Four Seasons of Love

CHAPTER 1

Kithin

"Daddy, do we really have to go home?" I asked him while we're having dinner.

Natigilan siya sa pagkain. His stares darted on me. For the past few months, he became busier. Not just in work, but also, his relationship with Mommy.

I heard him sigh bago niya ibinaba ang kubyertos sa pinggan. Kaming dalawa lang ngayon ang nasa bahay dahil...umalis na si Mommy kaninang umaga. I heard them screaming at each other last night. Hindi sila nag-aaway sa harapan ko pero dinig ko mula sa labas ang lakas ng sigawan nilang dalawa. At sa lahat ng mga away nila, iyong kagabi ang pinakamalala sa lahat.

Daddy held my hand and gently squeezed it. Gusto kong ibigay sa kanya ang simpatya ko. He gave all my mother's wishes. Pero isa lang ang hindi niya maibigay rito.

Ang maging ganap na Mrs. Amanda Villanueva.

"We'll leave by the end of the week, sweetheart. Start packing your things. You'll stay with your brother."

Sino'ng kuya ko ang tinutukoy niya? Was it Kuya Apollo? Or my brothers from his first wife? Surely it's Kuya Apollo. Siya naman talaga ang totoong kuya ko. I haven't seen my half-brothers for quite some time. Ang una at huling kita ko sa kanila ay noong bago kami umalis papuntang America nila Mommy.

Sa sumunod na mga araw, naging abala si Daddy sa negosyo at sa pagsuyo kay Mommy. Matapos niyang umalis sa bahay ay wala na akong narinig na balita tungkol sa kanya. I tried to call her once but her phone's out of line. I texted her, too, thinking that her phone just ran out of battery but she didn't reply.

I can't blame her. Daddy hid us from his first family for so many years. When his wife, Carmela Villanueva, heard the news about him having an affair with my mom, Daddy brought us here immediately.

When his wife passed away few years ago, hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang ulit kong narinig kay Mommy ang hiling niyang magpakasal na silang dalawa. But Daddy didn't hear her request, or rather, her pleas. At mula noon, doon na nag-ugat ang mga pagtatalo nila.

Hindi ko na dinala ang lahat ng damit ko. Daddy says it's only temporary. Good thing, my final exams are done. Babalik din ako bago ulit magpasukan. Gabi ang flight namin pauwing Pilipinas.

Everything is settled already. We're currently waiting in the Departure Area. While Daddy's busy making calls in the Philippines, I killed my time scrolling in my newsfeed. While watching videos, Kuya Apollo messaged me in Messenger.

Kuya Apollo:

Hi baby!

I rolled my eyes. Why's everyone still treating me like a child? I'm a teenager now! I fixed my glasses and typed my reply.

Me:

What's up?

Agad niya iyong ni-seen. He's typing his reply.

Kuya Apollo:

Saang terminal ko kayo susunduin?

Nilingon ko si Daddy para sana tanungin siya pero kasalukuyan pa rin siyang nakikipag-usap kay Kuya Martin, my half-brother.

Me:

Dunno. Ask Daddy instead.

Muli siyang nag-reply.

Kuya Apollo:

Nah, ikaw na. Just text me when you know it. Gotta go, baby! Have a safe flight!

I sighed. Kuya was a bit off to Daddy. Kahit noon pa, simula nang malaman namin na itinago niya kami sa kanyang tunay niyang pamilya. When Dad lets him decide what he wants, he chose to go back to the Philippines and continue studying in college there.

Over all, it was a nice flight. Why wouldn't it be? We were in a business class flight. Everyone was attending us. Hindi naman ako masyadong nanghingi ng kung anu-ano dahil kung hindi magbasa ng librong binaon ko o manood ng movies sa Ipad ko, I just slept the whole flight.

Nang lumapag kami sa airport, I immediately sent a message to Kuya Apollo. I know he'll fetch us kaya siya nagtanong sa akin earlier. But I was a little too late because Daddy told him already about it.

Nang makalabas kami sa airport, agad kong nakita si Kuya sa waiting area. Binitawan ko ang maletang hila-hila ko. Tumakbo ako sa kanya at padamba ko siyang niyakap! I miss him so much! It's been years since we last saw each other. Puro lamang sa Skype at Facetime kami nagkikita.

"Whoa! Hold on, princess!" ganting yakap niya sa akin. He tried his best to balance his stance para hindi kami tuluyang bumagsak sa sahig.

"I miss you!" I said.

He just laughed at me and answered my hugs. Nang makuntento ako ay kusa na akong bumitaw. Daddy was behind me. Siya na ang humila sa maleta ko. Kuya Apollo helped him put our luggages in his SUV before we left the airport.

Kuya Apollo drove the car. Daddy was sitting in the passenger's seat while I sat on the back seat. They were discussing about something. Hindi ko iyon maintindihan dahil naka-plug ang earphones sa tenga ko. Not until we're stuck in the traffic. Natigilan ako ng hampasin ni Kuya Apollo ang manibela ng kanyang sasakyan.

He glanced me through the rear view mirror bago niya nilingon si Daddy. I paused the music that's playing on my Ipad so I can hear what they're talking about.

"Kithin will stay in my place, Dad." my brother said.

"She can stay with me in the mansion, Apollo. There are plenty of rooms there. She can choose where to stay." si Daddy.

Teka, akala ko ba kay Kuya Apollo ako tutuloy? That’s what he said when we were still in Seattle.

He scoffed. "Then, what? You'll leave her there while you're working? At paano kapag nadatnan siya ng mga anak mo roon? Do you really expect them to welcome her after so many years of..." hindi niya naituloy ang sinabi niya. Humigpit ang hawak niya sa manibela. Kita ko ang pamumuti ng kanyang mga kamay at paglabas ng kanyang mga ugat roon dahil sa higpit ng kanyang pagkakahawak.

Nagtiim-bagang ako sa narinig. I don't want the idea of Daddy, too. It's not that I don't like to meet my half-brothers but... I'm not yet ready to face them.

I'm ashamed of them. I’m ashamed of my parent’s fault towards their family, especially their mom.

Hinatid ni Kuya si Daddy sa Highlands Village kung nasaan ang official residence ng mga Villanueva. He convinced me to come with him but I refused politely.

"No, Daddy. I'm fine staying with Kuya. Besides, he promised me that we’ll make pasyal, eh." I giggled when I answered him.

Daddy laughed a bit, too before he looked at Kuya Apollo.

"Take care of your sister. We'll talk again." Daddy said to him.

He just shrugged his shoulders. Bumaba si Daddy sa sasakyan habang ang isang gwardya nila ay ibinaba ang kanyang bagahe. I transfered to the passenger's side para hindi siya magmukhang driver ko.

"Where do you wanna go?" Kuya asked.

"Let's eat?" He laughed at me. What? I want to eat! Tapos tatawanan niya ako?

We went to a mall nearby. He brought me to a pizza house and ordered for both of us. I even asked him to take-out a box of hawaiian pizza before we go home.

"Why do you like pineapples on your pizza? It's disgusting." Kuya said.

"Tss. My taste, not yours!" I lazily said.

Nakarating na kami sa bahay namin. Our subdivision is not as exclusive as the Villanueva Residence but it's fine. Maganda rin ang amenities at mahigpit ang security kaya okay na rin iyon.

Kuya helped me on my luggage. Isang maleta lang naman iyon. Bitbit ko naman ang aking bagpack. He led me to my bedroom. Maganda rin iyon. Mukhang pinaghandaan ang pagdating ko dahil maayos na iyon ng pumasok ako.

"Kith..." Kuya said softly.

Nilingon ko siya mg tawagin niya ako. He was smiling half-heartedly at me.

"You heard everything we talked about on the car?"

Umiling ako. "Not all, Kuya. Just the... Your disapproval of my stay with Daddy."

Tumango siya. "I just want to protect you."

“They hate us, Kuya?”

Nangunot ang noo niya. "They're not. I met Kuya Alfonso once. He's actually fine and very civil." sagot niya.

"Then why don't you like the idea of me staying with them?"

Huminga siya ng malalim bago siya sumagot sa akin.

"I just thought that they're not yet ready for us, Kith. Their mother just died because..." muli siyang nagbuga ng hangin. "You know what I mean, darling."

Tumungo ako at dahan-dahang tumango sa sinabi niya.

"You rest, Kithin." aniya bago siya lumabas sa kwarto ko.

I took all my clothes and place it in the closet. I didn't ask for the help of the maids. Ginagawa ko naman ito sa States dahil wala naman kaming katulong doon. Mommy was very hands on in our home. We were low-key there kaya kung trabahong pambahay ang tatanungin, maalam din ako sa mga gawain.

After I fixed my clothes, I took a shower to freshen up. I also took my toiletries with me in the bathroom. I took my time generously in cleaning myself. I still have jetlag kasi and all I wanted to do is to relax my body.

I was laying on my bed and ready to sleep. Tinawag ako ni Kuya para mag-dinner but I refused to eat. I'm not hungry anyway. Gusto ko lamang ay magpahinga para makabawi ako ng lakas.

I took my phone to check my chats, hoping that Mommy dropped a message on my inbox but to my dismay, wala akong na-receive galing sa kanya. I went to her profile and made a message for her.

Ako:

I miss you, Mommy. Hope to get in touch with you, soon. I love you. Take care.

I sent the message. Ibinaba ko na ang cellphone ko at pinilit na ang sariling matulog na.