[SETTING: Bea Alonzo’s interview with Dawn Zulueta]
Never. Not even once, I did what I am bound to do. I’ve been so fed up with all the questions, theories, and rumors about me and my lovelife. I’ve seen a lot of fake news about me circulating online and at first, it was all fine, but I am just human. I have limits, too.
“So, welcome, Miss Dawn! I am so glad that you accepted our invitation.”
“Ah, oo. To be honest, I really had no intention to be on anything right now because I feel like it’s too much for me, but here we are, so I guess let’s just get this started?”
I have no idea what I am going to do in this, but the only thing I am sure of is: tell the truth.
“Miss Dawn, there’s a lot of articles with pictures that we can’t determine if legit or not circulating online that you were wearing a ring on your ring finger. As per all of us, we assume that you’re still single because you’re in the biz for twenty years, right? And your lovelife and boyfriends were almost the every year’s hottest topic even up until now and the latest we got was you broke up with Sir Richard. Did you get back together and married each other?”
I previously said that I was fed up that’s why I am doing this. But that first sentences that came out from Bea’s mouth were something I prepared to come, but isn’t something I am prepared enough.
“Isn’t it normal for women to wear rings whenever they want to?”
“That’s not what we mean po, it’s just —”
“The people assumed that I’m married because I wore a ring once on my ring finger.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I am not married. And yes, Richard and I broke up again.”
That earned a lot of big fuss in the studio, but I remained calm. Very different from Bea who I see how her lips formed a big letter O out of shock.
“So, you were together before? We didn’t know that!”
Bea’s reaction is something I anticipated to see. No one knew. No one.
“Of course you don’t. The first was when we were in college. He was graduating, I was in my junior year.”
“The second was the previous year, am I correct?”
“No.”
That earned loud murmurs in the studio again. I can see how Bea become so giddy to dig more about this so I am giving it to her.
“When was the second, Miss Dawn?”
“Two years after. When I graduated college.”
“Wait, if my math is right, you’re in college for five years? Pero your course is not a five-year course, Miss Dawn. Did you stop po ba?”
“Actually, it was four and a half year, but since na-delay ako ng isang semester, I needed to wait for another sem to end para maka-graduate. Kasi kailangan kong maghintay kesa naman ako lang isa ga-graduate kahit first semester pa lang, ‘no?”
That made them laugh. And made me, too.
“Bakit po kayo naghiwalay no’ng una?”
“We broke up when he graduated. It was a mutual decision though, because we both knew that long distance relationship won’t work for us because our love languages were physical touches.”
“And no’ng pangalawa po?”
That made me stop. The only armor I have heading to this interview was the truth. And now the truth can’t even get out of my mouth.
“Miss Dawn?”
“My love for him that time wasn’t strong enough for me to fight for him. I was no one. I was a college graduate with a two year old daughter. And my daughter needed the medical aides, when it was offered to me, I accepted it without even thinking twice even though I knew that my relationship with Richard were needed to end.”
I said that fastly. But wasn’t quick enough for them to catch the fact that I just revealed that I have a daughter. Loud noises were heard that even the cameramen and teleprompters stood up from their seats and held their heads as if I just dropped some bomb literally.
Bea lost it too And I knew all of it were going to happen, but to witness it and know that everything is happening before my very eyes, it made me sick that I want to puke. I froze and I watched them panicked.
“Miss Dawn! Twenty years in showbizz and no one knew you are a mother! Everyone in the online and newspapers world bashed you for being childless and—”
“Yeah, they were so stupid about that.”
I exclaimed as I laugh my tension off.
“Besides, andito na lang naman din tayo, I just want to adddress that issue. Those articles that were written about me being not having a child like it was some sort of the world’s problem was just saddening. It didn’t affect me because I was and am a mother. Being a mother isn’t a requirement for every woman. If they want to have a child, go. If they don’t, then go. No one should really force every woman to have a child just to call them worthy. No one should really question every woman why they chose to be childless. Having a child isn’t as easy as how cute sounds. It comes with a lot of responsibility and sacrifices, so if a woman isn’t up to that kind of responsibilities and sacrifices then who we are to question them? Who we are to belittle them? ‘Di ba?”
“I’ve never felt so seen and heard, Miss Dawn. Thank you for that. Ayan din talaga problema sa mga tao, eh. You really made a good point and there’s nothing I can add to that because I, myself, is a victim of that kind of pressure because I am in the business.”
Bea laughed, but I can clearly see how it affected her. I am glad I spoke up for her even though I really don’t have any idea that she’s going through that. Before I could even reply to her, she asked,
“Anyway, Miss Dawn, mabalik tayo. You said clearly that you have a daughter. How old is she now?”
“She’s going twenty-three in March and is finishing college in August.”
“Where po siya nag-stay?”
“She was homeschooled during her elementary years and I sent her to Ateneo in Davao in highschool because I was an actress already back then and it was our mutual decision for her not to be out in public.”
“And college?”
“She’s in Harvard now.”
I said that proudly and I heard everyone says wow.
“You said it was a mutual decision of you and your daughter for her not to be out in public po back then. What changed now?”
I laughed, tho I know that my eyes are becoming glassy, but before a tear could fall down, I immediately answered Bea.
“Because her father won’t believe that she is his daughter. I even have the paternity test in my bag somewhere in the backstage to prove that. Actually, ayaw ko talagang gawin ‘to because my duaghter’s life is so peaceful without all of this. But she was the one who pushed me kasi ayaw na ako kausapin ng tatay niya. And she is really determined naman na to know her father personally. Hindi ko naman tinago sino yung ama niya. Kilala niya naman. Pero she wanted to experience being his daughter firsthand and not only to imagine how it would be only based on my stories.”
“So Miss Dawn, you sound like you’re really determine to do this to get you daughter’s father attention. I’m going to ask this once and I will never ever ask this again, Miss Dawn.”
I sighed, and I nodded with a smile plastered on my face. I am sure to do this. And I am not backing down.
“Who is your daughter’s father?”
“Richard. Richard Gomez.” **
~
Hello, beautiful people! It’s been a long time. 💗
