My Gift

Special Gift #4 Part 3

It was the first time Dennise saw them for a long time.

Them.

Her ex-wife's parents.

She, her ten month old baby and LA went to the church and that's when she saw them.

They look the same from six? Seven years ago. The last time she saw them was when she was with Alyssa the moment her then fiancee came clean to her parents, telling them she's a lesbian and is marrying her then supposed best friend.

She felt knot in her stomach.

She still feels the guilt.

The regret.

The self-pity.

And so she know she doesn't want to talk to them.

So when she accidentally bumps into Lita Valdez even after so much effort in avoiding her made her curse internally.

Lita Valdez.

She stoically stared her down.

Then said nothing and was about to walk away when she reached out.

"Mrs. Valdez... How is she?"

Brows furrowed, "How's who?"

"Alyssa? Your daughter?" She's annoyed at this game this old woman is playing.

"Hija, sa pagkakatanda ko. Wala na akong anak na babae, lalo na ang Alyssa magmula ng asawahin ka nya." Walang prenong sagot ng matanda. "At isa pa, bakit mo tinatanong sa'ken yan eh ikaw ang asawa?"

She blinked.

"Den?"

Sumabay pa itong si LA. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

In his arms are their daughter.

Napatitig naman ang ina ni Alyssa sa kanya and she knows... One look. Just one look.

"Ano'ng ginawa mo?" Matalim ang tingin nito sa kanya.

But she has to, somehow stand up for this sorry excuse for a mother.

"Bakit? Akala ko ba wala kayong anak na Alyssa? Bakit parang interesado kayo sa nangyari?"

Lita walked closer to her and glared. Whispering. "Wag na wag mo kong pagsasalitaan ng ganyan lalong lalo na at wala ka ding ibang ginawa kundi saktan sya sa huli. Huh. Ano? Di ka din nakatiis at naghanap ng lalake na makakapagbigay sayo ng anak?"

"Teka. Don't talk to her like that." Singit ni LA.

"Masaya ba, Dennise? Masayang mangaliwa?"

Akmang susugod si LA pero nahila nya ang braso nito paatras.

"Wag, LA." Pigil nya.

"Why? She's disrespecting you!" Rason ni LA. He looked at the woman and knew this woman is related to Dennise's ex-wife.

"Oh, she knows, son." Mrs. Valdez answered him.

LA gritted. "I'm not your son."

Mrs. Valdez let out a sad smile. Then a smirk. "She deserves it. Kaya nga hindi ka sumasabad, di ba Dennise? Because you know... Deep down that you deserve it."

For the first time.

She agreed to Alyssa's mother.

***

It was the first time since she signed that divorce paper mailed to her that she pulled out a very very much hidden picture of her and Alyssa's wedding from her hidden box.

Here she saw Alyssa smile, genuine smile for the first time since the whole fiasco happened.

She traced Alyssa's face on the picture and asked to herself, "Where are you?"

It was scary.

Ever since that Christmas Eve, she believed Alyssa was with her parents.

Then she felt stupid because... Why would Alyssa even go back to people who kicked her out? To people who abandoned her?

It was the first time since she received that divorce papers in her mail that she cried for her ex-wife.

When she received the divorce papers, she cried in anger.

Now she cried in helplessness.

Where the hell is Alyssa Valdez?

***

It's been three years since she learned that Alyssa's been missing.

It's been five years since she last saw her.

Four since she divorced her.

And still not a peep of Alyssa Valdez.

It's like she disappeared on the face of the earth.