Seventeen

Chapter 22

Chapter 22 : "His Mother."

As I stare at the beautiful woman holding my father's hand, I felt my heart ache. But what really hurts me is the way she look at my father. She looks at him the way my mom does every time she's looking at dada before. I can see it in her eyes, she loves him. I examined her face, she has a very angelic face, thin pinkish eyebrows, brown innocent eyes, pale cheeks and a thin pressed together lips. She's very beautiful, but she's nothing compared to my mother.

"Meadow..." I squeezed my eyes shut when I hear dada said my name. The way he say my name felt so different now.

Minulat 'ko ang aking mata at sinalubong ang tingin ni dada. Ngunit, hindi pa man tumatagal ng ilang segundo ang pagtititigan namin ay umiwas na agad siya ng tingin. Halos isang linggo 'kong hindi nakita ang mga mata niya dahil sa tuwing dadalaw ako sa kaniya ay tulog siya. Ang sakit lang isipin na kaya niyang tignan sa mata ang babae niya samantalang sa sarili niyang anak hindi niya magawa.

"Hi Meadow. Ako nga pala si Camila." Tumayo 'yung babae ni dada para sana pakipagkamay sa akin pero humakbang ako patalikod para hindi siya makalapit sa akin ng tuluyan.

Ayaw 'kong mahawakan niya ako dahil pakiramdam 'ko kapag hinawakan niya ako ay mapapaso ako.

"Meadow, let me explain all of this to you."

Nanatili lang nakatayo 'yung Camila sa gilid pero hawak pa rin ni dada ang kamay nito.

"Isn't this enough explanation dad?" I said, glancing to both of them and to their intertwined hands.

"Kung ano mang sinabi ng mamu mo huwag na huwag kang maniniwala. Let me explain this okay? Sa'kin ka lang maniwala. I love you, you know that. I'm sorry for not telling this to you, sweetheart."

"You love me? I don't know anymore."

"I love you. Why would you even say that. You're my daughter. You're my only child."

I shook my head when I felt my eyes swam with tears.

"You're seriously saying that dad? Look at that woman. It's pretty much obvious that she's carrying a child and of course it's yours." I pointed my index finger on Camila who is still silent at the corner.

May kalakihan na kasi ang tiyan nito. Kahit pa medyo maluwag ang spaghetti strapped dress na suot niya ay mahahalata pa rin ang umbok sa tiyan niya.

"She has a name, Meadow and it's Camila." Dad gruffly said.

"Well I don't care."

"Meadow!"

Nakita 'ko ang pagkagulat ni Camila nang sumigaw si dad dahil medyo napatalon ito. I clenched my fist when I saw how worried my dad was to Camila.

"I'm sorry hon." Dad murmurs to her while squeezing her hand.

I bit my lower lip. Hon? Wow. Just wow.

"Sweetheart, I'm so—"

"Dad stop please."

"Sweetheart, it's dada, not dad."

I shook my head then tears ran down my face.

"I don't know you anymore. You're not my dada."

"I am. Sweetheart, I still am."

Tinakpan 'ko gamit ang dalawa 'kong kamay ang mukha 'ko at tuluyan na akong napahagulgol.

Gusto 'ko na lang bumalik sa dati. 'Yung kaming dalawa lang ni mommy ang babae sa buhay niya. 'Yung walang ganitong problema. 'Yung maayos pa ang lahat.