AT PRESENT TIME
(MIKA's POV)
Today is Micoi's first day in school. Maaga kaming nagising. Excited ang bagets.
We did not push through with our plan na mag-El Nido kasi he has to take summer classes in Filipino. I also hired a tutor. Luckily enough, madali naman nya natutunan yung mga basic. Uhmmmm! Basic pa lang. Haha! He's trying his best na magcompose ng isang sentence each day. Tuloy nakuconscious na sya sa pagsasalita.
I am going to be very busy the whole day. Work! Work! Work! Whew!
Kaya naman I will only drop off Micoi in school. Bawal na rin kasi kami papasukin ng mga guards. Which is fine. Atleast, at this early matuto silang maging independent.
May napansin akong bata na umiiyak. Habang naghahanap ako ng mapagparkingan.
Siguro preschooler. Ayaw bumitaw sa Mom nya.
Sabi ko kay Micoi, ganon sya when he was just a beginner.
"This time Hon, no more crying ha. You're going to be fine. They will assist you inside. Give me a kiss na."
"Mahal kita Mom." Sabay yakap at halik sa akin.
"Mahal din kita Micoi". Nakangiti akong sumagot sa kanya. "Ok, be good. Take care. I will pick you up later. Mahal kita."
Umalis na ako nung matanaw kong nakapasok na sya sa loob. Lord, ikaw na po bahala sa anak ko. Hope maging ok ang first day nya.
Alright Mika, go to work now. Alalahanin mo, 1 week kang Leave next week. Oh yeah, it's my birthday and I deserve a break. Hahaha! 3 days , 2 nights kami sa HK ng mga LINGs. And when we get back, it's Micoi turn naman. Request nya magswimming. Di kasi sya pwede mag absent. Kaya di sya makakasama sa HK. Next time na lang. Kakaumpisa pa lang kasi ng school year. First time kong umalis na di kasama si bagets. Pero panatag naman ang kalooban ko kasi andyan sina Daddy at Mommy.
I now work as Finance Manager in Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation here in Makati. I would like to think that I got hired because of my credentials and not because of my Ate Coi as reference, sa Royal Dutch Shell nga sya kasi work. Kumbaga andun ang mga pinaka-boss ng Shell sa buong mundo. Haha! I may not be as genius as she is pero CPA din naman ako, CFM (Certified Financial Manager) din at the same time. Kaya naman bago ako bumalik ng Pinas, I have a very decent job which I am proud to brag about.
After I gave birth, I wanted to work right away. Kahit na ano sana. Para naman may pera kaming mag ina. But my sister influenced me to go back to school. I need not worry daw about all the expenses including that of Micoi (milk, diapers, etc.), sya daw lahat bahala basta bumalik ako sa eskwela. When I left PH, di ko naman natapos yung course ko at dahil biglang shift from Psychology to Finance, halos walang carried sa mga units ko, thus, it's like starting from scratch.
Awa nang Diyos, naipasa ko yung scholarship ko sa Stanford. Malaking bagay yon kasi di ko kailangan iasa sa Ate ko pati gastos sa pag aaral ko. Although wala lang yon sa kanya, ako ang nahihiya. Little did I know na nagpapadala pala si Daddy ng pera. Nalaman ko na lang when I was already working. Sabi ng Ate ko, never daw nya yon ginalaw, instead nilagay nya sa trust fund. For Micoi's future. Pagdating talaga sa usapang pera, marurunong sila. At sa kanila ako natuto how to spend money wisely. Sabagay dati pa, hindi naman ako BIG spender. I'm not the material kind of girl. I just live simply.
"Oh gosh, it's past 12 noon. Micoi must be waiting for me. Kawawa naman my boy". Patay ako nito. 11:45 ang out ng anak ko. Anyway, Usapan naman namin mag antay lang sya malapit sa aquarium, main entrance. Malapit lang naman ang office namin to Don Bosco pero sana lang walang traffic, which I doubt kasi ganitong oras, maraming lumalabas para maglunch.
Pagdating ko ng Don Bosco, ayun na nga sya, nakaupo. May kausap na estudyante. Mukhang mas matanda sa kanya. Ang cute cute tingnan ni Micoi with his uniform. He seems to be fine naman. Kahit medyo matagal sya nag antay. Pagkakita nya sa akin, ayan na, takbo agad sya sabay yakap at halik sa akin. "Mommmmmmmmyyyyyy!!!!" Excited ang anak ko.
"Hey honey, I'm so sorry. I am late. C'mon let's go home." Sabi ko sa kanya sabay binitbit ko na ang bag nya.
"That's ok Mom", he smiled.
"And who's that Kuya you are talking to kanina?" I asked.
"That's Kuya Rafael. He's in Grade 4. We were talking about basketball. He told me I can join the Sports Development Program for Grade Schoolers, I can choose whatever sport I want." Tuloy - tuloy na kwento ni Micoi.
"Wow! That sounds good. Ok Honey, you can join the program. Just promise that you'll be a good boy all the time ha."
"I am always a good boy Mom." He smiled.
On our way home, panay kwento nya, kung ano angyari sa classroom nila. Nagpakilala daw sila infront of the class. I asked him kung kinabahan ba sya, sabi nya hindi naman daw sya kinabahan. At nabanggit nga nya na dalhin daw ang birth and baptismal certificate nya. Yun daw ang sabi ni Teacher Dani.
"Dani? Is she a girl or a boy?" Curious kong tanong.
"She's a girl Mom. She is so kind. She even gave me a hug before I went out of the classroom." Patuloy na pagkukwento ni Micoi.
Natigilan ako pagkarinig ko ng name nya. Dani? Dani? Imposible namang si Dani yon. Hindi naman siguro. Nagkibit balikat na lang ako.
Pagdating sa bahay, sabay sabay kaming kumain nina Daddy at Mommy. Umalis din ako agad pagkakain, kelangan kong bumalik sa office. Marami pa kasi akong tatapusin. Nagpaalam na ako sa kanila. I took the paper na naka-attach sa Diary nya. Basahin ko na lang when I get back to the office. I need to hurry. Binilin ko sina Mommy na patulugin si Micoi. Maaga kasi kami nagising kanina. Kahit 1 hour power nap lang. Malaking bagay na yon sa kanya.
Pagdating ko ng office, I attended several meetings. Mga 5 na ako nabakante. I checked on the paper na dala ni Micoi from school. Nakalagay dun mga need nya dalhin for tom. Wow! Madami dami 'to. Folder, fastener, plastic folder with handle, bond paper, etc. Daan na lang ako national bookstore bibili mamaya.mWhile reading through it, andun yung name ng adviser nya.
"Dani Ravena?!?!" Bigla akong napasandal sa kinauupuan ko.
Oh! My! God! Dani Ravena? Kiefer's only sister! This cant happen. Why? Sa dami naman ng pwede nyang maging teacher, si Dani pa talaga? Naiiyak ako. Sobra! Pano na 'to? Pano kung malaman nya na anak ng Kuya nya si Micoi? Nooooooooo! Ayoko! Ayokong malaman ni Kiefer! Not now!
Biglang sumakit ang ulo ko. Tinawagan ko agad si Mommy. Sinabi ko sa kanya. And Mom was very calm while I was panicking on the other line. I was thinking of transferring Micoi to another school. Na ikinagalit tuloy ng mommy ko.
"Umuwi ka na at dito tayo mag - usap. Wag kung anuano na naman ang naiisip mo anak! Pinag usapan na natin dati na malalaman at malalaman din ni Kiefer. At baka ito na nga yung way para malaman nya ang tungkol kay Micoi. Guguluhin mo lang din ang isipan ng bata. Magtatanong yan bat nya kelangan magtransfer? Ano na naman ang sasabihin mong dahilan? Magsisinungaling ka na naman?" Galit na si Mommy.
"Ok Mom, andyan na ako mga 7. Daan muna ako National Bookstore. Usap na lang tayo later." I said but this time more calm. Hindi kasi ako sanay na nagagalit ang Mommy ko. Takot ko lang sa kanya.
Pagdating ko ng bahay, Alam na rin pala ng Daddy ko yung kwento. Bale, Pinatulog ko lang muna si Micoi saka kami nag-usap usap para hindi marinig ng bata.
"Mika, anak, we never got the chance to really sit down and talk about your plans with Micoi and his father. Ang sa amin lang naman ng Mommy mo, just go with the flow, kung malaman ni Kiefer, it's about time. Kung kilalanin nya yung bata, it's all up to him. Kaya hindi nyo kailangang magtago. C'mon anak, nandito ka na sa Pilipinas. Hindi pwedeng hindi nya malaman na nandito ka, nandito kayo ng anak nya. Kung meron man tayong dapat paghandaan, yun yung maghahabol sya para ipaglaban ang karapatan nya sa bata. At sigurado ako, knowing Kiefer na hindi naman tumigil sa paghahanap sayo, idadaan nya ito sa legal na proseso especially if you dont cooperate and keep Micoi away from him. At yun ang isang bagay na ayokong mangyari. Ang umabot pa lahat ito sa korte. Maawa kayo sa anak nyo. Kayong dalawa ang sisisihin ko kung matrauma yan dahil hindi kayo magkaintindihan." Seryosong sabi ng Daddy ko. I was already crying. Hindi ko kasi kayang iexplain yung nararamdaman ko. Galit pa rin ako kay Kiefer. Nakalimutan na ata ng parents ko na Kiefer dumped me. Na sinaktan nya ako. Huhuhu!
"Anak, I know naging masakit para sayo yung nangyari sa inyo ni Kiefer. Dont think na sya ang kinakampihan namin. Just to let you know anak, Kiefer came here personally. Siguro mga 2 yrs old na si Micoi at that time. Nagsorry sya sa amin ng Daddy mo. Nagsorry sya sayo. Inamin nya sa amin ang buong kwento. Pero we were very firm in telling him na you are doing fine. You went back to school. You are trying to pick up the pieces so you'll become whole. How We wish we were able to tell him the truth that you gave birth to a cute little boy but we've got so much respect on you that's why we kept mum about Micoi. Daddy and I were thinking, maybe you have better plans kaya ayaw ka muna namin pangunahan. But as years went by, we realized, parang wala nang balak itong si Mika na umuwi dito. Parang hahayaan na talaga nya na lumaki ang apo namin na hindi man lang makikilala ang ama nya. So I talked with Dad and your Ate Coi na let's try to find a way to convince you to come home. It so happened na nagretire na si Daddy, tamang tama, he's got all the time in the world to spend it with Micoi. Well, atleast it worked for all of us, and that you are finally back. Mika, it is much more of a burden if you wouldn't let Kiefer know. Because if something happens to Micoi, and hopefully there will be none, Kiefer will never forgive you." It was Mom talking. This is really something so unusual coz she normally just keep quiet.
Umiiyak lang ako, wala silang narinig from me. I wish it is that easy. But I must admit I am still hurting.
"Tomorrow, Micoi will go to school. He will never, ever transfer. So let's all Take it easy. Kung Teacher man nya si Dani, that's ok. I'm sure bukas pag nakita nya yung birth cert ni Micoi, makuconfirm nya na anak mo nga sya. And let's wait whatever will be the outcome. How will they react on it, is not our problem. If they ever find out, and so be it. We will handle this one step at a time." Sabi ng Daddy ko with so much conviction.
"Thanks Mom and Dad", the most that I can say.
At nagpaalam na ako. Gusto ko nang magpahinga. Bigla talaga akong nastress with the thought na malapit nang malaman ni Kiefer na may anak sya. Huhuhu! Hindi ko alam kung paano ko haharapin ang galit nya. At mukhang mababaligtad na ngayon. Sya na ang mas may karapatang magalit sakin. Dahil nga all throughout the years, nagawa kong itago ang tungkol kay Micoi.
Oh Lord! Bahala na po kayo. I surrender everything to You!
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PS: This Chapter is for you @sprakers315. 😘😍 Luh yah!
Medyo BUSY pa po ako mga ka-MIEFER. But I will do my best na isunod yung kay Dani! At sisiguraduhin ko rin na malalaman na ni Kiefskie! ahihi! 😊🙊🙈👍