"A-anong ibig mong sabihin?" Utal na tanong ko kay Lance. Our house? Bakit?
"Lilipat kayo dito ni Jared. Dito kayo titira. Kasama ako." He said with finality.
"Pero bakit?" Parang tangang tanong ko sa kanya. I wasn't able to process everything! Parang nag loading ang utak ko simula kanina.
Tinignan ako ni Lance na parang hindi makapaniwala sa tanong ko.
"Do you want everything to be taken care by the judge or just stay, and live with me?"
Nanlaki ang mata ko sa kanyang mensahe. He's willing to face everything inside the court! Paano kung matalo ako? Plus, he has connections. He might use it just so he could have my son. No way!
"M-may iba pa bang paraan?" I don't know why I asked that question. Anong klaseng tanong ba ang binanggit ko?
"You only have two options." Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay habang ang akin ay nagkasalubong.
"It's either you face me inside the court or.. marry me and live with me." He added that made me more shocked.
That fast?! I mean, no.. what?
My heart raced faster than normal. Anong klaseng options 'yon?
"Ang bilis!" Napatakip ako sa sarili kong bibig.
"What? May anak na tayo, gusto mo bang ligawan pa kita?" He stated.
"I mean, si Jared.. baka magulat.. magtaka."
How would I tell my son that the man he's been spending time with is his real father?
"Baka.. magalit sayo." Dagdag ko pa.
What if I am right? Lance isn't with us since then. Paano kung magalit ang anak ko at biglang ayawan si Lance? Paano kung dahil sa katotohanan ay masira ang relasyon ng mag-ama? But then, I realized.. we would not know the real reaction if we would not try, right?
"He won't." Siguradong saad niya.
"Follow me." Dagdag pa niya at naglakad.
I stood from where I am for a few seconds bago ako sumunod sa kanya. This is huge.. huge thing to decide to.
Hindi ako naghintay ng pahintulot mula kay Lance. I sat on the couch. Siya naman ay kumuha ng isang baso at naglagay ng alak doon. I could say na nanggaling na siya rito, dahil napansin kong may bawas na ang alak na nasa bote.
Nakatalikod sa akin si Lance at pinanood ko ang paggalaw ng katawan niya habang umiinom ng alak.
"You're not planning to tell me everything, right?" Bigla siyang nagsalita at humarap sa akin. Kita ko ang iba't ibang klase ng emosyong nasa mata niya.
Kinabahan akong bigla sa sinabi niya.
"What do you mean?" Tanong ko, hindi ko pinahalata an kabang nararamdaman.
"About Jared." He stated.
"Tell me, may plano ka bang aminin sa akin? Did you know everything about my real relationship with Jared in the first place?" Seryoso ang mukha niya ngayon na mas lalong nagpakaba sa akin.
"You think I wouldn't notice? My friends told me he looks like me. Even my Mom. But I didn't agree with them in the first place. All I think about was it may be possible to look like someone, may mga gano'n, hindi ba? Plus, I never thought of having a kid with a stranger. I always.. use protection." Tumikhim siya.
Namamawis ang kamay ko dahil sa higpit ng pagkakahawak ko sa couch. This is one of a big revalation!
"Not until I remembered 5 years ago. I got curious. His allergy, I have it too. I did a research if it is possible to pass an allergy to a child through genes and it says yes. My Mom always told me to check for Jared. To check if he's my son. Pero hindi ko sinunod and just sticked with my thoughts, but one day, I thought of having a DNA test." He added.
Napalunok lamang ako. Hindi makapagsalita. I was still processing everything he said.
So, he knew. He knew all along. That Jared is our son. He knew it.
Kailan? Kailan pa? Kaya ba niya binibisita ang anak ko? Kaya ba nakipag close siya rito ay dahil sa opinyon ng mga kaibigan niya?
Would he still be close to my son even though he didn't receive those compliments na magkamukha sila or not?
May kinuha siyang envelop na nakapatong sa center table. He opened it and nilabas niya ang mga papeles na naroon sa loob ng envelop.
"This is the paper that.. stated that I am Jared's biological father." He said.
Umiinit na ang gilid ng aking mga mata.
"Alam ko na ang lahat bago ka pa man nadulas sa salita."
Huminga siya nang malalim. "I was expecting that you don't know anything not until I heard those words from you."
Nilipat ko ang mga tingin ko, dahil konti na lang ay tutulo na ang luha ko.
"I..." Hindi ko alam kung ano ang tamang salita na ilabas. Should I say sorry? Sorry for hiding it from him? Or should I tell him my reasons?
Nangangapa ako ng salitang maaari kong ilabas, ngunit wala akong makapa.
"Why?" Tanong niya sa akin.
"Why did you hide him from me?" Napalunok ako. I guess I can tell him my reasons now?
"I pity him. He didn't had a chance to have a father that's why I agreed to call me his 'Daddy'. I know how it feels to not have a father. I've experienced it since I was a teen. I was bullied for not having my father. Like Jared, napapaisip din ako if where my father is." Nanatili akong tahimik sa kanyang kwento.
"I was nearly an adult when I knew about my father. I was first angry at him for leaving us, but he has his reasons. It was both of him and my Mom's fault. My Mom didn't tell him about me, nalaman na lamang ni Daddy when they accidentally met each other."
Nalulungkot ako para sa naranasan niya. He experienced what my son experienced and worst, he got bullied because of it. Wala akong naririnig mula sa anak namin na na-bubully na siya dahil sa kawalan ng ama, but I know well he isn't bullied, because almost all of his classmates are also his friends.
May parte sa akin na sinisisi ang sarili ko sa pagtago ng katotohanan.
"I want to hear why.. I want to hear your reason. Tell me." His voice sounded with finality.
Seryoso siya, but he is calm. I know he's angry at me because of not telling him the truth, but he remained calm. Hindi niya ako sinisigawan at kung anong maaaring gawin ng isang galit na tao.
I inhaled then exhaled. Pumikit ako nang mariin at kaagad na pinalis ang luhang tumulo sa aking mukha.
"I was scared, I'm sorry." Finally, I uttered some words. Kinalma ko pa ang sarili ko nago nagpatuloy.
"The moment I saw you with Lauraine, doon ko naisip na itago sa 'yo ang anak ko—"
"Anak natin." He corrected me.
I licked my lips. "I don't want to ruin your relationship with her. Natatakot din akong ayawan mo ang anak.... natin, because you once told me that you're not that fond with kids."
"I would gladly accept him as my son. Hindi ko kayo itataboy. Paninindigan ko kayo." He told me at ramdam ko kung paanong mas lalong bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko.
Naglakad siya nang dahan dahan palapit sa akin.
"Marry me." He said those words as if marriage is just a piece of cake.
I did not talk. I remained silent and looked at him straight in the eye. His eyes.. it's just like my son's. Our son.
BINABASA MO ANG
One Hot Night with a Stranger
RomanceWARNING: This story contains mature scenes. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
