Not A Fairytale✔

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

It is exactly 5:00 in the afternoon nang maalimpungatan ako. Napabalikwas ako ng higa, at nakita ko si Mama na nakaupo sa tapat ng kama ko.

Una kong naamoy ang perfume niya na hnding-hindi ko pa naaamoy sa iba kailan man.

Nakatulog pala ako, hindi ko namalayan. But what I remembered before I fell asleep is sa sofa ako natulog, now I am in Mama's bed.

"Who's with Papa?" Agad kong itinanong.

"He's with our bodyguards. Don't worry." She softly said, like saying it that way is natural for her.

She started carresing ng hair. Just by looking at her, you can tell that she can fight her chaos all smoothly.

Nakatitig lang siya sa akin na para akong isang mumunting bata na inosenteng nakatingin sa kanya. Her sparkling eyes are like a mirror. And her glass face, kumikislap.

Her features are all at its maximum level. She screams feminism. And I cannot believe that this fine woman is actually the one who gave birth to me.

Maya-maya pa'y nagsalita siya.

"How did Sope raised you?" She asked—almost a whisper.

"She raised me well po." Wala sa sariling sagot ko, and I do not know how to say it a little nicer, because the statement seemed just to have an impact on her.

Bahagyang napawi ang ngiti niya, ngunit hindi siya nagpatinag at tumango na lamang.

"I see." She smiled.

I can't blame her, all these years, I was denied from her. I love Tita Sope, even if it's still awkward calling her tita, 'cause I grew up calling her Mama. So as tito Alexandro. All changed in a snap of a finger.

"How about Alexandro? Is he nice?" She asked again.

Tumango ako kay Mama, "He is a manipulating man." Sagot ko kay Mama.

If he wasn't, I must've grown the other way around. But that don't matter, because I think that my past resembled me and fixed it. Parang nagkaroon ako ng sariling pag-iisip kahit bata pa ako dahil doon sa ginawa ni Jackson sa akin.

"I see." She smiled. "You know, Neterini. After all the tragic circumstances in the past, I think I still have something that was and is properly taken care of." Aniya.

Umayos ako ng higa at hinarap siya, wanting to hear more from her.

"And it's you. You grew up well, and feminine. I am so lucky you're a nice woman, no wonder Alexandro and Sope are not burdened." She chuckled a bit.

"Ma, it is because they want something from me. Alam nila na may makukuha sila sa akin pabalik." Paliwanag ko, ngunit umiling siya.

"It's because you are the nicest girl. You know how to act properly, and I envy you for growing up carrying that attitude."

I smiled at her, where would I even get it? It's inevitable that she is also the nicest woman. We stayed there for almost hours talking about how our lives have been, marami rin siyang ibinahagi sa akin na tungkol sa clothing line niya, she started it four years ago abroad, at ngayo'y unti-unti nang lumalaki.

"How about Bradley, Ma? How did you met him?" Tanong ko.

She simply smiled.

"You better ask him that," malumanay niyang sagot.

Of course, but what now? How will I even apologize? Or should I?

I know again and again, magi-guilty ako sa ginawa ko. Pero sa tingin ko, tama naman iyong naisip ko, it is a matter of self-respect. That moment, I felt disgusted to myself. Siguro'y hindi ko muna iisipin iyong bagay na 'yon, although guilt doesn't want to vanish, I will remain self-centered for this instance.