Something Beautiful

something curious 3

Melodious music soared in the private room of the restaurant within the hotel. As others were on a date or were in a mood for exquisite food with the whole family, Mayumi Salceda arrived as per her scheduled meeting with Pauline's father.

"You didn't tell me you were in a hospital."

Umi shrugged, her full tension on the steak that bleed juices of flavors as she sliced. "What for?"

"Because I'm worried!"

Umi admired the chef. The food was excellent and the woman on stage was a crooner, best for songs of forbidden romances. Despite the artsy partition, she could hear her voice. An hour was almost up and Umi had only a few minutes left to enjoy the luxury. She would not spend it arguing with the old man in front of her.

"You know I care about you. Why can't you still accept me?"

But this man was testing her patience. She tightened her grip on the cutlery, determined to cut her food into smaller pieces, to keep her more occupied. She was full, but she didn't stop, not until he slammed his hand on the table.

"I gave you everything—I dressed you, a home, everything you need, everything you didn't need! And you can't give me one thing! One thing Mayumi! One! What else do you want me to do? Do you want me to kneel? I will."

She swallowed her food, slowly becoming bitter inside her mouth. She was thankful that this man held his voice back, gritting his teeth as he voiced his frustrations. Or else, people would have feasted on the gossip instead of the food.

She drank her juice and with the same tone, answered. "Stop trying then. All I need is your money."

Kneel? Even if he crawled, she wouldn't bend. And if he did crawl, she would laugh at him.

She leaned on her chair, staring at the man across from her. His face flooded with various emotions—jealousy, sadness, remorse. He has gotten so old.

Ew, she thought.

"The one hour you spend on me, give it to Pauline, your daughter."

His shoulders slumped lower, as he washed his tired face with his palms. "You're my daughter too."

It's been over a year since he mouthed the word and she shuddered in disgust. Since her mother died, she no longer recognized the man as her father.

He was nothing but a cash cow.

Her only mistake was her arrogance to stand on her own feet. After her mother's death, Umi fled home and worked four jobs for her studies. Umi couldn't find a trace of a girl who once lived in a bubble. They did not live glamorously, but it was abundant and comfortable. Not until she tumbled to poverty.

She was slowly breaking down until she met a friend, who patched the holes in her existence. That same person she first trusted after her family fell apart, broke her too.

Her father found her too late, Umi, with no choice, gave up her pride and accepted his help, in exchange for one thing.

Forgiveness.

Fucking forgiveness. He could go and choke with it.

The father, although married, had a second family. The mother, thought to be exemplary, committed adultery with another man's wife. And the daughter, the fruit of sin.

The three of them are the trinity of sin.

"I loved your mother. Yvette was always the first. I was elated when she got pregnant with you, but I was bound by responsibility to Talia. Or else my family will disown me. Your mother knew it, and we tried to give you a family as best as we could."