The Genteel Flower (Yutang Bulahan Series #5)

TGF - 17

THE DADDY DUTIES.

Another rounds of drinking our respective drinks dominated the moment. Naging tahimik na si daddy. Halatang malalim ang iniisip. Pero sa tuwing nagpapang-abot ang tingin naming dalawa, ngumingiti siya sa akin. It's like he's saying and assuring me that everything's fine and he's not thinking something deeper than the usual.

Pero ang totoo, malalim talaga ang iniisip niya. And I am sure that it's Mom.

I know it will gonna hurt me if I ask this question, but... I just need to, 'cause I want to know the answer to it.

"Did Mommy really was happy with you?"

Daddy did stop his hands in midair na aabot na sana sa respective drink niya. Nagulat na naman siguro sa naging tanong ko. O 'di kaya'y hindi lang talaga niya inaasahan na muli niyang maririnig ang tanong kong iyon sa kaniya.

Daddy sighed again.

"Do you really want to know the truth?"

I braced myself for whatever answer Daddy will say.

I know I've been over with their relationship. It's been a decade. Sobrang tagal na. Lahat ng taong nakakaalam sa pangyayaring iyon, nakapag-move on na. The both families did already moved on with that. Pero kapag talaga mga magulang mo sila at pareho mo silang mahal, kahit tanggap na tanggap mo na, hindi pa rin nawawala sa puso mo kung gaano kang nalungkot nang hindi nag-work ang relationship ng dalawang taong importante sa buhay mo, ang mga dahilan kung bakit nag-exist ako sa mundong ito ngayon.

"I more than that, Dad."

"Promise me, when you hear this answer, hindi ka magagalit sa Mommy mo and you will never confront her about this one? You know we're very fine now-"

"Yes, I know, Daddy. I will not make any fuss about it to Mom."

He sighed again and shifted on his seat. Parang habit na gawain ay inayos niya ang kuwelyo ng polo shirt na suot niya na animo'y may kurbatang nakalagay doon.

"We were happy at first. Everything was so fine between the two of us. Lalo na no'ng dumating ka sa buhay namin. Mas lalo lang naging masaya ang buhay namin. Or so I thought..." Daddy shifted again on his seat. Parang nakikita ko sa posture niya ngayon na hindi siya komportableng pag-usapan ang usaping ito sa akin.

"You-"

Gusto ko sanang hindi na siya magpatuloy pa lalo na't nararamdaman kong hindi naman siya komportable sa pinag-uusapan naming ngayon pero pinutol na niya kung ano man ang gusto kong sabihin.

"Like what I said, we tried. We tried mending everything. Lahat ng away, pinilit kong buuin muli para lang maging okay ang lahat. Sinubukan din naman ng Mommy mo. It was a teamwork effort. Pero ang hindi ko lang alam ay hindi pala hundred percent ibinigay ng Mommy mo para maayos namin ang relasyon naming dalawa. I don't want to be the first one to say this and ayoko rin naman sanang manggaling sa akin ang tungkol dito but... I think... you have the right to know naman siguro? Ayoko talagang pangunahan ang Mommy mo and I really think she has a reason kung bakit hindi niya sinabi sa iyo-"

"Dad, like I said, I won't make any fuss about it. I know it happened already and there's nothing I could do just to undo it. Better say it to me, Dad."

Tumungga ako sa beer na hawak ko, pa-simple na lang na tinatagan ang sarili ko sa kung ano man ang maririnig mula kay Daddy.

"Peter Yanson is your Mommy's first love. He was there first before I could even enter your Mommy's life. He was the first man your Mom ever loved."