Maginoong Medyo Bastos

Chapter Seven

Sa emergency message pa lang na natanggap ni Vannessa ay may pagdududa na siya. Her mistake was that she didn't listen to her gut feeling even when it had proven to be reliable in situations similar to the one she would be facing. Wala na siyang ibang nagawa pa kung 'di ang tumuloy kahit na nanginginig na siya sa pagkayamot at pagkairita.

Nakatanggap siya ng text galing sa isang unregistered number na patay na raw ang Pops Renie niya. He was her great grandfather who had been staying in the Concepcion mansion since his retirement. Back when they were still staying in the province together with some of their relatives, Pops Renie had always been on her side. Ito ang isa sa mga tagapagtanggol niya sa tuwing pinagkakaisahan siya ng mga pinsan niya.

And he was still very authoritative back then as he was a former member of the army. That was why people respected and feared him at the same time.

When Pops Renie had dementia, that was when her relatives started to disrespect him. Sa sobrang katandaan at makalilimutin nito'y hindi na rin nito namamalayan ang pambabastos na ginagawa ng iilan sa miyembro ng kanilang pamilya. Vannessa had already moved to the city by then so she wasn't able to really witness the awful treatment of the clan to the old man.

That was why even when she knew that some of her relatives pulled dirty tricks like that, she couldn't blame herself for falling into their trap. She owed Pops Renie the little peace on her childhood, and the news that he was gone in his sleep, even when it turned out to be untrue, tore her.

Gusto niyang pagsabihan ang kung sino mang nakaisip ng ideyang iyon na hindi mabuti ang magbiro tungkol kay Pops Renie.

"Are you sure, Vannessa? Tutuloy ka talaga?" tanong ni Greg sa kabilang linya. Tinawagan niya ito para ipaalam ang kaonting kaganapan sa buhay niya. She hadn't seen the guy for almost two weeks already because he was also busy with his projects, but he was the only person, aside from Venice who wasn't picking up her phone, that she could talk to with matters like her family.

Vannessa let out a long sigh. "I'm almost there. Sayang naman kung babalik pa ako after a three-hour drive, diba?" she said. "And I'd also like to see what they're up to for them to use such nasty trick on me."

Narinig niyang nagbuntonghininga ang kaibigan. "Alright, then. I'm just worried. I have a bad feeling about it. We both know your family, and the things they do. If only I were there to go with you."

"It's fine. Madamay ka pa. I also have a bad feeling about it, but if they ever want to trample on me, then I'd give them a fight," she said, remembering the last time she went to the province after being forced by her dad.

It was a disaster. Doon niya napatunayang may mga pinsan siyang galit na galit sa kanya kahit wala naman siyang ginagawa sa mga ito. She really concluded that some people could really hate on someone because people had been hating on that person as well. And she had already stopped trying to please everyone.

"Just try and stay out of trouble na lang talaga, okay? Mag-iingat ka. Tawagan mo lang ako kung kailangan mo ng tulong."

Tumango-tango siya kahit hindi naman nito nakikita. "Yes, ikaw rin."

She immediately let out a sigh when the call dropped, eyes still on the road. She saw the familiar landmarks that signified that she was already near their place. Hindi niya maiwasang makaramdam ng kaba habang iniisip kung ano ang aabutan niya sa mansiyon. Madalang lamang siyang bumisita sa probinsiya at kapag bumibisita naman siya'y para lang dalawin ang Pops Renie. Minsan ay napipilitan lang din siya.

She disliked going there. It reminded her so much about her childhood. She used to live in a village that was owned by the Concepcions. Majority of the residents there were Concepcions as well. On the highest ground where it looked like as if it was towering over other houses was the Concepcion mansion. The Concepcion mansion had been the house of the Concepcions since the Spanish colonization. It was where the family gathered whenever there were occassions that needed to be celebrated.