PRETENDER

Chapter 44

Royce

"Pretty Stranger!"

Kresha ran towards me when she saw me at their main door. Kararating lang namin mula sa Hong Kong at dito agad kami pinaderetso ni Uncle Eagan sa bahay nya.

"Hi, pretty Kresha!" Binuhat ko ito at pinugpog ng halik sa kanyang mukha na syang ikinatuwa ng bata.

"I miss you!" She said then kissed me on my cheek.

"What about me, baby? Don't you miss your Mommy?" Ashanti said.

Tumabi ito sa akin pagkatapos ay nilingkis ang kanyang braso sa aking bewang. Bigla naman akong napangiti sa ginawa nya.

"I miss you too, Mommy! I love you," Kresha said then kissed her Mom too.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Ashanti hanggang sa ngumiti ito ng tipid. Oh god, she's beautiful.

Naputol lang yon ng makarining kami ng isang tikhim.

"I don't want to disturb your family bonding guys but the food is ready and Dad is waiting at the dining hall," Dani, who's standing not too far from us is grinning widely. "Kresha baby, let's go and eat na?" She added.

Binaba ko naman agad si Kresha kaya nagtatakbo ito papunta sa tita nya at sabay silang nagpunta sa hapag.

"Alam niya?" Tanong ko sabay harap kay Ashanti.

Tumango naman ito. "Dad also knew it as well."

Alam ng pamilya nya..

Maglalakad na sana ito nang pigilan ko ito. Hinawakan ko ang braso nya kaya nakataas ang kilay nya akong tiningnan.

"Does Kresha aware that I am her mother too?"

"No. I didn't dare to tell it," Napabuntong-hininga ito bago muling nagsalita. "Yes, she was asking about her father but I couldn't answer her that time because I still have a trauma and I don't want to talk about it."

Napabitaw ako sa kanyang braso. Ni hindi ako makapagsalita dahil sa narinig ko mula sa kanya.

We never talk about that. I don't even have a slightest idea on why she's besides me.. treating me like there's nothing happened between us.

"Let's eat first then we'll talk again." She said then went straight to their dining hall.

Nagmano muna ako kay Uncle pagdating ko sa hapag. Umupo din ako sa tabi ni Kresha na syang pinagigitnaan namin ni Ashanti.

Sinimulan na naming kumain at tanging ingay mula sa kubyertos at ang boses ni Kresha na ngayon ay sinusubuan ni Ashanti ang nangingibabaw.

"What's your plan?"

Uncle Eagan is now on his swivel chair, drinking his tea.

I'm still at his house, at his office to be specific. Right after we were done eating lunch, he asked me to see him at his office.

Naguguluhan ko syang tiningnan ngunit tinaasan nya lang ako ng isang kilay.

"Well, about the meeting--"

"I'm not talking about that damn meeting here, Royce." He sternly said.

"U-uncle.. "

"What? I've been waiting to ask you this for a long time. Now that you know that she's your daughter.. what will happen after that? What's your plan?"

"We still haven't talk about us yet, Uncle."

Tila nagdilim ang aura nito at kumuyom ang kanyang kamay nang marinig nya ang sagot ko. Halatang hindi nya yun nagustuhan. Agad naman akong napalunok at kinabahan.