Koi No Yokan

Chapter 27

Rainey

Naalimpungatan ako nang makarinig ng mga yabag mula sa labas. Dinig ko pa na sabay na huminto ang mga iyon sa mismong tapat ng pinto ng kwarto.

"No, Elle. Rainey needs to go back to school. She needs to continue studying. Her grades are improving. It might be a good year for her."

"Tita, I can take care of Rainey. There's really no need for her to do that. She doesn't want to study naman talaga. Mom could train her to manage our family business. I want Rain to do what she wants."

"No. My decision is final! Hindi aasa si Rainey kahit kanino!"

Si Mama ba iyon?

"Tita, Listen. Rainey became like that because she's feeling oppress. You should start listening to what she wants too. I'll take responsibility for her. I'll take her out of the country after our wedding. Nag-usap na kami ni Mommy. Sa Australia na kami titira after ng wedding."

Wedding? Si Elle? Ikakasal na? Kanino?

"Elle, No. Please know that I only agree on this wedding because you told us that Rainey did you wrong. But you, controlling my daughter, is out of it."

What? Ako? Ikakasal kay Elle?

Hindi pwede!

Sisigaw sana ako nang may magtakip nang bibig ko. "Sshh. Pretend sleeping."

Nanlalaki yung mata ko habang nakatingin sa pamilyar na mukha na iyon. Malamlam na kulay asul na mga mata na pinaresan ng malalantik na pilik mata. Maamong mukha. "Priam?"

"Close your eyes. Pretend sleeping." He whispered back again. "I'll remove my hands, okay? Don't shout."

Unti-unti nitong tinanggal yung kamay nito sa bibig ko bago nag-aalangan na sumulyap sa pinto ng kwarto.

"Trust me." He whispered again. "Close your eyes. I just need to confirm something."

Priam and I aren't in good terms. Mula kasi noong maaksidente ako noon sa dagat at nagsinungaling ito kay Mama, palagi na kaming nagbabangayan pagkatapos.

Mama always favored him. While Mommy is always defending me. I didn't know that when I choose to loathe him for lying before, our family would be also divided into two. Namalayan ko na lang na nagkaganoon na pag napapadalas na yung pag-aaway nila Mommy at Mama dahil sa bangayan namin ni Priam.

Mas lalong lumala iyon noong kinailangan nilang dalahin sa ibang bansa si Priam at doon pag-aralin. Lalo pang napadalas yung pag-aaway nila Mama at Mommy noon. Kulang na nga lang ay maghiwalay sila ng tuluyan.

"I need to call Carrie." Naiiyak na pakiusap ko dito.

"I'll try to make a call, okay?" He assured me. "For now, close your eyes." nilagay pa nito sa bibig nito yung hintuturo nito na para bang sinesenyasan ako na huwag gumawa ng kahit anong ingay.

This time, I decided to give Priam a benefit of the doubt. Maybe we have both grown up like an adult. Maybe for once, we could both agree into the same thing.

Maybe all I need is to take that first step to trust him again. So he could also learn how to take a step to trust me back too. Again.

Pinikit ko yung mga mata ko na gaya ng utos nito. Kasabay niyon ay ang pagbukas ng pinto ng kwarto.

"Have she taken her medicines, Priam?" Dinig ko yung boses ni Mama. Ramdam ko yung mga yabag na papalapit sa gilid ng kama pati yung pagdaiti ng labi sa gilid ng sentido ko.

"Yes, Ma. She has taken her meds." dinig ko na sagot ni Priam kay Mama.

I felt my mother's hands gently trailing her fingers on my face. "She looks pale, isn't she?"