Cal

A Father's Cry

Hardship is the only constant thing for Raffy Yamit, a Security Guard at Southeast Mall.

Raffy's first wife died during labor and made him decide to leave his daughter, Jean, to his mother, Corazon. He, then, went to Manila to work as a Security Guard at Southeast Mall. His normal routine was to sleep in the morning and take the graveyard shift.

"Yes, ma. I am about to receive my salary for this month. I hope that you can still take care of my daughter. If only my wife Cristina was still alive, I might not have bothered you." Raffy said to his mother.

"No, no, no, no, no. Don't think of such hard thoughts. Cristina may have left us but we must continue our lives. She might not want to leave you, but she would definitely hate you if you neglected your daughter. Just remember that your daughter is the final memento of your late wife," Corazon replied.

"How can I not hate my daughter? She looks like her late mother. Her eyes, her nose, and even her smiles. She might hate me later on, but I think I should distance myself first to provide for her needs." Raffy cryingly said.

"I can tolerate your sadness within your heart, but I can't fill the void that will grow as time passes by. So, please, my son, don't give up on your life. You might not know what life might do to you," Corazon replied.

"I think I should go now, ma. I will just send you the money after I claim my salary. Kindly kiss my daughter for me, ma." Raffy said to her mother.

Days turn to weeks, weeks turn to months and months turn to years, making the longing for his wife start to fade.

Then, Raffy's phone started to ring.

"Hello, Raffy. It's almost Christmas. Do you have any plans to spend the holidays with your daughter?" Corazon said.

"Well, I think I -----" Raffy said as he was interrupted in the other line. "Grandma, is that my father? May I speak to him please, pretty please." Jean pleaded. "Hey, Raffy. I think it is time to talk to your daughter. Can you even resist how she pleaded just to have a minute to talk to you?" Corazon angrily demanded.

While Raffy was thinking of his mother's demand, his mother, Corazon, gave the phone to Jean.

"Hello, papa. I miss you. Are you going home this Christmas?"

Raffy then cried and remembered his late wife's voice. "Her voice was so much like her late mother." He said to himself.

"Papa? Helloooooooooooooooooooooooo! Grandma, grandma. I think papa is not on the line." Jean said with disappointment painted on her face. Jean gave the phone to her Grandma.

"Let me talk to him when he calls back, okay? Maybe he's just busy. Can you go to Inday's Store and buy some soy sauce, Jean?" Corazon said to Jean. "Okay, grandma. Can I buy some candies as a reward," Jean asked. "Oh, sure. Anything for my beautiful granddaughter," Corazon answered. Jean went to Inday's Store.

"And now, Raffy, don't tell me that you will still distance yourself from your daughter? 5 years have already passed. Jean doesn't even know why you don't want her. Stop blaming her, son. Come home this Christmas and let's see if you will still hate Jean when you see her in person. Hey, did the cat bite your tongue," Corazon argued Raffy.

Raffy ended the call without even saying a word and burst into tears.