The Storm's Shadow

Kabanata 7

Kabanata 7

I have another sister?

Mist Rodriguez.

She was using our sperm donor's last name. Yup. He's a sperm donor because he was never a father to us. Not to me, not to even one of my sisters!

That fucktard!

I was just staring at her, startled and still confused as she narrated everything. That we are triplets. That our father cheated on our mother before and they separated. Gusto ni Tatay na kunin kaming tatlo pero ayaw ni Nanay.

'Di naman pumayag ang ama kaya sa huli ay ibinigay niya si Mist.

My eyes widened at her story. Nakangiti siya pero ang mga mata niya'y malambing at malungkot din.

If it was painful to me only to hear she was given to our father like a toy to lend, paano pa kaya siya na gano'n ang naranasan? Na sa kanya mismo nangyari at 'di naririnig lang?

"You know, ang saya-saya ko nang nalaman kong may kapatid ako kasi sa bahay kasama si Tatay atsaka 'yong mga kung sino-sinong babae niya? Ang hirap. Kaya masaya akong malamang may mga kapatid ako no'ng isang araw na lasing si Tatay nasabi niya. I searched for the two of you, Varsha and you, Storm."

My mouth parted again.

"B-but...I didn't know," bulong ko. "We didn't know about you!"

"Nanay kept it a secret," she answered. Mas sumikip ang dibdib ko at 'di makapaniwala sa narinig.

All this time, we had another sister but she never told us! She made us believe we're only twins! And...

I sighed loudly, brushing my hair frustratedly.

We could've searched for her! We could've been with her! If only we knew!

"I'm sorry," marahang paghingi ko ng paumanhin at malungkot siyang pinagmasdan. Nakatungo siya at binalot ng lungkot at pait ang puso ko habang ginagagap ang palad niya. "Sorry, Mist. W-we didn't know."

She squeezed my hand back, "I understand. I really do. Hindi rin naging madali sa inyo ang buhay n'yo at siguro kung kasama pa ako, baka 'di kayanin ni Nanay—"

"Kahit na!" I gasped, "ina ka, bakit hindi mo subukang ipaglaban ang anak mo? Makakaya mo bang ipamigay nang gano'n na lang? Hindi, 'di ba?"

Natahimik siya.

"And if she chose to do that because she had no other choice, edi sana sinabi man lang niya sa amin ni Varsha! But she didn't! She didn't even tell us about you!"

Mapait lang siyang ngumiti at umiling.

"Gano'n talaga ang buhay, Storm. May mga kailangang i-let go," paliwanag pa niya kaya nairita na lang ako.

Magkaugali sila ni Varsha sa dami ng walang kwentang wise words na sinasabi pero in short, mga mapagparaya lang kaya sa huli ay nate-take advantage! They have this damned heroic mindset. Na okay lang na naaagrabyado, na parte iyon ng buhay.

Fuck life, then! For making it this fucking way.

'Di ko alam kung saan nila namana ang ganyang ugali eh, 'di naman bayani ang Nanay. Lalo na 'yong sperm donor. Siguro sa mga ninuno namin no'ng panahon pa ng Jurassic.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"You can roll your eyes," nabigla ako sa sinabi ni Mist kaya nilingon ko siya.

"H-huh?"

"Roll your eyes," she chuckled lowly, "I know you want to. You're probably tired of hearing bullshits."