Those Memories

Sixty-Three - Monster

"So... You're our father, right?" Leo asked.

Kyle squeezed Carrie's hand and looked at her.

"I think it's best to hear it from your mother," he said.

Carrie cleared her throat. "Yes. H-he's your father."

Biglang nagliwanag ang mukha ng kambal. Tumayo ang mga ito sa kanila at pinugpog sila ng yakap.

"We knew it!" masayang pahayag ni Lucy. "Thanks for telling us."

Bumalik ang mga ito sa kanilang mga upuan na nakangiti pa rin.

"I'm sorry. Hindi ko agad nasabi sa inyo," saad ni Carrie.

Umiling ang kambal.

"You don't have to be sorry, Ma," sagot ni Leo. "Whatever it is, we know that you have a reason for not telling us earlier."

Sumang-ayon naman si Lucy rito. "Yeah. The important thing is that we know the truth now. It's all that matters."

Hinawakan ng dalawa ang kamay niya at ngumiti ng malapad.

Nang bumitaw ang mga ito ay ibinaling nila ang tingin sa kanyang katabi.

Lucy straightened her dress and excitedly said: "Now, we'll finally be complete on family day."

Carrie remembered not having a single family member with her during family days at school. Kyle seemed to notice it and held her hand again.

What's with this guy? He's surprisingly sweet today. Is he still acting? she thought.

"Can you tell us your story?" Leo asked.

"Story?" Kyle responded.

"Yep. You two looked so good in the photos from school. We want to know how things started."

"Uhmm... We can talk about it next time," Carrie said. She doesn't want to talk about the past right now. "It's a bit late and—"

"We first met at Sta. Ines," Kyle interrupted. Carrie looked at him. He just smiled and continued talking. "But the catch was: Your mother didn't know it was me that time."

"Seriously?" tanong ni Leo. "How did that happen?"

"I used to have long hair before high school. It covered my face all the time."

"Why were you at Sta. Ines? Your first meeting was not in Goldwest?"

Umiling si Kyle. "Nag-i-immersion pa din kayo, right?"

"Yes," Leo replied. "We'll have ours this year."

"Goldwest's graduating class had their immersion at Sta. Ines that time. I went with my father to observe."

"Naikwento sa 'min ni Lola yung tungkol dun. That's the time when Mama was offered a scholarship, isn't it?"

"Yes. It was my father's idea. Goldwest don't normally offer scholarships. There was a contest sa third day ng immersion. Your mother won."

"You met Mama that time?"

"No. I met her the day before that. But I never told her it was me that she talked to until we had our batch's immersion at Sta. Ines again."

"It took you almost 4 years?!" Leo exclaimed.

"Apparently, yes. If she haven't confessed to me that day I think I won't be able to tell her."

The twins looked at Carrie and grinned. "You confessed first?"

Kyle chuckled. "No, I did. But she thought that I was not serious since I confessed during our stage play."