Mary Grace

Twenty-Seven

Twenty-Seven

I smoothened the crease of my olive green velvet dress, smiling as how it matched my hair perfectly. Glancing at the mirror once more, I decided it's time to go out.

Nang makalabas ako ay siya ding pagbukas ng pintuan sa cabin ni Harry. He smiled at me and ran an appreciative gaze over my dress.

"You look great."

"Thanks!" I beamed.

He stepped forward and lean to kiss me. I kissed him back and soon, we were making out in the middle of the hallway with Harry trying to ruin my dress by inserting his hands on my inner thighs.

Natatawa ko siyang itinulak. "Dad's waiting for us."

He grunted a response and stepped back from me. With Harry's arms wrapped around my shoulders, sabay kaming naglakad sa maliit na corridor. Maya't-maya ay umaalog ito dahil sa paghampas ng alon. When we reached the upper deck, I found my father anxiously pacing back and forth. Iniwan ko muna si Harry at nilapitan siya.

"Dad, are you okay?" itinagilid ko ang aking ulo habang pinagmamasdan siya.

"I'm so nervous." He mumbled. For an instant, his eyes flashed with fear. "What if she says no?"

I smiled at him. "Mom will surely say yes."

He sighed. "Maybe I should back out after all. Mahigit isang taon na kaming hiwalay ng mommy mo, Mary Grace. She must've started moving on already."

I scowled at him. "That's not true, Dad. Just give it a try, okay? Tinulungan ka pa naming dalawa ni Harry dito, eh!"

As if noticing Harry's existence for the first time, he nodded at him in acknowledgement. Knowing what happened between the two of us, Dad started accepting him back into my life.

I could remember that night vividly inside of my head. Dad cried angry tears while my mother stared at me in shock. Ipinakita ko sa kanila ang notebook ni Ate Annie at ang mga larawan. Even the video. I really don't want to talk about it but I forced myself to tell them the truth. My parents keep on asking for forgiveness from me. Gusto nilang kausapin at makita si Oliver but I disagreed.

Oliver seemed happy with his son and ramen house. Ayaw ko nang guluhin pa ang pamilya nila.

There's no use of filing a case against Uncle Thomas. Wala na siya. My parents tried to talk Tito Alistair pero wala siyang sinasabi. He just looked at me with his pair of sad eyes and continued to remain silent while my Dad shouted at him, tears streaming down his face.

"You let my girls suffer!" He roared again. Tumayo kaagad ang police at nagbantay sakaling atakihin ni Dad si Tito Alistair para mapigilan ito kaagad. "How can you do that to my family, Alistair?!"

"Alistair..." my mother sobbed. "I can't see your face again anymore without thinking what you've done to my family."

He hang his head low, a grim look on his face. I pleaded not to send him in jail. Wala naman siyang ginawa. It was all Uncle Thomas' fault. His only fault is that he did nothing about it.

"I hope you burn in hell with Thomas! And I wish he's still alive so I can kill him with my bare hands! I don't care going to hell with you. Magkikita-kita tayong lahat doon at paulit-ulit ko kayong papatayin sa ginawa niyo sa mga anak ko!" by this time, Dad has his hand around Tito Alistair's neck.

Napatili si Mommy at kaagad na rumesponde ang pulis. Inawat niya si Dad mula kay Tito Alistair. Nanatili akong nakatungo at tahimik, wishing this would be all over.