A Kiss of Bleeding Fire

20

Life was unpredictable at its best. We were like a puppet— a marionette in a large aquarium being controlled by someone much higher than us. They were the ones that controlled your actions and decisions. They were the mastermind of all the chaos and disaster that happened in your life.
  
When you thought that everything was okay or going something according to what you planned, you all got shambled in a blink of an eye and you were left with things you did not see coming.

Just like today, Lola Esmeralda barged into the mansion and spouted her long tirade as to why Papa kept my situation from her for months.

I did not know that Papa kept it from her. I thought once they learned about the pregnancy, they would instantly inform Lola Esmeralda about it. I knew that my father had a beef with her— that he still blamed her for what happened to Lia but I did not realize that Papa would go to this length.

Alas, I was also to blame for why Lola Esmeralda was kept in the dark regarding my pregnancy. I was her favorite; I was always her princess and she should be the first to know my situation but I got chickened out and left her uninformed for some time.

"How dare you keep this from me, Roberto!" Lola Esmeralda walked toward Papa who was sitting in the dining area, "Kung hindi pa sinabi ni Mr. Inarez ang tungkol kay Lilith no'ng nagkita kami sa US ay hindi ko pa malalaman!"

Papa clenched her jaw as he looked at Lola Esmeralda, "My daughter's business shouldn't concern you, Mother. So, why would I tell the news to you? To interfere and make everything worst again?"

"H-how . . . How dare you talk to me like that, Roberto!" I saw the lips of lola trembled and tears shone through her eyes, "You can't keep blaming me for what happened to Lia—"

Papa looked at her with dark intensity in his eyes, "You have no right to speak her name. Neither do you have rights to step in my house, Mother."

Papa started calling her mother since Lia disappeared. He used to call her Mama but when everything went down, he started calling her mother as a sign of formality and respect but with no affection. I did not know why Father put all the blame on Lola. Yes, she might have gone too far when she humiliated Lia in front of our guests at that time but he, partly, participated in that chaos. He did not help Lia; he did not protect his daughter. Instead, he questioned her.

But there was no need to point the blame at anyone right now. What we should be doing was praying that Lia was alright and will get back to us soon.

However, the selfish part of me wished she stayed there in the meantime. I knew that it had to do with Garrett. I was selfish when it came to him. Maybe, this selfish part of me was afraid that once she got back, Garrett will abandon me and follow her like a fucking love-sick puppy like he was before.

"You can't put all the blame on me for what happened to Lia, Roberto!" Lola Esmeralda looked at me with soft eyes, "And I am visiting my grandchild. I am here for her."

"She doesn't need you," Papa stood up and was about to walk toward Lola Esmeralda when Mama walked toward him to stop him from what he was about to do.

Papa was being an asshole to my Lola. I knew and I wanted to point that out to him. But he had been nursing this hatred toward her that he might not listen to whatever I had to say. Besides, we had never been on a good terms since I was a kid, when I learned about his other family, but it worsened when Lia disappeared.

"I knew what I did to your other daughter was wrong, Roberto. I've been depressed because of what happened to Lia. Hindi ko ginusto ang nangyari sa kaniya—"

Father shook his head and pulled away from my mother's hold. He looked at Lola Esmeralda, "You can talk to her while I am in my office but you should leave once I get back for dinner, Mother."