Helpless I Tricia Robredo

028 // Kumpas

Third Person's Point of View

Looking for an apartment didn't take long for Teddy since, after three days of staying with Joe, she could finally move into her own apartment. She likes this apartment better since it is closer to the Robredos so she always has a place to go and them the same. 

It was also more prominently bigger, and it felt like she was handed a clean slate. In the previous apartment, it had all of the family pictures that she was not a part of, seeing as she was in the States or busy with college. So it was only a reminder of the family trauma that was handed to her. That despite all of her efforts to make a connection with her parents, she failed.

That week was been interesting, to say the least, since there had been this fight inside the Lopez family. The family zoom call ended up with Isla and Jao almost flying over to the Philippines to give thier mom a piece of thier mind in person, but Teddy was able to stop them.

> > > > > >   < < < < < <

Flashback

Isla and Jao looked at the screen fuming, you could see Stephanie (Teddy's sister-in-law) at the bad rubbing her husband's shoulder to try and calm home down. 

"Mom, please tell me you didn't say that to Teddy," Isla said the moment Teddy entered the call. You could clearly see her stuff there behind her, still neatly packed since the call was made last minute. 

The sight just made her older sibling madder, feeling extra protective towards Teddy since she grew up with them. 

"Ate, give us a virtual apartment tour," Joey said, trying to lighten the mood since she could feel the tension through the screen.

Of course, she had seen the apartment, she was there earlier to help bring some of her things there and unpack the furniture and dishes that she and Tricia bought. Thank god for Ikea.

Teddy turned the camera and showed the empty apartment, boxes on the floor and newly-build furniture beside it, while her suitcase lay there unmoved. "I'm still unpacking."

"Ang hindi ko lang naman kasi maintindihan, is bakit mo pa kailangan ng apartment? Diba babalik ka naman sa States?" Their mother asked, not liking her children's attitude towards her.

Isla sneered as she looked over at Rome, making sure her youngest was sleeping. "Baka naman kasi mabankrupt siya diba kung ilang months siya magstastay sa hotel. Alam mo kung papalayasin mo lang pala siya, edi dapat ako na lang in charge sa accommodations niya. Sabi mo kasi pwede siya sa apartment niyo diba."

Teddy sighed and gave her sister a look, a look she purposely ignored kasi she knows she would just cave pag nakita niya yun. Isla has a soft spot for Teddy, both her and Jao have. Isang tingin lang niya, makukuha niya na gusto niya. 

She's just grateful na mabait talaga na tao kapatid niya at hinding hindi niya aabusuhin yun. 

"Hindi ko naman kasi siya pinalayas diba, siya yung kusang umalis."

"Kasi you questioned her independence, Mom. It's like you are questioning how Kuya and I raised her, kasi nga diba you chickened out on the responsibility. And then you questioned my leadership and Joey's leadership kasi we are women? Internalized misogyny yarn?"

"Pero hindi naman yun yung sinasabi ko. Iba lang interpretation ni Theodora."

Joey cleared her throat and gave ther screen a look. "Actually, ako nagsabi kenna Kuya, away pa ni Ate Teddy sabihin sa kanila nangyari."