Remorseful Enticement

Pleasure 12

Tumatambay ako outside Theo's house waiting for my Mom to call me. I received a message yesterday and she told me she'd call today ng hapon. It's already three, and the it's a bit cloudy kaya masarap tumambay dito sa labas. I was startled when I heard a vibrating sound coming from my phone. I quickly tapped the answer button.

"Hello, Mommy?" Muntik pa akong sumigaw sa sobrang excitement. Months of staying here, at ngayon ko lang sila makakausap ulit.

"Hey, sweetie. How are you?" tanong niya.

"I'm fine, Mom. How about you?"

"Maayos lang din. You know how it goes."

Nag-alinlangan pa ako sa itatanong ko. "H-How about Dad? Okay lang ba siya?"

"Yes, he's fine. Nagpapahinga sa kuwarto."

Nagtaka naman ako sa sagot niya. "Mommy, Tuesday ngayon, right? Shouldn't Dad be in his office?"

"Cali, that's the reason why I want to call you. Ang Daddy mo kasi..."

"Mom, what happened? Ano'ng nangyari kay Dad?" Hindi nakasagot kaagad ang Mommy. It made me nervous. My heart thumped hard against my chest.

"He just got discharged yesterday. He lost consciousness kailan lang, and then tumaas ang blood pressure niya. Sobrang stress din kasi siya this past months."

"Is he okay na po ba?" Medyo guminhawa naman ang pakiramdam ko. I imagined the worst earlier, and I'm glad na hindi iyon ang nangyari.

"Okay na siya, pero kailangan daw muna niyang magpahinga."

"Please keep an eye on Daddy."

I heard Mom sigh. "Oo naman, anak. How about you? How are you?"

Napaisip naman ako sa tanong niya. I thought about my life here for the past months. Naisip ko kung gaano kasarap ang pakiramdam ko rito. Malayong-malayo ako sa stressful environment ng city. Everything here is so peaceful. I pushed my feet to swing. And then Theo crossed my mind. Naisip ko iyong mga asaran namin, 'yong naiinis ka na pero natatawa ka pa rin.

"Cali, sweetie," Mom called from the other line. "Well? Maayos ka ba riyan?"

"Yes, Mom. I'm okay. You know ba? I know how to cook na, and clean. I learned a lot of new things here."

"Oh, that's great! Noong birthday mo, nakuha mo ba 'yong pinadala ni Daddy mo?"

"Yes, but it wasn't enough. May natira pa naman, Mommy, since I'm not going out naman."

I heard her giggle. "I know, anak. Five thousand wasn't enough for you. Baon mo lang 'yan noon, right?"

I was a little confused. Sa pagkakaalam ko, more than five thousand ang inabot sa akin ni Theo. "Mom, it's fifteen thousand, not five."

"No, sweetie. Five thousand lang ang binigay sa 'yo ng Daddy mo. He said it'd teach you how to manage the money you spend. Hindi ba? He gave Theodore forty thousand pesos. Sa kaniya ang thirty-five thousand, sa 'yo ang five thousand."

"No, Mom! I swear, Theo gave me fifteen thousand pesos. He even bought me handa for my birthday!"

"Kasama mo ba siya noong kinuha niya ang pera?" Mom asked.

"No, but–"

"Ask Theo about it. Five thousand lang ang nakalaan for you. The rest was his money na." There was a noise from the background. "Wait lang, anak, I'll go check on your Daddy. I'll hang up na."

"Bye Mom, Love yo–" the phone beeped. Ibinaba na pala ni Mommy ang phone. For a moment there, na-disappoint ako. I didn't even get the chance to say I love her.