s i Ni s t e r

Untitled Part 42

WHERE IS DARBY?"

Napapitlag si Amber sa bulong ni Tita Monique. Nakatayo siya sa harap ng ataul pero hindi siya kay Blanche nakatingin. Sa detalye ng ataul, wondering how do they lock these things. Hindi niya naramdaman ang paglapit ng mama ni Blanche, narinig na lang niyang bumulong. She almost had a heart attact. Because Tita Monique sounded like Blanche.

"Where is your sister, Amber?" Ulit pa ng babae. Halos idikit na na sa teynga ni Amber ang bibig. Dahil sa puyat at kaiiyak, paos ang boses nito, just as Blanche was all the time. Dahil iyak nang iyak rin si Blanche at ayaw matulog noong buhay pa.

"Um, Tita--" lumayo siya ng bahagya. The woman was invading her personal space like she was provoking her. Kaya hindi siya makasagot. Hindi niya alam ang ibig sabihin ng tanong nito. It was scaring the hell out of her.

Humawak pa ito sa balikat niya at pinisil siya ng mariin, "I will find out sooner or later and when I do, I will make her pay for what she did to my daughter. I sincerely hope you're not part of it, Amber."

"O-Of what?"

Idinikit uli ng ginang ang bibig sa teynga ni Amber, "I have friends in the right places, Amber. There is no record of your sister ever leaving the country. She's here. Hiding. I hope you are not helping her. I really do."

And Tita Monique left, as quietly as she came.

Amber let out a sigh of relief. At least for now. Problema pa rin si Tita Monique, bagay na hindi niya inakala. She just assumed that Tita Monique would be unconsolable and heavily sedated. A mistake. The woman had clearly channeled her grief into pursuit of what she believed drove Blanche to kill herself. Ginagamit ni Tita Monique ang sariling pera at koneksyon para tugisin si Darby.

Who knew whom she'd been talking to? The police, probably. Ibig sabihin, may kumikilos na para hanapin si Darby.

And thanks to you, Blanche, they just might find Darby.

Unless...