Long Lost Daughter

Chapter 14

Irene

It's Sunday morning!

I woke up because of the sunlight touching my skin, when I glanced at my left, I saw Isabelle still in her deep sleep, she looked so ethereal. I cupped her face gently while humming the song "You are my sunshine".

"Hmm.." She groaned, I smiled at her.

"Hi.." I uttered softly, she's rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning, sweetheart!" I greeted her and kissed her forehead, she smiled at me and she tightened her hug to me, I hugged her back.

"Rise and Shine little one!" I exclaimed, joyously, naaalala ko Celestine sakanya.

...

Isabelle

I felt someone caressing my face so I groaned, someone is hugging me and it feels like home, she was humming a song that made me more sleepy, I tightened my hug and I didn't bother to open my eyes and when I heard her uttering a word I was shocked, deeply shock.

"Rise and Shine little one.." The voice said, parang gusto ko nalang magpalamon sa lupa dahil sa hiya!

Then I remembered that I'm not in Bahay Kalinga, I'm in Marcos's house and the voice humming earlier is tita Irene, the one I'm hugging right now, this is so embarrassing!

Unti-unti kong minulat ang aking mga mata at hindi nga ako nagkamali, she caresses my hair while humming a song tapos eto parin ako, nakayakap sakanya. Nakita ko itong ngumiti nang nakita akong gising na.

"Hi, good morning.." She said sweetly and smiled at me, ang awkward talaga tapos hiyang-hiya pa ako.

"Ay hala ka apo, I'm sorry tita—" bulagta ko, umupo ako agad sa kama at tumingin sakanya.

"Sssh, It's okay Belle, you don't need to say sorry and it's time to get up and get ready kasi babalik na tayo ng Manila after breakfast." sabi niya saakin, hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at ngumiti.

"Okay po atsaka, good morning din po tita." I said sweetly, I managed to give the sweetest smile I could provide for a woman who I think deserves all the love and happiness in the world for having a kind heart.

"Do you want to take a bath first?" tanong niya, para niya talaga akong anak kung tratuhin, napakaswerte ko kasi hindi ko naman nakilala ang tunay kong mga magulang, nagkaroon naman ako ng higit pa sa isang taong tinuturing ako bilang isang anak.

"Yes po." I replied, I proceeded to the bathroom and took a bath, I set the water into a warm temperature and after that, I went to tita Irene's mini walk-in closet, I decided to wear a white plain puff top with lace on its both sides paired it with my pinkish brown trouser and a flat sandals would do.

Nung natapos na akong magpalit agad din naman akong lumabas, nakita ko si tita Irene na ginugogol ang sarili sa cellphone pero nung napansin niya ako, napanganga ito ng hindi ko alam.

"You look more prettier, belle!" she complimented me and it warmed my heart.

"Thank you tita!" I replied, ikaw ba naman sabihan ng maganda ng isang Irene Araneta hindi ka ba kiligin.

"Get your cardigan ready, incase you feel chills in the car. It's a 7 hour ride back to Manila." bilin niya saakin, tumango din naman ako at ngumiti.

"I'll take a bath muna okay?" she said, habang naliligo si tita Irene, inayos ko muna yung pinaghigaan namin, kakatapos ko lang mag-ayos ng kwarto ng may kumatok sa punto ng napakalakas.