VAMPIRE'S KISS

70

"Mama!" I heard my son's plea outside the room.

Nanatiling nakabaon ang aking mukha sa malambot na unan. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako umiiyak, hindi ko alam kung ano talaga ang tunay na rason ng aking paghagulgol.

All I know is I burst out in tears because of this heavy feeling I keep.

Sobrang bigat ng pamilyar na sakit na nararamdaman ko at hindi ko na alam kung paano ito palabas bukod sa iiyak na lamang ito.

Parang hinihiwa ang aking puso dahil doon.

"Open this, Mama!" he screamed outside.

I cannot stand my son screaming in the door front outside this room kaya kahit pagod man at mugtong-mugto ang mata ay bumalikwas ako sa kama at bumangon para abutin ang lock at pagbuksan sya.

As soon as I twitched the doorknob,  mabilis na kumaripas si Tres upang ako'y yakapin.

"Mama..."malambing ang kanyang boses.

Nakaawang doon ang aking bibig habang hindi mapigil-pigil ang pagtulo ng aking mga luha.

My son is my treasure and this thing is so priceless.

"I'm just having a hard time, baby..."malambing kong wika at yinakap ko sya ng mahigpit.

His warmth is all I got and I think it's all I need. Wala na akong hihingin pa bukod sa presensya nya. Having him is already more than enough even against this worldly problems.

"I know, Mama... I can't blame you either..."dinig kong bulong nya.

Wala akong ibang nagawa kundi ngumiti kahit na naglalandasan ng walang tigil ang aking mga luha. Tumutulo iyon ng walang humpay at marahang humahalik sa kumot ng aking kama.

Raising a child that understands almost everything even at the age of three is just different.

Agad akong kumalas mula sa kanyang pagkakayakap.

This thing startled me the most. His senses are just too different, it look like it was heightened and etched to the greatest impossible function.

The more I think of it, mas lalo akong nag-aalala.

"Paano gumana ang utak mo ng ganto, Tres, not that I don't like it but you're just a three-year old...." hindi ko mapigilang magsalita at sabihin sa kanya ang pananaw ko tungkol dito.

Napatigil din sya roon, makaraan ay parang nag-iisip.

I don't want my son to think about it as much as I do kaya akmang bubuka ang aking bibig to divert the topic pero mas naunahan nya na akong magsalita.

"Too many problems Mama that you forgot my birthday, I'm turning four tomorrow then tomorrow!"

My eyes widened.

My baby is turning four?!

Sa dami ng problema, nakalimutan ko na ang kaarawan ng anak ko. Heck, I always almost forgot but this year, I completely lost a track in the calendar!

Tumawa roon si Tres sa gulat kong reaksyon kaya kumunot naman ang noo ko.

Why is he laughing with this?

Not that I don't want him to have fun but...

"Four is still too young, Tres. Hindi ka rin ba nagtataka sa sarili mo? You're different and not to mention your my son but you already outwit me."

"I'm searching for the answer, Mama." wika nya pero ngayon ay sa seryosong tono.

Umayos sya ng pagkakaupo.

Napakurap-kurap ako doon. He's like the baby in the show 'the boss baby', the only thing that's different is he's the dark version of it. He looks manly rather than more serious but he's still serious and the way I already predicted him on my mind is, he's ruthless.

He's going to be wild, ruthless and cunning just like  Mr. Sergio Cervantes.

And now that I think of it, nalulungkot lang ang puso ko....

"I'm sorry for making you worried, Mama. I think my father is the reason behind this..."

Kakaibang tingin ang iginawad ko sa aking anak.

He really is different.

Bigla-bigla ay nawala ang kuryente at kumulog ng malakas. Naramdaman ko ang kanyang yakap sa akin at tila nanginginig sya.

He is different but he is still my baby, terrified over this things.

"Sshhh... Mama is here..." pagpapakalma ko sa kanyang takot.

He is still a child even with his darn pretty mind---he's still afraid of thunder and darkness.



















Kinabukasan, I wake up early to do some errands at magbabayad na rin ako ng kuryente. I thought the blackout last night is because of the electrical activity iyon naman pala ay naputulan na kami.

I will also issue reconnectivity kaya alam kong medyo matatagalan ako doon. That is why I need to move the time earlier para hindi na rin ako malate sa trabaho.

I smiled weakly to teacher Ann na mukhang wala sa mood ngayon.

"Good morning Teacher Ann, I already scheduled the move out and I guess it's officially next week. I just find out that it's going to be hard and I also need to take Tres for an exam."

Napatango-tango sya roon.

"Sure, here is my recommendation letter. He will take exam and the exceeding limit for this is grade three. He's really so young..."matabang nitong wika.

"Well, he's turning four next next day..."

"Then the exceeding limit will be grade four..."

I nodded in agreement.

I immediately bid goodbye to my son na may hawak-hawak na ngayong makapal na history book. Napasapo na lamang ako sa aking noo bago sumakay ng cab patungong billing company.

I paid my bills there with the use of my initial salary. Hindi ko nga alam kung talaga bang kailangang magbayad ang employer ng initial salary or Mr. Cervantes just treated me special.

Oh crap, shut it Coleen!

There is nothing special being a mistress.

Ngitian ko muna ang issuer bago nya ibinigay ang receipt.

I even held more money to bribe with the process at para mapadali ang connectivity.

I almost forgot that I need money for my father's debt in a week and I also have to buy things for my son's birthday plus I have this emotional problem with Sergio and I don't know how to deal with this.

Awkward rin masyado ang mga tingin ng issuer sa akin bago nya inilahad ang huling resibo. Siguro dahil iyon sa sobrang lungkot ko at siguro ay sanay na syang makakita ng malungkot na katulad ko lalo na at may pinansyal na problema ang karamihan sa nag-iissue dito at mukhang kakaahon lang sa financial crisis.

Mahabang buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan ko ng makuha ko na ang issue ng connectivity sa kuryente saka mabilisang umalis na doon.

Kaagad din akong nagpara ng cab at mukhang ilang minuto na lang at magsisimula na ang time of work ko. Ayaw kong makaltasan ng pera o di kaya naman ay magpakita ng signs na hindi ako professional sa pamamagitan ng pagkalate.

I will soon hold the CEO title of this company and that is a very big responsibility!
 
"Mukhang nagwawala na naman ang fiancé ni Sir..."dinig kong wika ng manager na under ko noong nasa modeling management pa ako.

"It looks like may desisyon si Sir na hindi nito sinang-ayunan..." dagdag ng isa.

"Bakit ba kasi sya nakikialam? Business is different from personal problems. She's pretty at bagay sila ni Sir pero ngayong nakita ko ang gantong side nya, I don't like her anymore..."

Pinabayaan ko lamang ang mga tsikahang iyon na nadidinig ko sa hallway patungong elevator.

I  am about to take the elevator ride nang mamataan ko si Lisha na kinaladkad ang anak nya within the right wing kung saan walang masyadong tao.

May staff na nakakita sa kanya and she pointed a finger to the staff at may sinabi.

With her fingers and her mad expression, it looks like she threatened the staff na agad napailing-iling at tumakbo.

Her son is bursting out in tears!

Umiiyak ito ng walang humpay na agad nya namang sinampal para mahinto but her son is crying more because of the pain!

Mukhang umalburuto doon ang aking puso. Children is already something that should be treasured and here she is hitting her son with her own goddamn hands?!

Alam ko rin namang labas na ako rito but this doesn't seem right!

I take my steps at sinundan ang mag-ina na lumiko sa kabilang direksyon kung saan doon ang emergency exit.

Binilisan ko pa lalo ang aking mga hakbang dahil palakas ng palakas ang hiyaw at pag-iyak ng bata.

Puno ng determinasyong pagsabihan si Lisha na huwag saktan ang bata kung anuman ang kinakagalit nya.

Ilang hakbang nalang at liliko na lamang ako upang maharap sa kanila when Lisha burst in so much anger.

"Shut it, Alden!"

"Mama---"

"Stop calling me your Mama! I'm dis-owing you for God's sake! Your not even my fiance's son for real so stop acting like you're getting a special treatment!"