Shattered Pieces of Trust

Kabanata 37

Kabanata 37...
Father

My heart can't stop throbbing as I take every walk inside our house. Tears keep rolling down my cheeks and I'm not even trying to hide it anymore because I'm so, so tired of keeping myself stronger when deep inside... my world's slowly crumbing. Pieces by pieces.

Every problem is overlapping.

Leon... he lied to me.

I want to understand him, but for now... I just can't.

"'Pa..." nanginginig ang boses ko.

Mabilis na napatayo sa kan'yang upuan si Papa bago tuluyang dumalo sa'kin. Lalo akong napahagulgol.

"'Pa, please..."

"Anong nangyari? Bakit ka umiiyak?! May nanakit ba sa'yo?"

Umiling ako at tuluyang nanghina ang mga tuhod. Kung hindi nasalo ni Papa ang aking mga balikat ay tuluyan na akong mapapaupo sa malamig na tiles ng aming library.

Panay ang hikbi ko nang tuluyan kaming nakaupo.

"Papa, please... tell me the truth..."

"Anak,"

"D-Did you kill Leon's parents?"

Bahagya s'yang natigilan at hindi nakasagot. Rinig ko ang buntong hininga n'ya at tila habag na habag sa kalagayan ko.

"Hindi. Sinagot na kita noon Callie, at sinabi ko ng hindi."

"But you're his suspect, 'Pa!"

His eyes widen while I can't almost catch my breath with too much crying.

Kita ko ang pagbukas ng pintuan at ang pagpasok ni Mama, pero nanatili ang paningin ko kay Papa at taimtim pa ring nananalangin na sana matapos na lahat ng sakit na ito.

"Ano ito?" Si Mama.

"Papa please..."

I firmly close my eyes.

I'm hurting too much. My baby...

My baby's also hurting! Shit.

"'Pa, I'm pregnant. Please... you don't want me stressed,"

"A-Anong..."

Paulit-ulit lang akong tumango. Tumango si Mama nang nilingon s'ya nito. Marahas na suminghap si Papa.

"Hindi ako nagsinungaling sa'yo, anak. Talagang hindi ko magagawa ang pumatay ng tao, lalo pa't malapit na kaibigan ko si Marcelo, pati na rin ang asawa n'ya. Kung paano mo naiisip na magagawa ko iyon ay hindi ko alam,"

"But why are you Leon's suspect..."

"Marcelo's son had to point fingers in order to find the right culprit. And right now, he's confused. I'm one of his suspects because I may not be the one that killed his parents... but I know who did."

My eyes widen.

"Sino, Papa?"

"Sino ang ama ng dinadala mo?" Instead of answering my question, he fired.

Napapikit ako at lalong na-frustrate, pero at the same time, hindi ko rin alam kung paanong sasagutin si Papa.

"Sino ang pumatay kay Tito Marcelo at sa ina ni Leon, Papa?"

I bite my lip to try to stop myself from crying even with the million stab I'm getting as my heart beats.

"Bakit ka nanahimik, Papa..." my voice broke.

I saw a faint pain flashed in his eyes.

"Masisisi mo ba ako kung ang kaligtasan at payapang buhay para sa inyo—ng pamilya ko ang nais kong unahin? Anak kita, Callie, hindi kita kayang madawit sa kahit anong klaseng gulo,"