Concealed Truth

22

FLASHBACK

“ Ano?” tanong ko. Hindi siya umiimik at umiyak lang sa kinauupuan niya.

“ A--anong sabi mo?”

“ Your Liam’s biological father. Ikaw ang ama ni Liam…” she cried.

“ I had a DNA test for you and Liam. You left your spare toothbrush at home the day of the party and when Liam was born, I asked if they could get a sample from him. They tested it and you resulted positive in the paternity test. I’ve known it all this time Ivan. 7 years kong tinago dahil 7 years ka rin naman wala and I don’t know where I can reach you. I thought na kapag bumalik ka, pwede kong sabihin agad sayo but when I saw you, all the anger came creeping back at me that’s why I asked Zolo to play along with me. I asked him if he could pretend na kami hanggang sa magselos ka pero I failed. You met Jhoanna and you started liking her. You were too blind to see me and too blind to see Liam as your son..”

“ Don’t drag Liam in this discussion. Itong issue na to it’s between me and you only! Wag mong idamay yung bata labas siya dito.”

“ Damay siya dito Ivan! Anak natin siya and yet look at what’s happening to us! Do you think this is the life I want for him? For our son?! yung may galit sa isa’t-isa yung magulang niya? Yung magulong pamilya?! yung may kanya-kanyang buhay magulang niya? Tangina Ivan, do you think I planned this? Fucking hell No! I never wanted this kind of set-up! I regretted everything the moment my own son started forgetting about me. Pero hinayaan ko kasi andyan ka na. Nakikita kong masaya siya kapag kasama ka niya, na kahit wala kayong kamalay-malay na magkadugo kayo ay kitang kita ko na masaya kayo pareho. Remember I tried talking to you a dozen times? But what would you always do to me? Lagi mo kong tinutulak palayo, lagi kang nakasigaw kapag kaharap ako, lagi tayong nagaaway. Lagi mong sinasabi sakin na I don’t deserve to be Liam’s mom and you’ll always tell me that Liam’s better off without me. Tangina Ivan lahat ng yun kinimkim ko. Yung galit mo, galit ng barkada pati paglayo ng anak ko sa akin, kinimkim ko lahat yun para kapag nakahanap ako ng tamang panahon para sabihin sayo lahat ng to malabas ko lahat. Akala ko kapag sinabi ko sayo matutuwa ka. Akala ko kapag umamin ako sayo magiging ayos lahat… Tangina, Ivan mahal kita okay?! Mahal kita pero bulag ka sa pagmamahal ko sayo dahil ang pinaiiral mo ay yung galit mo sakin!” pagkasabi niya nun ay mabilis siyang lumabas ng pinto leaving me alone in this empty rooftop.

EOFB

“ So alam mo?” Therese asked. We were at Denden’s place a week after my fight with Maddie.

“ She just sent me these this morning. Kaya nga pinapunta ko kayo agad dito eh.” sagot ni Dennise sabay lapag ng isang brown envelope.

I took it and pulled out the paper inside. It was a DNA test result. The first one was Liam’s and the other’s mine. Binasa ko yun and we were 99% compatible which means, Maddie was telling the truth. I am Liam’s father.

“ Ang hindi ko lang magets ha, paanong naging si Ivan yung tatay when I know for a fact na galing sa lab yung sperm na ininject sa kanya?”

FLASHBACK

" Look" she finally said as she showed me a vial. It was frozen and I don't know what it is.

" What is that?" pagtataka ko. Medyo kumalma na ako since wala naman pala kaming gagawing kung ano dito sa loob ng bathroom.

" Dennise brought this over. Ito daw yung donor ko para magkababy na ko" aniya