The Legal Mistress

Chapter 15

Nakaramdam ng uhaw ang may bahay na si Nathalie kaya naman ipinasya nyang pumanhik pababa ng kanilang kwartong nasa ikalawang palapag ng mansyon. Bagamat merong sadyang mini ktchen sa loob ng kanilang silid mag asawa ay mas ginusto nyang bumaba ng kanilang kusina upang icheck nadin ang kanyang anak na si Kendrick kung ito'y naka balik na mula nang sundan nito ang dalagang si Nikyle.

Bago ito bumaba ay sinilip nya muna sa kanilang sariling silid ang kanyang mga apong mahimbing na natutulog saka tuluyang bumaba.

Papunta na sana ito sa kanyang malawak na kusina ng may maulinagan syang nag uusap sa kanilang private bar. Napakunot ang kanyang noo dahil sa mga boses na tila nag aasaran at nagsasagutan. Lumapit ito ng bahagya at sumilip, she stood there without moving a muscle at patuloy lang na nakikinig sa usapan ng dalawang tao hanggang sa marinig nya ang halakhak ng anak nitong si Kendrick.

Seeing the sight of Kendrick's genuine laugh's makes Nathalie smiled. Sa loob ng ilang buwan mula ng iwan ito ng asawa ay ngayon nya lang ulit nakitang tumawa ang kanyang anak. A laugh without trying, without pretending. She saw Kendrick's face glow as well as his eyes that almost teared up from laughing. Her heart as a mother was filled with joy.

Napatigil naman si Kendrick sa paghalakhak ng mapansin ang repleksyon ng anino sa pintuan ng mapatingin ito sa dakong iyon.

"Come out! I knew you were there, your shadow already betrayed you." Bulalas nito.

Hindi naman ito nabigo dahil mula sa pinagtataguan ay lumabas ang bulto ng kanyang ina.

"Ma? What are you doing there? Wait... are you eves dropping?" Takang tanong ng lalaki.

"Sorry, I was just passing by when I heard voices. Akala ko nga minumulto na itong mansyon dahil kalaki laking bahay pero iilan lang ang nakatira. And no I wasn't eves dropping." Nathalie answered.

Tumaas naman ang isang kilay ni Kendrick sa sinabi ng ina. "You're eavesdropping aren't you?" He asked again with a straight face.

"No! Goodness No! Napadaan lang ako kase nga iinum sana ako ng tubig." Nathalie explained.

"Mom.. you're in a different direction, the kitchen is just right there while were here at the corner." Hindi kumbinsidong ani Kendrick.

"Ahmn... magandang gabi po!" Subalit ay agaw ni Nikyle in an awkward voice."

"Oh hi there young lady! So, I can see na okay na kayo ng anak ko? Hindi na ba mataas ang dugo nya sayo?" Nakangiting tanung ni Nathalie ngunit ang tingin ay sa anak.

"Naku Maam! Ang hirap pong paamuhin ng anak mo." Kiming ngiti ni Nikyle.

"But you made him laughed just a while ago! Alam mo bang it's been months since narinig ko syang tumawa, genuinely." Pagbibigay diin nito sa huling salita.

"Ahhh opo! We were talking about our high school days. He was my senior back then. Nagbalik tanaw lang po kami sa mga random events and people from our school." Nikyle answered.

"Oh is that so? I see you were having a good time with those golden liquid of mine." Ani Nathalie na naka tingin sa hawak nyang baso na may lamang alak. Pinamulahan naman si Nikyle sa hiya sa pag aakalang ayaw ng ginang na inumin nito ang alak nya.

"I thought you were heading to the kitchen mom?" Kendrick asked instead.

"Yeah! But I changed my mind. Alak nalang pala ang iinumin ko. Total mukhang nagkakasiyahan kayong

dalawa, would you mind if I join you guys?" His mother smiled playfully.

"Oo naman po! After all, you were the queen of this mansion." Nikyle answered cheerfully kahit na mejo nahihiya.

"See? Buti pa itong batang ito." tukoy ni Nathalie kay Nikyle habang nakamata sa anak.

"So tell me Ms. Silva. How was my son during his highschool years?" Pag uumpisa ni Nathalie sa topiko habang nagsasalin ng alak sa kanyang glass wine.

"What's there to know mom? Alam mo naman lahat since you're the type of a mother na pinapa bantayan ang kanyang anak sa mga teachers, guard's, and kung sino pang mga tao na pwede mong maging mata sa paligid ko." Kendrick protested.

"I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to her!" Nguso ni Nathalie kay Nikyle.

Tinignan naman ni Nikyle si Kendrick saka ibinalik ang tingin sa ginang na naghihintay sa mga sasabihin nito.

"Ah.. well, what can I say po ba? Everybody knows Mr. Kendrick Zarate. He is the most popular student sa school. Actually I remembered all the girls in that campus, sa tuwing dadaan sya noon, they literally had their jaws dropped. Halos maihi pa ang iba sa kakiligan at pagtili madaanan lang sila ng tingin ng anak ninyo." Balik tanaw ni Nikyle sa nakaraan.

"Hmn.. and you were not one of those girls na tinutukoy mo ganoon ba?" Nathalie asked while looking intently at Nikyle's face.

"I'm so sorry to disappoint you po pero, I don't find him attractive. The way na tignan sya ng mga fellow school mates ko, he's handsome yes, he has this great s*x appeal and charm but, I don't know..... maybe hindi lang po talaga sya ang tipo ko. Saka kase hindi naman po yun ang priority ko that time." Nikyle answered straightforwardly.

"You sure? You don't feel any kilig towards my son? What about now then? Look at him!" Hablot ni Nathalie sa braso ng anak saka pilit na iniharap kay Nikyle. "Take a good close look! What can you say now? You feel anything?" Tila umaasang ngiti ni Nathalie.

Napamulagat naman ni Nikyle sa inasta ng ginang.

"Ahhhh.....nah, I'm sorry." Tanging sambit nito na maasim ang mukha.

"Ughhh!" Laylay ang balikat na ani Nathalie. "Ang pangit mo na anak! I suggest you better work on that face of yours. And also your body. You should go to the gym more often. Nagkaka butchog kana!" Walang anumang sambit ni Nathalie.

"What??" Lukot na lukot na mukha ni Kendrick. "Why would I do those unnecessary stuffs just to please this woman?" Turo ni Kendrick kay Nikyle na muling napamulagat at itinuro din ang sarili.

"But I didn't say na para sa kanya iho!" Prenteng upo ng ginang sa velvet na sofa ng kanyang personal bar. "I asked her opinion yes. But I didn't say na para sa kanya. You know what Kendrick, mahalaga ang opinyon ng ibang tao kung minsan. Because sometimes it helps you shape up and improve yourself for the better."

"But her opinion doesn't count. She's..." putol ni Kendrick sa mga iba pang sasabihin saka bumulong sa ina.

"Oh! That's not true!" Bulalas ni Nathalie. "Of course her opinion does matter. She's a woman, an intelligent, capable beautiful woman."

"Ma!" Pigil na sigaw ni Kendrick sa ina saka pasimpleng tumingin kay Nikyle dahil sa hiya ngunit naka tingin din pala ang dalaga sa kanya, dahilan upang magkatagpo ang kanilang mga mata.

"Alright, what I mean about what I told my mom is... you're opinion doesn't matter because you don't like me from the beginning at mas lalo pa nung nireject ko yung company nyo. I mean, your judgement could be biased." Kendrick told Nikyle.

"Hmn. You don't have to be defensive about it." Nikyle answered back which makes Kendrick uncomfortable.

"I am not!" Kendrick tried to correct it.

"Your body language says otherwise." Ngisi nito.

"But I am not, really!" Subalit ay tanggi parin ng lalaki.

"Hmn. 'kay!" Kibit balikat ni Nikyle saka sumimsim ng alak.

"You don't believe me don't you?" Seryosong tanung ni Kendrick habang pilit hinuhuli ang mga mata ng dalaga.

"Does it matter if maniwala ako o hindi? Gaya nga ng sinabi mo, my opinion doesn't matter, right?" Balik tanung ni Nikyle sa lalaking pinamumulahan na ng mukha.

"You're really good at getting back to my words noh?Grabe... " Tanging nasabi nalang ni Kendrick na sinagot lamang ni Nikyle ng pag kibit nito ng kanyang mga balikat.

"Does that mean you accept your defeat?" Nikyle asked with her eyebrows lifted.

"For now." He faintly answered.

"You know what guy's, sometimes your enemies are your best critic. And you can use that as an advantage to correct your flaws and be the best version of yourself." Nathalie, while playing with her glass wine.

"I don't understand why I have this feeling na parang mas kinakampihan mo sya over me." Tila nag tatampong ani Kendrick.

Nathalie laughed. "Are you serious about that mijo? Gosh!" and she continued laughing.

"Tsk!" Iiling iling na ani Nikyle sa sulok habang pinagmamasdan ang lalaki.

"Ano? Ano nanaman?" Tila batang api na tanung ng lalaki.

Napatawa naman ng bahagya si Nikyle sa asta ng lalaki.

"Ang laki mong tao pero ganyan? Ang cute mo pala pag napipikon ka noh? Mas gusto tuloy kita pag ganyan ka kesa pag seryoso ka." Wala sa sariling ani Nikyle little did she realized what she just said.

"Wait, it's not what you think it is. That's not what I mean. I mean mas maganda pala pag napipikon ka kase umaamo ka that's it."

"Hmn. You don't have to be defensive about it." Kendrick shortly answered.

"Wha--? Hah! Sagot ko yan sayo kanina ah! And no, I am not trying to be defensive!" Mulagat ni Nikyle.

"Well... your body language says the otherwise." Naka halukipkip na muling sagot ni Kendrick.

"Waaahhh... Hah! Grabe!" Tanging sagot ni Nikyle habang tinitignan si Kendrick.

"Thank you for teaching me nga pala how to get back on you. Your tricked is great but it backfired on you. Thank you ha, I really appreciate it!" Tila madamdaming ani Kendrick na naka dampi pa ang palad sa kanyang sariling dibdib sabay ngisi.

"Your welcome!" Mapaklang sagot ni Nikyle.

"Does that mean you accept your defeat?" Muling tanung ni Kendrick.

"Tsk! Really?" Nikyle rolled her eyeballs. "You're being so immature now."

Napalabi na lamang si Kendrick saka nag kibit balikat at uminom ng alak.

Habang nag babangayan ang dalawa ay mataman lamang na pinapanood at nakikinig si Nathalie sa kanyang kinauupuan. She didn't want to interrupt the two kaya inisip na lamang nyang nanonood sya ng live taping para sa isang scene ng pelikula. Marami syang alalahanin para sa anak this past few months and right now, she's in a cloud nine by just merely watching her son so alive and being his self while teasing and having argument with the woman across her.

"Tsk! Bagay talaga kayo nung syota mong yun noon noh? Ano na ulit pangalan nun? Micah? Oo, Micah ata. Tsk! Napaka immature nyong dalawa, jusko pati pagiging Ms. Roseville High bini big deal dzahhh! Mas maganda naman ako dun, lamang lang sya ng isang boteng glutathione saakin, pero mas attractive at mas maganda ako sa kanya, pshh!"

"What about it?" The small smiles in his face quickly wiped out upon realising who she was talking about.

Nathalie also straightened her back upon hearing his cold voice again.

"Remember that Mr. and Ms. Roseville High contest? Walang dudang ikaw na ang panalo noon for male candidates, but not in my case! I know I can win the contest but what did your syota did? She ruined everything. Kaya nga hindi ako nagtagal sa school na yun at nag transfer na lang ulit ako." Walang anong ani Nikyle na napahalukipkip.

"Elaborate it." Utos ni Kendrick na nacurious nadin sa topikong iyon.

"She's a crazy b*tch! Sorry ahh baka may feelings kapa sa Ex mong yun pero baliw talaga yun, sinungaling pa. She spread nasty gossips about me being a daughter's w***e and that I am no different from my Mom daw... She even locked me in sa c.r ng mga lalaki for almost four hours bago nya ako tinakot at sinaktan, na kapag hindi ako umatras ay mas malala pa ang pwede nyang gawin saakin. Imagine that horror I've been through dahil lang sa isang petty contest?" Kita sa ekspresyon ng mukha ni Nikyle ang halo halong emosyon habang ikinukwento ang nakaraan.

"No, Milcah wouldn't do that. She's not that kind of a person." Kendrick defended his wife while he tightly closed his fist.

"Wow ha! So ano? Sinungaling ako? Gawa gawa ko lang at yung takot na nararamdaman ko noon imagination ko lang ganoon ba?" Nikyle answered back.

"I've known Milcah almost half of my life. She's the sweetest and one of the kindess person na nameet ko sa buong buhay ko. Kaya imposible talaga yang sinasabi mo."

"You know what, some people are really good at hiding their demon's. We always have our dark sides but Milcah's? Boy... you better run away from her, she's up to no good. She maybe a saint to your eyes, but you can't erase my ugly memories of her. She bullied me. Lock me up and tortured me. That thirty minutes with her in that comfort room is literally a hell for me." Nikyle's eyes was shining in tears as the flash back starts to kick in her memories.

"She would never." Subalit ay pilit ni Kendrick.

"So ayaw mo maniwala? Okay! Madali lang naman ako kausap. Bahala ka. Why don't you asked nalang yung mga friends nya noon. Lalo na yung Lucy na yun. I will never ever forget kung gaanu katinis ang halakhak nya noong nakita nyang sinampal sampal ako ng jowa mo left and right. Hindi ko maintindihan kong paano nila ikinatutuwa ang p*******t sa isang taong walang kalaban laban. At mas lalong hindi ko maintindihan kong bakit napaka big deal sa kanila ang pagiging candidate ko gayong hindi lang naman ako ang contestant noon sa patimpalak na iyon. I mean, bakit ako? Ni hindi ko nga sila kilala o nakakausap. I don't even know their names not until they did that to me." Naguguluhang tanung ni Nikyle.

"Why didn't you report it then? Maniniwala pa ako kung pinagsabihan ka lang nya but to beat you? Lock you up? Nahh! I wouldn't believe that!" Kendrick shooked his head.

"I did. I told Mr. Romualdez about what happened but he didn't believed me kahit na nasa mukha ko na ang ebidensya. He saw my busted lips, swollen cheeks and messy hair. Pero alam mo ba kung anong sinabi nya? He said "You did it to yourself". Can you believe that? Ako? Gagawin ko yun sa sarili ko? Hindi pa sira ang tuktuk ko para gawin ang bagay na iyon."

"Baka naman nagkamali ka lang. Baka hindi si Milcah yun. Baka nagkamali ka lang." Kendrick once again defended his wife.

"No! Hinding hindi ako magkakamali. The moment she turned on the light I already memorized her face. How she smirked, how she flipped her hair and put it behind her ears, how she lit and hold s that stick and smoke it. I can definitely identify her, nasa memorya ko yun! Nandito lang yun!" Turo nito sa sentido.

"At dito!" Turo din nito sa kanyang kaliwang bahagi ng dibdib.

"Tsk! Really? You can identify her but you don't remember exactly her name? For the record it's Milcah not Micah." He corrected.

"I know kunwari lang na nakalimutan ko, hindi ko ninais na buksan ang isa sa mga mapapait na kabanata sa buhay ko but you insisted. I thought nag aasaran lang tayo until this conversation became heavier than expected that leads me to open up about my past. This is the reason why nahihirapan akong iopen up ang mapait kong karanasan sa kung sino sino lang dahil minsan ako pa na biktima ang hindi pinapaniwalaan." May bahid na sama ng loob na ani Nikyle.

"Im so sorry iha.. I'm sorry you have to go through all of that." Nathalie came forward and comforted the lady.

Hindi naman naka imik si Kendrick. Gulong gulo ito sa mga narinig.

"Milcah Tuazon, Lucy Briones and Chelsea Buer." Nikyle mumbled out of the blue na nagpatigil kay Kendrick sa pag lagok sana ng alak.

"Sound familiar? Kase sila lang naman yung nag tulong tulong para gawin saakin ang mga bagay na iyon. Yung Milcah na akala mong santa, demonyita yun! Wala na akong ibang narinig sa kanya kundi panay mura habang lumalagapak ang malulutong nyang sampal sa kabilaang pisngi ko. Sa lahat ng mga sasabihin nya, walang linya ang walang mura. Kung nasaan man ang babaeng iyon sana sinisingil na sya ng karma. I wish her ill. I wish her dead!" Walang emosyong ani Nikyle sa mga huling salitang binitawan nito.

"Let's say totoong ginawa nya ang mga ipinaparatang mo sa kanya. Still, you don't have the right to speak ill about her, or to wish her dead." Kendrick's tone became dark and cold.

"At bakit hindi? Hindi mo alam kung anung ginawa saakin ng babaeng yun. Hindi ikaw ako! Palibhasa kase ex mo, palibhasa kase okay ang trato nya sayo! If I wish her dead, well that's because she deserves it!" May halong galit sa tono ni Nikyle.

"But my boys doesn't deserve to be motherless." Mababa ngunit may hinanakit din sa tono ni Kendrick.

Napakunot ang noo ni Nikyle pagkatapos ay ang bahagyang pagka bigla nang mag sink in sa utak ni Nikyle ang sinabi ng lalaki.

"Yes. That crazy b***h is no other than my wife." Sa wakas ay bulalas ng lalaki saka pasimpleng tumayo mula sa stool na kinauupuan at lumakad palabas ng bar.

"Hhindi ko po alam." Nikyle in an apologetic voice to Nathalie while watching the man's back leaving.

"It's okay. Sometimes, when we can't paint our feelings we simply curse people just to make us feel better."

"Not in my case." Nikyle replied. "Cursing her doesn't make me feel better. She's one of those people who caused me pain and trauma. And until now I am suffering because of what she did to me." Naka tulalang wala sa loob na ani Nikyle.

"I'm sorry to ask you iha.. pero, what do you think is the reason para magawa ni Milcah ang bagay na iyon sayo? Wala ka bang nagawa? May atraso kaba sa mga friends nya or something that might be the cause?" asked Nathalie.

"I promise, I'm clueless. I honestly don't know them although nakikita ko siya na madalas kasama ang anak nyo. I'm just a transfer student that time pero mula nang magperform ako sa isang program ng school ay naging matunog ang pangalan ko. I gained popularity. A lot of boys are trying to court me, girls are trying to make friends with me, the very reason why my classmates voted for me as their class muse."

Isang malalim na buntong hininga ang pinakawalan ni Nathalie. "You win some, you lose some. If everybody loves you, malamang ay meron ding mga may ayaw sayo."

"Yeah, I guess so." Maikling sagot ng dalaga.

"So what happened after?" Nathalie asked while pouring her glass trying to dig deeper.

"Ho?" Nikyle asked feeling puzzled.

"I mean, after that incident na nilock ka nila at binugbog? Did they leave you just like that?"

Suminghot si Nikyle bago sumagot. "I... actually I passed out po. Nagising nalang po ako when the security guard tried to woke me up. He saw me at that state and even offered to call for help or my parents but I declined. Nagpatulong na lang po akong tumayo because I couldn't get up on my own. My knees are still shaking." Kumikinang ang mga matang dulot ng namumuong mga luha.

"I went home with a messy face and bruised body. Then... then my Mom saw me in that state." Napalunok si Nikyle at tuluyan na ngang nalaglag ang kanyang mga luha.

"I still remember the look on her face. She looks at me, amused. Kung ang ibang ina ay natataranta kapag nakita ang kanilang anak sa ganoong itsura malamang ay magmamadali silang magtanung kung anung nangyari o kung sino ang may gawa nun sa kanila. But my mother is different. She simply lit a smoke. Ibinuga ang usok sa mukha ko saka tumingin saakin ng mula ulo hanggang paa na para bang inaarok ang aking pagkatao." Nikyle wiped her tears immediately saka suminghot.

"She didn't asked what happened to me. I couldn't believe what she told me instead."

Nathalie who was silently listening became emotional.

"Why didn't you faught back? You deserve whatever happens to you because you're weak. You can't even defend yourself. It's a shame for having you as my child." "Those are the exact words that I heard from her. Ang sakit lang. Paano nya nasasabi iyon saakin. Sa harapan nya ay ang anak nyang putok ang labi at puro pasa tapos sasabihan ka nya ng ganun. Mas gusto ko pang saktan ako ng paulit ulit ng ibang tao kesa marinig ang mga nakaka pilas ng pusong salita mula sa sarili kong ina. Hindi ko maintindihan kong bakit ganun sya saakin. Hindi ko alam kung bakit kahit magkasama kami sa iisang bahay ay pakiramdam ko ang layo layo nya saakin. Napaka layo ng loob nya saakin. Kahit ilang beses kong triny, sinubukang ilapit yung sarili ko at gawin ang lahat ng gusto nyang ay hindi parin iyon sumapat upang makuha ko ang pagmamahal na nililimos ko sa kanya. Bakit ganun? Bakit ang lupit lupit nya saakin?" Tuluyang hagulgul ni Nikyle. She poured her heart out sa kanlungan ng ginang.

Hindi naman malaman ni Nathalie ang sasabihin sa dalaga. Her heart cries out for her. Awang awa ito sa dalaga kaya naman inalo alo nya ito upang maibsan ang kanyang bigat na nararamdaman.