"Children?" RJ sounded surprised. Kinagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi ko
at tinignan siyang mabuti. I sighed once and responded.
"Yes." I gulped. "I was pregnant when I left for France."
Anger covered his face. His frustrated eyes pierced through me.
Napapikit ako. I expected this to happen.
"If this is some sort of fucking game, Nicomaine. Stop this." He said
in a strong accent.
If only I am kidding, RJ. If only I am.
Hindi ko siya sinagot at tumingin na lang sa sahig, pinaglalaruan ang
aking mga daliri. Hindi rin gumagalaw si RJ sa harapan ko at
nakatingin pa rin sa akin hanggang ngayon.
"I'm sorry." I replied. My voice so low that I couldn't almost hear it.
"Fuck! Maine!" Nagulat ako nang sumigaw siya. "May anak ako! How dare
you hide this from me!" angil niya sa akin. Padarag siyang umupo sa
sofa at nasagi ang isang vase sa unit. Nabasag ito at halos hindi man
lang kami kumilos na dalawa.
I expected this to happen. Walang ama ang matutuwa kung itinago ang anak nila.
"How old, Mendoza?" tanong niya.
"Two and a half." I replied meekly. "Twins."
"Fuck," he whispered. "Names?"
"Athena Charmaine and Theodore Marcus. Mendoza."
"I have twins, Maine! Anong karapatan mong itago sa akin ang lahat!
You don't know how much I longed for... fuck!" he was not able to finish
his sentence. Nararamdaman ko ang frustration niya. This was so
intense that I did not have any courage to explain.
"Do they know my existence, woman?" he shouted. Halos maiyak ako sa
naririnig ko sa kanya ngayon.
"They don't." I honestly replied. "They are still young to yearn for a father."
"But that doesn't give you the damn right to take them away from me,
Mendoza. They are my kids. My responsibility. And you took that
responsibility away from me because of your obsession to have a safe
and comfortable life! You gave my rights away!"
"I'm sorry." Iyon lang ang masasabi ko ngayon. Afraid that I may say
something na lalong magpagalit sa kanya.
"Where are they?" he ignored my apology. Agad naman akong sumagot na
nasa bahay sila ni Katja and he immediately drove there. Without me.
Agad din naman akong sumunod. Halos magmakaawa ako sa taxi driver na
bilisan ang pagmamaneho at baka kunin ni RJ ang aking mga anak sa
akin. Iniisip ko pa lang ay halos mamatay ako ng paulit-ulit. Take
everything away, but not my children.
Wala pang ilang minute ay nakarating na ako kaagad sa bahay. Halos
maiwan ko ang mga gamit ko sa taxi kung hindi lang ito inabot sa akin.
My heart stopped beating when I saw Charmaine protecting Thirdy from
their father.
"I am your father, Charmaine, Theodore." Rinig kong pagpapakilala niya.
"We don't have a father, po." Agad na sagot ni Charmaine. "I only have
Mama and Tita Kat and Lolo and Lola but we don't have a daddy po."
My heart ached again.
Agad kong nilapitan ang aking mga anak. Tumakbo palapit sa akin si
Thirdy at gulat namang tumingin sa akin si Charmaine. Halos mawasak
ang puso ko nang makita kong takot na takot ang mga anak ko na walang
alam sa nangyayari ngayon.
Pinapasok ko muna ang dalawa sa loob at hinarap kong muli si RJ. His
eyes are bloodshot and in the verge of crying too.
"SEE!" He shouted. "I can't even get close to them because of you,
Maine. Do you know how much it freaking hurts?! I want to hold them
but I can't... fucking!!"
"Let me explain it to them, please. You don't have to tell it to them
like that! Tinatakot mo ang mga anak mo, RJ."
"And is it my fault, huh? Is it my fault that I want to be with them?!"
Bumaling ako sa aking mga anak at nakita kong nagugulugan sila.
Nginitian ko sila ng isang beses at iniwan si RJ sa labas. I have to
correct all my mistakes.
"Mamu, what is a daddy po?" tanong sa akin ni Thirdy. Nakaupo kami
ngayon sa living room samantalang si RJ naman ay pirming nakaupo sa
labas, tinitignan kami.
"Like Tito Raf, baby. Tita Ninang Kat is gonna have a baby, and Tito
Ninong Raphael is the daddy of the baby." I explained. Si Charmaine ay
nakaupo lang din ngayon at tinitignan ang naguguluhan niyang kapatid.
"So, daddy is like mamu's boypren po?" Thirdy asked again.
"Yes, baby. Like a boyfriend. When they love each other, they make a baby."
"Why is he here ngayon lang, Mamu? Is the daddy afraid of cold like Wowa?"
"Daddy did not know that Thirdy is here... that's why he's not with you before."
"Is the daddy with wowa po before?"
Umiling ako at ngumiti. "Daddy is working. That's why he's not able to
visit you often. But now..." I gulped before finishing my sentence.
"Daddy is going to be with Thirdy and Charmaine always."
"But I only want Mamu, po." Thirdy answered innocently. May dumaang
sakit sa aking puso. Ito ang hindi ko pupwedeng ipagkait sa aking mga
anak.
"I know, baby. But Daddy wants to be with Charmaine and you. He likes
pasta, like you." I bitterly smiled. Agad namang lumapad ang ngiti ni
Thirdy at agad tinignan si RJ.
"He looks like old Thirdy, Mam." Charmaine joined the conversation.
"They are boys, they want to play guns. Like yuck!"
"Mamu will play with you and I will play with the Daddy!" Thirdy spat back.
As if he expected everything, RJ immediately went inside the living
room at agad lumapit sa aming mga anak. Tuwang tuwa si Thirdy at agad
dinaluhan ang kanyang ama.
The men of my life...
"You are the Daddy!" Theodore greeted RJ and grinned widely. "Hello. I
am The..theo.. the.. Thirdy!" pagpapakilala niya. "You are the Daddy!
Does the daddy have a name, Mamu?" agad na tanong sa akin ni Thirdy.
"Yes. His name is Richard." I replied.
"Your name is too long, can I call you something else?"
"You can call me Daddy, anak." RJ's voice cracked and he hugged him
while he cried.
—
Sorry for not updating too often! Busy ang auntie hahahaha #workislife
BINABASA MO ANG
Careless (MaiChard) - COMPLETED
FanfictionA story of them. Her - who sacrificed herself in the process just to keep him safe, even if it means leaving him Him - Who is willing to forget everything just to be with her. Careless. Both of them are. (c) aldenology |
