Papa entered the kitchen and went straight to Mama to hug her from the back and kiss her cheeks.
Parang si Mama ang hindi niya nakita ng ilang linggo dahil inuna niya pa ito.
Pagkatapos hagkan si Mama ay bumaling na ito sa akin para ako naman ang yakapin.
"How's my future Doctora?"
I felt the warmth in my heart when I heard that. It feels good to have someone who believes in you. Especially when you doubt yourself.
"I'm doing fine, Pa." I answered.
"I'm having a hard time believing that," He said. "Especially that I know how you pressure yourself."
He was still hugging me as he talks to me.
"Pa, I'm doing fine." I assured him. "Everything's under control."
"Okay..." Pagsuko nito.
Hindi naman nagtagal si Papa sa kitchen. Pupuntahan niya muna daw si Tory habang tinutulungan ko dito sa kitchen si Mama.
Pag-alis ni Papa ay napabuntong-hininga ulit si Mama.
She's worried about Tita Karen.
I am, too. I am also worried about Cole. He's not in good terms with Tito Collin, to begin with.
"Just why did she have to marry an asshole?" Mom whispered to herself but I heard it.
I grew up watching my parents love each other dearly. People say that time usually lessens the intensity of someone's love, but I don't think it's the same for my parents.
They fight, of course. But I have never seen Papa disrespect Mama and vice versa.
It hurts to think that Cole did not grow up in the same environment that I did. He grew up watching his Mom hurting because of his Dad. He tolerated seeing it at a very young age until he couldn't.
Tita Karen's one of the kindest people I know. She's very bubbly and positive. What did she do to deserve the pain she's experiencing right now?
"Ma..."
"Yes?"
"Is... Dad the first man in your life?" Pagtatanong ko.
She looked at me for a couple of seconds before smiling. "Well, yes, hija." She answered.
I nodded. "How about you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Are you the first woman in his life?"
I know my Mom's weirded out. It's our first time having this kind of conversation. I just couldn't help but ask.
"No, Vienne. He had girls before me."
Oh.
"Your Dad and I... We met when I was 20." Pag-kkwento niya. "He was 3 years older than me. He had experiences— former babaero 'yan, eh. Ako, I only spend my time with Karen— C's mom."
I nodded.
"Karen didn't like him at first because he had a reputation with girls." Natatawang sabi ni Mama. "Karen's very picky when it comes to men... She wanted the best for us because as she said, we shouldn't settle for less than what we deserve."
Mama sighed.
"Kiko didn't stop pursuing me even when he was constantly receiving eye rolls from Karen... He proved himself to me, Karen, and eventually, my parents." She gave a short laugh before continuing.
"Tinanong ko yung Papa mo kung bakit ako... Ang sinagot niya lang, "kasi ikaw."" Napangiti ako at napa-iling.
Maya-maya, napabuntong-hininga na naman si Mama. "Sa sobrang maingat at mapili ni Karen... Hindi ko pa rin maintindihan kung bakit si Collin..."
The air was suddenly changed. "Isang araw bigla nalang siya nag-kwento na in love na siya kay Collin... Collin was so not her type. Collin, like your Father, had a reputation with girls... But she loved him. Noong tinanong ko siya kung bakit si Collin, ang sagot niya, si Kiko nga nagbago para sa akin, anong kinaibahan ni Collin?"
For some reason, I found my heart aching for Tita Karen.
"I wish I reminded her that a man will only change if he wants to change." May tumakas na luha sa mata ni Mama. The story of Tita Karen was breaking her heart, too.
"Isang araw, tumawag na lang sa akin ang Tita mo... Umiiyak... You know what hurt me the most, anak?"
Tingin lang ang ibinigay ko kay Mama.
"She couldn't let him go. Mahal na mahal niya si Collin kaya hindi niya mabitawan... Kaya palagi siyang nagpapatawad at palagi siyang umaasa na magbabago si Collin. Mahal niya, eh... At para na rin kay C..."
"But he didn't..." I found myself muttering those words.
We fell silent for a while. "Why are you suddenly asking about those things?"
I started playing with my fingers and bit my lips. "Ma, I think..."
"Hmn?"
"I think I like someone...." And I'm currently dating him now— hindi ko masabi.
"Someone has finally conquered your walls, huh?"
"Mama naman..."
She laughed. "I'm kidding, honey..." She held my hand na nakapwesto sa counter top namin. "What's he like? Is he from your school? Or... Is he someone we already know?"
My Mom knows.
I know that she knows who.
"He's..." Words, Erica Vienne. Words. "Well, I don't know... fine."
That made Mama laugh.
This conversation is making me shy.
"What made you like him?"
"The..." Cole's smiling face suddenly flashed on my mind. "The warmth he's making me feel, I guess."
My Mom smiled at me and slightly squeezed my hand. "My baby is growing up too fast." She commented.
"Did you already tell him that you like him?"
"I think he knows..."
Cole's not dumb to not know.
I hope.
"You think? Don't you wanna tell him?"
I sighed. "I-I don't know if he really likes me back, Ma..."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know... Maybe he's just used to my company. I don't want to ask." I answered truthfully.
"Why?"
"Because...Because I might have to detach when his answer hurt..."
"You don't want to detach?"
Who wants to detach themselves from the person that's making them happy?
I just smiled at my Mom.
She smiled back at me before answering. "This guy... This guy should know how lucky he is."
I scoffed.
"I know how hard it is for you to build attachment, anak. Bata ka palang." Mom said. "However, please be careful, anak..."
Tumayo ako para yumakap kay Mama.
"Baka mas mahirapan ka mag-detach kapag nagkataon..." She continued. "It's not wrong to use your mind when you're loving... Loving a person and using your mind at the same time will always save you at the end of the day."
I nodded while still hugging her.
Napakalas nalang ako ng yakap kay Mama nang may narinig kaming sigaw at pagkabasag ng bagay. Pinatay muna ni Mama yung stove bago kami lumabas para tignan kung ano ang nangyayari.
The noise was coming from Cole's house.
My heart started racing when I saw Tito Collin's car outside.
Fuck.
"M-Ma..."
"I'm gonna call Kiko upstairs..." Sabi ni Mama bago pumasok ng bahay para tawagin si Papa.
My feet started walking towards their house.
Para akong nanlamig nang makita ang mga basag na vase sa living room nila Tita Karen.
"Cole!! Anak!! Let go of your Father... Please!"
Agad ako pumunta sa pinanggalingan ng sigaw ni Tita Karen.
Tears started pooling from my eyes when I saw them. Tita Karen was on the floor while Cole is on top of Tito Collin. He was holding Tito Collin's collar.
His eyes were bloodshot and he was shaking out of anger.
Kahit nanginginig ay lumapit ako kay Cole at hinawakan siya sa braso. Agad siyang napatingin sa akin.
I couldn't say anything.
I didn't know what to say.
I'm not used to this kind of scenario.
I'm scared.
Hinatak ko siya ng bahagya dahil nawawalan na ako ng lakas.
He let out a big and deep sigh before letting go of Tito Collin's collar. Tumayo siya at lumapit kay Tita Karen para tulungang tumayo si Tita.
I was left standing in front of Tito Collin.
He was still on the floor.
"Ma... tayo." He calmly said. He was still shaking.
Inalalayan niya pang tumayo si Tita Karen. Pagkatapos ay bumaling siyang muli sa amin ni Tito Collin.
"Get your ass away from this house." Mariin niyang sabi kay Tito. "There's no "your family" anymore, Doc. The moment you chose to fuck your patients, there's no "your family" anymore."
His voice was so calm that it sent shivers to my spine.
It was my first time seeing Cole like this— It's breaking me.
Humahagulgol si Tita Karen nang dumating si Mama at Papa. Agad na dumalo si Mama kay Tita Karen. Si Papa naman ay tinignan lang si Tito Collin na unti-unti nang bumabangon para umalis.
"A-Anak..." Tita Karen tried to call Cole's attention.
I saw how he wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Ma..." His voice broke. "Bitawan mo na kasi... Tangina naman..."
Agad kong hinawakan si Cole at hinila pataas sa kwarto niya bago pa siya makapagsalita ng mga bagay na pagsisisihan niya rin sa huli.