|Chapter|24|Mother|
"Three minor boys are found dead near our warehouse, ty."
I lazily look up to kuya before putting my tea cup on the coffee table, and sit properly on the couch I'm sitting. "So?"
Nagtagis ang bagang ni Kuya. "So? Ty, pumatay kananaman! Aren't you satisfied that you killed Twenty people last week? Akala ko ba-"
"They insulted my daughter. " pangangatwiran ko.
Kuya eyed me with uncompelling look. "Your being unreasonable! We can make those kids pay for what they've done to dyesebel without using a gun, ty! And now everyone are thinking its us who's killing... kahit na totoo, ay dapat parin hindi ganoon ang iniisip nila! Most of the Police are controlled by us, pero hindi ibig sabihin nun, ligtas na talaga tayo!"
I keep my mouth shut, nanatili ang mga mata ko sa kaniya, watching him being mad at me is not new, kung noon ay ayaw kong nagagalit siya ngayon ay hindi na, I am used to it now, For the past six years, isang malaking milagro na ang hindi ako masigawan ni kuya sa loob ng isang linggo. As what I've said, I changed. If not because of my daughter I would would have been my worst.
"Grey, calm down please... Your scaring me." Masuyong sabi ng asawa niyang si Ate Mes habang nakahawak sa braso ni Kuya at marahang hinahaplos ang pisnge neto.
Kuya's face immediately softened. "Im sorry, babe..." Malambing na saad ni kuya at hinalikan ang asawa sa sentido.
I look away, why do they have to be so affectionate to each other everytime? Why do thay have to act so inlove in front of me?
Tumikhim ako. "Then what will I do now?" Sabi ko kaya bumalik sa akin ang atensyon ni kuya, but unlike earlier, his eyes are not that mad anymore, its more calm buy still dead serious. Thanks for Ate Mes for that.
"May nagreklamo sa batas. May gustong ipakulong ang isa sa atin dahil naniniwala silang tayo ang may gawa, at ikaw." Tinitigan niya ako ng maiigi. "Ikaw ang first suspect nila, they barely see me, papa and light of course dahil hindi pa siya nagigising, but you, halos araw-araw ka nilang nakikitang pumupunta sa warehouse kaya ikaw ang pinaghihinalaan nila."
"Ako naman talaga.." I whisper. But knowing kuya, he obviously heard me, kaya mas tumalim ang titig niya sa akin. "Let them, wala naman silang magagawa." Sabi ko at tumayo na.
Tiningnan ko si ate Mes na puno ng pag-aalala habang nakatingin sa akin, She smiled sweetly at me, I look away, I envy her, I envy all women who are happy with their man. Tumalikod na ako at nagsimula ng maglakad.
"You need to act, ty." Saad ni kuya na nakapagpatigil sa akin.
Bumuntong hininga ako saka siya hinarap. "What do you mean?"
"People will be more suspicious kung hahayaan nalang natin ng ganoon-ganoon lang, kung patuloy tayong pro-protektahan ng batas ay mas magiging kahina-hinala tayo. People wanted to see us falling, We'll make a drama then, and a great show needs a great actress."
I frown. "What exactly your talking about?"
He sigh. "I know you got my point." Makahulugan niya akong pinagtaasan ng kilay. "Sasakyan natin ang gusto nila, we'll let them sue you, we'll be attending a court hearing, and-"
"Do I have to-"
"But first we need a new lawyer."
Tumaas ang isang kilay ko. "New lawyer? You mean Family Lawyer?"
"Yes. I recieved a message earlier, that our Family laywer had been killed while driving his way here. You know what I mean."
Nagtagis ang bagang ko. "Well then, ikaw na ang maghanap, I want to see my daughter now. Paki sabi kay papa na baka hindi ako sisipot sa meeting mamaya... may kikitain ako." Sabi ko at umalis na.
Before I left I heard him sighing as If he is tired on taming some spoiled brat. I didn't mean to make him worry. I didn't mean to be like this. I didn't mean to be a monster.
Ng makarating ako sa hospital ay agad akong nagtungo sa kwarto ni Dyesebel, Ng makita kong bahagyang nakabukas ang pinto at may naririnig akong tawanan mula sa loob ay malalaking hakbang ang ginawad ko papasok.
"At kung sakali mang magaling ka na ay dadalhin kita doon, maganda ang lugar na iyon at presko pa ang hangin, may mga ibat-ibang klase din ng mga ibon na doon mo lang yata makikita." Excited na sabi ng batang lalaking naka-upo sa upuan katabi ng kama ni dyesebel.
"Talaga? Kung ganoon, kailangan ko na palang gumaling." Masayang sabi ng anak ko.
Napatitig ako sa batang lalaking kausap niya. I frown when I realized thay I knew the kid.
"Dyesebel.." I called out my daughter's name to drew their attention on me.
Dyesebel's smile fades as well as the boy's. Sa bawat hakbang ko palapit ay mas nakikita ko ang takot sa mga mata ng batang lalaki, I assumed that for now, he recognized me. He recognized the woman who killed his older brother.
"Mommy.." alanganing bati sa akin ng anak ko.
Ngumiti ako sa kaniya at hinalikan siya sa ulo saka hinarap ang batang lalaki. "Your friends with my daughter?"
Napalunok siya at dahan dahang tumango. My brow arched, I thought he would deny my daughter. "O-opo."
"Bakit ka nandito? Hindi pwede ang bata sa loob ng hospital dahil mas prone kayo sa bacteria at germs na nandito sa hospital. Are you with someone?"
"N-nandito po ang kuya ko... nasa O.R, pinapasok po ako nung guard kasi nagmakaawa po ako sa kaniya, dahil gusto ko pong masigurong ligtas si kuya-"
"So you better go now, puntahan mo ang kuya mo at hindi ang anak ko, make sure he's safe dahil baka patay na siya."
Namumutlang binalingan niya ng tingin ang anak ko saka nagmamading lumabas ng kwarto, I faced my daughter once I saw the door closed. Nakayuko si Dyesebel habang pinagsisiklop ang nga daliri niya.
"I told you not to be friends with boys, dyesebel!" Galit kong asik.
"S-sorry, mommy... he is friendly naman unlike the other-"
"Boys are boys! All of them were the same! And that boy!" Tinuro ko ang nilabasan netong linto. "Is not different!"
Umiyak na ng tuluyan si dyesebel. "M-mommy... I'm sorry..." she said while trying to hold my hand.
Napapikit ako ng mariin, bumuntong hininga ako at niyakap siya, I carefully patted her head. "Mommy didn't mean to be mad, You know I'm just protecting you, right?"
Humihikbing tumango ito. Nai-angat ko ang aking ulo ng may biglang kumatok, Napatingin ako sa lalaking nasa pinto ngayon, he studied the scenario and for a couple of seconds he walks towards us, he gave me a meaningful look before sitting on the hospital bed and held my daughter's hand.
"Hey princess... did mommy scolded you?" Malambing na sabi ni Paul.
Kumawala naman ang anak ko sa aking yakap at ibinigay ang buong atensyon sa bagong dating. "Its my fault, daddy Paul, I let a boy enter my room and talk to me..."
Tumaas ang kilay ni Paul. "A boy?" Sabi niya at tiningnan ako saglit. "You know the only one rule of mommy, right?"
"No boy." Humihikbing saad naman ng anak ko.
Huminga ng malalim si Paul. "Did mommy hurt you?" Umiling si Dyesebel. "What else did mommy did?"
Umiling ako at walang pasabing lumabas na ng kwarto. Ramdam ko naman ang pagsunod sa akin ni Paul, nakasalubong ko si Kuya na ngayoy masama ang tingin sa akin.
"You even scolded your own daughter? Ty, your becoming worst everyday. " di makapaniwalang sabi neto at nilampasan na ako.
Mapait akong napangiti at dumiretso na sa parking lot, I was about to open my car's door when someone grab my elbow making me face him. His face softened when he sae how my Tears waited to be burst out. He smiled at me before pulling me into a hug. I let myself cry on his chest.
"Its fine, your daughter is not mad at you... she's just shock of your sudden reaction."
"Im scared, Paul. Baka ayaw nadin sa akin ng anak ko kasi masama akong ina.."
"Sshh. Your not a bad mother. You just wanted to free your child from any possible pain."
"Rogue used to hate me because I'm a criminal. Kuya, is now starting to doubt and see me as a monster. And now... my daughter-"
"She loves you."
"Im scared that everyone will hate me, you know."
He hugged me tighter, and even kissed my temple. "I will never hate you."
"Im a criminal, a monster, how come you still choose to comfort me?" And I even broke your heart.
"I told you... I love you."
Mapait akong napangiti. "I wish I can say the same."
He sighed. "How I wish too."
Itutuloy pa...