Chapter 7
Thunder
"Are you okay now?" Bahagya ko syang nilayo sa akin saka ko pinunasan ang pisngi nya. My heart clenched when i saw her swollen eyes.
She nodded. "Thank you. I feel better."
"Let's eat. Masarap ako sa niluto ko." She chuckles while wiping her tears.
"Baliw. Thank you Thunder."
"Thank you for what?" Takang tanong ko sa kanya. Wala naman syang dapat ipagpasalamat.
"Thank you for not judging me after what you heard."
I smile. Akala ko kung ano na. "Nah, I just learned not to judge for what I've seen." I kissed the tip of her nose.
I groaned when she hugs me tight. Hindi alam ni Samantha what she's doing to me. She's killing me.
"Masarap ah." Tipid syang ngumiti. I'm not used to quiet Samantha. I'd prefer na maingay.
She's still quiet through out sa pagkain namin hanggang ngayon dito sa pagpapahinga namin sa couch. Nakasandal sya sa akin habang nakayakap ang isang kamay sa bewang nya at magka salikop naman ang isa.
I wish i can do anything to ease her pain. I sighed.
"I-i was a battered child." Pakiramdam ko nagbara lalamunan ko. Only few people know my story. Nag angat sya ng tingin sa akin at punong puno ng pagtatakang tiningnan ako.
"I was a battered child. I used to be when i was still with my real mom. It is not a secret pero as much as possible hindi sya pinaguusapan sa bahay. We don't want to hurt mommy Paris."
"Y-you mean hindi ka anak ni Tita Paris? B-but tito Rain?"
"I am my father's son. Let me share you my story. I still vividly remember what happened like it just happened yesterday. My real mom never wanted me. I was young pero naiintindihan ko na. She's vocal that she never wanted me na pabigat lang ako sakanya. She starve me and when i started crying she will locked me in the cabinet with no food and water."
I close my eyes. I was 5 that time pero tandang tanda ko pa rin ang nangyari.
"Thunds..."
"I asked God why but he never listened. I was young. I don't know what to do. I got bruices all over my body. Literal ata ako noon na mata lang ang walang latay." Pagak akong natawa. "Sa bawat hagupit ng tambo i'm begging her to stop but she never listened. Mas lalo nya pang nilakasan."
Nag-iwas ako ng tingin kay Samantha. I don't want to see pity on her eyes.
"One day, when i was 6. She came home with new clothes, halos isang lingo nya rin ako hindi pinalo. Imagine my hapiness that time, akala ko magiging mabait na si mommy she even said ipapakilala nya raw ako sa daddy. I was the happiest child back then. Magkakaroon na ako ng daddy na magtatangol sa akin from mother's wrath.
My real mommy brought me to daddy's place. They offered me food, different kind of food na first time kong natikman. I used to eat mommy's leftover. Ewan ko ba kung papaano ako nakatagal ng ganuon. Then, I felt sad ng malaman kong may pamilya na si daddy pero napalitan yun ng saya ng makita ko ang kambal. They are the cutest. We played until we all got tired and fell asleep." Tumikhim ako para maalis ang bara sa lalamunan ko.
"I was in the middle of sleep when dad woke me and tells me that my mom left me to them. And instead na matakot ako kasi iniwan ako ng nanay ko i felt relieved. Maybe because at the young age naisip ko hindi na ako masasaktan ni mommy. The hesitation still there lalo na nung makita ko si mommy paris. What if she's like mom? She'll hurt me too?But when i witnessed how they love the twins i know i'll be in good hands.
Mommy never let me felt tna may kulang. Na anak lang ako sa labas. She took care of me more and treated me well. She made me felt na ako talaga ang panganay nya. But being born eligitimate is not a joke."
"What do you mean? You got bullied too?" Bumitaw sya sa paghawak namin ng kamay at yumakap sa akin. I know she can feel my heart racing. Hindi ata aware si Samantha sa kaya nyang gawin sa akin.
"I ahmmm..." i gulped. "I was bullied when i was 10. My classmates backthen over heard their parents talking about me being an illigitimate child. I got locked in the comfort room once and i'll let it slides. But one when they say bad thing about mommy paris i flared up. I bit them into pulp. Pinatawag ang parents ko together with the bullies parents. When my parents confronted them ipinamukha pa nila na totoong illigitimate child lang ako."
Sobra akong nahiya nuon kay mommy because i can see hurt in her eyes. Sa ilang taon ko noon na pagtira sa kanila wala syang ibang ipinaramdam sa akin kung hindi pag mamahal. Ipinahiya ko pa sya sa harap ng maraming tao.
"I-i don't know what to say Thunds."
Ngumiti na lang ako at niyakap sya ng mahigpit at pinagpatuloy ang pag kwento ko sa kanya.
"That was the first time i saw mommy got mad and hell! She can move mountains i swear! I can clearly remember what she said that time. 'You know nothing. Thunder may not be my real son but you don't have idea how much i love my son. Kahit kelan hindi magiging kasalanan ng anak ko ang nangyari and my husband never cheated on me dahil he had him before we got together. Put that in the thick skull of yours.' I thought it ends there ng biglang summingit si daddy. I qoute 'Thunder is not my illegitimate child. He is Paris and I son legally. I can slap it in your face if you want. And don't you dare questioning our parenting because we may spoils him with material things but we still make sure he knows what is the difference between right and wrong. Thunder knows he is loved and appreciated unlike your son who is attention seeker. Mrs. whoever you are before questioning our life, try figuring first what your son's problem. This conversation is final. I will pull my son from this school and so is our shares. I won't tolerate this.' And without looking umalis kami."
"Nakakatakot parents mo. Do you really left school after nuon?" I nodded.
"Yeah. I've been homeschooled until I finished my elementary then i was enrolled in IU in high school and when I enter college i chose Caltech duon na rin ako nag masterals. I just got back 2 years ago. I'm telling you stories hindi para kaawaan mo kung hindi i cheer ka dahil ang buhay ay hindi fair. Like me, anak ako ni daddy sa iba pero mahal na mahal ako ng mommy ko. Like you, nandyaan ang mga kaibigan mo at lalo na ako. Nandito ako palagi para sau."
"Thank you Thunder. Thank you for sharing it with me. Thank you kasi pinapagaang mo ang pakiramdam ko. By the way where is your real mom? Galit ka ba sa kanya?"
Nag igting ang panga ko at napabuntong hininga. "To be honest yes. When i was younger i used to hate her. Pero pilit na ipinaintindi sa akin nila Mom and dad na nagawa nya lang yun dahil sa panganga ilangan that they know deep inside her she loves me too. Pero masisisi mo ba ako kung magalit ako sa kanya kung alam ko na hiningian nya ng 50 million pesos sina mommy kapalit ko. As i grow older i realized tama si Mom and dad. I wouldn't be who i am today. Hindi ko mararanasan ang sobra sobrang pagmamahal mula sa pamilya ko."
"You know what thunds, i am so proud of you kasi ngayon tangap mo na lahat ng nangyari sayo. Sana someday ako din. Sana someday i could find the courage to forgive all those people who hurt me." Dumaan ang lungkot sa mga mata nya.
"I remember thunder what manang always tells me, na kapag raw ang isang tao nag open sayo ibig sabihin you are important to that person. Thank you for making me feel important. Believe me importante ka rin sa akin I know in time everything will fall into there right places."
Masaya ako dahil importante pala ako sa kanya. Masaya ako dahil napapansin nya ang effort na ginagawa ko para sa kanya. Samantha is the very first girl na niligawan ko. The first time i laid my eyes on her i know there is something different to her.
"I can wait Sam. Let's sleep. You can use the other room may mga damit si Spring duon and some are unused there are toiletries too." It's past 11 in the evening at hikab na sya ng hikab. Her condo is far from mine kaya kung ba byahe pa kami hindi na praktikal.
She can always count on me. Hindi naman sex lang ang hanap ko sa kanya. I respect her.
"I'm exhausted and sleepy. Good night Thunder." She kissed my cheeks bago naglakad papasok. I heard the 'clicked' sound ng seradura. Sigurista.
Hindi ko maiwasang hindi mapangiti. Sam is the only woman who makes me smile like an idiot. I've dated different girls before business woman, socialites, beauty queens but none of them can make my heart flustered like sam did.
Damn.
I can't fucking sleep just by thinking she is just in another room. I get up and went to the counter bar to get some drinks. I need it para makatulog.
Mapait akong napatawa ng maalala ko ang nanay ko. How could a mother do that? 50 million? Tsk.
Somehow i thank her for doing that. Dahil kung di nya ako iniwan kina daddy hindi ko mararanasan kahit minsan ang mahalin ng magulang. Mommy Paris loved me more than my real mom can do. She never let me felt unloved not even once.
Tinunga ko ang laman ng bote. My last shot for tonight. I'm sleepy.
Ella calling...
[Hello Ella, napatawag ka?] its Samantha's bestfriend.
[Good evening Kuya. Itatanong ko lang sana if you are with Sam? Hindi pa kasi sya umuuwi nag-aalala na ako.] she's worried. I can hear it to her voice.
[Didn't she call you? Sorry for making you worried. Sam's here. I asked her to stay for tonight medyo gabi na rin. And she'd been crying after she talked to her father.]
[Oh... Can you comfort her for us? Sam needed that. For sure nakarating na sa kanya na hindi pinuntahan ni Sam si Megumi sa mansyon.] i heard her sighed.
[Don't worry about her. I'll take care of her.]
[ah... Kuya Thunder...]
Bahagya akong natawa [Don't worry i won't do things inappropriate. She's safe here.] totoo yun. I may like samantha a lot pero hindi ako gagawa ng bagay na hindi nya gusto.
[i trust you kuya, its her that i don't *laugh* I know she's in good hand. Good night.]
[Good night.]