Turn the Page 2: My Destiny

Prologue

A plate shattering into a million pieces—that's what it felt and sounded like for Page after seeing her mother slap the living hell out of two people in one day. "Ma," was all she could say. She took a step towards June, but she didn't want to aggravate her even more, so she stopped herself from taking another step. She had no idea what set her mother off, but the chaos that unfolded that day made her weak in the knees and sick to her stomach. Her hands and feet tingled. Her head ached, and her heart pounded as if it was ready to leap out of her chest. She tried her hardest to calm herself down. The last thing she needs right now is another seizure.

"Ma! Ano ba???" Page yelled the moment June repeatedly slapped Tina on the face. "Stop it! Ma! She's sick! She's sick! Ano ba???" Page yelled again. She hugged her mother away. She and Tina's nurse, Ruth, tried to stop June from hurting Tina even more.

"What's going on here???" Alex, Tina's husband, rushed towards his wife. "Ruth, call the security!" He ordered immediately while he shielded Tina away from a raging June.

"No need," June said. She breathed fast and hard. "Hindi na kami babalik ng anak ko dito."

"Ate," Tina called out to her, but it only came out as a whisper. "Anong nangyayari?" She asked as tears fell continuously from her eyes, her face red from June's violent outburst.

"Don't you dare call me that anymore," June threatened. The look in her eyes made Page and Tina swallow.

Page couldn't help the tears that escaped from her own eyes. She has never seen her mother so angry before, let alone hurt anyone physically like she did with Tina just a few minutes ago.

"Ate, ipaliwanag mo naman sakin kung anong nangyayari," Tina pleaded.

"I said don't call me that anymore!" June warned again.

"Don't yell at my wife! Leave!" Alex yelled back. Tina, held on to her husband as if trying to calm him down.

Page looked from one mother to another. "Ma," she said to June. Then she looked at Tina. Her heart ached even for the mother she thought had given birth to her. She thought this was the last thing Tina needed. Tina was sick, Page thought June shouldn't have added more to her pain.

Tina watched as Page reached over to try and hold her mother's hand only for June to take a step back. Page retreated.

"I never want to see you again," June's lips quivered while she continued to glare at Tina. No tears left her eyes, only anger lingered.

"Ma," Page said.

Then June stormed off.

"Ma!" Page called out. Then she swallowed. She looked back at the frail woman in front of her—the woman she thought was her mother all those years.

"I—I'm sorry," Page managed to say. Then she quickly headed for the door.

She hurried outside towards June, going through doors as fast as she could. "Ma," she called out to her mother who was walking ahead of her. "Ma!" She called out again while she ran after her. "Ma, please. Ano bang nangyayari sayo?" She asked and pleaded while she breathed fast. June finally stopped and faced her daughter. Page stopped as she tried not to bump into June, she was out of breath. "Ma, what was that about? Akala ko ba tapos na tayo dito?" Page asked with a worried look on her face. "Okay na diba? Nagkapatawaran na tayo diba? Anong nangyayari sayo, ma?" She asked again. June was out of breath, too. Her cheeks were red from anger. "Hindi mo sya kinailangang saktan. Ma, ano bang nangyayari sayo—," Page said when June yelled, "She hurt you!" Page looked at her mother with a distraught look. "My own flesh and blood!" June added then she tightened her jaw. "Ma, magkadugo rin kayo at sinaktan mo din sya! Hindi yan ikaw! You don't hurt people! That's not who you are!" Page fought back. Then her worried face turned confused. She frowned. She paused while she tried to process everything that just came out of June's mouth. Her stomach started to turn again and heart pounded.

"Flesh and blood?" Page asked as she stared her mother straight in the eyes.

June looked away before she had the guts to stare at her daughter's eyes again. Tears finally fell from her eyes down to her cheeks, "Anak kita, Page. Hindi ka anak ni Tina. Hindi ka anak ng kapatid ko. Anak kita. You're mine. YOU ARE MINE."