/THIRD PERSON/
It was already dark when Leo drove back to his house where he found his eldest daughter on the living room reading a book.
“Si Sarah, wala pa?” he asked for it was already too late yet his youngest is still not around.
Lea almost held her chest when all of a sudden, someone spoke. Mag-isa lang kasi siya at tahimik ang buong bahay tapos may biglang magsasalita, “W-wala pa po. On the way pa lang daw, as per her last text.”
“Nagulat ba kita?” his father asked when he saw how Lea reacted. He sat beside her.
“Medyo po,” she answered. “Kumusta po ang lakad niyo? Kumusta po si Aya?”
“Turns out she’s been discharged already. I meant, it’s true this time,” Leo said when he remembered what Sarah used as an excuse so they can catch Lea. Huminga naman si Lea na parang nabunutan ng tinik sa dibdib. Her daughter being in the hospital really bothered her lately more than anything else— more than what happened yesterday with Aga. “And she knew already about you being her mother.”
She looked at her father this time, nervously, “H-how did she react with it? Is she mad at me?”
“Ano sa tingin mo?” Leo asked back making her bow her head. He shrugged as he really did not want to speak for his grandchild, “She’s always a happy and jolly kid. She always talks a lot about things, but when I saw her earlier, she’s quiet. She’s sad. That’s all I can say.”
“What should I expect her to react though. I’m sure she’s beyond disappointed with all that I did. I’m so screwed up” she said and rubbed her face using her palms. Her eyes got watery with the thought of Aya hating her. Hindi na niya kakayanin kung pati ang anak niya kinamumuhian siya.
“Aga wants to talk to you. Tomorrow at her place by noon.” Leo broke the news.
“P-pa?”
“He wanted to talk to you and you should talk to him too. Kung gusto mo talaga makasama si Aya, kausapin mo ‘yung tatay”
There was a moment of silence as they both are thinking of what will happen tomorrow. Leo’s kind-of worried for Lea and Lea’s very worried for her self. She’s nervous at the thought of facing Aga. She’s nervous at the thought of talking to him. She’s nervous at the thought of not being able to go out of his house alive.
“Pa, may bulletproof vest ka?” she asked which startled the old man.
“Bulletproof vest? For what?”
“For protection lang. You know, baka kasi barilin na lang ako ni Aga hindi pa man ako nakakatapak sa loob ng bahay niya.” she answered which caused Leo to laugh. The tension between them was suddenly released.
“He won’t harm you, he promised me that,” her Dad said while still chuckling. “But I like the fact that you really know how great Aga’s anger towards you. You are aware and it’s good so you will not be surprised anymore.”
“Sa laki ba naman ng kasalanan ko, hindi na dapat ako nagugulat,” she answered and sighed. She wonders though if Aga would ever forgive her. Kahit ‘yun man lang sana ay maibigay niya. May pinagsamahan pa rin naman sila. “Saan nga po pala nagpunta si Sarah?”
“She has a class today”
“Eh? Akala ko graduate na siya?”
“Yeah, but she’s attending review classes to help her in her upcoming board exam which will be in three months.”
Lea just nodded with that, “Ang privilege naman pala ng bunso. Samantalang ako dati, self-review for board exam.”
“Self-review? I doubt so,” Leo said and looked at his daughter teasingly. “You had a review buddy slash tutor slash cook, also known as your boyfriend.”
Lea almost rolled her eyeballs if she just didn’t consider that her Dad was somehow right. She had Aga back then. She had him at every single thing she went through. Had.
______
“Just in case he pulls out a gun, you start running, okay? You can save yourself, Lea. You can do this!” she told herself while combing her hair in front of the mirror. She later groaned when she realized what was she doing was simply stupid. “Nababaliw na yata ako. Hindi niya naman ako babarilin, ‘di ba? He just wanted to talk to me.”
Can’t he really do that? Of course, he can, but will he?
Sarah passed by her sister’s room and found her talking to herself in front of the mirror, “Ate, kaya pa?”
Lea faced her sister with a frown, “I love you. Just in case this is already my last day, I wanted that to be said to you.”
“Ate, para kang tanga,” Sarah chuckled and entered Lea’s room. She then sat on the edge of her bed and examined her sister’s features. “Do you honestly think Kuya Aga would harm you that bad that you’ll die?”
“Yeah”
“Parang hindi mo naman kilala si Kuya, Ate, eh. He can be mad, but he can’t kill. Stop worrying about it.”
Lea sighed and sat beside her sister, “I guess I’m just nervous. Hindi ko kasi alam kung paano siya haharapin at kakausapin pagkatapos ng lahat. The guilt and shame can eat me alive.”
“Malay mo naman, this turns out to be better than what you expect. A closure perhaps? Just be there and show up. You’ll never know what will happen unless you do something to figure it out,” pagpapalakas ng loob niya sa kapatid habang matamang tinititigan ang itsura nito. Lea is not facing her so she would not be weirded out by her sister’s really weird action. Sarah doesn’t know but Lea’s look really bothered her. “Ate... Do you consider cutting your hair short? I mean, not super short but short enough.”
Lea seems to be so clueless of how the topic went to her hair, “W-what? Ang random mo naman.”
Hinaplos ni Sarah ang buhok nito na ang haba ay lagpas sa dibdib niya, “Hindi naman sa pang-iinsulto, Ate ha? You’re beautiful, I swear... but you can look gorgeous if you cut your hair shorter. Maybe, shoulder length will do? Mukha kang manang sa haba ng buhok mo, eh”
Nahampas naman ni Lea nang may kalakasan ang braso ng kapatid dahil sa tinuran nito, “You’re really here worrying about my hair while I worry about my own life?”
“Eh, concern lang naman ako,” Sarah defended while rubbing the spot in her arm that Lea slapped. “Totoo naman kasi na nagmukha kang doble sa edad mo.”
Lea’s eyes widened, “I’m freaking 31 only. Do I look like I’m 62 years old already!?”
“Hindi naman...” Sarah said which made Lea sigh in relief. “Pero mukha kang 58.”
“Letche ka, Sarah Asher!”
Sarah laughed, “Mag-ayos ka kaya ‘noh? Magkikita kayo ni Kuya Aga tapos gan’yan itsura mo? Seryoso, Ate, make yourself look better. Who knows? Baka may ma-inlove ulit sa’yo. Comeback!” she teased while wiggling her brows.
“In your wildest imagination” Lea fired back.
“O’sige, kung hindi para kay Kuya Aga, para kay Kuya Ian na lang. Make him fall for you para magka-jowa ka na ulit!”
“Ikaw, huwag mo ‘kong binubugaw kung kani-kanino, ha!”
“Ikaw na nga pinapayuhan, eh. Kung ayaw mo magpaganda para sa iba, magpaganda ka para sa sarili mo”
Lea smiled. Aminado naman siyang nakakalimutan na talaga niya ang sarili minsan. Sa dami ba naman ng pino-problema niya ngayon, iisipin pa ba niya na mag-ayos? “That sounds better.”
A knock was soon heard in the room made by their father, “Lea, Aga texted. He’s already waiting for you.”
Lea gulped, “T-that sounds... death”
_______
She tried to refrain from biting her nails while waiting for someone to open the gate of Aga’s house but she failed. She’s really nervous that she tends to have no control of her mannerism. Few moments later, she puts her hands down when she saw Jane coming to her.
“Sino ho sila?” tanong nito sa kanya.
“H-hi, I’m Lea. Aga asked me to come.”
“Ah, kayo po si Ma’am Lea. Sige po, pasok po kayo. Hinihintay na po kayo ni Sir.”
She just smiled and went inside with the maid. While walking, she couldn’t help it but to wonder and ask about Aya’s whereabouts, “Si Aya ba, nandito?”
“Nasa school po. Baka po mamaya pa ‘yun uuwi kasi si Ma’am Dawn po ang sumundo.”
Lea just nodded with that although she was disappointed. Of course, Aga wouldn’t let his daughter see him murdering her own mother.
Lea rubbed her palms against each other as she sat on Aga’s sofa, trying to ease her nervousness. Damn it. Just by merely thinking that she’s going to talk to Aga face-to-face made her body shake. She heaved a deep breathe as she roamed her eyes around the perimeter of his living room. It was beautiful and sophisticated, just like what he planned before.
Jane offered her something to drink but she refused to accept any. She couldn’t even gulp properly at the moment for she might just throw up.
Her heart began racing upon hearing footsteps from the staircase. Napalunok siya nang ilang beses nang makitang paparating na si Aga na naka-polo na kulay asul.
As soon as his feet landed on the ground floor of his house, Aga immediately went straight to where Lea was. He really can’t believe that he’s doing this right now that he stared at Lea for a while to let his brain process that she’s really here in front of him. She’s here and he’s the reason why. He wanted a talk— a talk he never imagined nor planned.
“Talk” he told her all of a sudden that it startled Lea.
“About?” she asked. “Sabi mo gusto mo ‘kong makausap, malay ko ba kung anong pag-uusapan natin.” Lea added. That sounds sarcastic to Aga but he didn’t mind it. He kept that serious face while staring at her.
“Don’t act as if you’re innocent. You exactly know why you are here,” he said and there was no emotion seen in his face. “You know that I can sue you for trespassing in my house multiple times, right? Meeting, seeing, visiting Aya in my own territory without my knowledge, Lea, really? Bilib din naman ako sa lakas ng loob mo!”
Lea looked at him in the eyes, “You’re done?”
“Stop being so sarcastic!”
“I am not,” she countered back. “Nagtatanong ka pa eh, alam mo naman ‘yung sagot. Anong gusto mong gawin ko? Magpakita sa’yo? Bakit, kung ginawa ko ba ‘yun, hindi mo ‘ko pagtatabuyan?”
“Then you should be brave enough to accept rejection because you know that I have all the rights to shoo you away!”
“Then why did you still ask me to come? Para sumbatan!?” she bravely asked depite the pinch in her heart she felt after hearing what Aga uttered.
“Because of Tito Leo,” Aga answered. “This was just a favor because I still have all the respect for your Dad. Alam mo, naaawa ako kay Tito kasi simula noon, siya na nagliligpit ng mga kalat ng anak niya. You’ve done him too much trouble, Lea. You didn’t even have the courage to go here personally that you asked Tito to do you a favor? He doesn’t deserve to beg for your sake. He doesn’t deserve to beg for Aya just because his daughter asked him so. Ikaw ‘yung may kasalanan ‘di ba, dapat ikaw rin ‘yung humihingi ng tawad. Hindi ibang tao!”
“I just asked him to talk to you about Aya because I know you will listen to him. Bakit, Aga? Kung ako ba ‘yung nakiusap sa’yo, kung ako ba ‘yung lumapit sa’yo at sabihing gusto kong makasama ang anak ko, pagbibigyan mo ba ‘ko? ‘Di ba hindi!?” her voice unintentionally raised with the last sentence.
“Ah, kaya ka nagpakita sa anak ko nang patago? Nang palihim?”
“Yes,” she shouted, suppressing her tears. “Oo, Aga, kasi gusto kong makasama si Aya. I wanted to be with my kid even just for a very limited hour. I wanted to be with her because I wasn’t able to do that be—”
“Because of your own mistake,” Aga continued her sentence. That’s when her tears finally fell. She’s aware, she’s completely aware that it’s all her fault. “You don’t get to talk as if you are the victim here, Lea— as if I am the bad guy for not letting Aya know about her Mom who was a—”
“An addict” Lea interrupted him with those words.
“A coward,” Aga fired back making her tear up. A drop of hot liquid finally fell from her eyes. “A runner. An escaper. A reckless. Her mother who was coward enough to face her own problem. Her mother who ran away from her responsibilities. How am I supposed to tell Aya that you left her?”
“T-hat is not true! I didn’t leave her... I didn’t leave,” she said and sobbed. “Ikaw ‘yung umalis. You took my daughter. I-Iniwan mo ‘ko, Aga”
“Kasi kaiwan-iwan ka,” he slapped her with those words. Lea can clearly see the anger through his eyes that she’s afraid to look at them. “Do you really think I would stay after everything that you did? Ilang beses kitang pinagsabihan na itigil mo na ‘yung kalokohan mo pero nakinig ka ba? I tried to stay and understand you when I could have left you the moment I knew you were using drugs. And what did I get in return? I almost lost Aya, I almost lost my daughter. Hindi ako nagkulang sa’yo, Lea, pero sumobra ka kaya wala kang karapatang isumbat sa’kin iyan. I had enough Lea, and I had to leave to save my self. I had to leave to save my child. Iniwan kita kasi binigyan mo ‘ko ng rason para iwan ka!”
Lea wanted to say sorry after hearing those words from Aga. She wanted to kneel in front of him and ask for forgiveness, but her body won’t cooperate. Her eyes were just the only thing that’s working for her right now and that is to cry. She could feel the tightness in her chest and it’s giving her a hard time to breathe.
Aga wanted to look away as he really never liked seeing Lea cry especially if he’s the reason why. He has always been so gentle with her and with her feelings. Before. Because he seems to outgrow that thing already as he watched her tearing up because of him.
“Leave” he said plainly.
“A-aga... Please”
“I said leave!” he repeated, but Lea was still not moving from her seat. He got pissed. “Gusto mo ba talagang kaladkarin kita ulit palabas?”
He was about to grab her arm when she raised both of her hands and calmed down, “I’ll leave... Hindi mo na ako kailangan hilahin palabas,” she said and stood up. “Pero sana huwag mo ulit ilayo sa’kin ‘yung anak ko, Aga. ‘Yun man lang sana maibigay mo sa’kin, kahit hindi na ‘yung pagpapatawad mo.”
_______
“Uhm, Miss, one order of Coffee Vanilla. Take out.” a costumer said his order which Lea gave a nod to. She didn’t even say anything and the costumer would’ve complained how rude she is if he just didn’t mind her for she looks problematic. Really, she is.
Lea prepared the said order in silence. She’s still actually affected two days after her talk with Aga that it gets her distracted from any thing that she’s doing. Just like today at her work.
“One Coffee Vanilla for Jack” she announced after she’s done with the order. She went to her usual spot and waited for another costumer to come.
“Kaninong order ‘yun?” she looked at her back when someone spoke only to find Ian.
Her gaze landed on the cup of coffee in the counter. Bakit nand’on pa rin ‘yun? She immediately get it and looked at the written name on cup to check if she has announced it right earlier. And she did, “One Coffee Vanilla for Sir Jack. Pick it up here in the counter, please.” she repeated and secretly bit her lower lip in intimidation because her boss was there.
She roamed her eyes around the whole shop, trying to look for that costumer who last ordered but because she wasn’t really paying an attention earlier, she could not remember the face— not even familiar with it. Then, a man stood up and went to the counter.
“Coffee Vanilla, right? I’m assuming that this is my order.”
“Yes, Sir. Why would you assume though? May pangalan naman po, maliban na lang kung hindi po Jack and pangalan niyo.”
“Hindi naman kasi talaga Jack ang pangalan ko, Miss,” the costumer said which literally made her eyes wide. “I was actually afraid to come here for this might belong to someone else’s, but then, you’ve already announced twice and no one’s claiming it still so I presume this is really mine. Nagtataka lang ako kung bakit Jack. Lance naman ang sabi ko kanina. They didn’t sound alike either for you to interchange the name.”
She doesn’t know what to say because of too much embarrassment. She looks like a fool there while watching Ian apologize for her. Her boss is freaking apologizing for her mess.
“Sir, I’m really really sorry for this incident. We promise that this won’t happen again. Do you want us to change your cup?”
“No, no. Hindi naman ako maarte at naintindihan ko naman. I do really hope this won’t happen again,” the costumer said while smiling. She’s just thankful that this one is kind, otherwise she might already created a scene in here. “And, oh, I hope you’re good even if you don’t look like one. Whatever your problem is, you’ll get through it, Rose.”
Lea wasn’t able to utter a word until the costumer finally left, “Rose?” nagtataka niyang tanong nang maalala kung ano ang tinawag nito sa kanya.
“Wala ka naman sa barko pero hinahanap mo si Jack kanina. Mukha kang tanga.” Ian commented.
“S-Sir, sorry talaga. Hindi na mauulit ‘yun, promise. Nawala lang talaga sa utak ko.”
Ian sighed, “I really hope so, Lea. Hindi ko tino-tolerate ‘yung gan’ong pagkakamali. Kung may problema ka, huwag mo sana dalhin dito sa trabaho,” he added. “But, he was right. You don’t look good. May problema ka ba talaga?”
She looked away, “W-wala, Sir. Pagod lang.”
“Agad-agad? Kapapasok mo nga lang pagkatapos ng tatlong araw mong leave, pagod ka na agad?” Ian cornered her with those questions. “I know what tiredness and sleepiness look like and I don’t see it in you. Hindi ka pagod. Problemado ka, Lea. Care to share?”
She shook her head, “Huwag mo na ‘yun isipin, Sir. Makakalimutan ko rin ‘yun kung magta-trabaho ako, so hayaan niyo na lang po ako.”
“Paano kung hindi mo makalimutan? Tignan mo nga ‘yung nangyari kanina, paano kung maulit ‘yon?” he asked. “I don’t let my employees work bearing something that’s unbearable because it’ll affect their work and their service to the costumers. Tama ba ‘yung tanguan mo lang ‘yung costumer nang hindi mo tinitignan? You’re a woman of manners, Lea, but today you lost it. So I know if you are carrying some heavy baggages right now. Let it out. Find an outlet for the baggage to feel lighter. Hindi man siya mawala, at least, nabawasan ‘yung bigat.”
Lea wanted to cry after hearing that. For the first time, someone has talked to her with full of concern and sincerity. Ian’s voice and words were too comforting that she indeed found a comfort in him.
He asked one of their staffs to replace Lea in the counter before he dragged her outside the coffee shop. He remembered that the place was too crowded for her. As soon as she noticed that it’s just the two of them in the backyard of the shop, she started crying.
“S-sorry... Hindi na talaga mauulit ‘yung nangyari kanina” she sobbed.
“You’re not crying just because of that, right? I’m not concern with that incident anymore. I’m concern about you.”
“J-just a family problem... Nah, not family, we’re not a family nga pala. It’s just that... the father of my child won’t let me come near my daughter,” she cried as she remembers the feeling of being with Aya— talking to her, hugging her, and just uttering a simple I love you to her. She misses her daughter so much. “Gusto ko lang naman makasama ‘yung anak ko. Gets ko naman na galit siya sa’kin pero nagbago naman na ako, eh. I wanted to make it up to my kid, but he won’t let me. But there’s also a part of me that couldn’t blame him for taking my daughter away from me because I sucked as a mother. I messed up a lot of times, and it sucks knowing that being with my daughter is something that I deserve and at the same time I don’t.”
“We-wait... You have a daughter?” Ian asked unbelievably after processing what Lea just revealed one by one.
“Tignan mo, ni-hindi ko pala nasabi sa’yo na may anak ako tapos heto ako humahagulgol sa harap mo” Lea said and wiped her tears.
Ian wanted to smile while looking at her but he prevented himself to do so. It will be rude to someone who’s going through something. But can you blame him? Lea looks like a child snatched of her favorite candy while crying.
“Gusto mo ice cream?” pag-aalok niya kay napatingin sa kanya si Lea. “Tara, let’s take a walk and grab some ice cream. I think we both need it.”
Wala nang ibang nagawa si Lea dahil hinila na siya ni Lea papalayo sa coffee shop. They were just quietly walking together on the sidewalk while passing by through different establishments.
“How old is she?” Ian opened up the topic.
“Eight”
“Ang aga mo naman pala bumigay,” Ian teased and chuckled which made her frown. “Joke lang.”
“Mahal ko, eh. Minahal ko nang sobra, alam ko rin namang minahal niya ako gaya ng pagmamahal ko sa kanya. We were so in love for six freaking years.”
“What went wrong then?” Ian asked. Ako. She wanted to answer but weren’t given a chance to for he asked something again. “Iniwan ka?”
“Iniwan niya ako kasi binigyan ko siya ng sandamakmak na dahilan para umalis.”
They stopped in a park and spotted an ice cream vendor in there, “Okay lang sa’yo dirty ice cream?”
“Yeah, no problem. Hindi naman ako mapili. Ikaw na rin bahala sa flavor,” she said. She sat on the bench while waiting for Ian to get their orders. She wanted to chuckle at the fact that he doesn’t look like her boss. Kung makautos kasi siya, parang magkaibigan lang sila. She maintained that poker face when Ian came back and handed her the ice cream in a cup. “Thanks!”
He sat beside her and there was a moment of silence between them until he spoke, “Sakit ‘noh?”
“Ang alin?”
“‘Yung maiwan,” Ian answered which took her by surprise. Sakit nga. “Imagine spending six long years of your life with someone whom you thought will be there for another six years and the years so on, but destiny sucks sometimes then you just wake up one day and realize everything’s gone. You’re all alone. It’s like you just wasted your time, effort, and love on something that is not permanent. It’s traumatic. It’s terrible. I couldn’t imagine how you must feel.”
“I couldn’t imagine it on his side either,” Lea said. “You talk to me as if I am the victim in this love story. To tell you, I am not. I did this to my self, I did this to him.”
“Every body is a victim of love,” Ian said that caught her whole attention. That was too deep. “Regardless if you are the one who hurt the other or you were the one hurting, we all suffer deep inside. I’m sure you felt damaged— wrecked, and no one has the right to prohibit you of feeling that. Kasi gaya nga ng sinabi mo, minahal mo nang sobra. Lahat ng nagmahal nang totoo, may karapatang makaramdam ng sakit.”
“You were a love guru, weren’t you?” she asked and her face was too serious that it made Ian chuckled.
“I just know how it feels. Mas malala pa nga ‘yung iyo kasi anim na taon. Mine was just almost half of yours, but the pain sometimes still keeps me awake at night”
Bingo. That’s it. “Now I can finally understand where you are coming and why you talked that deep. May pinagdadaanan ka rin pala. Care to share what happened to yours?”
Ian smiled lightly as her, “I guessed, we just ran out of love? I don’t know. Nagkasawaan siguro.”
“Iniwan ka?” she asked the same question he asked earlier.
“Iniwan namin ‘yung isa’t isa.”
“Puwede ba ‘yun?” Ian shrugged with her last question and just continued eating his ice cream. He startled when Lea raised her cup of ice cream as if offering a toss. “Cheers to the ones that we lost!”
He smiled, “And cheers to the one that we found.” Ian said while staring at her as if those words were meant for Lea. Indeed, they were.
______
Aga knocked on Aya’s door even though it was already open. He just did it on purpose so his daughter can know that he’s here because Aya’s back was against the door.
“Aya, your milk,” he said and put down the glass of milk on the bedside table as well as the plate of cooking he’s holding. He then sat on the edge of her bed. “Aya, c‘mon, sabi mo kanina bababa ka para uminom ng gatas pero hindi ka na bumalik. I brought some cookies.”
Aya finally faced him with the usual cold look she’s been wearing since that day he revealed to her about Lea, “I’ll take the milk, but not the cookies. It’s late and it’s too sweet.”
Aga just sighed and gave her the milk so she can start consuming it, “Galit ka ba kay Daddy, anak?” he asked. Aya shook her head. “Then why are you acting like you hate me? You’ve been so quiet and cold lately, anak, nag-aalala na ako sa’yo. You can talk to me if you have a problem, that’s what I taught you right? You’ll tell Daddy what and how you feel. We don’t do nonverbal here, Aya, you need to speak. You used to speak a lot and I missed that. I miss you, anak.”
“She hasn’t visited me,” Aya said, almost a whisper. Aga was paying an attention to his daughter so he was able to hear what she said and he knew who she is referring to. “She used to visit me a lot before. Sometimes, very random that I got afraid you might caught us. It was all before I knew who she really is. Does she hate me now?”
“No, she doesn’t”
“Then why is she not here? I got sick and she should be taking care of me but she’s not here.” she said and a tear fell from her eye.
Aga sighed once again. He can tell that Aya really felt bad that Lea is not around, “She’s not visiting you because I didn’t allow her to.”
“Why? You really hate her, don’t you?” Aya asked him while looking at him in the eyes. “I don’t understand why did you tell me that she’s my Mommy if I am not even allowed to see her. Because Daddy, it hurts. It already hurts knowing that I already met my Mom even before I know that she’s my Mom. It hurts more now that I know who she really is but I can’t be with her. I miss Tita Lea but I miss her more as my Mommy.” she sobbed and it pains Aga hearing his daughter’s cry.
“I’m sorry” he uttered for he felt like he’s the reason why Aya is hurt. He’s like the bad person here for keeping Lea and Aya away from each other and he’s hurting both person.
“Can I see her Daddy? Can you not hate her for me?”
“I can’t promise, Aya—”
“I hate you!” he was flabbergasted when she shouted that to his face. Aya turned her back to Aga and cried silently.
Aga heaved a deep breath and kissed his daughter’s hair. I can’t promise that, but I can promise to try.
The next day, the two weren’t talking to each other but Aya still respects his Dad to obey every thing that he said. She sits on the passenger seat quietly while Aga drives them home from her school. She actually felt guilty for shouting at her father how she hates him last night. She wanted to apologize but her pride was screaming not to— that it’s Aga’s fault in the first place. Something that she got from her Mom.
Aga stopped the car indicating that they already reached their house. She opened the door and went out to open their garage gate so her Dad can park. To her surprise, the house that was in front of her was not their house. But it was familiar. It was her Lolo’s house— which means one thing.
She looked back and found Aga standing behind her. She immediately ran to him to hug him, “Thank you, Daddy. Thank you and I’m sorry.”
Aga bent down and kiss her forehead, “I’m sorry too. You go and press the doorbell.”
Aya gladly obliged to do it. Pinagbuksan sila ng isa sa mga katulong at agad din naman silang pinapasok. Sarah soon followed outside to see if their maid was right when she said that Aga and Aya were here, and they really here.
“Kuya! Aya!” she welcomed the two, surprised. Aga just smiled at her which she immediately got and she’s happy. She’s happy that they are here.
“May gusto raw makita”
Sarah smiled and looked at her niece before returning to him, “Tulog pa siya, eh. Anong oras na rin kasi umuwi ‘yun kagabi galing trabaho. Would you mind waiting?” Aga just nodded. “Tara sa loob. Papa’s inside.”
Sarah’s smile didn’t go away even when they enter the house. She’s happy for her sister knowing that Lea’s been wanting this. She would surely be ecstatic.
“Thank you, son” Leo said to Aga.
“It’s all for my daughter, Tito” he answered and looked at his daughter who was wandering around the house. She’s looking at the pictures displayed on top of the cabinet. She saw a photo of Lea holding a baby who is her self for sure. Ngayon niya lang nakita ito dahil noong pumupunta naman siya sa bahay ng Lolo niya ay wala iyon.
“Why did you hide it from me, Tita?” Aya suddenly asked that it startled Sarah.
“H-hindi kasi puwedeng manggaling sa’kin, Aya. I had to respect both her and your Dad with this matter. But, what did I tell you? She’s a good person and it will not change with a single lie. She hid it the truth from you for a while because she just wanted the best for every one.”
Aya just nodded and continued staring at her Mom’s photo. Maya-maya pa, nakarinig sila ng mga yabag sa may hagdanan kaya napalingon sila roon. Lea was still sleepy at the moment that she didn’t immediately notice Aga and Aya’s presence. She only realized that they were there few steps before she reached the ground floor of their house.
She stared at Aya, assuring herself if it was really her daughter. She even secretly pinched herself just to be so sure. Baka kasi nanaginip lang siya dahil ano namang gagawin ng anak niya rito? “A-Aya?” she called. She looked on her side when an image of Aga appeared in her peripheral vision. He’s here too. Her eyes widened when Aya came nearer to her. They are really here. Is this freaking real!?”
“H-Hi” Aya shyly greeted her.
Lea hunkered down to have the same height as her daughter with a teary eye, “Baby”
Aya smiled and throw herself to her Mom, “Mommy” she said making Lea scoffed and finally teared up while hugging her daughter tightly as if she doesn’t want to let her go. Aya calling her Mommy keeps playing in her head and it feels so good. Damn, this feels so good.