Thirty Cups

SOULdiers

"Next week will be our father and daughters' day!" Masayang anunsyo ni Ma'am sa amin habang pumapalakpak na parang maaaliw ako sa sinabi niya.

"Oh, Lesle ko? What happened?" My mom asked when I went out of the room. "What's with that face, honey?"

"Oh Misis Mapiaz, I would like to inform you that we will have our father-daughter's day next week. Our school director would be very delighted to see Major Mapiaz, if he will come." My teacher told my mom about the event. She looked at me again like how she looked at me everytime we have this event and my father could not come because of his military duties. I'm less important than that so I could not compete.

Sabi sa akin ni mommy isa na rawng Major or comandante si daddy kaya sobra niyang busy sa paghahandle ng batallion niya. In fact, he's in a mission somewhere in Mindanao, if I could still remember my mom said to me.

My father was treated way more special by our school director because he was the one who actually helped to save his family in Mindanao when they had a battle there.

"Oh, I will tell Neil about it." Sagot ni mama sabay ngiti sa teacher ko.

Umuwi na rin kami ni mama sa bahay namin sa loob ng subdivision na maraming nakabantay at mahigpit sa security dahil sabi ni daddy, he wants us safe.

"Honey, you already know that your father is a hero, right?" I know my mom's trying to explain in behalf of my dad. I nod as a response. Ayokong humaba pa ang usapan namin ni mommy.

He's busy being a hero to others, but not for me...not for us.

I envy my classmates who always said to the class that their father is a hero. I envy them everytime na nagkukuwento sila na kinakarga sila ng daddy nila sa leeg at minsa'y kasama nila sa playground, playing with them.

"Honey, your daddy!" I heard my mom called me, so I opened the door for her. She's having a video chat with my father.

Nilapit ni mama ang cellphone sa akin so I could clearly see him. He's still in his uniform and I saw his comrades at the back eating.

"Hi baby!" He said while waving at me. "I'm sorry at hindi makakapunta si daddy sa event ah. I know you're a smart girl and I know that daddy cannot come yet kasi malayo ito anak and I'm currently saving people, right? Can you imagine how honorable that job is?"

I'm not stupid but I know he's trying to console me, like I'm not used to it. I could even wrote a full script of it and record it so I will just listen it when I'm bored and so he will not waste his time again calling me through the phone.

But I just nod and wear my smiley mask so they will not bothered by me anymore.

After that, I slept and the day just went out just like how it went out yesterday.

Tomorrow is our father-daughter's day and I think the weather sympathize me and it cries just like what I'm feeling inside.

I hate this event really. Idagdag pa na Major and daddy ko and no one wants to be friends with me co'z I hate being with many, I'm not used to it.

Then I found myself walking under the rain. I'm planning to make myself sick so I will not have to attend the tomorrow's event. And just as I planned, I got sick.

I was already in my highschool. Christmas when my father went home to dine with us. He's not staying here for new year because they have to go to Marawi for another battle.

I'm disappointed to my father for not always being there whenever I get sad, wounded, scared, and wanted to be clingy like a daddy's daughter, but I'm still happy that he always stays safe at home kahit na maraming battle and pinalagian niya. They even went out of the country kapag may gyera sa ibang kaalyadong bansa.