Caught By The Fire (Avoc Scorned)

Chapter 26: Fragile

The night was full of tears and confrontations. The twins cried for so long that it drained them. Pumasok kami sa mansion dahil lumalamig na ang hangin at ayaw ni Avoc na matuyuan ng pawis ang mga bata.

I carried them both on my shoulders and I couldn't forget the horror in Avoc's face. Mabilis niya akong dinaluhan na para bang mababasag ako sa simpleng pagkarga lang sa mga anak.

But the twins refused when their father tried to take them from me. Mas humigpit ang pagkakapulupot ng maliliit nilang braso sa aking leeg at binaon ang mukha sa aking balikat na para bang sa akin lang gusto magpakarga.

To be honest, the feelings I felt was priceless. It's so overwhelming. I couldn't believe they refused their father's hold over mine that's still unfamiliar to them.

Napailing na lang si Avoc pagkatapos.

"Two additional clingy Avoc for you," he said and gave me a loopsided smile. "I hope you don't mind."

Naluluha man ay napangiti na rin ako.

"I don't. I don't at all..." emosyonal kong sagot.

We stayed in the living room until the twins stopped crying and fell asleep. Hindi na sila napalitan ng damit dahil ayaw kumalas sa balikat ko. They stayed clinging to me, as if they will lose me again if they let go. Ilang beses silang kinumbinsi ni Avoc na kumalas muna sandali at hindi naman ako aalis pero hindi sila nakinig.

"Hayaan mo na lang muna. Their fear is understandable." payo ni Argus.

Aleera already stopped crying. Kanina habang tinatahan ko ang mga kambal ay nasulyapan ko ang pag-uusap nilang tatlo nina Argus at Avoc. Tingin ko'y binahagi na ni Avoc ang mga importanteng detalye tungkol sa totoong nangyari sa akin noon sa Transylvania. Mabilis lang ang pag-uusap nila kaya tingin ko'y hindi lahat ng sinabi ko kay Avoc ay pinarating niya sa kanila. I think he wants to leave the rest for me because after all, Aleera's my sister. She needs to hear everything straight from me.

Kaya noong tuluyan ng nakatulog ang mga bata ay hindi na pinatagal ni Aleera. She immediately confronted me, pain and anger is evident on her doe eyes.

"Paano nangyari ang lahat ng ito, Ika? How is it possible? Kagagawan ba ito ni Uncle Victor? He had old grudges to our parents so I won't be surprise if he hid you in purpose!"

Hindi pa niya natatapos ang mga paratang ay umiiling na ako.

"No, he did not, Aleera. He just want to protect me that time and he couldn't think of any safer ways," mahinahon kong pagka-klaro, takot na magising ang mga anak na nasa aking balikat.

Sumenyas si Avoc na ibigay sa kanya ang dalawa para makapag-usap kami ng maayos ni Aleera ngunit kaonting galaw ko lang ay mas lalong sumiksik sa akin ang dalawa. They tightened their arms around me and despite their uncomfortable position, they purred like kittens.

"Uncle has no hidden intentions when he did that. He just really want to protect me-"

"He should have told us! Marami kami na handang promotekta sa'yo! We would die for you!" she choked on her tears. Argus tried to calm her but she only burst into more tears.

"You and Verona were both shock at the first declaration of my death. Hindi kayo makausap ng maayos at idagdag pa ang patuloy na kaguluhan, naging abala na kayo sa mga sarili niyo. Si Uncle ang naroon nang balikan ako ng buhay habang lahat kayo ay abala sa paghihiganti. The threats for me didn't stop even when the news that I'm dead on arrival spread like a virus. Assasins still attacked the hospital to secure my death. Uncle Victor was left with no choice. He had to keep that I got revived, just for the mean time."