#2: Strumming the Pain

Strumming 23

"What truth are you talking about, Tita Ina?"

She didn't answer immediately because she was shocked about my presence. And then, slowly, she smirked at me like how an evil person would do. Dad called her name, but she chose to ignore it and walked towards me. I remained standing, meeting her eyes and not looking away. Tinawag pa ulit ni Daddy ang pangalan niya pero nagbingi-bingihan lang siya roon.

"Do you really wanna know, young lady?" she asked, smirking. "The truth..." she said in a whisper.

"Ina, tigilan mo 'yan!" sigaw ni Daddy bago bumaling sa akin. "Bumalik ka na sa kwarto mo, Khaisia. You know how rude it is to interfere! Usapan namin 'to kaya umalis ka na." Dad said, full of authority.

But just like what Tita Ina did, I chose to ignore him. Hindi ako aalis hangga't hindi ko nalalaman kung anong katotohanan ba ang sinasabi niya. And what? There are trying to get Mom's assets? Pinaghirapan niya 'yon kaya wala silang karapatan doon! Gaano ba kakapal ang mukha nila para pati 'yon ay kunin nila? Aren't they ashamed to what they did to her?

"Can you really take it, Khaisia? I doubt it. You're a weakling... Mahina ka na nagpapanggap na matapang. Hindi mo kakayanin..." nakangising sabi nito sa 'kin. "Aminin mo na sa sarili mo na mahina ka... Na wala ka naman talagang kwenta. You're trying so hard, Khaisia... Trust me, you'll be shattered..."

"What truth are you talking about?" madiin na ulit ko lang sa tanong ko kanina. Matapang na sinalubong ko ang mga mata niyang tila nakangiti dahil nakikita niya akong ganito. Hindi na ako nagtaka kung masaya siya tuwing nakikita niya akong tila nahihirapan.

"Can you really take it? Can you really handle the pain, Khaisia?" she asked, laughing at me like an evil person. "Kaya mo bang tanggapin ang totoo kapag nalaman mo na? Some truths are hard to accept."

"What truth?!" I yelled angrily. I'm in my very angry state, I want to know everything. I was so mad about what I heard... about their plans. Kung hindi ko pipigilan ang sarili ko, I might do something that will surely make them mad.

"The truth that you're not his daughter!" nakangising sabi niya na tila ayaw tanggapin ng mga tainga ko. The way she said it was so clear yet so vague to me. I was stunned... I couldn't move my feet or even open my mouth to say something. "And oh, you're not Erah's, too." sabi pa niya na parang tuwang-tuwa pa.

"Ina!" I heard a yell, but my mind was too focused to what she said to even mind that.

"What, Fred?! Ang sabi niya ay gusto niyang malaman kung ano'ng totoo! Ayan, sinabi ko na sa kanya! Mas madali na lang ang lahat ngayon na alam na niya ang totoo." sabi pa niya at hinarap ako ulit. "Ano, Khaisia?! I thought you want to know?! Ayan na ang totoo! Hindi ka anak ni Erah at Fred tulad ng pinapaniwalaan mo... Ampon ka! Kaya wala kang karapatang tumira sa bahay na 'to! Wala kang karapatan sa kayamanan ni Erah!"

My mind was too clouded at the moment. My heart felt so heavy upon hearing the truth that was hidden for a long time. Everything was not sinking in, my mind couldn't take it. Ayaw tanggapin ng mga tainga ko ang narinig ko mula sa kanya. My heart twisted in pain when I heard her saying it once again.