Bewitching Disaster

Chapter 4

“Thank you.”

Everyone bid their good bye habang si Iris ay nakaupo pa rin sa upuan habang nakakrus ang mga binti. Kinalabit siya ng tita niya.

“Huy, Iris. Hindi ka pa ba uuwi?” her Tita Michelle asked her. May mga dala itong folder.

She boredly looked up to her aunt. “I don’t want to go home yet, Tita. Wala naman akong magagawa sa bahay. Besides, maya-maya pa darating si Jasmine para sunduin ako.”

“Sunduin? Bakit ka susunduin? Nasaan ang kotse mo?” kunot-noo nitong tanong. Umirap siya at umiling. Her action alone was enough for Michelle to click her tongue.

“Grounded ka na naman?”

She let out an exasperated sigh. “Ano pa nga ba?”

“Iris ... ” Naupo ito sa tabi niya kapagkuwan hinaplos ang buhok niya. “Hindi ka ba nagsasawa? Lagi na lang gan’yan ang nangyayari kapag may ginawa kang hindi maganda. It’s like you and your mother are waiting for each other na masanay sa gawain ng isa’t isa. Hindi ba kayo napapagod?”

“I just want to make a point, Tita.”

“So does your mom.” She took a deep breath. “Kaya hindi kayo nagkakaintindihan, eh. You guys take the saying “action speaks louder than words” way too seriously. Minsan nga mag-usap kayo ng masinsinan para magkaintindihan kayo. Hindi ‘yang puro kayo make a point, make a point. Hindi siya manghuhula at hindi ka rin manghuhula. Walang pupuntahan ‘yang pag-aaway niyo.”

Ngumuso si Iris. “I know that.” She pouted as she faced her aunt. “And I also know that you want to help us, Tita. So...” she trailed and pulled off a puppy dog face. “Can you please tell mom to give me back my car keys? Para naman hindi na mapagod iyong driver niya na sunduin ako kasi Tita, ako na lang ‘yung susunduin niya today since Mommy is going to have dinner with her friend. Para na rin hindi na siya ma-stress sa ‘kin. Ayaw niya no’n? I’ll be out of her sight and mind for the whole day.”

Umiling si Michelle dahilan para bumagsak ang balikat ni Iris. “Alam mong hindi mo ako madadala riyan sa pa-cute mo, Iris. Kaya nga ako ang pinili ng mommy mo para maging manager mo, hindi ba? Because it is I who can only tolerate your manipulative and feisty attitude.”

Lalong humaba ang nguso niya. “I am not manipulative.”

Michelle caressed her cheeks and whispered sweetly, “Yes, and pigs can fly, my beautiful pamangkin.”

“Tita!”

“Stop whining, Iris. Kaya ka tinatratong parang bata ng mommy mo, eh. You act like a bratty kid sa tuwing hindi napagbibigyan. Now tell me that you are not your mother’s carbon copy. Pareho kayo ng ugali.” She clicked her tongue before handing her a folder with thick pages. “That’s your script. Aralin mo na ngayon kung wala kang magawa. Matagal-tagal pa naman ang simula ng shooting niyan,” anito saka nagpaalam ng lalabas sa conference room.

Doon lang niya pinakawalan ang tunay na emosyon. Her face darkened as she placed the folder on the long table.

Ayaw niya talaga sa lahat ay iyong ikinukumpara siya sa ina niya. Lalo na kapag sinasabi ng mga taong kagaya siya nito o kaya ay may pagkakapareho sila. She hates being called “Ivory’s Carbon Copy” — as other people address her.

Pakiramdam niya, kaya lang siya nakilala ay dahil sa nanay niyang walang ibang ginawa kundi ang sikaping maging kagaya niya ito.

She was 17 when she first joined the showbiz industry. Naging pampalipas oras niya lang ang modeling noong sixteen siya at para na rin makapag-ipon ng maaga when her mother saw her “potential”. She made her participate in advertisements, more modeling gigs, and so on. Her mother made sure her schedule was packed for the month to the point that she had to stop going to regular school. Kahit ayaw niya dahil may mga kaibigan siya sa eskwela, wala na siyang nagawa. It’s like her mom was slowly opening the book she has written for her. A book that is full of her mother’s plans to become exactly like her.