Kabanata 3
1258 Words
Bea
"Winton winton eetow staw! Dito na ee-ee-ta!"
Nakakunot ang noong nilingon ni Rafael ang anak kong nasa car seat.
"Ano 'yon, remix? Twinkle twinkle little star s***h ako ay may lobo?"
Humalakhak siya, ngunit nang simangutan ni Khalid ay kaagad kong kinurot sa tagiliran.
"Papansinin mo pa, alam mong pikon 'yan."
Natatawa siyang umiling habang hinihimas ang kanyang pisngi. "Oo nga pala. Speaking of pikon, lakas sumuntok ng anak mo, Bea. Nasapak ako kagabi no'ng pinatay ko ang TV."
Mana sa tatay, I guess.
I swallowed when I remembered Kreige. He doesn't seem to recognize me so I guess it's safe to bring Khalid with us. We won during the bail hearing so Kreige managed to get out of jail, provided that he's not going to leave the vicinity of their home.
Dahil walang magbabantay kay Khalid ngayon at may kailangang asikasuhin si Rafael habang ang yaya naman ni Khalid ay hindi pa rin nakakauwi galing ng bakasyon sa probinsya, wala akong choice kun'di ang bitbitin ang anak ko sa tahanan ng mga Ducani.
Rafael dropped us at the Ducani's. Nag-wave si Khalid sa tiyuhin saka siya bumaling sa akin.
"Mama, pway?"
I smiled at my son. "Later. We'll play later."
Hawak ang maliit niyang kamay ay nag-door bell ako. The maid opened the door for me and led us to the pool area where Mr. Khalil Ducani is having a brunch with his wife. Nang makita nila kami ay kaagad nagpalabas ng dalawa pang plato para sa amin.
"Mind introducing the little guy to us?" halatang sabik sa apo na sabi ni Sir Khalil.
I smiled when Khalid climbed on his lap and sat there before he grabbed the hotdog on the old man's plate. Sasawayin ko sana ngunit tumawa lamang nang mahina si Sir Khalil.
"Oh, let him. I don't mind at all."
Payak akong ngumiti nang lantakan na ng anak ko ang hotdog habang kumukuyakoy pa sa kandungan ni Sir Khalil. Tuwang-tuwa namang pinunasan ni Ma'am Khallisa ang pisngi ni Khalid habang nag-uusap kami ng asawa niya.
"Kreige is inside our home gym, probably venting out his frustration on his punching bag." He sighed. "His manager just dropped him like a hot potato kaya galit na galit. Kahit naman siguro ako ay gano'n din ang mararamdaman. He's been waiting for the big fight since forever, and now he's getting canceled."
"Maybe if we will win the case, he can work with a different manager." I opened my notes. "May bago po kaming info na nakuha about Geneva Punzalan, at sa totoo lang, disappointed ako sa anak ninyo. I cannot defend him properly if he's not gonna be completely honest with me."
Kumunot ang noo ni Sir Khalil. "What do you mean?"
"Geneva Punzalan is one of his ex-girlfriend's closest friends. Ang sabi niya hindi niya kilala ang complainant on a personal level, but we found out that they used to hang out a lot during the initial months of his relationship with Crystal."
Napabuntonghininga si Sir Khalil. "Manang, pakitawag mo nga si Kreige. Itong batang ito talaga."
I grabbed my glass of mango juice and sipped on it while waiting for Kreige. Napawi naman ang kunot sa noo ni Sir Khalil nang pumutol si Khalid ng piraso ng hotdog para isubo sa kanya.
"What a sweet little boy. Iwanan mo nga ito rito minsan nang may libangan ako. I'm sure my son Klinn would love to have this little guy around, too." Lumamlam ang mga mata niya. "Lalo na ngayong paliit nang paliit ang tyansang makita namin ang apo kong si Klaze."
"I've heard about that, Sir."
"Please, just call me tito. Your father and I had a long history. He saved my ass countless of times from false accusations. Not to mention he's the one who made sure that Kreige's mother wouldn't get a dime from me and my kids. By the way, hindi ko alam na may apo na pala si Andrew. Ano ang trabaho ng tatay? Is he a lawyer, too?" Nope. He's someone who needs a lawyer.
I forced a smile. "I'd rather not talk about Khalid's father, tito. It's a long story anyway."
"Tsk tsk. I don't understand some men. This is why I always tell Lila to be careful with whom she's dating. Iyong iba r'yan, magaling lang maghubad ng damit ng babae, pero hindi naman marunong magbihis ng damit ng anak."
Nagpatuloy ang pangaral ni tito Khalil habang papalapit naman si Kreige sa aming pwesto.
"Hindi bale. You're still young, Bea and you are such a wonderful woman. I'm sure you'll find someone better. Hindi 'yong kagaya ng tatay nito. Kung anak ko ang nakabuntis sa iyo ay baka nasakal ko."
I pursed my lips when Kreige stared at his dad in a confused way. Nang mapatitig siya kay Khalid na abala namang lantakan ngayon ang buto ng mangga ay napansin kong nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya.
His towel is hangin on his neck while his shirt is soaking in his sweat. Bagsak na rin ang basa ng pawis niyang buhok, at dahil hindi pa nakakapag-ahit ng patubong balbas at bigote ay medyo nag-mature ang mukha.
Damn it. This man is really hot. Now I'm scared of how many girls would soon cry because of Khalid. Baka mapingot ko kung sakali!
"Sino 'yan?" salubong ang mga kilay na tanong ni Kreige. "Saan na naman kayo pumulot ng bata?"
"Anak ni Bea, Kreige," sagot ni Tita Khallisa.
Lalo yatang nagsalubong ang mga kilay ni Kreige sa narinig saka siya bumaling sa akin. "Anak mo?" Umismid siya. "Sa taray mong 'yan may pumatol sayo?"
"Kreige!" his father's voice thundered.
"It's fine, tito. Sanay na ho ako sa anak ninyo. Gano'n ho siguro talaga, ano? Sa bawat pamilya, may isa talagang. . . " Pinasadahan ko siya ng tingin at inirapan. "Katakwil-takwil dahil sa ugali."
His father sighed. "I hope he'd change. Natatakot akong hindi makapag-asawa dahil sa ikli ng pasensya at pagiging mapagpatol."
Kreige groaned. "I'm literally here, Dad. I can hear you."
Nayayamot niya akong tinitigan na parang sinisisi niya ako kung bakit ganoon ang sinabi ng daddy niya. Well, I wasn't surprised anymore. Ever since he thought I was doubting his innocence, the air between us just gone thicker and thicker each day. Mabuti na rin iyon. I'd rather see us this way than let him find out that I was the stupid girl who moaned his name before.
Umismid si Tito Khalil. "Kapag ikaw nalaman kong may mga naanakan, sinasabi ko sa iyo, Kreige ako mismo ang kakaladkad sayo pabalik ng presinto."
"Wala nga, Dad. How many times do I have to clear my name? Saka ako pa ba ang matataguan ng anak?" depensa niya.
I grabbed my juice and sipped to hide my smirk.
Hindi mo sure, gago.
Khalid went down from Tito Khalil's lap and was about to run towards me when he lost his balance. Ganoon na lang ang gulat ko nang tila nawala sa sarili si Kreige at mabilis na binuhat ang umiyak na si Khalid.
"Dahan-dahan kasi. Kahit mataba ka hindi ka tatalbog lang," asik niya, halatang hindi pa alam kung paano magpakalma ng umiiyak na bata.
I shook my head while heaving a sigh. At gaya ng inasahan ko, lumipad ang mabigat na palad ng anak namin sa kanyang mukha.
Kreige groaned in pain when Khalid hit his nose. Yumuko naman ako't nagpigil ng ngisi nang galit na galit na nagsalita is Khalid.
"Wag ako miaway nga!"
I smirked while I'm keeping my head low.
Buti nga sayo. . .
- Writer
