One Last Fall

Chapter 24-Drowned

"I'll leave you two first. Welcome back, Tita" humalik si Diego sa pisngi ni Mommy bago umalis. Hinila ko naman si Mommy paupo sa sofa.

"He's a good man anak" aniya at ngumiti pero hindi iyon umabot sa mata nya

"Where's Dad Mom? Bakit mag-isa ka lang?" Tanong ko at pilit na ngumiti. Bumuntong hininga sya at lumabas ang luha mula sa mata nya "Susunod po ba si Daddy? May tinatapos pa pong trabaho no?" Kinagat ko ang labi ko at umiwas ng tingin.

"A-anak your Da-"

"Bakit po puro business si Daddy? Kailan po ba sya susunod dito?"

I don't wanna hear whatever she's about to say. No. I'm scared that whatever I'm thinking right now... is true, no! I'm hoping I'm wrong... na they don't have a problem. 

"Anak please..." nilingon ko sya nang hawakan nya ang kamay ko. Nanginginig ang kamay nya at malamig. Humihikbi na rin sya kaya umusog ako palapit sakanya para yakapin sya. Ghad, I miss my her. I miss mi, Mom. Pero anong nangyayari?

"Mom, hey... why are you crying? Ganon nyo po ba ako namiss?" Ngumiti ako at pinahid ang luha nya habang ako ay nagpipigil parin. Bakit ako iiyak? Wala namang dapat iyakan.

"Hiwalay na kami ng Daddy mo anak"

And there... I stopped. Those fucking seven words made my world stop. I hope it did really stopped... and when everything goes back again, it might change. 

Para akong nanigas sa kinauupuan ko. What did she just say? Did I hear it clearly? Hiwalay? Hiwalay na sila ni Daddy? What?

"Ha? Ano po?" Maybe... I'm wrong. Maybe I have a problem with my cognition because that will not gonna happen! They love each other! I saw their love for each other! I saw how my Mom looked at my Dad and how my Dad looked at Mom, too. 

"Anak" humagulgol sya at yumuko. "Hiwalay na kami ng Daddy mo... h-he cheated"

Gumuho ang natitirang pag-asa ko. Dad... cheated? Is that true? My Dad is a respected man. He's kind and many people admire him. I'm sure he didn't cheat, no. Mom is wrong. Maybe she was just paranoid? Kaya iyon ang naisip nya?

Suminghap ako at umiling. Baka nagkakamali lang si Mom. Kinagat ko ang labi ko para mapigilan ang mga nagbabadyang luha, ayokong umiyak kahit masakit. Niyakap ko ng mas mahigpit si Mommy. She badly needs me right now.

"Did he really c-cheat? B-baka naman po nagkakamali lang kayo, Mom"

I can't lose my family. I love them both. 

"I-I hope pero totoo anak... I saw them" nanginginig ang kamay kong binaba ang mga ito mula sa pagyakap kay Mommy. 

Dad cheated. Dad cheated and my mom saw him! So it's true? It's true that he cheated? He cheated on mom... and on me? Why? Why the hell would he cheat? Is Mom not enough? Am I not enough? Does he love mom? Does he love me? Does he love our family? 

I didn't know na may mas sasakit pa pala sa nangyari samin ni Calvin. Cheating? The heck? Again!

Calvin cheated on me and then now Dad cheated on Mom? What's wrong? What's wrong with me and Mom? Why did they do that to us? Why are they hurting us? Did I do something before that God let this happen to me? That He let this happen to us? To Mom? What is it? Am I being punished? Hindi ba pwedeng ako nalang? Ako nalang ang masaktan at huwag na si Mom? My family is the only thing I have! My mom, my dad! But what the hell? Tanggap ko ang kay Calvin. I've moved on... but kay Dad? I don't know how am I supposed to move on! I don't know what to do! 

I can't help but hate them. Hate men. Hindi ba sila marunong makuntento? Mom is beautiful, kind, sweet, and a loving mother. Why would Dad cheat on Mom? I feel betrayed. My dad, the first man I loved... betrayed me. He's my only hope when Calvin cheated. He's the reason why I didn't hate men when Calvin cheated because seeing his relationship with Mom gave me hope. He gave me hope that not all men cheat. But now? I feel like everyone will hurt me... will hurt us.