Wabi-Sabi

Chapter 31

{Lance Ray Cortes' POV}

Amelia was quiet during during the whole trip back to their house. It was like she was in her own little world. Just staring off into space. I took her out of the car when we arrived and knocked on their front door for the second time today. Her mother opened it withen seconds. "Oh God..my baby," she said whil embracing Amelia. Tears were running down her face and I felt nothing but guilt. i was the one who brought Amelia in my fucked up life. This was all my fault. 

"I-I'm sorry," my voice cracked while saying those words. I couldn't help but notice the disapointment in her eyes whil she was looking at me.

"Mas mabuti sigurong bumalik ka muna sa inyo." After that she took Amelia inside and once again closed the door shut.

I was in no way excited with the thought of going home at all. The place which I thought was a safe haven before in now gone. It sucked. 

The front door was wide when I returned home. As I made my way inside I already recognized the cries that were echoing in the room. I went to the living room and there I saw mom crying with Lawrence sitting right beside her. "San na si Dad?" I asked with my voice appearing so little.

"He..umm..ran away," Lawrence answered. "I just took my eyes off him for a minute--to call mom..and when I came back, he was gone." Mom stood up and put her arms around me.

"Nak, sorry..sorry,,mapapatawad mo pa sana ako," sabi nito ng pa ulit-ulit.

"Ma you don't need to say sorry," batid ko. "Wala kang kasalanan."

 

"Hindi moko naiintindihan," she continued sobbing. "Sorry. Basta sorry." She was confusing me even more than I currently was. I turned my gaze to Lawrence who was also looking at me with pity. That's when it finally dawned to me--what happened to mom years ago. There were times she would just keep on crying every night, and even though I tried to reach out to her, she would always tell me that she's okay. "You knew didn't you?" I said and freed myself from her embrace. "Alam mong nagkaroon ng kabit si dad?"

"Lance it was a long time ago," singit ni Lawrence. Agad namang nalipat ang atensyon ko sa kanya.

"Alam mo rin?" I looked at the both of them, my eyes showing a bit of rage. "And the both of you didn't even bother to tell me?!"

"Lance, bata ka pa nun," sambit ni mama. "We didn't want you to be bothered, We wanted you to feel what it was like having a perfect family."

"Eh eto! Malaki na ako," I started tearing up. "Ma, hinigi ko ba yun? Hindi ako humangad na magkaroon ng isang perpektong pamilya. I never did. I just wanted to be happy. And now you left me here thinking every bit of happiness that I had experience were not real. That behind those things was a big pile of bullshit!"

"Lance, kumalma ka muna," batid ni kuya. "Pag-uusapan natin ito ng maayos.."