Captured Through The Lenses

Capture 26: Until Your Ready

Capture Twenty Six

"Mama. Have you heard?" mahinang sambit ko. As soon as I got home, mama called my phone. I'm still shaken of all the things I've heard tonight.

I could hear mama's rapid breathing from the other line that she's trying so hard to control.

"She manipulated me. Us!" mariing sagot ni mama.

"Are you fine at home, mama? Wala bang nakatunton sayo? Is the press bugging you?" sunod sunod kong tanong.

"They don't need to hunt me down. Ako na mismo ang magpapakita sa kanila. I'm on my way to Manila."

My jaw dropped. That fast? The news has spread that quickly then.

"Who told you, mama? Tita Clementine?"

"Attorney Calvin is with me. Nakausap niya ako kanina at siya ang maghahatid sa akin ngayon sa Manila."

Halos hindi ko makilala si mama habang magkausap kami sa telepono. She's far from the simple province girl I've perceived her to be. She sounded intimidating and ruthless.

Isaac entered my room nang matapos ang pag uusap namin ni mama. Hinatid niya ako rito sa condo ni Brooklyn ngunit hindi siya umalis. Kahit na sinasabi ko sa kanyang ayos lang ako, he's not convinced. Rason pa niya'y hindi gawain ng maayos na boyfriend ang iwan ang kasintahan sa ganitong sitwasyon.

I'm relieved that he's here, though.

"Drink your water, Lilly Catherine," aniya sabay lapag ng baso sa nightstand. Nagluto pa siya ng nakastock na cup noodles ni Brooklyn. "And eat. You barely ate at the gala tonight."

He sat on the bed, and I immediately went to his side and lie on his shoulder. Ibinalot ko ang aking braso sa kanyang katawan. Tinanaw ko ang siyudad mula sa bintana.

"What do I do next, Isaac?" nakatulala pa rin ako sa may bintana. "It's like a weight on my shoulder all over again. Ngayong mapupunta na kay mama ang kumpanya, marami na uling magmamasid sa mga ginagawa ko. Marami nanaman silang sasabihin. Didiktahan nanaman nila ako ulit."

It's not that I'm not hapy for mama. I know how much she loved CCC. It was her life. Mama is CCC. Mama sufficed living a simple life, but now that the company is hers, it's as if my mother lived again.

Kaya lang ay hindi ko maiwasang maalala kung gaano ako kapressured noon. Sa standards ng tao dahil lang kilala akong anak ni Mildred at Ezekiel Austria. I've stayed hidden and have always been cautious. What if people think that I don't deserve the sudden shift in my life?

I remembered how relieved I was when I came to Nueva Ecija. Dahil walang malaking pangalang nakadikit sa akin. No one expected anything from me. Because I'm just me and not an Austria heiress. It's hard to be authentic when you have a title. People expect you to be perfect, distinct, not like others. Dahil hindi ka raw ordinaryo.

Will people love me just as much as they did with Gwyneth? Probably not.

"Nothing will change, baby. Just be you and people with love you, the way I did. Wrong comparison, I will always love you more than they love you," he chuckled while his fingers raked my hair.

I pout. "And if they don't?"

"Then it's their loss. They missed an oppportunity to know one of the most hardworking, compassionate, inspiring, selfless and the most beautiful woman," his voice was husky on my ears. I closed my eyes as I listened.

Bumuntong hininga ako. "Siguro naalog ka masyado sa sinapupunan ni tita Clementine. Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling yang mga sinasabi mo."

His fingers stopped combing my hair.