Binalikan ko si Camille sa bahay ni mamu. I told her that we’re coming back so I packed our things. Look, she’s so happy. Salamat, matutupad na rin ang hiling ni Camille. A complete family.
Nagvolunteer naman si Lawrence na ihatid kami papunta dun sa bahay namin ni Rex. “Here’s the stop, mam.” He said as if he was a tour guide. Sheesh. “Mama, papasok na po ako!” Camille said and went out of the car. She’s very excited talaga.
“Hay… siguro naman, hindi na kayo mag-aaway pa.”
“Oo naman, I now have this trust on him. Kapag may nangyari uli, ako na mismo ang kikitil sa buhay nya.” Tumawa lang kaming dalawa at bumaba ako ng kotse nya. I just waved goodbye and umalis na siya ng nakapasok na ako ng bahay.
“Mama, asan po si papa?”
“Ah.. may pinuntahan sya siguro, Camille.” I answered as I sat on the couch. “Mag-aaway nanaman po ba kayo ni papa? Iiwanan nanaman po ba natin sya?”
“No.. hindi na. Promise.” I said and I raised my hand as a proof. “Sige na, dun ka muna sa kwarto mo. Magluluto muna ako ng dinner natin.” Sumunod naman si Camille.
Things are getting smoothly. Until someone broke it.
The phone suddenly rang. I wonder kung sya na ‘to. Dang, 7 pm na kaya at hindi pa rin sya dumarating. Baka kung --- NAH. Hindi na mangyayari uli yun. Hindi na.
“Hello?”
“Marriane, ikaw ba yan?” Teka, parang pamilyar ang boses na ‘to ah.
“Yes. May I ask who are you?”
“It’s me, Andrea.” Oh, si Andrea lang pala ---
S-S-SI… ANDREA?!
If you ask me who is that, that’s Camille’s biological mom na pinsan ni Rex. “Ikaw pala ‘yan!”
“Yeah. Musta na ang anak ko?”
“Umm.. she’s fine! She’s always okay and fine.” Naku, pag nalaman nyang naaapektuhan si Camille sa naging away namin ni Rex, malalagot ako nito.
“Mama, gutom na ko!” Camille shouted as she was going downstairs. I think she heard her voice. “Can I… can I talk to her?”
“Sige. Teka lang ah.” Tinawag ko si Camille to answer the phone. “Hello po? Mommy! Namimiss ko na po kayo!” She cried. Then I thought of it.
Kukunin na ba nya samin si Camille?
Please, wag muna. Please.
“Mama oh.” She said in a sad tone. “Hello?”
“Umm… Marriane..” Don’t say it, don’t say it. I don’t want to hear it. “An..no?”
“I’m going to take her na.”
Please. Don’t.
“Re-really? So kelan?” Argh. Stup!d ka talaga, Marriane. Ba’t di mo sabihin sa kanya direct to the point? “By this weekend. Hindi pala talaga kayang tiisin ng isang magulang ang anak noh?”
“Yeah.” Ako rin kaya, di ko kayang tiisin. Napamahal na sakin si Camille kahit kalahating taon palang kami nagkakasama. At tsaka, gusto ko ring tuparin ang hiling ni Camille… dahil alam ko na wala ang kanyang biological dad.
“Hin.. hindi ba kayo magtatagal ni Camille rito pagkakuha mo sa kanya?”
“Hindi na. Tutal, si Camille lang naman ang pakay ko dyan sa Pinas. Sya lang.” Huh? Anong ibig sabihin ng sya lang ang pakay nya? May iba pa ba bukod sa kanya?
“I’m gonna call na lang when things here will be arranged na. Sige, bye.” And she hung up. But, I’m still at the phone kahit na binaba na nya. “Wag mo muna syang kunin.” I whispered to the phone and hung it too.
“Anong sabi po ni mommy ko?”
“Ku.. kukunin ka na nya samin, Camille.”
“Talaga po? Yayyyy!! Magkikita na kami ni mommy!!!” She jumped in joy. At ako naman, malungkot. Bigla syang napatigil. “Mama, bakit ka sad?”
Bigla namang tumulo yung luha ko. “Kasi naman, bigla-bigla ka na lang kukunin ng mommy mo samin. Tuloy, ayaw na ata kitang ibigay…” I cried.
She hugged me. “Ikaw lang po ang mama ko habang buhay.”
“What about your mommy?”
“Sya po ang mommy ko. Ikaw naman po ang mama ko. And I love my mommies.”
Napapikit na lang ako ng mata ko at napatigil na ko sa pag-iyak. “I love you mama.”
“I love you too, baby.” I kissed her on her head. A loud growl on her stomach sounded that made us move again. “Mama, hindi po ba tayo kakain?”
“Ah! Nga pala! Kakain pa pala tayo. Haha. Halika na, kumain na nga tayo.” Binuhat ko sya papuntang dining room para kumain.
“Andito na ko!” I heard Rex’s voice from the living room and I saw him walking towards here. “Andito pala ang baby namin na si Camille..” He kissed her on the head and then sat on the other seat which is next to me, starting to eat.
“Alam mo ba papa, tumawag dito si mommy… sabi nya kukunin na nya raw po ako!”
“Huh?” Napatingin sakin si Rex. “Totoo ba yun? Tumawag rito si Andrea?”
“Oo. She said she’s going to retrieve Camille by weekend.” I answered in a sad tone. He turned to Camille. “Camille, look what you’ve done at your mother, sumasayad na ang nguso sa lupa. Anong gagawin natin?”
“Ah! Lumabas po tayo bukas! Gusto ko pong pumunta ng Enchanted Kingdom!”
“Ah.. okay.” He turned to me again. “Don’t make any plans bukas ha? It’s our family day tomorrow.” He said. “Hay naku.. ikaw nga ‘tong laging lumalabas eh --”
“Mag-aaway nanaman po ba kayo?”
We looked at Camille.
“No, sweetie. Remember, nagpromise si mama? That will never happen again… diba?” I looked at Rex. Inakbayan naman nya ko. “Yup. Hindi na.” And he kissed my forehead. Cheesy, eh? But it was good. ^___^
But then, kukunin pa rin samin si Camille. Sad, indeed…
