The Magnate's Holiest Sin (Cavanaugh #2)

Kabanata 22

Kabanata 22

Class

Isang linggo ang lumipas simula noong nanatili kami sa mansyon ng mga Cavanaugh ng ilang araw. Alam naman siguro ni Laki na narinig ko 'yong sinabi ni Francesca. No'ng gabi'ng 'yon ay umalis sila ng silid at hindi ko na alam saan nagpunta. Kung nasa labas lang ba sila ng silid o talagang lumabas sila ng mansyon.

Sa gabi'ng 'yon ay pinili ko na lang na matulog at hindi na hinintay si Laki. Kinaumagahan no'n ay nasa silid na si Laki, naghihintay na magising ako habang may tinatawagan s'ya.

Aksidente kong narinig na may kausap s'yang police officer sa kabilang linya no'n. Pakiramdam ko ay ipapakulong n'ya ang kung sink ma'ng naninira sa kaniya.

Pero ano nga ba ang totoo? Hindi kasi s'ya nagpaliwanag sa'kin pagkatapos no'n. Nakabalik na lang kami rito sa bahay n'ya ay wala pa rin s'yang binabanggit tungkol sa nangyaring isyu n'ya na involved si Francesca.

Hindi na ako nagtanong. At saka sino naman ako para magtanong tungkol do'n? Hinihintay ko na magpaliwanag s'ya mismo sa'kin pero parang ayaw n'ya munang magpaliwanag hangga't hindi pa naayos ang lahat. Abala na rin s'ya sa kaniyang laptop lagi. Halos hindi na nga s'ya lumalabas ng kuwarto n'ya pero lagi pa rin naman nakabukas ang pinto ng kaniyang kuwarto.

Somehow, I had thoughts about Doña Yashmita. That morning when I ran out of the mansion's garden and went directly upstairs towards Laki's room to cry out my confusion and frustration. It was the last time that I had seen Doña Yashmita. Laki must have told her my final decision. And I chose to stay under Laki's care. After that, the news instantly arrived to me. News that Doña Yashmita and Ate Soldi left the Cavanaugh mansion already.

Followed by Laki's order to finally come back here. Since he had a load of businesses to work on, meetings after meetings to attend to, and hectic schedules to take care of.

That mess of a moment that occured in the Cavanaugh mansion, I just couldn't face them after. Including Aunt Hannah. My surrogate mother.

Sighing and shoving all the deep thoughts inside my head, I entered Laki's house whilst grasping a kraft paperbag containing some freshly baked hot pandesal bread in it.

Whenever the hour hand of the clock pointed six, early in the morning, I would immediately leave the house to buy bread in the nearest bakeshop and some foodstuffs in a convenience store. It was a walking distance from Laki's residence anyway. I was doing this everyday ever since we arrived here from Cavanaugh mansion. Laki didn't know. He was always sleeping and whenever I come home, Laki would still be deep in slumber.

I was about to step inside the kitchen, but stopped by a hard husky baritone voice of a man.

"Sa'n ka galing?"

Nakita n'ya siguro akong nanggaling sa front door at may dalang pinamili.

Hindi ako nagpatuloy sa pagpasok sa kusina at hinarap si Laki na nakababa na ng hagdan habang nakasuot lamang ng kulay itim na boxers. May hawak din s'yang malinis na towel. Mukhang ginamit n'ya iyon pamunas sa kaniyang mukha. Kagagaling n'ya lang siguro manghilamos dahil halata ang nabasa na parte ng kaniyang buhok sa banda'ng ibabaw na bahagi ng kaniyang noo.

"Bumili," tipid kong sagot at inangat pa ang hawak na kraft paperbag.

"Hindi mo'ko ginising?" nakabusangot nitong tanong na parang nagrereklamo.

Umiling ako habang pinapanood s'yang naglakad palapit sa'kin.

"Mukhang pagod ka kasi e'." Which was a matter of truth. I would always take a peak inside his room and find him laying limply on his large bed.