I found satisfaction after eyeing one more time the table I set up for breakfast. Umakyat na ako para tawagin sila. Una kong pinuntahan si mamaa.
"Anak, I'm sorry." Salubong ni mama sa'kin pagkapasok ko ng kwarto. "She really is your wife, anak." Naluluhang wika niya. Napakunot ako ng noo. Mama squeezed my hand as if trying to comfort me."I heard you talking yesterday."
"Ma. Hindi na siya mawawala ulit."
"Anak, natatakot ako. Hindi ko kayang panoorin ka ulit na naghihirap dahil sa sakit."
"Ma. Hindi na nga mawawala si Chances. Hindi ko hahayaang mangyari 'yon."
"Who would do this to us, son? Who would do it to a kind-hearted woman like your wife? Who would hurt you like this, Zacchary?"
Niyakap ko si mama para patahanin siya sa pag-iyak.
"It's okay ma. It's okay." I murmured to console her. "Everything is going to be okay in the end."
"Zacc, sa tingin mo, may kinalaman ang tito Francis mo sa nangyari kay Chances?"
"Hindi ko alam ma. Kinausap ko siya bago siya mawala. He was suspicious but... I don't see the type of guilt that I should be seeing in criminal's eyes. Tulad natin ma, mukhang takot na takot din siya."
"Could it be the other man?"
"Nero?"
"No. The man who was in love with your wife."
Isaac Nathaniel Guerrero. Looking back, he didn't act suspicious at all while I talked to him at the resort. Galit na galit lang ako no'ng araw na 'yon. But logically, he seemed clean. I don't think it's him. What happened that day is an accident.
"It's not him, ma. He's married now."
"Anyway, may tumawag nga pala kahapon. Nakita daw nila si Chances at gusto nilang masigurado na hindi sila nagmamalikmata. If I am right, Lendon and Anelyn are Chances' friends. Is that right?"
"Tumawag sila?"
"Oo. Kakabalik lang nila ng Pinas." She confirmed.
"Siguro, makakatulong kung makita sila ni Chances. Baka may maaalala na naman siya."
"I agree with you. Now, go. Mukhang ang saya nila." Nakangiting sabi ni mama patungkol sa asawa at mga anak ko. Rinig kasi namin mula dito ang tilian at tawanan ng mag-ina ko. Nangingibabaw ang boses ni Chance at Zac. "Ang saya ko, Zacchary na makita kung gaano kasaya ang mga apo ko."
For about ten minutes, I just stood at the doorway while freely watching my wife who's playing with the kids. A few moments later, they all sat down the bed facing one another.
"Mom, can you convince dad to buy me a bicycle?" Little champ asked her innocently.
"Bike? Baby no. Mom will cry if she sees bruises on your knees."
"But I want to ride a bicycle too, mommy." Singit naman ng napakaganda naming prinsesa.
"You know what. Let me tell you a story. This was a secret between me and my bestfriend. Every weekend, he used to drive me around our subdivision with his bicycle. My mommy used to be so panicky too. She doesn't want me hurt."
Is he referring to Isaac? She told me about their childhood when we watched Midnight Sun.
"One day, mommy and her friend fell down the bike. Mommy cried a lot."
"What about your friend, didn't she cry?" Chance interrupted her mom.
"Hmm. Baby, he did. He cried a lot more than me because he was so sad that maybe my mom won't let me ride a bike with him again."
"So, did your mom do it?"
"No. Because my friend and I kept it a secret. And you my little kittens are the only ones who know. Now, now, listen. My bestfriend promised me that when he grows up, he will buy a car so I won't have bruises again."
"So, should you and dad get me a car instead?" Zac asked making Chances break to laughter. Nanggigil pa yata siya kasi kinurot niya ang pisngi nito at saka pinaulanan ng halik.
"Maybe." Chances told my son. "If you promise mom that you will drive slow especially when our precious princess is riding with you."
"Of course mom. Chance will be safe with me."
Niyakap niya ang mga anak namin. Sumisikip ang puso ko sa magkahalong saya at lungkot habang pinapanood sila. Palihim na nagpunas si Chances ng luha.
"Sweethearts, always remember that mommy loves you so much. I would never want to be away from you."
"We know mom. Dad told us about you a lot. He used to say that if you were with us you'd be the best mom. And yes, you really are mommy." Zac, the matured little man, said.
"Oh mommy!" Chance exclaimed out of sudden. "I think someone else aside from me and Zac heard your secret!"
I should have known that my little girl is referring to me. Ngayon ko lang narealize na nakatingin na silang tatlo sa'kin.
"Eavesdropping isn't good, daddy." My wife told me with an eyeroll.
"I didn't hear anything, love." I lied. Lumapit ako sa kanila. Hinagkan ko sa noo ang dalawa kong anak saka hinalikan ng mabilis si Chances sa labi. "I love you."
"I love you, Zacc."
"I love you daddy." Chance muttered too.
"I love you most, dad." Zac said, smirking. Napatawa ako. Mana nga sa'kin ang anak ko. Wait, more like, mana sa mommy niya. Ayaw patalo.
"Come on, dad. Let's play!" He chirped afterwards.
"No champ. It's time to eat." Sagot ko saka siya kinarga.
Bumaba si Chances sa kama at kinarga narin ang isa pang anak namin.
"I wish we have fried chicken." I heard our daughter telling her mom. Chances chuckled at that.
"I wish too." My wife uttered adorably.
Nakangiti si mama nang pumasok kami sa dining area. Nagsitakbuhan ang mga anak namin sa kanya para batiin siya.
"Good morning, mommy lola!" Sabay na bati ng dalawa.
"Good morning, handsome." Bati ni Chances na nagpangiti sa'kin ng malapad. Hinalikan ko ang tungki ng ilong niya at niyakap siya ng mahigpit.
"Babe, I'm jealous."
"Oh, bakit naman?" Nakangusong tanong niya.
"Naalala mo si Sa-ack. Tsk."
"Hala. Ito naman. Ano naman ngayon kong naalala ko siya? Eh mas mahalaga ba 'yon sa'yo na hindi ko nakalimutan?"
Wala talaga akong takas sa babaeng 'to. Confirmed, sa kanya nga nagmana si Zac. She always makes and says everything in the right way.
"Hindi mo nakalimutan? Ako?" Paglalambing ko.
"Oo. Hinanap kita pagkagising ko kaagad. I mean, your face is what I looked for that day. Kaya hindi agad ako naniwala kay Nero na fiancee niya ako. Kasi habang tulog ako, ikaw lang 'yong nakikita ko." Kwento niyang lubos na nagpasaya sa'king puso. "When I first saw you at the park, I was so happy for a reason I didn't know. Bumabalik ako do'n every Sunday kasi inaabangan ko kayo ng anak mo."
"Woah. Stalker."
"Yep. Masaya ako sa tuwing naririnig kitang tumatawa kasama ang mga bata e. Kaya naman pala."
"Kung gano'n? Ba't mo ko nilayuan no'ng makita mo 'ko sa hospital?"
"Dahil tinawag mo 'ko sa pangalan ko." Sagot niya. "Pangalan na hindi ko maalala. Pangalan na akala ko, hindi talaga akin. Naniwala ako kay Nero kaya akala ko no'n, I was really someone else. Maraming nagagawa ang takot Zacc, kahit na nakalantad na lahat sa mga mata ko ang totoong pagkatao ko, hindi ko 'yon nakita dahil sa takot. No'ng wala akong maalala, God knows, gaano ako katakot na baka hindi ako ang asawa mo. Baka mawala ka. Ang dami kong takot na hindi ko maipaliwanag."
"Oo babe." Pagsang-ayon ko habang hinahaplos ang pisngi niya. "Maraming nagagawa ang takot. Kaya 'wag kang magpapadala. Pagkatiwalaan mo 'ko. Wala kang dapat na ikatakot dahil, mahal ko, hindi na ako papayag na may maglalayo pa ulit sa'yo. You are home, Chan. This where you belong."
Tumango siya. Hahalikan ko na sana siya pero may dalawang bubwit na pumagitna sa'min.
"I'm hungry." Chances muttered before laughing. She carried little Chanchan towards the table. Ako naman, nakatayo parin, nakakamot ng ulo habang tinitingnan ang anak kong nakangisi ngayon sa'kin.
"Come on, champ. Don't look at me like that."
"Like what, dad?"
"Tsk. Why am I having a fifty-year-old son in a five-year-old boy's body?" Bulalas ko bago siya kinarga.
"Whatever, dad."
Buong araw na kalaro namin ni Chances ang mga bata. Wala nga kaming oras na kami lang dahil ayaw nila kaming tantanan. Tuwang-tuwa naman si Chances sa tuwing kinukuha siya ng mga anak namin mula sa akin.
"Let's play hide and seek!" I suggested to the kids.
"No. Chan, dad's only trying to find a way to steal mom." Zac told his sister. Chances and I laughed at that.
"Ugh. Dad! Don't be greedy!"
"I am not. I am sharing mommy with you and that makes me greedy? Oh. Baby, daddy's hurt."
Muntik na sanang madala si Chance sa pagdrama ko. Nagulat nalang ako nang hindi niya ako tuluyang niyakap. She glanced at her mom.
"You are so OA dad."She commented which I knew is coming from her mom herself.
"Who's OA?" I asked while sticking out my index fingers. Nanlaki agad ang mga mata ni Chanchan at nagsimulang lumayo, gano'n din si Zac. Alam na alam talaga nilang kikilitiin ko sila. "Who's OA now?"I asked again.
"Oh my gosh!" Chance exclaimed, throwing her little palm over her mouth. "Zac, we have to save mom!"
Bago pa sila makalapit, kiniliti ko na ang mommy nila.
"Zaccharias! Stop it! You are soooo paying for this— stoooop. Haha. Please, babe. Stop now. Stoppit."
"Stop what, baby?" Pang-aasar ko sa sabay sundot ng tagiliran niya.
Tuwang-tuwa ang dalawa habang kinikiliti ko ang mommy nila. Sumasabay ang malulutong nilang tawa sa pagtawa ng mommy nila.
"Come on, sweethearts, save mommy." Sabi niya sa mga anak namin.
"Who's saving mom?" Tanong ko sabay hila kay Chance na kiniliti ko sa tenga. She doesn't want to get kisses from me on her ears.
"Stopppit daddy." Anas ng anak ko habang tumatawa. Binitiwan ko naman siya agad.
Namataan ko si Zac na kumindat sa mommy niya. Bago pa ako makatakas, dinaganan na ako ni Chances. Ayun, pinagkaisahan ako nilang tatlo. Buti nalang hindi ako nadadala sa pangingiliti nila. Only Chances knows my weakness. And she cannot do it right that moment with our kids. Haha. If you get what I mean.
"Okay kids, I think daddy will never surrender. How about we have ice cream? Just the three of us?"
"Sounds fun, mom!" Zac agreed.
"Nobody's driving if you won't invite me." Pagyayabang ko.
"Sorry dad. Mom knows how to drive." Sabi pa ni Chance.
Napatingin agad ako sa asawa ko nang marinig 'yon. Lumalabas ba sila ng bahay ng sila lang?
"Is anything wrong?" Pabulong na tanong niya.
"Kids, why won't you go to mommy lola's room while mommy and I get you your ice cream?" Wika ko sa mga bata para masolo si Chances.
"Why can't we just go with you?" Zac asked, looking pissed off at me. "You just really want mommy for yourself."
"Hey, champ. It's not that." Singit ni Chances. "Daddy loves you so much more. Your dad just really misses me a lot." She giggled while our kids both smiled at it. "You can't go with us right now while we get the ice cream because mom and dad has a surprise for you."
"Surprise? I love that!" Chance cheerfully chirped.
"Of course you do." Zac stated, rolling his eyes at his sister.
"Come on now, let's go so we can get our surprise real soon!" Aniya saka hinila ang kapatid niya palabas ng kwarto.
Humarap naman agad si Chances sa'kin at hinawakan ako sa pisngi.
"May problema ba, Zacc?"
"Wala, babe. Tara na." Yaya ko. "We still have to get that surprise you promised to the kids."
"Sure."
Nasa kotse na kami at dahil hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko, sinabi ko na kay Chances kung bakit ako umasta ng gano'n kanina.
"Babe, 'wag kang lumabas ulit ng hindi ko alam. Alam mo naman na—"
"I'm sorry." Bulong niya sabay hawak ng kamay ko. "Hindi na mauulit, Zacc."
"I love you. Behave, okay?"
"Okay, babe." She said in a low voice. "I love you, to the Mars and back."
Napangiti ako. This woman knows the right words to say. All the time.
"What should we get for our kids, anyway?" I asked, curious about the surprise.
"Surprise, Zaccharias."
"Come on babe!"
"You eavesdropped, you should know."
Ow. A bicycle? Ah, right. A car.
Author's Corner:
🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
Now playing on Spotify:
Love Someone by Lukas Graham.
Hahaha. Ayan. Nandadamay lang po ako sa adiksiyon ko, ang paulit-ulit na pakikinig sa kantang 'to.
By the way, kumpirmado na ano? Siya na nga si Chances. Duh! Magcomment kayo ng maganda para hindi na siya ulit mawawala. 😂😂😂
PS: Magcomment pa kayo dahil dalawang chapters na-publish ko ngayon. Haha.
Labyuuuuu! 😋🙊