Sultry Affliction

Kabanata 1

Sinenyasan ko ang aming katiwala na akayin si Mommy papasok ng silid nito. Agad naman nila 'yong sinunod. Sa una ay pilit na tumatanggi si Mommy ngunit nang ako na ang lumapit ay agad naman siyang nagpatiuna. Seeing my mother cry makes my heart aches ten fold. Kung pwede lang na saluhin ko'ng lahat ang sakit na nadarama niya ay aakuin kong lahat iyon. I love her so much, but I hate her as well. I hate how dumb she was on still loving my father. I hate how she lost herself for the love that Robert Mahika didn't deserve. Hindi ko alam kung paanong pagmamahal pa rin ang dahilan nang pagpayag niya na iuwi rito ng daddy ang mga nagiging mga babae nito. Katangahan na ang tawag doon. He could spend all his money in a hotel or a private place to avoid controversy hindi 'yong dito siya nagkakalat.

"Why do you always endure the pain, Mom? Alam mong masakit na pero hinahayaan mo si Daddy."

"I-Iiwan niya ako kapag pinigilan ko siya," sisinghap-singhap niyang sambit. She was back facing me. Nakahiga siya sa kama. Her long gold silk robe is hugging her slender body. She was still regally beautiful even if she is in her forties. I was hoping that those tears in her beautiful eyes will stop falling soon. Iyong wala nang kasunod pa dahil kahit ako ay napapagod nang makita siya na laging nasa gano'ng lagay.

"Bakit hindi n'yo na lang hayaan? This madness can kill you, Mom," nawawalang pasensiya kong sambit.

"Then let him kill me if that's what makes him happy," mahina niyang tugon. Napailing na lang ako. I stood up and left. Wala namang saysay kung papangaralan ko pa siya dahil alam kong paulit-ulit lang niyang ipapaintindi sa akin kung gaano s'ya katanga pagdating sa pagmamahal. Pagkalabas pa lang ng silid ay nakita ko na agad ang dahilan kung bakit miserable na naman ang nanay ko.

Sinundan ko nang masamang tingin ang babaeng kalalabas lang ng guest room. Napapansin kong nadadalas ang impaktang 'to sa bahay namin. Pang-ilan na ba 'to mula nang simulan niya? Ah, panglima na pala. Minsan nga pinagdadasal ko na sana magkatulo si Robert or worst magka HIV siya para naman matahimik na siya sa kakatihan niya. Willing naman akong alagaan siya. That’s what families are for, right?

She was wearing a snake print crop top which compliments her b***h face, and a mini skirt. Mahihiya ang porn star kung makikita kung gaano kaiksi ang suot niyang 'yon. Too short that I want to rip it off of her. I'm sure that spreading her legs into a married man was her favorite hobby; there's no need to wear skirts.

Her p***y was free, so why bother?

She stopped in front of me, giving me a sarcastic smirk.

"Hi," she greeted. Too formal for a slut.

"Did you enjoy it?" I asked her, rolling my eyes. She smiled more.

"Of course. Your father is still a monster in bed," she chuckled annoyingly. Nakakadiri. Inilibot niya ang paningin sa buong kabahayan. Her eyes were screaming with greed. Typical b***h. Nang magsawa sa karangyaang nakikitang pinaghirapan ng aking mga magulang ay hinarap niya akong muli. She showed me her hand, one of her fingers was wearing a white diamond ring. My head spins with fire at the sight of it. Hindi pwede.

He can't just throw my mother away and marry some p***y free b***h.

"It fits you," I told her with a fake smile on my face. Bakas ang tuwa sa kanyang mukha. Akala niya siguro ay tanggap ko na siya. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili. I slapped her hard. She tried to beat me back, but I immediately grabbed her hand.

"See? My palm fits on your b***h face,” I told her, disgusted. Pilit siyang nagpumiglas, nang makawala sa mahigpit kong hawak ay nagumpisa nang magsisigaw.

"You b***h!" She screamed.

"Yes, b***h?" I retorted.

"Ahhhhh!!" She frustratedly screams again. "Robert! Robert!"

My hero of a father immediately attended her. Gulo-gulo pa ang buhok nito at halatang kagigising lang. He was still wearing his favorite robe.

"What the hell did you do again, Sinag?!" Punong-puno ng awtoridad niyang sigaw sa akin.

"Me? I'm innocent. I didn't do anything..." I put my hand to my chest at ipinakitang kunwaring nasasaktan sa totoo namang bintang.

"That will not hurt her..." he cut me off. My face lit again. You really know me, father.

"Well, yeah." I said, masayang tumango. "And it's fun. Don't be an angry lion, Dad. Where's the fun in that? Bitches are fun." I chuckled, ang tingin ay nasa kabit niya.

"You should learn to respect Phinny because I will marry her soon!" Oh, so she's Phinny. I already have a hint earlier dahil sa lahat ay siya ang pinakamatagal na naging laruan ng daddy ko. Hindi pa lang ako nababalikan ng kausap ko sa security agency regarding the investigation on Phinny kaya hindi pa maliwanag sa akin kung ano ang kanyang hitsura. In fairness, she still looks young even on her forties. She's petite, and I'm sure her skin was taken well of by a dermatologist. Being a high-class escort does good for her because she maintains being a goody-goddess like milf image. But nothing can beat the beauty of my mother. Simple but regal.

"Ano?! Muslim ka na ngayon? Bakit hindi naman ako na-inform?!" Hindi ko na rin napigilan ang pagtaas ng boses.

"You know from the start that this family is a mess. It just all started in a business deal..."

"Blah blah... And that my mother drugged and forced you into marriage. My god, Dad. Memorize ko na 'yan. Hindi naman dahilan 'yon para bastusin mo ang nanay ko. Are you for real?!" I frustratedly exclaimed.

I can do this all day. Kaya kong makipagsagutan kay Robert Mahika 24/7. Kung ganito naman ka-unreasonable ang makakaaway mo sino ba ang hindi gaganahan.

"I still love, Phinny," may diin niyang sabi. Pilit kong nilalabanan ang mga luhang gusto nang pumatak mula sa aking mga mata. Doble ang sakit niyon dahil alam kong totoo. Phinny is his ex long time girlfriend before my mother. I know that my mother's at fault too, but she didn't deserve this. Sana naman ay irespeto niya si mommy kahit bilang tao na lang. He always did his best to get rid of my mother by hurting us. Kaya nang magumpisang mambabae ang magaling kong ama ay pinili kong ilipat ng lugar ang mga kapatid ko. Nasa iisang bahay pa rin naman kami ngunit iba na ang pinto at silid nila upang hindi nila masaksihan ang ganitong eksena. Ipinahati ko iyon sa dalawa. Iba na rin ang entrance nila. Their rooms are soundproof too. Hindi maganda ang ganitong ganap lalong-lalo na kay Bituin dahil sa sakit niya sa puso. I don't want them to witnessed how disgusting this family is. 'Di baleng ako na lang.

Sabagay, ako lang naman lagi ang nag-e-effort na maging maayos ang pamilyang ito. Sabay-sabay pa rin kaming kumakain araw-araw na parang isang masayang pamilya. Itong ginagawa niyang harap-harapang kababuyan ay sinasadya niya para sukuan siya ni mommy. Na hindi ko maunawaan kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay mahal na mahal pa rin siya ng mommy ko. Nagkaanak na ang magaling niyang asawa sa iba ay buong puso pa rin niyang tinanggap ang bata. Noong una ay hindi ko matanggap na dito titira sa aming bahay si Happy - my youngest step sister. But her smile made me realize that she didn't do wrong, she's just a child na gaya namin ay biktima rin ng magulong pamilya. And I adore my mother for that because she wholeheartedly accepted Happy like her own child.

Being in this crazy family is just too much. Para akong refiree na laging handang umawat sa tuwing may sabong silang dalawa. Ako lahat ang sumasalo sa lahat ng hinaing nila sa isa't- isa.

"You just love her p***y," nang-uuyam kong dagdag.

"Bastos ka talagang bata ka!"

"Thanks to you. Aren't you proud?" I mockingly said.

Kasunod ng maanghang na salitang 'yon ay ang malakas na sampal na punong-puno ng galit. Bakit nga ba hindi? Kung hindi dahil sa dumating na isang Sinag Mahika ay hindi naman siya mapipilitang pakasalan ang mommy ko. I know that he hates me very much and the feeling is mutual.

"I regret every day that you came to my life and that you are my child." He was pointing his finger at me. "Kung hindi dahil sa'yo, 'di sana ay maganda ang kinahinatnan ng buhay ko." I smiled at him, but my eyes are starting to shower its pain.

"You didn't need to remind me that every damn time that we're fighting because even in my dreams, you, being my father, is my everyday nightmare." Kung gaano katalim ang mga salitang binitawan niya patungkol sa akin ay hindi ako nagpatalo. I made sure that my words will hunt him, too, even in his sleep.

I stood up and regained my composure. Phinny was smiling in victory. Ang nang-uuyam na ngiti ay unti-unting napalitan ng kaba nang lumapit akong muli sa kanya.

"You will never be a Mahika, my dear harlot," mariin kong anas sa mukha niya.

"You can't stop me, brat," nanggigil niyang tugon.

I raised an eyebrow and gave her a smirk. Is she underestimating Sinag Mahika, huh?

"Watch me."