Since the incident happened, Serene has become the talk of the town. Her features, which she inherited from Irene, didn't escape from all the accusations, predictions, and unacceptable rumors from the people. Being called "apologist", "enabler", and more didn't affect her. As she thought. What affected her was her Mom, denying her in the media when they asked her about who she is. Irene said she didn't know her at all that hurt her. She didn't expect that with everything that happened, Irene would still deny her. She was already accepting the fact that they would still be ok, but with what Irene did? Her anger became more evident and obvious.
She doesn't deserve this. She knows that.
What is she doing right now? Fixing herself to attend a dinner with her family at Imelda's house.
She took a deep breath before entering Imelda's mansion. She was greeted by the helpers and just reciprocated their actions.
The moment she entered the mansion, eyes were on her. She didn't mind them and straightly went to Imelda.
"Ma." Serene said as she hugged Imelda.
"Serenity." Imelda kissed her temple.
"I made your favorite strawberry shortcake just for my Mama Meldy." Serene smiled. Imelda just smiled at her.
"Come na. Let's eat everyone." Imelda announced as Serene helped her to stand up. Serene made beso to her aunts, uncle, brothers, and cousins. She simply ignored Greggy and Irene's presence.
Dinner went well. After they've eaten their dinner, they make a little chit-chat with the fam. Serene was trying her best to be ok. They were talking about the girl they saw the other day. Irene's student.
Serene can't help but feel jealous. Her mother can easily be close to other girls her age, and here, she is still hurting about Irene's action.
"You should meet her, Serene. Mabait yung bata." Bong said. Serene scoffed.
"Para saan, Tito? Para mainggit?" Serene said in a monotone voice.
"That is not what I mean, Serene." Bong softly said.
"Echapwera na nga ako, imi-meet ko pa? Lugi naman ako nun, Tito." She grinned.
"Hindi ako ma pakilala pero sobrang close sa mga batang babae my age. Just wow." Serene said.
She got triggered by how Irene described and talked about the lady. She got triggered by how Irene's eyes sparkled.
"What if gawin ko yun? Tutal, may mga taong mas tinuturing akong anak kesa sa kapatid niyo eh." Serene stood up. She can feel her breathing hitch and her tears starting to fail her.
"How I wish I was a daughter of someone else who knows how to consider the feelings of her own. Who can stand up for her, hindi yung siya na nga tinulungan, siya pa lugi. Not making sumbat, ha?" Her tears started to fall.
"Akala ko kasi idedefend din ako like how I defended that person. Why did I expect pa no? You know Tito Bong, seeing comments from those people, I expected someone to defend me. Kaso Tito nakuha ko kasi denial nanaman." She cried.
"Ano bang dapat kong gawin para hindi na ko masaktan? Seeing how your eyes sparkled as you talked about that student of yours? Hah! Paano ako? Paano akong nangungulila sa pagmamahal mo kasi puro sakit binigay mo?!" Serene looked at Irene.
"You know? Do you know the comments I received? You saw them? Ha? You saw how they downgraded me? You saw how they made me feel that I'm so stupid?" Serene cried.
"You love being with other girls my age in public, but you can't even take me out and just be us." Irene can't say anything but just suppress her tears.
"Alam mo, minsan pinapangarap ko nalang talaga na maging anak ng iba. Kasi baka kung anak nila ako hindi naman ako masasaktan na ganito. Kung hindi mo ako anak hindi naman magiging ganito ka miserable ang buhay ko diba?"
"Don't say that naman anak." Irene cried as she tried to go near her daughter.
"Did you even know I tried to take my own life? That I needed to see a psychologist? I was about to be brought to a mental facility because of what I was doing to myself?" Serene said as she looked at Imee.
"Tita Imee is the only one who never disowned me. Mama Imee is the only one who knows how much you've hurt me. And those comments triggered me! Why are you so unfair?! Ha? Ang dali dali mo ideny na wala kang anak na babae! Ako? Kahit sabihin kong may pamilya ako, may magulang ako! Walang maniniwala! Wala!" Serene cried. She was triggered and hurt with everything that was happening.
"Anak, please. Give us some time, then we will introduce you din naman."
"Time? Time?! Can you hear yourself? I'm 13! You have 13 fucking years!"
"Lahat ng pagdedeny mo kayang paniwalaan ng public... Ako kasi kahit idefend ko sarili ko ngayon wala ng maniniwala." Serene sobbed. Greggy tried to hug his daughter when Serene pushed him away.
"Dad, ikaw! Bakit wala kang ginagagawa?! Ni hindi mo ko maipagtanggol! Hinahayaan mo yung asawa mo na gaguhin ako! Mayaman ka diba? I'm sure you can protect me naman eh! I'm sure you can pay someone to protect me physically and online! Bakit? Bakit hindi mo magawa yun?" Serene shouted. No one can make her stop. It is what it is.
"Anak, I'm trying." Greggy teared up. Irene took the chance to hug her daughter's back.
"Well it's not enough, Dad! Ang sama sama niyong lahat! Sana hindi nalang kayo yung pamilya ko! Sana hindi nalang ako naging Alvante Beltran! Sana hindi kita naging nanay!" Serene shouted and pushed Irene before going up to her room.
She was triggered and angry. Triggered with the comments she is seeing online. Angry with what her family is making her feel.
"Greggy baka anong gawin niya sa sarili niya. Yung anak ko." Irene cried and was about to follow Serene when Imee hugged her.
"Ading please."
"Manang... Manang si Serene." Irene cried loudly that made Imee cry too. She doesn't know where to side anymore.
"Shhh. Hayaan niyo muna huminga yung bata ha? Masyadong nasasaktan yun sa mga nakikita niya online. She wasn't exposed to this that's why she is triggered. Hayaan niyong huminga yung bata." Imee consoled her sister.
"Malalim na ang gabi, may bukas pa naman eh. Try to talk to her tomorrow. Ok? Let her muna." Imee said.
It was one chaotic night for them, that they weren't prepared with what's coming next.
The morning after the chaos, it was another chaos for all of them because Irene was missing. They can not contact nor find her. They tried to call her friends but none of them knew where Irene went.
"Bakit kailangan umabot sa ganito?" Alfonso harshly wiped his face with his hands. He was frustrated.
"Kakatawag ko lang kay Tito Alex, hindi daw niya alam nasaan si Mom. Gosh, Papa Ferdie, help us." Luis said.
"Baka kailangan niyang huminga. Nasaktan yun kagabi." Bong said.
"Nasaktan din naman si Serene. Ang gulo ng pamilya mo, Greggy." Imee added as she sipped some coffee.
"Hindi ko na alam, Imee. Sinabihan ko si Irene na kahit isang statement lang na tigilan na ang anak namin, kaso napangunahan nanaman siya ng takot." Greggy said.
"Hayaan niyo muna yan. Mamayang gabi kapag hindi pa siya bumalik, sabihan niyo si Serenity. Panigurado alam niya nasaan Mommy niya." Imelda said before going to her room. Imelda was disappointed with what's happening to her granddaughter.
......
Hours passed, Irene was still nowhere to be found. They don't have the choice to tell Serene.
At first, Serene didn't want to open her door nor talk to them. It was only Imelda and Imee who convinced her to do so. The moment she knew what happened, she grabbed her phone and her cardigan and straightly went to the car.
"Isang lugar lang naman pinupuntahan nun kapag ganito." She said before going in.
It was in Emeral Cemetery, Tagaytay, where Irene's angel babies are buried.
The moment they went there, they saw Irene sitting in front of her children's graves.
"Ma!" Luis said as he hugged his mother.
"Kanina ka pa namin hinahanap, Mommy." Luis teared up. He hates seeing his Mom's state.
"Why are you here?" Irene's voice was hoarse.
"Mommy, uwi na tayo. Halika ka na. Kasama namin si Serene oh." Alfy said while Serene was just looking at them from the door.
"Ok na ko dito, balik na kayo sa Manila." Irene said as she stared at her children's gravestones.
Serene motioned her brothers to go out so that she could talk to her mother. Alfy and Luis went out as Serene sat beside her mother, still leaving a huge gap.
"Go home, everyone's waiting for you." Serene said as she looked at her older brother's grave.
"No. Ayaw ko. Masasaktan lang ako dun. Masakit na kasi eh." Irene softly said.
"Pag nandoon tayo, lagi tayo nag tatalo. Lagi tayo nag aaway. Ayoko na dun, baby." Irene sobbed.
"Yung mga sinabi mo kagabi, hindi ko inexpect na masasabi mo sakin yun. Hindi ko inexpect anak. Ang sakit sakit marinig galing sayo yun." Irene sobbed.
"Nasaktan ka? Bakit?" Serene asked seriously.
"Nasaktan ako anak. Kasi anak, I just want the best for you, I didn't expect that you'd say that to me. You don't mean that anak diba? Maawa ka naman sakin anak." Irene pleaded.
"Nasasaktan ka sa lahat ng sinabi ko, pero hindi mo alam mas nasasaktan ako sa ginagawa mo. You deserved everything I've said, and I meant all of that. Now get up, kuya's waiting for you. Don't expect me to come home ever again hanggang hindi niyo na aayos sarili niyo, kasi mas sinasaktan mo ko everytime we see each other." Serene said as she stood up. She wiped her tears and waited for her Mom to stand up.
The moment Irene stood up, she felt so weak. Alfonso ran to her Mom and hugged her to give assistance.
Serene walked forward and never looked back again.
Author's Note:
Hindi ko na naproof read. Bahala na kayo. Muah!
-Rie