Her Entrancing Smile [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

MARTINA'S POV

"Umm... Coffee," rinig kong salita ni Tere. I even saw her signal the guy, maybe to leave because that's what he did then Tere looked at me. "Martina..."

"W-Why did she call you mommy?" I asked, almost like a whisper.

Tere looked bothered and reluctant to answer me.

Is she hiding something? Ito ba yung sinasabi ni Tres?

"Martina... Ano... Upo muna tayo," she suggested but I didn't listen.

"Who... is... she?" I know that the little girl is Martha, and she's Jester's daughter—that's what he said—but the kid called Tere, Mommy. There must be someone who's lying or keeping it a secret.

"Sige, dito na lang tayo." She looked more relaxed than she was a while ago. "Martha is Jester's daughter," medyo mahina niyang sabi. Maybe other people shouldn't know about it. "Martha's m-mother left her in... in front of our house saying the kid is Jester's."

Medyo nakuha ko naman ang sinabi niya. "And the fact that she calls you, Mommy?" I asked, somehow still not believing. Tere could be lying and the kid is hers and that guy's—I'll hate drinking coffee from now on if that happens.

"Well, mas naiiwan sa akin si Martha noon dahil nagtatrabaho pa rin naman si Jester, from there she got used to addressing me as her mom," she calmly explained.

So, let me get this straight. Martha is Jester's daughter, but she calls Tere mom because she grew up with her, right?

So, no Coffee involved in the equation, right?

"And the guy you're with?" I asked, trying to cage the monster called jealousy.

Tere smiled. "Just a friend."

Para namang may natanggal na tinik sa lalamunan ko. That's good pero 'di pa rin mawala sa isip ko na magkasama silang tatlo at mukha silang one big happy family.

Tumunog naman ulit ang chimes ng main door kaya doon ulit kami napatingin. There I saw the little girl walking towards Tere and away from the man. She adorably hugged Tere's leg before looking up to her and spoke. "Mommy, 'di pa po ba tayo aalis?"

The guy behind Martha spoke next. "Sorry, Theresia. The little princess was bored and wanted to go to you."

Tumango naman si Tere bago tumingin kay Martha. "We'll go na baby. Magpapaalam na lang si mommy," she said saka ako tiningnan.

Martha looked at me and smiled. "Hello po! I know you po."

Para naman akong nahawa sa ngiti niya. Ang gaan ng pakiramdam ko sa kanya, and with just one smile, she managed to remove the negative feelings I had a while ago. "Me too. I saw you in a mall, right?"

She cutely nodded her head and smiled wider. "Do you want to come with us po?"

I was taken aback by her question. The kid, the guy, Tere, and me? I don't think I could properly breathe in that situation.

"Nako, Martha. Tit—" humarap sa akin si Tere then she mouthed. "Tita o tito?"

"Tito," I mouthed back.

Bumalik siya sa pakikipag-usap kay Martha. "Tito Martin is really busy, baby."

Martha pouted and looked at me. "Hindi po talaga pwede?"

I chuckled at her question bago lumuhod para mapantayan siya. "Tito Martin will be happy to come. May kakausapin lang ako tapos let's go?"

Martha's face lit up which made me happy as well. "Yehey! Thank you po!"

I stilled for a moment when I felt her hug me. I was really shocked but it felt warm so I hugged her back and caressed her hair.

She let go and went back to the guy na hanggang ngayon eh nandito pa pala. Why won't he leave? He's a sight for sore eyes.

"We'll wait for you outside po," I heard Martha say before she leaves with the guy.

"You don't have to."

Napalingon ako nang marinig ko si Tere na bumulong. "I don't have to?" I asked her as I completely faced her.

She looked really serious and it's like something is bothering her. "I know how busy you are, hindi mo kailangang guluhin ang buhay mo para kay Martha—"

"Hey, it's fine." I smiled at her. "Minsan lang naman."

She whispered something that I wasn't able to hear.

I smiled once again before calling out Charlotte na agad din namang lumapit. "Take care of the shop. May pupuntahan lang ako saglit."

Tumango naman si Char. "Okay 'yun, Fairy Queen, para po mas kumalma ka."

Mahina akong natawa sa sinabi niya. "Kalmado naman ako ah."

Mabilis siyang umiling na mas lalo kong ikinatawa. Napalingon naman ako kay Tere na kanina pa tahimik, nahuli ko naman siyang nakatitig sa akin so I did the first thing that came up to my head.

I winked at her.

Inirapan niya naman ako bago nagyaya palabas and so I followed her. Nakita naman namin kaagad kung nasaan ang kapeng pinaka-ayoko.

"Convoy?" Coffee asked. Tumango na lang ako kesa tarayan siya.

"Can I be with Tito Martin?" Napatingin kaming tatlo sa batang nagsalita mula sa backseat ng kotse ni Coffee.

"But baby..."

"Please mommy..."

Naiiling namang natawa si Coffee saka nagsalita kay Tere. "Looks like I'm no longer my princess' favorite tito. Anyways, you can all be with Mr. Gill."

Tumingin pa siya sa akin kaya hindi ko napigilang umirap, narinig ko pa siyang natawa.

"You'll be okay alone, Kape?" I heard Tere ask with worry.

"Bakit? Bulag ba siya?" I scoffed.

Narinig ko na naman ang tawa nung kape at napatingin ako sa kanila, ansama ng tingin sa akin ni Tere.

Oops! My bad. Nasabi ko pala out loud. Tumingin na lang ako kay Martha. "Martha, dito na lang kayo ng mommy mo. Susunod naman ako, magkikita rin tayo roon." Oh ayan na, Tere. Ako na gumawa ng paraan para 'di ka mawalay riyan sa kape mo. Nakakahiya naman.

"But Tito—" Magsasalita pa sana si Martha pero inunahan ko na lang.

"Listen to your mommy, Martha. Tito Martin will see you there, okay?" Malungkot na tumango ang bata saka maayos na umupo sa backseat. Ako naman ay tumingin na sa dalawa, walang emosyon sa mukha. "I'll be behind your car. See you there."

Hindi ko na sila hinintay na magsalita at pumunta na lang sa kotse ko.

Tsk. Obvious namang gusto niya 'yung kape na 'yun tapos magj-Just a friend pa. 'Wag ako, Tere. 'Wag ako.

Hinintay kong umandar ang kotse nila na nasa harap ko bago ako sumunod. Hopefully, this isn't suicide. I don't want to hear my heart break again.