Sober

Chapter 10

/THIRD PERSON/

It was already dark when Leo drove back to his house where he found his eldest daughter on the living room reading a book.

“Si Sarah, wala pa?” he asked for it was already too late yet his youngest is still not around.

Lea almost held her chest when all of a sudden, someone spoke. Mag-isa lang kasi siya at tahimik ang buong bahay tapos may biglang magsasalita, “W-wala pa po. On the way pa lang daw, as per her last text.”

“Nagulat ba kita?” his father asked when he saw how Lea reacted. He sat beside her.

“Medyo po,” she answered. “Kumusta po ang lakad niyo? Kumusta po si Aya?”

“Turns out she’s been discharged already. I meant, it’s true this time,” Leo said when he remembered what Sarah used as an excuse so they can catch Lea. Huminga naman si Lea na parang nabunutan ng tinik sa dibdib. Her daughter being in the hospital really bothered her lately more than anything else— more than what happened yesterday with Aga. “And she knew already about you being her mother.”

She looked at her father this time, nervously, “H-how did she react with it? Is she mad at me?”

“Ano sa tingin mo?” Leo asked back making her bow her head. He shrugged as he really did not want to speak for his grandchild, “She’s always a happy and jolly kid. She always talks a lot about things, but when I saw her earlier, she’s quiet. She’s sad. That’s all I can say.”

“What should I expect her to react though. I’m sure she’s beyond disappointed with all that I did. I’m so screwed up” she said and rubbed her face using her palms. Her eyes got watery with the thought of Aya hating her. Hindi na niya kakayanin kung pati ang anak niya kinamumuhian siya.

“Aga wants to talk to you. Tomorrow at her place by noon.” Leo broke the news.

“P-pa?”

“He wanted to talk to you and you should talk to him too. Kung gusto mo talaga makasama si Aya, kausapin mo ‘yung tatay”

There was a moment of silence as they both are thinking of what will happen tomorrow. Leo’s kind-of worried for Lea and Lea’s very worried for her self. She’s nervous at the thought of facing Aga. She’s nervous at the thought of talking to him. She’s nervous at the thought of not being able to go out of his house alive.

“Pa, may bulletproof vest ka?” she asked which startled the old man.

“Bulletproof vest? For what?”

“For protection lang. You know, baka kasi barilin na lang ako ni Aga hindi pa man ako nakakatapak sa loob ng bahay niya.” she answered which caused Leo to laugh. The tension between them was suddenly released.

“He won’t harm you, he promised me that,” her Dad said while still chuckling. “But I like the fact that you really know how great Aga’s anger towards you. You are aware and it’s good so you will not be surprised anymore.”

“Sa laki ba naman ng kasalanan ko, hindi na dapat ako nagugulat,” she answered and sighed. She wonders though if Aga would ever forgive her. Kahit ‘yun man lang sana ay maibigay niya. May pinagsamahan pa rin naman sila. “Saan nga po pala nagpunta si Sarah?”

“She has a class today”

“Eh? Akala ko graduate na siya?”

“Yeah, but she’s attending review classes to help her in her upcoming board exam which will be in three months.”

Lea just nodded with that, “Ang privilege naman pala ng bunso. Samantalang ako dati, self-review for board exam.”

“Self-review? I doubt so,” Leo said and looked at his daughter teasingly. “You had a review buddy slash tutor slash cook, also known as your boyfriend.”