Chiara
I took a last glance at my Dad and Lea before I quietly left the room, following the girl who's claiming to be Lea's daughter.
Mas lalong bumaba ang tingin ko sa kanya. She's really unbelievable. Sabi niya noon, si Sabel lang ang anak niya but then one day, someone will show up saying that she's Lea's daughter? Kaninong lalaki? Ano pa kaya ang mga kasinungalingan ang tinatago 'nun?
Naabutan ko ang babae na nakaupo sa staircase habang nakayuko, what is she even doing here? Ah, oo nga pala, Dad let her stay so that he can clarify some things with her. What's her name again? Alyssa? Alinna? Alyza? Alyanna? Whatever.
"Hey, Alyssa." tawag ko sa kanya kaya napaangat naman siya ng tingin, her eyes are puffy and swollen. Poor thing, wasting her precious tears for nonsense people!
"Alysse po ang pangalan ko." she corrected me, napairap na lang ako dahil dun.
"Well then, Alysse, anak ka ba talaga ni Lea?" I frankly asked her, crossing my arms.
When I was young, I always wished for a mother like Lea and remembering that wish of mine? Now, it makes me wanna vomit in disgust. Ew. A mother like her? No thanks.
She slowly nodded her head as she bit her lower lip, "Opo." sagot nito, napailing na lang ako as I sat beside her.
"Alam mo, I don't believe you and I think that you're a fraud pero if ever na totoo nga 'yang mga pinagsasabi mo, then let me tell you how unlucky you are to be her daughter." I told her, bago pa siya maka-react, I heard footsteps behind us and someone calling my name kaya kaagad akong tumayo at lumingon to see who it was.
"What?" walang gana kong tanong kay Daddy when he finally reached our direction.
"Stay inside your room for awhile." utos niya sa 'kin and again, I rolled my eyeballs. I don't know kung pang-ilang beses ko nang sabihin ito but yeah, my life totally sucks!
Aga
"Sir Aga, I'm sorry po. Kung 'di dahil sa 'kin, hindi sana mahihimatay si Ms. Lea." Alysse said the moment Chiara left, I smiled at her and patted her shoulders.
I don't even know why pero magaan ang loob ko sa batang ito..
"It's okay, she's fine now so there's nothing to worry about." wika ko, hindi nagsalita si Alysse kaya namuo ang katahimikan sa pagitan naming dalawa.
Nang lumabas ako kanina, I was surprised when she rushed to me as she cried at my shoulders. Nagulat ako sa ginawa niya, until now, I'm still clueless kung ano nga ba talaga ang mga nangyayari. Kung sino si Alysse at kung tama nga ba ang mga pinagsasabi niya.
If she's Lea's daughter then..
"August 14, year 2000, she gave birth to a premature baby girl, right?" she said 'causing me to look at her with surprise.
Paano niya nalaman 'yan?
"All she thought; rather all they thought, the baby girl didn't make it but they were wrong." she stopped for awhile as she wiped her tears using her thumbs, "There's this woman who paid the doctors and the nurses a huge amount of money just to keep their mouths shut regarding the baby. Pinalabas nilang patay na ito even tho in fact, she isn't." my jaw dropped as she continued to tell her life story, is she serious?
"Alam niyo po, Sir Aga, the woman even threatened one of the nurses na kapag hindi niya pinatay ang bata, siya ang papatayin nito. She's cruel. Heartless. She ruined the child's future na wala man lang ka alam-alam sa mga nangyayari sa paligid niya. She's... inhuman. Sa mabuting palad, instead of killing the infant, naawa ang nurse rito kaya she kept the baby without the woman's knowledge. Pinalaki niya ito, inalagaan, pinag-aral, pinakain. She stood as the baby's mother for years. And you know po, the baby I was talking about is... me." she looked away after saying those words.
Wow... malapit na akong maniwala na siya si Sabel. If you connect the dots, you'll get here.
"The nurse you're talking about, where is she?" tanong ko, she let out a small smile.
"Momma died when I was 14, car accident, she didn't make it.." aniya, hindi ko maiwasan ang 'di maawa sa kalagayan niya ngayon.
This little girl don't deserve to suffer like that. It's tragic to think.
"Sir Aga, I know you're probably thinking na I'm insane or what pero before I go, can I hug you po?" she asked me, ngumiti naman ako at kaagad na tumango, a glimpse of happiness was evident on her face upon seeing me nod in response. She went to my direction as she hugged me tight, she really is something..
Lea
I covered my mouth to avoid making any rumbling noise, from here, I can see Alysse hugging Aga at 'di ko maiwasan ang hindi mapaluha upon hearing everything from her.
I want to go and hug her too but I was frozen at my spot, something's stopping me from doing so.
Kung totoo ang mga pinagsasabi niya, I wouldn't mind to rot in jail, hahanapin ko kung saang sulok ng impyerno man ang babaeng nagpa-utos na kumuha sa anak ko.
With my hands trembling, I took a last glance at the both of them before I silently went back inside Aga's room. I sat at the edge of his bed, crying.
This is too much, this is too much.
"Daddy I'll go to Ka—, where's my Dad?" napaangat ako ng tingin when Chiara barged inside, pasimple ko namang pinunasan ang luha ko as I composed myself to answer her.
"He's outside, 'di mo siya nadaanan?" malumanay kong sagot at tanong, tinignan niya lang ako at kalaunang tumango, she turned her back at me at akmang lalabas na but my forehead creased in confusion when she stopped from walking.
"I hate you and nothing can change that but.. this is all you need right now." and before I can even speak, lumingon siya sa 'kin at dali-daling tumakbo sa direksyon ko as she gave me a tight hugged.
Nagulat ako sa ginawa niya. I was surprised by her sudden actions but I can't take away the fact that Chiara's hug was comforting. I hugged her back as my tears automatically fell nonstop.
"Thank you Chia, thank you." I whispered while in the midst of crying.
She's right, this all that I need right now. Somehow, Chiara made me feel better..
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