My Little Moon - 𝗂𝗋𝖾𝗇𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝖼𝗈𝗌

06. torn in between

The car entered within the gates of the mansion, they have arrived after a long journey of nothing but silence. Until now ay tahimik padin sila.

Manong Kaloy stopped the car right in front of the main door, at agad naman sila bumaba. They were just in time.

Imee was about to knock when the door suddenly opened, revealing Irene. She looks as if she's been waiting for them, but that was not possible considering parang wala naman siyang pake sa plano kanina.

"Oh, welcome back. Why are you both so quiet?" She asked, eyes shifting back and forth from Imee to Catrina.

But they ignored her and instead went inside. Irene was stunned, hindi siya sang-ayon na tahimik lang ang kaniyang Manang, usually she was very talkative when she comes home, pero bakit ang tahimik?

She just watched as her sister sat on the couch, eyes closed while rubbing her temples. Bakit naman siya nastre-stress?

That's when she noticed something, Catrina tried her best to hide it but kitang-kita ni Irene at napakunot ang kaniyang noo.

"Bakit may pasa siya? Nakipag-bardagulan ba kayo or what?" Irene tried to joke, but seeing as Imee wasn't in the mood, she just received a glare from her sister. Catrina immediately hid her arm behind her back, and as much as Irene wanted to hate this kid, nahihirapan na siya mag-panggap.

She can clearly tell that Catrina cried, her cheeks were red and her eyes were puffy. Parang siya kapag umiiyak din. That made Irene worry. Sino naman ba ang hindi magwo-worry eh, halos tahimik ang dalawang magkasama and not to mention, they looked like they've been through hell and back.

"Did you cry?" Irene pointed towards Catrina, her voice coated with the utmost doubt.

"Ah, hindi po. Napuwing lang po ako." Sagot ni Catrina while avoiding Irene's gaze as much as possible. Meanwhile, Imee frowned at that. She exchanged looks with Catrina, telepathically telling her that she knows what happened and was upset that she lied.

"Irene, can we talk? Catrina stay here muna, I'll go and get the medical kit." Imee pulled Irene from the living room, leaving Catrina on the couch as Irene followed her sister to where the med-kit was stored.

"Why? What happened Manang?"

"You know she's lying, right?" Imee looked at her sister, face rather grim and tone unwavered.

"What do you mean?"

Imee sighed and went to open the cabinet and grabbed the med-kit, "nandoon ako kanina, I saw what happened and how she got that bruise. And yes, umiiyak yung bata. I don't understand why she would lie about it though eh, alam naman niya na I was there kanina."

"What happened ba? Ang tahimik niyo kanina eh, nakipag-bardagulan ba talaga kayo?"

"No, it's not like that." Imee hesitated, "Irene. . ." she knows her sister can be trusted but she also knows na magagalit si Catrina sa kaniya kapag sinabi niya ang nangyari. 

"Spit it out na kasi Manang, you know I'm not that patient."

". . .ano kasi," with a sigh, she blurted it out. "Sinaktan siya ng papa niya."

"—what?!"

"Keep your voice down! Magagalit 'yon sa akin kasi sinabi ko sayo." Imee hushed, but Irene still wasn't able to process what her sister just said. "Lasing 'yung papa niya kaya mainit ang dugo. But it just made me think eh. . ."

For a moment, they were quiet. But realization hits them and they both face each other with something in their eyes.

"Do you think he does it often?" Irene softly asked, slowly sinking in the information.