Sentry

33- Lull Before the Storm

"C'mon, smile for big brother. C'mon now. Be a good girl, Emma," ani Gaius na pinandidilatan ang kanyang sanggol na kapatid na nasa baby stroller nito na kulay pink.

Kanina n'ya pa ito gustong pangitiin pero ayaw talaga. Gustung-gusto na niya itong kurutin sa pisngi para umiyak na lang.

"Gaius, she's just a few weeks old. Hindi talaga 'yan ngingiti," ani Damian na umiinom ng tsaa.

Nasa salas sila nang hapong 'yun at kasalukuyang nagkukuwentuhan.

"But Reyvah said she smiled yesterday. She's so unfair!"

"That was called reflex smile. That wasn't a real one."

Gaius gave up and sat on a couch. He looked like a bum in his white loose shirt, denim shorts and slippers. Ang gulo pa ng buhok niya. He didn't even wash his face. He just brushed his teeth a few minutes ago.

"Alam mo bang ang pangit mo ngayon, son?" kaswal na tanong ng kanyang ama na pailalim siyang tinitigan.

"I don't care."

Nagkibit-balikat lang si Damian saka ipinagpatuloy ang pag-inom ng tsaa.

"S'ya nga pala, Dad, may sasabihin pala ako sa inyo. Matagal ko na itong pinaimbestigahan."

"Is it about your mother?" anito sabay lapag ng tasa sa rustic looking na center table. He didn't look surprised.

"Yes. 'Yung rason kung bakit ka umalis."

Bumuntung-hininga ito. "Have you proven our suspicion?"

Tumango siya. "I have evidence now."

"Good. Then I can have sole custody for you three."

"We are all adults. Hindi na kailangan ng custody," pagtatama niya sa ama.

"Six years ago, you were fifteen and Auberon was fourteen. Dapat dinala ko kayo rito sa Athenun pero gusto n'yong manatili sa academy kaya hinayaan ko kayong manatili sa Morland kahit ayaw ko."

"Our lives weren't that bad."

"I couldn't bring myself to trust her after what she did. Your mother, I mean."

Naiintindihan ni Gaius ang ama. Maging siya ay hindi na magawang magtiwala sa sarili siyang ina. What she did was not just awful. It was horrendously horrible.

"She should be punished, you know," ani Damian and Gaius nodded in agreement. "Dinala mo ba ang mga nakalap mong ebidensya?"

"Yeah. They're in my bag. I gave a copy to Forrest but he didn't want to talk about it. You know how he adores Mom."

"Magigising din siya sa katotohanan someday. He has forever to do that."

"Nag-aalala ako kay Auberon though."

Agad na nalungkot ang mukha ni Damian nang maisip ang anak na babae na kahit ampon lang ay minahal nito na parang totoong anak.

"She needs to know."

"Hindi ko alam kung paano sasabihin."

"Neither do I. We will wait for the right moment."

Pumasok si Reyvah sa loob ng bahay. Galing ito sa labas at nakasuot pa ito ng malaking straw hat, brown long-sleeved top, black loose jogging pants at flip flops. Sa kamay nito ay ang pruners. Gaius guessed she was cutting dead leaves from her plants outside.

"Love, may bisita tayo," nakangiting sambit nito habang nakatingin kay Damian.

"Talaga? Sino?"

"Mga kaibigan mo yata, Gaius," baling nito sa kanya.