Eren Pierce Salazar

Kabanata 6

Galaw ng galaw ang aking paa sa inip, nagmamadaling makauwi, pero ayaw yata akong pauwiin ng traffic. Alas otso na, pero nandito parin ako sa kalsada.

Tumingin ako kay Manong Driver.

''Manong, wala na bang ibang daanan?'' tanong ko

Humarap sa akin si Manong na kanina ay nakatingin sa harap. ''Meron po, ma'am, pero malayo iyon. Mga isang oras''

Agad akong tumango. ''Okay lang, Manong. Duon nalang po tayo at baka kapag dito tayo ay mamaya pa tayo makauwi''

Sumang-ayon naman si Manong. I need to go home. I want to see my mother. Gusto ko siyang tawagan pero na lowbat ang phone ko kanina pagsakay ko palang sa taxi. Fuck this! Sana ay mahintay pa ako ni Mama.

Isang oras kami ni Manong sa loob ng taxi at tama nga siya, hindi traffic dito sa dinaanan namin. Hingal akong dumaritso sa gate na automatic na bumukas. Pagpasok ko ay halos mawalan ako ng hininga. I stopped in the middle of the living room when I saw my mother crying. Tita and Dad were comforting her. Napansin ko rin si Eren na nasa likod ng sofa. Nakatingin na sa akin.

I looked at my mother, who was crying.

''Ma...'' I muttered.

They all turned to me. My mama was crying so much, and it hurt my heart. I felt my world shattered, seeing my mom's tears.

I was about to walk toward them when my mom stood up and walked past me. I was stunned by that. My mother just walked past me, like I hurt her so much. Nakatingin parin ako sa sofa, habang gulat sa nangyari.

What just happened?

Nahigit ko ang aking hiningi nang maramdaman kong papaiyak na ako. Ayaw kong umiyak sa harap ni Eren at ni Tita. I bit my lower lip; my tears were visible inside my eyes.

Tita went on me. ''Hey, Maria. Don't cry,'' she said.

I tried to smile and I accomplished. ''Okay lang, Tita'' My hands were shaking while drying the tears under my eyes.

Tita hugged me. ''Your mom waited for you and she keeps on calling you. She thinks she's not important to you''

Siya nalang nga iyong meron ako. You are important to me, Mama. You are the reason why I am still fighting the pain I always feel.

''Hija, crying is not good for the baby or you. Hayaan mo nalang si Lovely. She'll call you later,'' Tita assured me.

I just nodded, but on the side of my other thoughts. Baka sigurong mas maganda na itong ganito. I know I am always hurting Mama, and I don't want to do it anymore. This is good for many reasons, and I know kung ganito mas madali sa aking umalis. I am planning to vanish after I give birth to my child. Alam ko namang wala akong lugar dito.

''Stop crying'' maamong sabi ni Tita.

I smiled and hugged her back. Maya-maya pa ay lumapit nadin si Eren sa amin. He was about to talk when we heard my father's voice, which got me scared and nervous.

''Aileen, can I borrow Maria?'' he asked in a very flat voice. Sa boses niya palang ay kinabahan na ako.

Tita pushed me a little bit away from her to face me. She raised her eyebrows, asking me if I wanted to talk to my father. I just nodded, and Tita let me go.

Yumuko ako at sumunod sa ama kong nasa labas na. My father was silent while we were walking to the outside of the gate.

Paglabas namin ay humarap siya sa akin, and he slapped me. Tumahimik lang ako at pinigilan ang pag-iyak.

His eyes were shouting so much anger. ''You don't have the right to make my wife cry and to make my daughter feel bad just for not talking to them. You are just a bastardo. Do you understand?''