VAMPIRE'S KISS

67

Namimigat ang talukap ng aking mga mata habang tinitigan si Tres na umiiyak at nangungulila.

What should I do?

This thing is nonsense lalo na at buhay naman pala ang Ama nya pero hindi ko sinabi sa kanya. Wala naman akong kasalanan, diba?

Ako nga, akala ko ay patay na ang asawa ko.

"Mama....Sorry....Sorry, if I get you mad."

Inilapag nya ng marahan ang thesaurus na hawak sa lumapit sa akin at ginawaran ako ng mahigpit na yakap.

Sa pagkakataong iyon, hindi ko na namalayan na bumuhos ang luhang kanina lamang ay nagtipon-tipon sa ibaba ng aking mga mata.

"I'm sorry too, baby...."napapaos kong wika habang yakap-yakap sya.

I'm sorry Tres...

Your father is alive and I don't know how to tell you the story. Everything is all messed up. I want to know everything!

"Mrs. Marquez, I really refer your son to a grade level school---"

"Thank you, Miss Ann. I'll be taking that into consideration. Give me a week or two." baling ko kay Teacher Ann na considerate din naman.

She nodded and afterwards, I bid goodbye to Tres. Mamayang alas dos ng hapon pa ang dismissal time nila kaya babalik ako mamayang alas dos para kunin si Tres sa nursery.

I can't blame Tres kung anong gusto nyang gagawin. I told the teacher that as long as Tres is just sitting in the corner and reading heavy and difficult book, it's fine.

Pag-iisipan ko pa ang sinabi nyang itransfer sa higher level si Tres na mas akma sa mental nyang kapasidad. I'm really having a hard time deciding on that one.








Since walang trabaho ngayon, napagpasyahan kong mag grocery lalo na at paubos na ang mga stocks namin sa bahay. Naalala ko rin na wala ng gatas si Tres.

I do breastfeed him but that thing only lasted for two and a half years. Ngayon naman na malapit na syang mag four ay umiinom pa rin ng gatas pero de-botelya na.

Masyado syang nasanay sa gatas kaya ganun.

I'm glad though, at least I know he's healthy.

May nararamdaman pa akong nakamasid sa akin sa malayo o baka naman ay pakiramdam ko lamang iyon.

Halos walang ng pera na natira pagkatapos kong mag grocery that is good for one month at masyadong mabigat ang dala ko kaya I spend another dollar para magbayad doon sa bagger na nagdala sa ilang mga grocery bags.

I also occupied the full cab kaya bale apat ang babayaran ko. Mabuti nalang, it's not all about the quantity but about the distance traveled ang foundation ng pagbabayad ng pamasahe kaya nakakatipid ako.

"Dito na po..."nakangiti kong wika sa dalawang bagger sa harapan ng apartment.

Binayaran ko na sila saka sila umalis.

I sighed when I saw it's almost 1 o'clock in the afternoon. Kaydali nga naman ng oras.

Inayos ko muna ang mga grocery items sa designated shelves at cabinets bago naglikot-likot sa phone.

I remember na tatawagan ko si Mommy. It's almost four days na hindi ko narinig ang boses nya.

I dialed again and again and for the fifth trial, she answered the call.

"Mommy?" nagagalak ko pang pasimuna.

"Coleen, how well are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine, Mama..." nakangiti kong bulalas saka sinulyapan ang oras.

1:30 PM.

Makakapaghintay naman siguro si Tres, hindi ba?

"Yeah, you remember your bestfriend, anak?"

"Sino Mom?" kumunot ang noo ko saka tumayo mula sa pagkakasalampak sa sofa.

I stretched my arms at medyo tumunog ang knuckles ko. That feels good...

"Lisha?"

"Uh...yes..." tila nagdadalawang isip pa ako sa pagsagot.

"Well, you know... She's bound to marry Sergio, right?"

Mas lalong tumaas ang kilay ko doon. Why is she talking about this thing now? It's kind of weird and awkward.

She told me that Sergio is my husband and yet.

"I know, I know you might be confuse right now, anak but trust me... Your life is already better than the past." anang Mommy.

There is just something on her voice.

Narinig ko pang may sumigaw sa background bago sya ulit nagsalita.

"Just believe me, Coleen. You believe me?"

"Mommy, I don't understand---"

"Don't ruin their wedding. That's so simple, diba?"

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko.

Why would I ruin their wedding for God's sake?!

Sapat ng malaman kong kabit ako para mahiya akong pumasok sa bahay ni Mr. Cervantes. He's so hot and rich masyadon malayo sa akin na isang single mom.

Alright, he's the father of my son and aside from that, wala na. Sapat naman siguro manghingi lang ng suntento, diba?

I was about to ask Mama if okay lang ba na manghingi ng suntento kay Mr. Cervantes lalo na at ubos na ang pera ko when she ended the call already.

I was so devasted to know things kaya naman ay dinial ko muli ang number nya but out of reach na ito.

I was so pissed off pero wala ng bakanteng oras para mainis lalo na at may kukunin pa akong anak sa nursery.

Wait kaya siguro miss na ako ni Sergio and he said I love you to me before noong nasa Sanford Resto kami kasi namimiss nya ang mga pagkakataong nagtataksil sya kay Lisha.

I feel so bad.

And now that Lisha is roaming around, he can't play with me.

Kaya naman pala. I feel so bad. Maghahanap nalang siguro ako ng ibang trabaho lalo na at kapag iniisip ko ang sitwasyon ni Lisha. Masyadong mahirap nga ito sa kanya.

She can't do anything to make me resign kasi gusto din ni Mr. Cervantes na doon ako magtrabaho para pagtaksilan na naman ang kanyang original na sinisinta!

Tama!

I don't wish to be a second lover or a trash class kaya magreresign ako sa trabahong iyon. But what about my son?

What about the suntento?

Ugh, this one is harder than I thought. Andami kong dapat pagdedesisyonan sa buhay.
















I took a cab pabalik sa nursery para sunduin ang anak ko and there is another issue about him na naman!

"Mrs. Marquez, your son's really different. Pasensya na but saan ba kayo galing? Hindi ba ay sa Pilipinas kayo?"

"Miss. Ann, what are you talking about?" kunot-kunot ang noo ko.

"No way but your son has no reflection in the mirror. Gusto kong kumpirmahin ulit pero ayaw na nyang humarap sa salamin. Sabi nya sa akin, pinagbabawalan mo daw sya---"

"Miss. Ann! Stay away from my son's feature and appearance. I'm sure he's a normal child." medyo nakataas ang kilay kong pagpuputol sa kanya.

She is about to open her mouth once again to talk when I cut her up again.

"Stop putting issues to everything. Nagkamali kalang siguro ng---"

"But---"

"Don't worry, Miss. Ann. I already made my mind and my son will transfer to another grade level. Thank you. Let's go Tres." mabilisan kong pagtatapos sa pag-uusap namin.

Kasi ang totoo, natatakot rin ako. He's father is different for God's sake! Natatakot akong malaman nila ang katotohanan sa anak ko.

"Mama is it true that I'm a monster?"

Tumigil ako sa paglalakad saka mahigpit na hinawakan ang kamay ng aking anak bago ko sya dinungaw at hinalikan sa noo.

"Of course, not..." I whispered.

"Really, Mama?"

I nodded several times and smiled.

I know my son is intelligent enough to notice himself and his uniqueness. His urge to discovery is very huge and I am afraid that I might disappoint him next time.

Hindi na rin sya nagtanong bago kami pumara ng taxi at umuwi.

Our budget is decreasing pero walang ibang transport aside sa cab or online grab dito sa ibang bansa. Masyadong mahirap ang buhay.

I am left with less than fifty dollars when we came home.

Problemadong-problemado man, I know that I can take all of this together with my son nang biglang kumunot ang aking noo sa mga taong nasa labas ng aming apartment.

It looks like they are wearing a business attire and suits.

"What is happening here?"tanong ko kahit hindi pa man masyadong nakalapit.

Agad akong liningon ng mga business agency saka sinalubong ako.

My son's hand tightened the grip together with my hand. Nararamdaman kong tila natatakot sya. I mean, my heart is also pounding right now---it looks like one of my father's obligation.

Ang mga utang nya noon na hindi nababayaran.

"Ma'am it's about the tax and the your father's bank interest. You are Coleen Marquez, right? I saw your profile on one of the bank account." anang lalaki ng makalapit saka may pinakita sa aking check.

Sobrang laki na noon!

"We're afraid that we'll take collateral instead but out from your residential, we can tell that you are not living a luxury life like before..."ana pang isang naka-business suit.

I wanted so much to roll my eyes right at the very moment. Wanting so much to tell him sarcastically how my father is still kicking in the home country but I fight the urge to tell him so.

This is a very serious problem, I might end up in jail at kapag makukulong ako, Tres will be left.

Hindi ako papayag.

"Mama, what's happening?" dinig kong mahinang tanong ni Tres.

Hindi ko na iyon binalingan at may maraming technical terms ang pinagsasabi ng mga businessman na ito...

"What do you mean, Sir?" nakakunot at lito-lito kong tanong.

"For one week. We will give you one week before court trial to defend yourself and if you fail to argue and win the case. We are afraid but to force you in jail."

Umalis na agad sila pagkatapos noon. Nakakunot ang mga noo nila. Full of disappointnent that I can't keep up with the conversation.

Really, one week? One week is not enough for God's sake!

Saan ba ako mapupulot nito?

Sinulyapan ko pa ang mga businessman na iyon o let's just say business lawyer or negotiator na sumakay na sa private van.

"Mama?"

I looked up in the sky.

"Mama, are you crying?"

Pinahid ko kaagad ang tumulong luha saka naisipan si Mommy. Maybe I should call her?


















And for that night, I spend the whole night dialing Mommy. Attempting to call her.

Masyado akong nakadepende sa mga magulang ko that I don't know anymore what to do.

Masyadong mahirap na ang buhay, nakakapagod...

I break down.

"Mama, here's a water---"

"Why aren't you sleeping, Tres?!" medyo napaigtad pa si Tres doon. Napalakas ko ata ang pagsigaw sa kanya.

"I'm sorry, baby..." I cried hard enough.

Mama is so sorry baby. Hindi ko na alam kung saan ako maghahanap ng tatlong bilyon plus the interest.

Plus the tax that runs through the interest.

Hindi ko na alam, anak.

"Okay lang, Mama..."

"Just go in your room---"

"Mama, I want to hug you..."mahina nyang wika.

"Later, Tres... Tomorrow...I'm solving our problem."

"Is it about the economic crisis, Mama?"

I nodded then he take himself upstairs. Nagdadalawang isip pa syang magpahinga but I have my eyes all on him. Strictly commanding him to take a rest and he has no choice.

I cried several times everytime the phone remind me that my Mommy's number is out of reach.

Nakakaiyak kung saan kailangan ko ng makakasama ay wala man lang si Mommy. Wala man lang akong katuwang.

I blink twice when an unknown number attempted to call me.

Iniisip ko kaagad na si Mommy iyon at baka nagpalit ng number!

"Hello, Mommy?" I answered it gladly.

"I prefer to be call Daddy..." the husky voice from the line answered me.

Agad nawala ang ngiti ko doon. The voice is so familiar...

"What do you want?"

Kumunot ang noo ko at inayos ang boses lalo na at napapaos dahil galing sa kakaiyak.

"Offer you a great deal, yeah?"

Nanatili akong tahimik. This is Sergio, for God sake!

Kailangan kong patayin dapat itong tawag agad-agad but now that he's talking about an offer. It might help me with my financial problem!

"I'll give you the money you want, just see me tonight..." he added on the other line.