The Playboy's Downfall

"The plane bound to Palawan crashed at eleven in the morning today. Fortunately, no one was killed during the crash and seventy of those onboard have been rescued. According to the airline, it was figured in a landing mishap. However, the victims and their families have been blaming the pilot on duty for what happened because of his incompetency. So far, the airline already fired Iverson Fontanilla, the pilot in charge---" "This is bullshit!" The voice of the Fontanilla patriarched roared around the house, making everyone shiver in fear. Iverson subtly looked towards his father but he immediately looked away when he found out that he was also looking at him. He swallowed the lump on his throat. "Dad, I'm sorry, okay?" mahinang sambit niya at pasimpleng pinatay ang telebisyon. Damon Fontanilla, his Dad, heaved a deep sigh. "Magsabi ka nga, Iverson. Saan ba kami nagkulang ng Mom mo sa pagpapalaki sa 'yo? Bakit sa dami-raming puwede mong i-ambag sa pamilya, gulo pa?" Inis na tanong nito sa anak. Iverson casually leaned on his seat and lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. "Dad, hindi lang naman kaguluhan ang ambag ko sa pamilya natin," sambit niya at nakangiting tumingin sa ama. "Kaguwapuhan din--- Aray naman! Mom!" Hindi pa man natatapos ang sasabihin niya ay tumama na sa kaniyang mukha ang ibinatong unan ng ina. He looked towards her, feeling betrayed. "Mom, akala ko ba, kampi tayo?" Parang batang tanong niya rito. "Alam mo, anak, tingin ko expired ang sperm ng Tatay mo noong ginawa ka namin," seryosong sambit ng ina na siyang ikinakunot ng noo niya. "Kitten," reklamo ng kaniyang ama. Iverson's Mom laughed. Hindi naman napigilang mapailing ni Iverson dahil sa inasal ng kaniyang ama at ina. Cringey. That's the first word that came through his mind while looking towards his parents. "Mom, Dad, nawala na naman kayo sa topic. Si Kuya ang pinag-uusapan natin, ano." Iverson's shoulder fell when his little sister, Iris, spoke. "Iris," mahinang reklamo niya sa kapatid ngunit nginitian lamang siya nito. Nang muli naman niyang ibinalik ang tingin sa mga magulang ay nakatingin na muli ang mga ito sa kaniya. His father cleared his throat. "Why did you do that, Iverson?" striktong tanong nito. "Dad, it wasn't that serious---" "It is! Magpasalamat ka na lamang at walang namatay dahil kung mayroon, nasa kulungan ka na ngayon." His mother, Ivy Fontanilla, cut his words off. Iverson let out a harsh breath, his lips puckered. "Okay," mahinang pagsuko niya sa ina. He is a Mama's boy and the last thing that he wants to do is to contradict his Mom's statement. Sa dami na yata ng babaeng nasaktan niya, ang ina ang babaeng hindi niya kayang saktan. Mamatay muna siya bago saktan ang ina. "Balita ko ay hindi naman talaga ikaw ang in-charge sa flight na iyon, Iverson. Why did you took over? Kung hindi ka sana nakipagpalit ng shift, sana hindi na nangyari ang lahat ng ito," tanong ng kaniyang ama. Iris, his sister, faked a cough. "Girls ehem girls," pasimpleng sumbong nito. Tiningnan nang masama ni Iverson ang kapatid. Of course, Iris knows his reason. Palaging nakasunod sa kaniya ang kapatid at alam ang bawat galaw niya. Iris is like a lost puppy whenever she's not with his brother. Kahit na nag-aaral na ito ng abogasiya, nakadepende pa rin ito sa kaniyang pilotong kapatid. Their father heaved a deep sigh. "What's with the girls again? Ang mga babae mo na naman ang naging sanhi ng problema," naiiling na tanong nito. "Dad, huwag na nating pag-usapan 'yan. I am already fired so---" "I want an explanation, son," pagputol ng ama sa dapat ay sasabihin niya. Iverson slouched. "Dad, I have the right to remain silent. Anything I say can and will be used against me in a court of law. I have the right to have an attorney. If I cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for me," proud na sambit niya sa ama. Sa halip na tigilan siya ng ama ay napailing ito at tinaasan siya ng kilay. "That Miranda Rights doesn't apply in this family, Fontanilla. You can't get away with it." "But Dad. . ." "Kitten, pagsabihan mo 'tong anak mo bago pa ako mapuno," tila naiinis na utos ng kaniyang ama sa kaniyang ina. Muli namang napalabi si Iverson nang tingan siya ng ina na parang nagbabanta. Wala siyang nagawa kung hindi ang mapailing. Tingin palang, alam na niyang nagagalit na rin ang ina niya dahil sa ginagawa niya. He drew in a long breath as he turned his head up to look towards his parents. "Puro matatandang flight attendant kasi 'yong magiging kasama ko sa flight tapos may lay over pa kaya. . ." A playful smirk etched on his lips as he scratched his nape. "Kaya nakipagpalit ako, Mom." Mas lalong sumama ang timpla ng mukha ng Mom at Dad niya kaya't napatingin siya sa nakababatang kapatid. He slightli nudged her arm and smiled awkwardly towards her, asking for a back up. Napailing si Iris. "Mom, Dad, kilala niyo naman si Kuya. Malay niyo kung hindi siya nakipagpalit, may manugang na kayong tanders," pagtatanggol ni Iris sa kapatid na siyang ikinangiti ni Iverson. "Hindi ko na talaga alam ang gagawin sa inyong magkapatid. You always got each other back. . . but not in a nice way," tila dissapointed sa komento ng ama. Iverson and Iris lifted their shoulder in a half shrug. Iverson is five years older than Iris kaya naman nang lumabas si Iris ay hindi na siya hiniwalayan ng kapatid. Iverson spoiled her too much that even now that they're old, Iris still depends on him. Magsasalita pa sana sila nang pumaosok sa study area ng ama sina Deborah at Darshiannah, ang kambal at pinakabata nilang kapatid. Darshiannah is beaming with happiness as she excitedly kissed their parent's cheeks samantalang nakabusangot naman si Deborah. "What's wrong, Devs?" Iverson asked her little sister in a low voice. Deborah turned her head towards him. "Kuya, I heard you're fired from work. Ibig sabihin ba niyan, hindi na tayo puwedeng sumakay sa airplane?" Inosenteng tanong nito na siyang ikinatawa ni Iverson. He pat the space beside him. Agad namang umupo roon si Deborah at niyakap ang kapatid. "Kuya, sabi mo pupunta pa tayo ng Japan 'di ba? Hindi na ba 'yon matutuloy?" she asked once again. "Oo nga, Kuya. Sabi mo rin sasamahan mo akong bumili ng mochi sa Korea. Paano na 'yon?" dagdag na tanong naman ni Darshiannah bago umupo sa tabi ng Ate Iris niya. Sabay na napailing ang mag-asawang Fontanilla habang pinapanood ang mga anak nila. Even though they're glad that their children grew up very close, hindi pa rin nila mapigilang sisihin si Iverson dahil sa pags-spoil nito sa mga nakababatang kapatid. Their father cleared his throat. "Girls, hindi muna matutuloy 'yang ipinangako sa inyo ng Kuya niyo." And as expected, Iris, Deborah, and Darshiannah sighed in unison. Hindi naman sila makatanggi sa sinabi ng ama dahil ayaw nilang kontrahin ito. "At ikaw naman, Iverson, doon ka muna si Tita Nellie mo habang isinisettle ko ang ginawa mo. Baka mamaya, kasuhan ka pa ng mga biktima kahit na wala namang nasaktan. I'll handle it for the mean time. Just make sure that this is the last time, all right? Sa susunod, hindi na kita tutulungan." Nagkibit balikat naman si Iverson sa ama. Kahit na ayaw niyang tumanggap ng tulong sa ama, wala naman siyang magagawa dahil alam niyang magaling na abogado ang ama at hindi siya pababayaan. Asking for help is normal, isn't it? At isa pa, siguradong hindi siya maboboring doon sa hacienda. He haven't tried flirting with a probinsiyana, maybe it's the perfect time to try one. The corner of his lips quirked up just by thinking about it. "Kina Tita Nellie, Dad? Sa hacienda? Sama ako!" Iverson's smile fell upon hearing what Iris said. Agad namang suamng-ayon ang kambal na siyang mas ikinasimangot ni Iverson. "Girls, dito muna kayo sa bahay habang nasa probinsiya ang Kuya Iverson niyo," sambit ng ina na siyang ikinatuwa ni Iverson. "I'll teach you some basic life skills para nama hindi kayo palaging nakadepende sa Kuya niyo." Nakahinga nang maluwag si Iverson nang marinig ang sinabi ng ina. Kahit saang anggulo talaga, his Mom always got his back. "Alam ko ang iniisip mo, Iverson," naiiling na sabi ng ama habang nakatingin sa ama. "Don't you ever flirt with anyone there. Spare them from your playboy tactics." Nagkibit balikat si Iverson. "Okay, Dad," tanging sagot niya. Iris nudged his arm. Napatingin naman si Iverson sa direksiyon ng kapatid. Iris smiled playfully as she leaned towards her brother to whisper something. "Kuya, sabi ni Dad, don't flirt with anyone raw. Flirt lang. Hindi naman niya sinabi na huwag kang magmahal." Napailing si Iverson. "Loving isn't in my vocabulary, Iris. That's gross." ----