"I'LL have someone check on that boy's unit. Try searching for the notepad on his working place," utos ni Mama habang binabasa and case files tungkol sa kaso ni Lauren habang papauwi kami.
I've never seen my mom so serious about something before. She was always carefree and free-spirited, so seeing her being so engrossed with the papers on her hands was something new.
"Thank you, Ma," I saw her put down the paper she was holding down to her lap before she turned to look at me.
"Thank you for what?" she asked.
Ngumiti ako habang nakatingin sa daan.
"For helping us. For helping me." Sandali akong napalingon sa kanya nang marinig ko ang bahagya niyang pag-tawa.
"I'm not helping you, anak. Don't get me wrong here, I'm getting my baby girl out of that hellhole. This has nothing to do with her being your girlfriend or what," she said that had me chuckling.
Of course. How can I forget how my parents adore her so much?
"Oh well, but still thanks." I felt my mom's hand comfortingly tapped my shoulders.
The next day, I went to Russel Quintos' office to check for his notepad but his secretary won't let me in.
"Sorry, Sir. But mahigpit po kasi and bilin ni Gov na 'wag papasukan kahit kanino eh," hinging paumanhin ng sekretarya niya.
"How 'bout you? Can you enter?"
"Po?" gulat niyang tanong pabalik sa'kin.
"You can diba? You also need to get some files from there," nakangiti kong saad sa kanya. She looked hesitant kaya mas linawakan ko pa ang ngiti ko at bahagya pang hinaplos ang balikat niya.
"Look, I think you're already familiar with what I'm looking for. It's a notepad—"
"Notepad po ni Direk?" Mabilis akong tumango sa kanya.
Nagulat ako nang sandali siyang tumingin sa paligid at sinigurong abala ang lahat bago humakbang palapit sa akin at bumulong.
"Sigurado po akong hindi si Miss Lauren ang gumawa noon kay Direk." I looked at the secretary with curiosity.
"Close po kami ni Miss Lauren. Sigurado po akong hindi niya kayang gawin 'yon kay Direk. I'm sure may foul play po na nangyari," dugtong niya bago muling tumingin sa paligid.
"Hindi po iniiwan ni Direk yung notepad niya dito. Baka po sa bahay nila or sa unit niya," pabulong nitong saad.
"Thank you," pasasalamat ko sa kanya bago pasimpleng nagpasa ng calling card sa kanya.
"If you remember something valuable please do call. I'll make sure that you'll be safe, too." I saw her nod a bit and acted like she was making me understand why it was impossible to get inside her boss' office.
I looked back at the three-story building as I opened the door of my car.
Even someone who just observes on the sidelines knew it wasn't Lauren who did it to him. So what kind of evidences do they held for them to fight this head-on?
My mind was filled with questions and theories as I drove to the police station to visit Lauren.
I brought my mom's cooked dishes and set them up on the table as I waited for her to arrived.
"Thank you," she told the officer who nodded at her before closing the door behind.
She turned to me with a smile.
A smile that was way too different from before.
I sighed and tried to smile back at her.
"Mama cooked your favorites," I told her and I saw how her lips parted in surprise.
"She still remembers?" she asked as her eyes fell on the food on the table.
"You were never forgotten, Lauren," sagot ko habang nakatitig sa kanya.
It's true. She was never forgotten by my family. Especially by me.
After her, there's no other girls, no flings, and no playdates. My parents didn't say much about it though and just let me do things my way, like they always do.
They were very heartbroken, especially my mom after the news about this broke out. We never doubted her innocence. Not even once. Of all people, we know her better. My parents watch her grow up and we all know who Lauren is and what she is like.
My mother felt guilty everytime she watches the news about her. She felt like she failed to fulfill her promise to Tita Katya that we would take care of her. That we would never leave her.
"You should stop crying," alo ko sa kanya sabay punas sa tumutulo niyang luha. Sa kada subo niya ng pagkain ay katumbas ang pagpatak ng mga luha niya.
It breaks my heart to see her like this.
So broken.
The sparks in her eyes were lost and all I can see was pain and suffering.
What this world did to this once beautiful angel was inhumane. It stripped her dignity off and took all the happiness in her.
"You know we're here for you, right?" I asked her. Because I was scared with the dimness in her eyes.
Natatakot ako na baka bago ko siya mailabas dito ay hindi ko siya mailigtas.
Hindi lang ang mga Quintos ang kalaban namin. We're fighting against time here and Lauren . . . Lauren's fighting for her will to live. I can see that she was barely hanging there.
I bent down a bit and tried to dry her tears once again. She looked up to me.
"Why are you helping me?" tanong niya habang patuloy sa pagtulo ang mga luha niya.
"Bakit ba hindi kayo sumusuko sa'kin? Jasper natatakot ako . . . Natatakot ako kasi baka madamay ko kayo. Nagawan ko nang paraan dati pero ngayong nandito ako hindi ko alam kung kaya ko pa bang gawan ng paraan kung sakaling may gawin sila—si Roselle sa inyo!" Nangunot ang noo ko dahil sa sinabi niya.
"Ano? Dati? Anong ginawa mo dati?" tanong ko sa kanya. I saw how her eyes flickered in shock bago niya iniiwas sa'kin ang mga tingin niya na para bang may narinig ako na hindi dapat.
"What is it, Lauren? Anong ibig mong sabihin?" tanong ko ulit sa kanya pero hindi na siya sumagot pa.
"Lauren," I called out in my warning voice but she was so adamant to keep it away from me. She was struggling to avoid my eyes pero pinipilit niya parin.
"Does it have something to do with our break-up?" tanong ko sa kanya.
She didn't answer but the expression on her face says enough to confirm whatever it is.
Something I didn't know happened in the past. She didn't just left because she wanted to, she left because she thinks she needed to.
Pero ang tanong, bakit?
What was she trying to protect us from?
BINABASA MO ANG
Afflicted (TLS #3 - COMPLETED)
General Fiction3rd Installation of The Lawyer Series Once a national treasure in the film industry, Lauren Ignacio lost everything when she was framed for a crime she didn't commit. Abandoned, hated, and left with no one to defend her-except Attorney JD Lopez. Bu...
