"I'M sorry, Amcel. It's all my fault" mom said sincerely. I just smiled and held his hand.
"It's not your fault, mom. I know this will happen. And about Solaris, she's fine. So you don't have to say sorry" wika ko.
" Mom, who is that mister? He looks exactly like us, right kuya?" Ari asked me once again.
" I will explain it to you later baby" sabi ko tumango na lang sila at humilig saakin si Ari.
I told dad that we saw my daughter already. Which is he was thankful for. I told him also that it was Levi who found my daughter.
Pag-dating sa mansion ay hindi ako tinantanan ng kambal. Actually, si Riri lang. I don't know what Artemis thinking, but knowing that matured and smart guy he's thinking something. He was just silent, whole time.
"Babies..." I said and pause and looked at my mom, who just smiled and nodded a little to me.
"I a-am so s-sorry for lying at you, l-love. That m-mister we saw e-earlier... " I pursed my lips and I didn't stop my tears from falling down. Lumapit sa akin si Artie at pinunasan ang mga takas kong luha. I smiled and touched his face. "I-it was your biological f-father" nahihirapang wika ko, doon na bumuhos lahat ng luha ko. I even saw how my daughter tears fall down from her chubby cheeks, habang ang kapatid nito ay nakayuko lang at pinag lalaruan ang mga daliri.
I touched both of their hands and rubbed them.
"I'm s-sorry if mommy lied" wika ko.
"W-why d-dad left us, mimi?" The small voice of my daughter is cracked. Hinalo sila na kanilang lola at pinapatahan ito.
"I-i.... I don't know love" sagot ko.
"And who is the woman he is with?" Finally my silent son already spoke.
"I don't want to tell you who that is, because I don't know her, baby" sagot ko. Lumapit ito sa akin at niyakap ako.
" Stop crying, mom. And don't be sorry, we won't leave you. I hate him, mom"nagulat ako sa winika niyang iyon. I saw him frowned.
" But.. he is our dad, kuya" my daughter said.
" He is but he left us, Riri. I hate that mister!" Sigaw na sagot ng kanyang kapatid, napayuko na lang si Riri at muling umiyak sa kandungan ng lola niya. " I am sorry, sola" wika sakanya ng kanyang kapatid at nilapitan ito para bigyan ng yakap. Hindi ako makapag salita sa binibitawang salita ng aking anak.
They're just 4 years old for pete's sake. But their action is matured lalo na ang anak kong si Artemis.
I thought they would be happy if I told them who is that man we saw earlier, but seems like Artemis was just mad to know the truth.
"Stop lying at us, mimi" saad ng aking anak. Napalunok at tumango sa kanya and gave her a hug.
"I am sorry love, I am just afraid that you would leave mommy" sabi ko.
Umiling iling siya at niyakap ako.
"We won't leave you, mi" she said. I smiled and i fixed her long hair. "I love you, mimi"
"I love you both, love"
KINABUKASAN ay isinama ko sila sa kompanya, natatakot ako na baka bigla na lang sumulpot si Levi sa mansion at kunin ang anak ko. I don't know why I am overthinking about that. Natatakot lang ako, and I really do hate that kind of thinking.
It's fucking suffocating.
"I am sorry dad, I am late. Sinama ko pa kasi itong dalawa" saad ko bago makipag beso kay Dad. He just smiled.
"Good morning, lolo. Why so early in here po?" Masiglang tanong ni Solaris.
"I need to work, baby" sagot ni Dad.
"Lolo is this all yours po? Mommy also has a big building!" Sigaw niya pa. Natatawa na lang ako sa pagiging makulit ag maligalig niya.
"Yes and this will be on your mother too" sagot ni Dad lalong nag ning ning ang mata nito. haha
"Wow mommy is rich"
"No, Sola. Mommy is super rich!" Pag tatama sa kanya ng kuya niya. Nagtawanan ang dalawa at nag apir pa. How lovely, they are.
"Let's go, dear. Your office already done designing it, hope you'll like it. Kids let's go, come to lolo" saad niya at nilingon ang dalawang naglalaro na ngayon. Agad naman silang tumayo at patakbong lumapit sa kanilang lolo at humawak sa kamay nito.
"Where we are going, lolo?" Tanong ng naka kunot noong si Artemis.
"On your mother's office" simpleng sagot naman ni Dad.
"Yehey!" Sola.
Natatawa kaming nagtungo sa magigi g office ko na malapit lang naman sa office ni Dad. Dad told me that this office was my mother's before, but since I am the next Vice-chairman of Davis Business Corp. and my mom wants to rest, the office will be mine.
"Wow it's pink! I love it lolo. Can you make a playroom here too?" Sola said.
"Sola this is a work office, not for playing" segundo sa kanya ng kapatid.
"But kuya, I can still play here, I won't bother Mimi, when she's working. Right mimi?" mataray na sagot sakanya ni Sola. Lumipat naman ang tingin nito sa akin.
"Okay, talk to your lolo about that" I answered, bumaling ito sa kanyang lolo na nakamasid lang sa amin.
"Of course, baby. Let's make one, but promise me huwag kang mang gugulo ah?"
"Yes lolo" they answered in unison.
—
Dad left us for a while in my new office. Ang maganda sa office kong ito kitang kita ang lahat ng tanawin lalo na pag gabi. Sigurado akong maganda ito at nakakawala ng stress.
" Sir hindi po kayo pwedeng basta-bastang papasok" napabaling ako sa boses na narinig kong iyon. Nakasiwang kasi ang pinto ng office ko kaya rinig na rinig ko ang usapan isa pa parang malapit lang ito.
Ang kambal ay naglalaro lang sa sofa na nasa loob din ng opisina.
"I need to talk to her" pamilyar ang boses na iyon.
I started to panicked. I looked at my kids and they're frowning, maybe wondering what's happening outside.
"Pero sir, trespassing po ang ginagawa ninyo" My dad's secretary said. Actually, dad's sec. is a guy.
Napatalon ako sa gulat ng biglang bumukas ng marahas ang pinto sa office. The usual feeling before is what I am feeling right now. Anger and at the same time scared.
Matalim ang titig nito ngunit kalaunan ay lumambot din ito ng mapatitig siya sa akin. Agad akong umayos ng tayo. Tumakbo pa palapit sa akin ang dalawa dahil siguro sa gulat at takot nila.
Bumaling ang tingin ni Levi sa dalawa. He swallowed hard before looking at me again.
"Let's talk, Amari" saad niya. Mabilis akong umiling.
"Wala tayong dapat pag-usapan, levi." Matigas na sagot ko. Kinakabahan man ngunit pilit kong inaayos ang pananalita ko.
"We have a lot of things to talk, love. I waited a lot of years, I did everything just go find you. But there are no trace from you. Come on hear me, love" umiwas ako ng tingin lalo na ng makita kong may emosyon sa kanyang mga mata.
"Wala tayong dapat na pag-usapan, Levi. Matagal ko ng pinutol ang anuman koneksyon mo sa'kin. Get lost." Madiin na sambit ko. But he just shook his head and turn his attention on my twins.
"Get lost, levi. Bago ko pa mapatawag ang guard!"
Hindi ito natinag bagkus ay lumapit ito sa amin. Akmang hahawakan niya ang mga anak ko nang magtago ito sa likod ko.
I saw pain in his eyes. Ngunit agad nagbago ang expression niya at bumaling muli sa akin.
"A-ako...A-ko ang ama nila, right?" He said full of hopes.
"What are you talking abo—" he cut me off.
"You can't lie to me, Amari Celestia. The father of these two is me." He clenched his jaw.
" Y-you're mistaken, Lev—" once again he cut my words.
"I am the fathe—" my litty guy Artemis cut him off, also.
" Yes, you are our father, mister. But we don't like you to be our Father. So stop bothering our mom" nakipag labanan pa ng tingin sa kanya ang anak ko.
"Baby"saway ko dito ngunit hindi siya natinag. Nakita ko kung paano dumaan ang sakit sa mata ni Levi. His fist clenched and he looked at me without emotions again. I did the same thing. Pilit kong nilalabanan ang sakit at hindi mapa luha sa nangyayari ngayon.
Nagiwas lang ako ng tingin ng makita si dad na papalapit sa amin kasama ang lalaking secretary niya sa likod, maging ang dalawang guard ay nandinto na rin.
" What's happening here? " Maowntoridad na sambit ni Dad. Levi's expression suddenly changed into cold and normal emotion.
Akmang lalapit sa kanya ang dalawang guard ngunit inunahan na niya ito.
" You don't have too, ako na mismong aalis. Remember, Celestia. I won't stop begging you" he said before he leave the office.
Doon lang ako nakapag labas ng hinanakit ko. Dad hugged me, while my kids are just watching with their sad faces. I even saw how their tears fall. Madalang lang umiyak si Artemis kaya nakakapanibago iyon. While, Solaris while silently subbing, that's why I grabbed them both and kisses and temple.
I whisper I love you's many times at them.