A Night to Regret

Chapter 3: Broken promise

"How would I suppose to allow you to study in UP Diliman if you're acting like a delinquent and a black sheep daughter?! Skelemina, how can I trust you about this matter?! If in the first place, you let yourself be an untrusted person?!!"

I flinched as my father shouted in anger. I couldn't help but cry as he kept on blabbering about what I had done wrong. It was wrong to be a gangster because I almost got jailed so many times

And all those were correct.

I immediately knelt and held my father's hands. "Father, please! Just let me go there to study!" I pleaded. Tears rolled down my cheeks. "Father!" I cried as he tried to remove my hands on him.

"You're such a disgrace! Why should I allow you?! Explain that to me, Skelemina!" he asked in anger. Then just exactly, my mother came in.

"Matheus, why are you yelling again?!"

His head turned to face Mama. "Ask your daughter!" I flinched and he pushed me harshly. Due to my outbalance, I sat on the floor, butthurt. That made me cry so much.

"Matheus!" Mama screamed in horror from what he had done. She approached me. "Are you okay, Mina?" I nodded my head. I slowly stood up as Mama supported my back. "What the heck is happening, Mina? And why is your Dad mad at you? Have you done something that will make him mad?" She creased her eyebrows.

I smiled bitterly as I told her what I wanted from him. All I need is their consent, especially to my father. I've been expecting that he won't agree with this. I just really want to study there at UP Diliman because I passed the UPCAT test. As I glanced at him, he would just shake his head in disagreement as he looked at me.

I was lowering my head as I told the whole story and how I want to study there. When I raised my head, I saw my Mama smiling at me which confused me more. I thought I would meet her eyes, furring.

"You can study there, Mina. You have my consent."

"What?!!" I gazed at my father. Oh no! He will surely disagree. I am losing my faith. Lord, help me! "NO!"

I lowered my head again as tears rolled down my cheeks. It's all my fault as to why he doesn't want to trust me again. If and only if I haven't done being a gangster, I'm sure my father would let me enter and enroll in UP Diliman.

"Divina, you can't allow your daughter! I won't agree with it!" he said angrily. I wouldn't blame my father for not trusting me.

"Father... please..." I pleaded again. Tears were rolling down my cheeks.

Mama hugged the father's waist. "Matheus, give her a second chance. She'll do everything to change herself if we allow her. Matheus, a second chance. She's asking for a second chance." Then she turned her head at me. "You'll promise that you won't do anything foolish, Mina. Say it to your father."

I wiped the tears using my hands and nodded my head. "I promise. Really I promise." I looked at my father and gave him my expression of determination. "I won't break my promise. I won't," I said seriously.

He stared into my eyes for a long time. Then he looked at Mama. After a moment, he sighed in defeat. "Fine." Then he looked at me again. "I am hoping that you won't break your promise, Skelemina. Once you break it, you'll see your consequences."

"The baby inside her womb is seven weeks and five days old, Mr. and Mrs. Hitherway. Fortunately, the baby is safe. It is a good thing that you brought your daughter here to the hospital and we saved the baby. If she hasn't brought here as soon as possible, she will have a miscarriage."

I cried so hard as I caressed my tummy. Thank God, my baby is safe. It's good news for me that I didn't have a miscarriage. Why do I feel this way? Though the fetus is a baby inside of my womb, I haven't known his or her gender. The child inside me is feeling loved by me. I massaged my tummy gently.

Don't worry, baby. I'll protect you.

"Thank you very much, Doc. Your news brought us some relief."

I gulped and slowly, I looked at my parents together with the doctor. I felt like I wanted to be buried six feet in the ground as I caught my father looking at me with an unexplainable expression in his eyes. I looked away. I know that my father has a lot to say. He is just waiting for the doctor to leave.

I hope that the doctor won't leave so soon. I don't know what I am going to do if he leaves me alone with my father. I am sure that he would say anything about what I had done now. That it was my fault. I am truly sure.

I broke the promise.

"You're very welcome, Mr. Hitherway. I have to leave now, another patient is waiting for me. And one more thing, she can leave now in the hospital since the baby is safe."

I bit my lip when the doctor left. I am dead. Really dead right now. Slowly, I glanced at my parents. I felt some kind of relief when I saw an understanding in my mother's eyes but it suddenly disappeared the relief I was feeling when I saw my father's expression.

"We're going home and we're going to talk, Skelemina Hitherway." As if on cue, he walked out with authority aired in him. That scares me more if my father and I get alone to talk. I am so afraid of him. Indeed.

"I'm here, my daughter."

I raised my glance when Mama held my hand. I got teary-eyed when I couldn't see any anger in her eyes. Understanding is what I read about them. Where does she pick that kind of understanding? Ain't she angry or mad at what damage I had done?

"Mama..." I hesitated at first but then I resumed. "Y-You ain't m-mad at me?" I asked, sniffing.

She held both of my hands and stared at me, directly to my eyes. "I am mad but I don't want to show it. Besides, what's done is already done. It's no use if I will get mad at you. It wouldn't turn back the time. But your father is another story. Don't worry, Mina. I am here with you when your Dad speaks to you. Okay? I'm going to protect you."

I hugged her so tight as I sobbed, feeling loved by my mother. Why is she so understanding and kind to me? Where does she get them? I felt guilty because I knew to myself that I had never done a good thing for them. I only did temporary good ones

She always defends me whenever my father and I have a fight or he would be mad. I don't know if I still suit as her one and only daughter because look at it, I am pregnant.

I promised my parents not to do such ignominy once they allow me to study at UP Diliman. But I broke it. I indeed broke it. My promise...

We were in our car and the atmosphere was killing me. My gazes were in the outside of the car window and I could feel the burning stares of anger from my father. I have to prepare myself once we get home. I am expecting that I will receive some slaps. I slowly sighed.

I held my tummy while glaring at the outside. I prayed to wish that my father won't tell any stupid things about my unborn child.

I slowly took a deep breath as my father parked his car when we reached our garage. He got out of the car and entered the house. I looked at Mama. She gave me a stimulant smile and she mouthed, 'library.' Then she got out and walked inside the house.

I gulped and didn't know what to do next.

I am afraid. No. Almost afraid.

I got out of the car and followed them. Then I went directly to the library. I carefully closed the threshold and slowly found a comfortable sofa.

Interrogation... I want to laugh.

I came face to face with my father's angered eyes. I know how he was belittling me right now. Like Mama told me earlier, she sat beside me and held my hand tightly. I somehow felt strong but it is not enough to erase the nervousness of what I felt right now.

Father confidently crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You know what had you done, hadn't you, Skelemina?" father said in his calm tone.

I gripped my thigh. That kind of tone scares me a lot. I know that he is really mad and angry. He is f*****g mad.

Lord, help me!

I bent my head down and simply nodded my head. "I know, f-father. I'm... I'm pregnant."

"Exactly!" I flinched when he shouted. As if on cue, tears scrolled down on my face. This is the start of cavalry. "You know what had you done and you promised not to do such foolishness! Did you understand what I'm saying?!!"

I sniffed. "Y-Yes, father."

"YOU BROKE YOUR PROMISE! Such a dishonor and disrepute daughter!" He stood up and paced back and forth.

"Matheus... don't say anything bad that will hurt our daughter because—"

"Stop right there, Divina! I gave you a chance to deal with our daughter. And look what happened to her. SHE'S PREGNANT! For Pete's sake, what kind of humiliation she's bringing now, huh, Divina?! Can you explain that to me? Huh? Huh? What I'm going to say to my folks? She humiliates the Hitherway family! She really is!"

I sobbed loudly. Mama was silenced and couldn't say anything from my father's words. I couldn't even say a word. How could I contradict him if my father already said the right words for me to shut up? He is right. I brought such shame to our family. What's going to happen now? Is he going to kick me out of our house?

"I can't believe that you are my daughter!"

My world stopped as he said that. It's like something shattered inside of me upon hearing those words. As if something pricked in my heart. I couldn't breathe...

"Matheus! That's enough! You're hurting our daughter, damn it!"

"What?! Am I right, isn't it? She brought humiliation to our family! She's black sheep!"

I clenched my fists. I don't know why but I'm starting to feel the anger rising inside me. I slowly stood up. I saw on my peripheral vision that my mother felt agitated and nervous. They were both shocked seeing me standing and ready to fight on my own.

I slowly smirked at my father which shocked him. "So, are you regretting having me as your daughter, father? Are you regretting you have me because I'm such a pain in your ass? Are you regretting you have me because I am such a shame to you and our kinsman? Answer me. How much hatred do you have now when it comes to me, your black sheep daughter?"

I don't know where I took the courage to speak like that to him. But I couldn't revoke what I said. What's done is done now. I have to persist with it.

My parents were both stunned at my questions. But my father immediately recovered and pointed at me with his finger. He was angry now. Super.

"You! Skelemina! You know how to talk back to your father now! How dare you!" he spoke angrily.

He was about to slap and I closed my eyes, expecting his hard slap because I talked back to my father. But somebody interrupted.

"I heard that my granddaughter is pregnant."

We all turned our heads to the threshold of the library. My eyes enlarged. "Pops?" My grandpa...

"Dad! When did you come back?" My father said and approached Pops. Then they hugged each other. Mama approached him, too, and kissed his cheek. "You heard it right. Your granddaughter is pregnant," he said in his gnashed teeth manner. His anger never faded.

I lowered my head when Pops looked at me. I didn't bother to look at his expression. All I could feel was his eyes looking at me. I was surprised when he was in front of me.

"My grandchild, look at your Pops." I did what Pops said and met his eyes. He placed his hands on top of my shoulders. Then he stared at my eyes and slowly, he smiled. "I'll help you by giving birth to your child. I'm going to take care of it."

My eyes widened in shock. What... the... hell...

"What? Dad, what are you saying? What do you mean?"

"R-Really, P-Pops?" I asked, not believing if I heard it right.

Pops glanced at his son, my father. He gave him a grimed face. "I'm going to take care of it. Don't worry." Then he faced me. Pops caressed my hair. He smiled sweetly. "I'm serious, Mina. Don't worry, your Pops is here."

I couldn't help but cry and hugged Pops. "Thank you, Pops."

Thank you, my Lord.