Kabanata 25
1472 Words
Righael
"Come again?" Steel Arsenov, a friend of mine asked with wrinkled forehead after hearing my request. Baka kung kaharap ko siya nang personal at hindi lamang kausap sa laptop ay nabatukan na niya ako.
I slouched on my seat and folded my arms while looking at the screen. "I said can Sancho help me go home every two days."
Naihilamos niya ang mga palad sa mukha. "That is the dumbest request I ever heard from you, Samaniego."
I smirked. "Dumb, but you gotta admit. It's pretty romantic."
He lifted a brow. "Romantic my ass."
"Well, as if you didn't acquire a residency in the Philippines just to find a girl you don't even know where exactly to find, hmm? Oh, right. Right. That's your definition of romantic."
He groaned. "'I f*****g told you. I'm only looking for her because she stole my goddamn shirt!"
I scoffed. "Shirt? Putangina naman, Stilyan, maglolokohan pa ba tayo? Milyones ang pera mo maghahabol ka ng babae mula Bulgaria hanggang Pilipinas, mag-e-enroll sa language school para matutong magtagalog, bibili ng hekta-hektaryang lupain sa Pilipinas at gagastos ng milyon-milyon maging residente lang dito, tapos sasabihin mong hinahanap mo lang dahil ninakawan ka ng shirt? Kwento mo kay Reemo. 'Yong tangang 'yon maniniwala sa'yo tutal uto-uto ang putanginang 'yon."
His eyes narrowed at me. "You want my help, you said?"
I smirked. "Yeah, yeah I remember I need your help. Yeah, I'm convinced now that you're only looking for a stranger you once f****d because she stole your shirt. Cool. I'm convinced now," I said then showed him my middle finger.
He showed me his middle finger, too. "Fine, I'm gonna ask Sancho for you but if you'll lose your mind while talking to him, I won't pay for your rehab."
I licked my lower lip. "Are you sure you're really brothers?"
"He probably went out from the wrong hole. Stop asking unnecessary questions."
Ngumisi na lamang ako't pinanood siyang tawagan ang kapatid niya. The two spoke in their native language so I really didn't understand a single thing. Maya-maya ay tumingin si Steel sa screen ng laptop niya.
"Sancho is asking if you hit your head or something--nah, nah forget it." He went back to talking to his brother. "Nah, the motherfucker just fell in love. Yeah." Muli niya akong tiningnan. "Sancho said he'll do it. You just have to pay him."
"How much?" I asked in a bored way.
"Five million for every trip. He said that's already discounted. Naghihirap daw siya ngayon so he said don't be kiripot."
I jerked my head. "Kuripot not kiripot but deal."
Anything just to get home faster all the time so I won't miss my baby momma that much. I cannot wait for a specific flight all the damn time just to get home and see her roll her eyes.
Nang matapos ang pag-uusap namin ni Steel ay ipinagpatuloy ko na ang pag-eempake. I'm planning to bring my luggage to where Margarette lives now so I get to see her before I fly to Europe. Pauwi lamang ako kailangang ihatid ni Sancho gamit ang private jet. Pauwi lamang din ako maririndi sa lintik na 'yon.
I zipped my suitcase and carried it. Sa baba ay naabutan ko ang mga magulang ko. Mommy looked restless as if the changes at home stresses her a lot and I can't blame her. She's more worried now that Margarette is pregnant. I know her. She longed for a daughter since Emry died. Margarette became the patch that sealed the hole Emry's death had left in Mom's heart.
"Can't you just convince Marga to stay here while you're not in the country? She might need some assistance," suhestyon ni Mommy.
I glanced at my Dad before I cleared my throat. "Huwag na muna nating pilitin, Ma."
Dad inhaled a sharp breath. "I hope you're not thinking that we adopted her because we wanted to put the blame on her."
Umismid ako. "Kung gano'n, bakit ba talaga, Dad?"
Nagtinginan sila sandali. Maya-maya ay tumango si Mommy na tila binibigyang permiso si Daddy na magsalita.
I watched Dad clear his throat. "Nagtanong siya sa kasambahay kung kilala nila ang lawyer ni Alan. Manang Roma said Margarette wanted to ask the lawyer about her Dad's last will and testament. Mukhang iniisip niyang kung hindi dahil sa pagganti ay dahil sa perang iniwanan ni Alan kaya namin siya kinupkop." Daddy sighed. "We didn't adopt her to get even with her brother nor because we wanted to touch her father's money. Alam ng Diyos na ni singko ay wala akong ginalaw sa iniwanang pera ni Alan para sa kanya. All of the money will be given to her once she's ready. Lalong hindi kami uri ng taong mananakit ng iba, Rig para lamang gumanti."
I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "Then tell me the real reason now because honestly, I've been doubting your real motives since she came into our lives."
Lumamlam ang mga mata ni Daddy. "Rig, we don't know how to tell you the truth."
My forehead creased. "Truth about what?"
Mommy's eyes went bloodshot as if she's having a hard time containing her emotions. Lalo lamang tuloy akong naguluhan.
Sandaling humugot ng hininga si Daddy. "Your sister . . . was the one who threw herself to Alexus even when Alexus was in love with someone else. E-Emry . . . blackmailed him. She set him up, told him she's pregnant with his child, and forced him to take the responsibility. Ginawa ni Alexus dahil sa hiya niya sa pamilya natin, Rig, pero hindi niya pa rin napigilang patuloy na mahalin ang babaeng totoong gusto niyang makasama. When Emry found out that he's still seeing the other girl, Emry hurt herself and claimed that Alexus was abusing her. Grabeng eskandalo at pagkasira ng pangalan ni Alexus ang ginawa ng kapatid mo, Rig, but she didn't stop there. Tinakot niya iyong babaeng mahal ni Alexus na magpapakamatay siya oras na ipagpatuloy ng babae ang pakikipagkita kay Alexus. The woman Alexus loved stayed away but died after eight months. Ang sabi ng nagbalita kina Alan, nalungkot daw nang husto. Hindi na nakakakain at tinamaan ng matinding depresyon hanggang sa nagkasakit na't hindi na naisalba. Her death destroyed Alexus. He got so furious that he decided to leave your sister, pero hindi matanggap ni Emry, Rig."
Mommy sobbed. "It was your sister who shot Alexus, Rig . . . before she took her own life. Ang pamilya natin ang may malaking atraso sa mga Fernandez. Sila ang tunay na naging biktima hindi tayo, pero hindi namin alam kung paano mo iyon matatanggap kaya hinayaan namin ang tito mo ang umayos ng sitwasyon kahit na labag sa kalooban namin. We broke Alan's heart, too when we chose to let your uncle manipulate the truth, but we had to, because we didn't want you to hate your sister for what she had done to an innocent man who didn't love her . . ."
Muntik na akong mabuwal sa mga nalaman. Ni hindi ako nakakibo. I didn't even notice the tears building up on the corners of my eyes as I watched my Mom cry.
Daddy sniffed. "We adopted Margarette dahil iyon ang huling hiniling ni Alan. Nagkapatawaran kaming magkaibigan bago siya binawian ng buhay. I promised to him that I will do everything to find his daughter, give her the life she deserves, and never let her find out the tragic fate her brother had. Kaya namin itinago iyon kay Margarette. Hindi lamang dahil masakit pag-usapan, anak. Kung hindi dahil gusto naming manatiling mabuti si Emry sa alaala mo at nang hindi rin maapektuhan si Margarette ng bagay na wala naman siyang kinalaman."
My chest tightened as fear that Margarette would hate me more, clawed my heart. "She'll push me away even more if she finds out the truth . . ."
Suminghot si Mommy. "But she needs to know, oras na makapanganak siya. Sinubukan naming itago, ngunit ngayong nangyari na ang lahat ng ito, ang mabuti pa ay . . . mabunyag ang tunay na nangyari nang mawala sa isip niyang ginamit lamang siya. God knows we cherished and loved her like our own, Rig, because she didn't deserve to lose her brother and her Dad due to your sister's obsession. Legal man siyang Fernandez o hindi."
Yumuko ako't nilunok ang namuong bara sa lalamunan. "Yes. She deserves to know the truth, but please don't tell her yet. Please wait until our baby is born. I cannot lose the both of them."
Nagpunas ng luha si Mommy. "But will she still stay if she'll find out the truth even after she gives birth?"
Sandali akong pumikit at humugot ng hininga.
"I'll make sure she will . . . pero hindi sa paraang tulad ng ginawa ni Emry."
- Writer
