Game 30 - She dumped me
We reached Le Petit Gourmet, a French restaurant chain owned by our family. Agad na lumabas si mom ng sasakyan nang pinagbuksan ito ng pinto ng valet.
Ako naman tinignan ko si Shiloh at halatang nagpipigil nalang ito. "Shiloh." I called.
She looked up and forced a smile. "I'm okay mommy."
"We can always go home Shiloh. Wag na tayong pumasok sa loob." I told her.
She shook her head. "She'll hate me more." at tsaka siya lumabas.
I sighed. Hinawakan ni Caleb yung kamay ko kaya ngumiti ako sa kanya. "As you can see my mother's pure joy is hurting Shiloh." I informed him.
"Mana sayo si Shiloh. Hindi basta basta. Kaya wag ka ng mag-alala kay Shiloh. She won't break because of those words." Caleb assured.
If only that was true. I fear that Shiloh is already breaking, all her life, she had been hurt by everyone. I fear even my love or even Andy's love for her won't be enough soon. Bata palang siya ganun na ang trato sa kanya ng mga tao, isang bastardo.
Lahat ng mga masasakit na salita, sinalo lang niya. Hindi siya iiyak sa harap naming lahat pero sa loob ng kwarto niya, iiyak siya. Pinipigilan pa niya minsan yung boses niya. A child like that could break.
Pumasok na rin kami ni Caleb sa loob at pinuntahan sila lola sa private room. Nandun na sila at si Shiloh ay nakaupo sa tabi ni Lola habang si mom naman ay nasa right ni lolo.
"Good evening po." bati ni Caleb kayla lola.
Ngumiti sila lola at lolo. "Caleb, it's good for you to join us." sabi ni lolo. "Come sit you two."
Umupo kami sa side ni mom.
"Is he one of the men your father set up for you?" Mom asked me then sipped on her glass of wine. "He's okay but you don't want to let your father control you Eponine, do you?" she continued. "But of course, you never did let him control you so he can't be right?"
"I quite assure you mother Caleb is not one of the men dad approve of. I didn't know you're that concern whether dad is controlling me or not."
"Of course, I am concern. Who knows what you might do again. If he just controlled you before then I wouldn't have to force myself to see this bastard with us every time."
"Seraphina!" Lola Venetia warned.
Mom shrugged. "What?" she asked casually. "I was just saying if Sebastian forbid her on welcoming a bastard into the family then it'd be different. But it wasn't entirely Sebastian's fault, mom and dad didn't do anything to stop Eponine in making a huge mistake." she pointed out. "But of course, Eponine rarely listen."
"I learned from the best after all." I said sarcastically. "And also just like they said like mother like daughter."
Mom scoffed. "As if I would disgrace my family with a bastard."
"Enough already." lolo said. "Seraphina, tumigil ka na. You did disgrace our family with that divorce." lolo reminded her.
"It's just divorce dad. It's not like I brought a bastard home." Mom said shrugging.
"Seraphina. I warn you stop already. This is a family dinner. Act like your age." Lola said.
"Family dinner then why is that bastard here?"
"She's part of this family no matter what you say Seraphina. Anak siya ni Emma at apo mo siya." Lola said.
"She's no daughter of Eponine and most especially not a granddaughter of mine. I would only acknowledge a grandchild if it's born inside a marriage. She's not even blood related."
"Emma, lumabas muna kayo nila Caleb at Shiloh. Kakausapin lang namin ang mom mo." sabi ni lolo kaya sinunod naman namin siya.
Pagkalabas namin yumakap agad sa akin si Shiloh. One thing that could really hurt Shiloh and let her cry in front of me or Andy is when someone tells her she's not my daughter, that we're not related legally or by blood.
I patted her back. "It's okay Shiloh." sabi ko sa kanya. "Alam mo naman yung totoo diba? Anak kita kahit anong sabihin ng iba." paalala ko sa kanya. Her body shook and I had no choice but to lower myself to level with her. I lifted her head and looked at her. "You are my daughter. I am your mother. Don't let the witch say your not because you are."
"Why does she hate me so?" Shiloh asked. "Is it really because I'm a bastard?"
"You are not a bastard." I told her firmly.
"But I am a bastard."
"Don't say that. You know the truth about your birth right? So you know you're not a bastard." I reminded her. Ngumiti ako sa kanya. "Upo tayo dun." turo ko at sabay kaming tatlong umupo sa may table.
Nag order kami ng ice cream at pinakain kay Shiloh. Kinuwentuhan ni Caleb si Shiloh ng mga nakakatawang storya niya kasama si Andy. Nakangiti lang ako habang nakiking sa kanila.
"Emma?" someone called.
Napatingin ako sa tumawag sa akin. "Ralphe." I stood up to greet him. I kissed him on the cheek. "What brings you here?"
"Dinner with the cast." sagot nito. Tumingin siya sa table namin nila Caleb. "Shiloh."
"Hello Ninong." bati ni Shiloh kay Ralphe.
Si Ralphe, schoolmate namin nila Elena dati nung high school. Sympre isa siya sa mga naging ninong ni Shiloh nung binyag nito dati.
"Ah Ralphe, this is Caleb." I introduced Caleb.
"The bofyfriend." Ralphe smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you." sabi nito kay Caleb.
"At Caleb, si Ralphe naman. Siguro kilala mo naman siya ano?"
"Of course." Caleb said.
Ralphe Mendez. Isang sikat na artista. Laking gulat nga namin lahat ng naging artista ito eh. Sino nga ba naman mag-aakala na papasok si Ralpe sa showbusiness. Pero ayun nga agad agad din itong sumikat.
Nagbatian muna sila ni Caleb bago ito tumingin sa akin ulit. "Emma, favor?"
"What could possibly you want from me?" I asked.
"Clara Dela Merced's whereabouts." he said straightforwardly.
Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. Clara Dela Merced, isa rin na sikat na artista na nakapartner ni Ralphe sa isang pelikula. We're not friends kaya bakit sa akin hahanapin ni Ralphe yung lugar kung nasaan yung babaeng yun?
The last I heard was Clara disappeared.
Huli kong usap dun ay yung sinabi niya sa akin yung tungkol kay Ian at Elena at ang huli ko naman kita sa kanya ay yung engagement ball ni Elena at Prince Harry. Pagkauwi daw ni Clara nun sa Pilipinas nag resign ito at umalis din nung araw na yun.
"Paano ko naman malalaman kung nasaan si Clara?"
"Ian Areballo." Ralphe supplied. "Siya lang yung nakakaalam kung nasaan si Clara."
"Then ask him."
Tinignan niya ako ng masama. "He won't tell me."
"Why do you even want to know Clara's whereabouts? Don't tell totoo na naging kayo?" tanong ko sa kanya, gulat na baka nga.
He went stiff. "Yes totoo nga. Kami nun at kailangan kong malaman kung nasaan siya kaya pwede paki tanong kay Ian? Baka sabihin niya sayo, kaibigan ka ni Elena kaya pwede."
I looked at Ralphe and he looked like he really wanted to know where Clara was. "Why now? She's been gone for months now."
"Because she left and it made it look like she dumped me. Please Emma, ask Ian."
I sighed. "Alright. I'll call you when I have an answer." sabi ko at nagpaalam na rin siya agad.
Tinignan ako ni Caleb. "Talagang tutulungan mo siya?" tanong nito.
"Not really. Hindi naman sasabihin sa akin ni Ian kung nasaan si Clara. Ang sabi ni Elena dati prinoprotektahan ni Ian si Clara kaya kahit anong pilit ko hindi nun sasabihin." I shrugged.
"Bakit naman niya prinoprotektahan si Clara?"
"Because Clara's pregnant. And I deduce, the father is Ralphe." I said.
"Hindi ba't dapat sinabi mo kay Ralphe yun?"
"Mali yung sinagot niya kanina sa akin." sabi ko nalang. "Haggang ngayon mataas parin yung pride niya. Hindi niya sinabi yung totoo. Na kaya niya gustong malaman kung nasaan si Clara ay dahil gusto niya itong makita o kaya gusto niyang makompirma kung buntis nga si Clara. It will serve him right."
"So you would allow the child not to know his own father?" Caleb asked.
"You don't know Ralphe like I do Caleb. That man he doesn't deserve it if he can't even admit the truth with himself." I said. "He's heartless. Elena told me that the father of Clara's child wanted to abort the child. Do you really think he deserves to know?"
"Yes. Kasi kahit gaano siya kasama, ama pairn siya Siya parin yung ama. Karapatan niya yun."
"It seems that we've reach an impasse."
A/N:
This chapter is not really important. Introduction lang sa next kong story na One More Night. Kung nabasa niyo yung Ms. Perfect, siya yung babaeng napagkamalan ni Elena na bago ni Ian, siya si Clara Dela Merced at dito sa chapter na to pinakilala ko lang si Ralphe Mendez, a very prideful man. Sa lahat ng characters sa isip ko, siya yung pinaka-ayoko at gusto ko
I know. I know new story na naman. Pero kasi idro-drop ko muna yung story ni Anya na Romancing the Princess, sobrang nahihirapan ako dun. Kaya One More Night ang ipo-post ko pagkatapos ng story ni Emma soon.
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till next time . . .