way he talks to him screams no respect. Parang kumakausap lang sa kaedad niya kahit pareho naming alam na masyadong malayo ang agwat namin sa matandang ito.
"Why don't you drop it off in my house instead? Hindi ba't mas mapapadali iyon, Jaeden?" I heard Jaeden's groans.
"We don't need to do that. It is not my girlfriend's responsibility to take these all to you inside your house," matigas nitong sagot.
I held his hand to calm him. Umiigting ang kanyang panga habang masakit ang pinupukol na tingin kay sir Henry. My mind's blank with all the possible reasons why he's acting like this.
"Jaed, huwag muna dito please?" I pleaded to him. Doon lang ito bumalik ng tingin sa akin.
With the use of his soft eyes, his almost burning body started to calm the moment I held his face. I can see that there's this hidden anger from him. At maski ako ay naguguluhan kung bakit ganoon ang pagtungo niya sa kaharap namin.
"I guess we'll transfer these all to your car, sir."
"As much as I want to invite your boyfriend to my house, I'm afraid that that won't happen. Umiinit ang tingin sa akin."
"Ganoon lang po siya kapag may kaharap na hindi nagugustuhan."
Tumaas ang kanyang kilay. I didn't give him a glance because I immediately went inside Jaeden's car. M
alapit lang sa amin iyong sasakyan ni sir Henry kung kaya't madalian ring inilagay ni Jaeden lahat ng mga nabili nito roon.
His body is moving so fast like he's in a hurry for something. Kung ako ang tatanungin, magiging determinado rin akong makaalis na kaagad. I'd be glad to finally go out of here, to not ever see this old man again.
Nagpasalamat lang ako sa kanya ng madalian bago kami tuluyang tumulak ni Jaeden paalis mula roon.
"What was that, Jaed?" I immediately asked. "Do you know him? Why were you acting like that?"
"Don't tell me you didn't feel anything about him, Diana. I know you felt something." Nagdikit ang kilay ko sa sinabi nito. My jaw dropped, realized that maybe he's pertaining on how Henry acted.
Napansin niya ba kami kanina roon sa restau? Nakita niya kami? Did he also noticed how that old man is acting strange?
"Ano? Naroon ka ba kanina sa restaurant?"
"Wala. I know you know him. Didn't you see how he looks at you, huh? He's up to something again! Damn it!" Like how the thunder roared in the middle of the heavy rain, my body jumped a bit, feeling surprised of how he shouted.
Nanggagalaiti ito. Lumabas ang mga ugat sa kanyang leeg at kaunti na lang ay puputok na ito.
I pulled myself back because of frustration and looking like a fool here. Parang sumabay iyong galit ko rin.
He's up to something again.
Again.
May nalalaman ba siyang hindi ko nalalaman?
Inayos ko ang pagkakaupo saka sumeryoso. I tied my hair just so I can be comfortable as of the moment.
"Jaeden. Tell me what you know about Henry. Tell me everything. Now," I demanded him with the use of my fierce voice. He furrowed both of his brows, thinking that I am just hallucinating and all.
"Ano? You won't say anything to me? Do you really know him?" He bit his lip so hard. "Stop your car, Jaed."
"What? Where do you think you're going?"
"I said stop your car. Mag-uusap tayong dalawa. I need to know something about that man, Jaed. I am begging you to tell me everything. Everything, Jaed."
Hindi siya nagmatigas sa kagustuhan ko. Using his full force, he parked his car professionally at the side of the road. He lowered down the volume of the music just for my own sake.
Hanggang ngayon ay mayroong kaunting galit pa rin sa kanyang mukha. He is about to burst; I am sure of that. Pinipigilan niya lang ang sarili dahil nandito ako.
"Sino si Henry? Why do you know him?" Humarap ako ng tuluyan sa kanya. He ran his fingers through his hair and breathed deeply as if preparing.
Being mad is not on his vocabulary so I am tensed to see this side of him. Kinulong ko ang katawan sa mga bisig. More like I am shielding myself for something that will happen.
"I thought you respect him that much?" tanong niya saka tumingin na rin sa akin. "You addressed him as 'sir' all the time. What now, baby?"
Umirap ako ng bahagya sa kanyang sinabi. He's poisoning my mind with that endearment! Iniiwas niya ang usapan!
"He's not here so he won't mind. Iniiba mo ba ang usapan, Jaeden?" kunwaring galit na tanong ko.
"I am not. Do you really want to know everything about him?"
"Seryoso? Magtatanong ba ako kung hindi?"
"Do I need to be jealous?"
"Isa." I warned him. He raised both of his palms and nodded repeatedly.
"Alright. As you wish, my lady." Taas noo akong tumitig sa kanya, naghihintay ng kanyang isisiwalat. "Siya ang humahabol sa atin noon. No, not really. Mga tauhan niya ang humabol sa atin. He wants me dead by that time. Kaya nga lang, hindi niya alam na may kasama ako."
I can clearly how loud the gunshots were that time. Namilog ang mata ko sa katotohanang iyon. The man who bought my paintings almost killed me before! How come he's still not feeling guilty about it?
"He got lots of people working for him. And as you noticed, it didn't happen again. Wanna know why?" he challenged me by his stares.
Napalunok ako sa nalalaman. It was hard for me to process that single truth and now, where my life is at peace for about years, Jaeden's about to reveal the reason behind of it.
I massaged my nape and reached for the bottle of water. Nangalahati iyon sa sobrang pagkauhaw ko.
"For sure, you can see something familiar from his look. You can recognize that he's got similarity-"
"Nabunggo niya ako noon. He acted as if he knows me that time. Ngayon lang siya nagpakita ulit sa akin," paliwanag ko na siya namang ikinagulat niya.
Gumalaw ito sa kinauupuan. Umiwas ako ng tingin dahil ngayon lang naisipang sabihin iyon sa kanya.
"You met him, huh?" Huminga ako ng malalim.
"Kanina, sabi niya ay gusto niya raw i-check ang background ko. Hindi pa raw tapos ang pamilya ko sa kanya. I don't know what he's talking about! Jaed, my parents are good people! Alam mo naman iyon, 'di ba?" halos magmakaawa na ako.
Mas lalong nagdikit ang kanyang mga kilay. He started checking on my face as if there's wrong on it.
"You really don't have an idea about him?" tumango ako. Napahilamos ito sa mukha saka walang sere-seremonyang pinatunog ang mga daliri.
"God, Diana. I thought you knew him."
I licked my lips for what he meant by that.
"Hindi. Why he knows my family? May ideya ka ba, Jaed?"
"I don't think what I think is right. You don't know who your other relatives are?" Umiling ulit ako.
Nawala na iyon sa isipan ko. Like how fast the times came, it all faded inside my mind. Tanging magulang ko na lang ang kilala ko.
"Are you saying that I am related to him?"
"Yes," he answered firmly. Nawala bigla ang ekspresyon sa mukha ko.
I can feel the sudden rush of the blood, covering my face as if I knew everything on that single answer. Hinahabol ko ang hininga ng ilang sandali, parang kakapusin nang dahil sa katotohanang hindi ko matanggap.
No, I am not related to him. Jaeden only thinks that! Nasa isip niya pa lang iyon.
"You're not looking for a possibility of it right?"
"Do you ever wonder why he wanted to check your background? He mentioned your family and come to think of it."
"No! I am not related to him, Jaeden! I won't be related to the person who almost killed me! Who almost killed us!" Inalo niya ako nang dahil sa galit na lumabas sa akin. He's now holding my hand to calm me.
Thinking about that idea sucks. Ayoko. I was curious back then about my other family, eager to know about them but now? How could I accept that? Knowing that the person who's related to me is a killer?
That doesn't run in our blood.
"I know. We don't have the confirmation yet. I am not even convinced that you can be related to him."
It's hard to swallow everything if that's the truth. Napapikit na lang ako dahil sa kawalang alam. I can't blame my parents for this. I have rights to know my family and yet, now that the time has come, I am backing out.
May rason ang magulang ko. As their child, I will choose to understand them instead of contradicting.
"You are far from him, Diana. I understand what you're feeling. Things might change but for now, please don't occupy your mind with this kind of nonsense thing, okay?"