Whisper of Her Lies (Nayon Series 2)

Kabanata 23

Kabanata 23
Papa

"Mama's gonna be home late."

"I want to go with you."

Napangiti ako sa maliit na boses ng anak.

"Tita Mique and I are going to work. I'm afraid you can't go with us," mahinahon kong sinabi sa anak.

I had to look innocent when she stared at me for a moment. Alam kong gusto niyang sumama sa akin pero matalino si Jarrie. Hindi ko na kailangan pang ipaliwanag sa kanya ang lahat dahil ganito naman ako nagpapaalam kapag trabaho ang pupuntahan. She got it immediately. She knows the drill.

"I see..." humina ang boses niya sa kanyang pagpayag.

I combed her hair for a comfort. Ngumiti at hinalikan siya sa pisngi.

"I love you," sabi ko at niyakap siya.

My baby will always feel my comfort. She is my peace. My love. And my home.

Dumaan ang kilig sa puso ko nang maramdaman ang maliliit niyang mga braso na yumakap sa akin.

"I love you, too, Mama. Good luck on your performance!"

Natawa ako ng kaonti. Lumayo sa kanya at tumayo na. Kalalabas lang ni Miquesa mula sa kwarto nila karga karga si Mika. Mika smiled at Jarrie and asked her mother to put her down. Kaagad na tinakbo ang distansya nila ng anak ko at inaya siya sa tanggapan kung saan sila madalas na naglalaro.

"Ikaw na ang bahala sa dalawa, Heid," si Miquesa at inayos ang bag sa kanyang balikat.

Heidi nodded. "Sure."

"Kapag nakatulog na sila, si Sidon naman ang asikasuhin mo. Nagtatampo na 'yon," pang-aasar niya na ikinairap ni Heidi.

I laughed a bit. Wala atang araw na naaalala ni Miquesa na asarin si Heidi kay Sidon. At si Sidon naman, ngiting ngiti kapag inis ang nagiging tugon ni Heidi sa lahat ng mga pang-aasar ng kaibigan.

He changed. Sa ilang taon na nagkasama kaming apat sa iisang bubong, he adjusted his reactions on Miquesa's teases to them. Noon ay lagi siyang pinamumulahan sa tuwing tinutukso silang dalawa pero ngayon, nagagawa niya nang tawanan ang iritasyon ni Heidi.

It was nice to see how these people change and I got the chance to witness them fall and rise again.

And just like them, I also had changes. I got into battles and wars I never told anyone. Na kahit pa marami akong masasandalan, nilaban ko iyon mag-isa.

The world will never stop and wait for me to recover so I had to heal for the past years. I needed to cope up immediately to continue the life I was so eager to pause. And now, I'm back on track again.

Oo, nalaman ko ang nangyari kay Ryleigh. He was missing. The Fidallegos tried to find him but within those years, after all the efforts they had exerted to no avail, they eventually got tired. Tumigil na rin sila sa paghahanap dahil kung gusto ni Ryleigh na magpakita sa kanila, kahit pa wala ang koneksyon ng angkan, makikita at mahahanap nila si Ryleigh.

I didn't know what really happened to him. At kahit pa masakit aminin, oo, kahit paano ay hinanap ko rin siya. I did it my own in silence. No one knew about it. Pero nang sumuko na nga sina Rayo sa paghahanap, I lost my courage to find him, too.

After years, I learned to never mind it anymore. I told myself to not care and just focus on my daughter. Hindi ko man alam kung nasaan si Ryleigh, nandito ang anak namin para alalahanin ko at alagaan.

My life turns the same cycle everyday. Trabaho, bahay, anak, tapos balik ulit sa umpisa. Motherhood is really a great feeling but a heavy responsibility. I am a single mom so I have to do my responsibilities twice as much as I should.