The Captain's Only Sea (Cavanaugh #4)

Kabanata 43

Kabanata 43

Private

"Hija, kung hindi mo man napapansin. Hindi lang dahil sa mahal ni Everardo ang nanay mo kaya n'ya kayo kinupkop," mabagal ang pagkakasabi ni Senyor Saturnino mula sa kabilang linya.

I was holding back the tears. Namumuo pa nga lang ito sa mga mata ko ay idinaan ko na lamang ito sa ilang beses na pagkurap.

"Senyor, hindi ko po talaga maintindihan. Paano'ng naging Everardo Cavanaugh iyong pangalan ni Papa? Sa Santa Fe po ako lumaki bago nawala si Mama. Wala naman po akong narinig na usap-usapan na nagkapalit sila ng pangalan."

"Alam mo ba kung saan lumaki ang Papa mo? Lumipat lang sila sa Santa Fe. . . noong nasa apat na taong gulang ka pa lamang nang sa gano'n ay mapalaki nila kayo ng mapayapa at malayo sa tsismis ng mga tao," the way Senior Saturnino spoke tells me that he was having a hard time pronouncing the words due to his condition. "Your father's name was legally and officially changed already when they moved out. He's the real Fernan Vargas. He's the grandchild of my cousin's mayordoma. Inasikaso lahat ng 'yon ng yumao kong pinsan."

Gusto ko na lang sana na kausapin si Aunt Lauren. Mukhang nahihirapan kasi talaga si Senyor Saturnino sa pagsasalita. Dagdagan pa na ang haba ng kaniyang sinabi.

A moment of silence from the other line before I heard someone's voice telling the Cavanaugh's patriarch to drink his water first before continuing to talk.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat to avoid myself from stuttering. "Sinasabi mo po ba na hindi pa sila tuluyang nagpalit ng pangalan nang isinagawa ang DNA test?"

"Oo, hija. Matagal ang naging proseso no'n."

"Paano po sila nagpalit, Senyor?"

Isang malalim na buntong hininga ang narinig ko mula kay Senyor Saturnino bago ito nagsalita.

"The mayordoma switched them one night where everyone was asleep. Everardo has his own nursery room. No one noticed. She was desperate to give her grandchild the grand life after she lost her daughter from giving birth to him," huminto ito upang humugot ng malalim na paghinga. "Iyong nakabuntis pa sa anak ng mayordoma ay tinakbuhan ang responsibilidad n'ya."

I was patient and attentive in listening to him. Mabagal kasi talaga ang paraan ng pagsasalita nito pero malinaw naman.

Some questions in my mind finally had answers. It registered on my head that lessen the ache that I was feeling.

The mayordoma is my great grandmother, and her daughter which is Papa's mother. . . is my grandmother.

"Hindi po ba napaghalataan o nagtaka iyong pinsan mo po, Senyor? May pagkakaiba naman po siguro sa dalawang sanggol sa mga panahong iyon?"

"Dalawang araw lang ang agwat ng kapanganakan. Binihisan at pinabanguhan pa ng mayordoma iyong apo n'ya para hindi magiging kaduda-duda."

Mariin akong napapikit. "Sino po ba iyong taong nakabuntis sa anak ng mayordoma?"

Naimulat ko rin kaagad ang mga mata nang narinig ang hindi inaasahang sagot nito.

"Pinsan ng pinsan ko. Mother's side. Certainly not a Cavanaugh," I heard him snorted in an angry manner from the other line. "Pogi rin ang choy na 'yon, 'yong pinsan ng pinsan ko. Kaya parang walang pinagkaiba halos ang dalawang bata."

"Kaya siguro nagawa n'yang ipagpalit iyong mga bata para makabawi sa nagawang pag-iwan ng lalaking nakabuntis sa kaniyang anak," I said as it all sink in. "That means my Papa and Dad are cousins? Dad is my uncle?"

"Yes, that's why Everardo is always there to help even if Fernan chose the simple life after his name changed," marahang tumawa si Senior Saturnino mula sa kabilang linya. Naging bahaw lamang ang tawa nito. He noisily inhaled before he continued to word everything. "It's not just all about your mother. Everardo loves your Papa as brothers too. They grew up together in my cousin's residence back in Monte Vista. . . During their childhood and teenage years, Everardo as 'Fernan' was taken good care by the mayordoma. And Fernan as 'Everardo' was spoiled with toys and gifts by my cousin and his wife. But, Fernan as 'Everardo' was more close to the mayordoma. The mayordoma influenced him, her own grandson to become a good man."