[ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇᴅ] Justified and Underlined

(26) Twenty-Six

  NORA

"I hate dealing with you, Leo people!" asik ko saka dinuro siya. It's just a joke though.

"I hate Libras, too! They're annoying!"

"How about your ego, Leo?" mariing tanong ko.

Tumili siya dahil sa inis. "See! That's why I hate Libra people!"

Heh. She's just like... someone I knew from the past, eh?

"So, you hate your mom then?" tanong ko sabay kagat sa saging. "You hate me now, huh? You hate your mom?"

Inismiran niya ako. "No. Yes. Whatever."

Mahina akong natawa. She's eight, pero parang ang sarap niya na agad palayasin sa pamamahay na 'to. Because goddamn it, kulang ang salitang "maldita" to describe my daughter. She's sassy. She also hates Disney princesses kasi hayok daw sa lalaki. Lol. Role model niya raw 'yung mga villains 'cause they're wise and they make sense.

Pinaka-hate niya rin si Ariel. 'Yung sirena. Bobita raw kasi. Kasi imagine daw, she's simping for a human and she's a mermaid. Bruh, kinakain ng mga human ang mga kaibigan niyo, Ariel. We eat fish. And you're next. Char.

"Maaaaa," tawag niya bigla sa 'kin.

Nilinga ko siya at tinaasan ng dalawang kilay. "Yes?"

"I wuv youuuuu."

Mahina akong natawa.

Yep. She's actually sweet.

"I wuv you, too."

Ngumiti siya ng malawak. Her eyes were also smiling at me at halos mawala na ang mga mata niya dahil sa pag-ngiti niya. "You told me once that Leos are perfect for Libras, right?"

Tumango ako. "Uh huh. Based sa Astrology. Lagi kong nababasa kasi."

"Then go find a Leo guy so I can have a dad already," aniya saka nginusuan ako. "Ka-inggit sila Kyle, may mga papa sila."

"Is that the reason why you bully them?" tanong ko saka tinaasan siya ng isang kilay.

She giggled. "Bullying is a strong word, 'ma. I just punched his face once."

"That's bullying."

"Sabi kasi nila, wala akong papa, and I don't deserve to have one!"

I know. Nasasaktan ako kapag nagsusumbong siya sa akin. And I cry every night thinking about why can't I give my child a better life? Just... why?

Napa-buga ako ng hangin. "Pero hindi tama na saktan mo sila, Cora. Lagi naman tayong nag-uusap tungkol dito, 'di ba? Don't hurt people. Pangalawang school mo na ito. Please, don't do anything bad again this time."

She chuckled. "I'll try."

And God. This child is so... I don't know. But what can I do? Hilig niyang manuntok. Hindi ko alam kung dapat ba akong matawa dahil literally, this a dark fucking joke. Kasi... remember? Si papa. He literally hits people without a fucking reason. And that's exactly... my child's behavior.

"Cora?" I called her.

Ngunguya-nguya niya akong tininga. She really looks like me. Para kong tinititigan ang sarili ko noong bata pa ako. But she looks... braver. She got those glints in her eyes-- telling me that she can ruin people's lives if she wanted to.

"I just want you to remember this..." I smiled at her. "Leos are sassy people, okay? Control your temper, fascinate them-- because that's what Leo people do. You guys shines so bright."

Inismiran niya ako. "Just go and find a husband. Gusto ko Leo rin. I want a sassy father."

Naiiling na nagpatuloy ako sa pag-kain. "Bilisan mo na ring kumain kasi papasok ka na."