MY DAUGHTER WANTS TO HAVE A DADDY.

Chapter 3.

It's already Friday and everything is well. Kaso kailangan kong mag-general cleaning sa bahay. I do general cleaning every month at nasaktuhang butas na naman ang tubo. Bumili na ako nang bagong tubo noong bumili ako ng bagong motorbike. I don't hire cleaners to clean the house.

Nagkaroon ako ng katulong noong baby pa lang si Eyra pero ngayong kaya na niyang maglakad, hindi na ako naghire pa. Maliban na lang kapag masyado akong busy sa feedbacks and upgrades sa shop.

I am a woman and yes, I do fixing the sink and any mechanical problems. Who told you that only men can do that?

Hapon na ako nakapagsimula sa paglilinis dahil binisita ko muna ang shop. Pangalawang araw na ni Jairus sa shop at marunong naman siya. Walang problema ang trabaho niya. Nagpapahinga pa rin sa hospital si Japy at pinahiram ko na ng pera ang pamilya niya.

Si Stella ang naghatid kay Eyra ngayon dahil kaibigan niya naman ang principal. It happened that she have a meeting with the principal. Ako na lang ang magsusundo.

Nagvacuum muna ako sa living room dahil ihuhuli ko ang sink. I felt my cellphone vibrated in my pocket.

"Stella? Bakit?" I turn the vacuum off.

"Farrah's sister saw me on my way home." I gasped. "She attacked me. Nagkaroon ako ng gasgas sa braso omygosh, that tiger. She eve threatened me na kapag hindi ko daw pinakita si baby Eyraia sa kanila, magsisisi daw ako. What she means is I should go and steal baby Eyra from you, the hell."

Napatulala ako. Kung sa pamilya ko, hindi ako tanggap, sa pamilya naman ni Farrah, abusado sila. Maraming beses na nilang tinangkang kunin sa akin si Eyra pero syempre hindi ako pumayag. Kaya nga sa private school ko ngayon pinapasok si Eyra for more safety. Matindi din ang lock ng gate namin so they won't get in.

"I'm sorry for this, Stella. Pero ako na mismo ang makikipag usap sa kanila. Mag-iingat ka na lang sa susunod."

"Of course I will, and I will never follow them. Na-imagine ko tuloy si baby Eyra sa school ngayon. Look, kaninang hinatid ko siya, nakita ko 'yung bagong teacher. Ang pogi! But let me ask you this, is that your boyfriend? Baby Eyraia just called him dad." lumalim ang mata ko at idinikit pa sa tenga ang cellphone.

"Did I heard it right?"Dad"? You know that I am not interested to men. Psh, kakausapin ko si Eyra. Anyway, thank you for the information. I'm so sorry again. Bye."

Bumalik na ako sa ginagawa pagkatapos nu'n. I mopped the floor, fixed Eyra's toys and fixed our closet. Pawis na pawis ako nang bumalik sa kusina. I then washed the dishes.

Sunod ko nang inayos ang tubo. Nasa kalagitnaan ako ng pag-ikot ng kung anong turnilyo nang tumunog ang doorbell.

"Ay, shit." napikit ko ang kanang mata dahil natalsikan ako ng tubig sa mukha. "Wait a minute!" sigaw ko.

Hinayaan ko munang tumutulo ang tubo at kumuha ng panyo. Nasa living room pa lang ako nang makita ko si Eyra.

Nagtataka akong tumingin sa kaniya at sunod naman sa orasan. It's already 3:30 pm. Oh, hell. I forgot about the time. I owe Stella again.

"Mommy, are you okay?" tinanguan ko lang siya at nilapag ang panyo para mahalikan siya sa noo.

"Sorry, I forgot about the time to fetch you, baby. Naglilinis lang si mommy, did your tita Stella already went home?" she pouted.

"Mommy, tita Stella didn't fetch me up. Dad Ryle did!" sabay niyang itinuro ang kaliwang side namin.

Nandu'n ang teacher niya, nakangiting pinapanood kami.

"Dad Ryle"
"Dad Ryle"
"Dad Ryle"

What the fuck?

"Dad Ryle? What do you mean, Eyra? He's your teacher, why would you call him dad?" it may sound disrespectful for the teacher but I didn't pay attention to him because of his smirk.

Eyra pouted again.

"Because he said that every teacher is a second parent. And also," she paused. "I have no dad, I want to feel like I have." natigilan ako.

I felt my heart ached.

"E-Eyra,"

She's too young to feel that kind of pain. I know that pain, even I have parents, I never felt like i have.

Hindi ako nakapagsalita and should I thank this man for saving me this time?

"Baby Eyra, hindi ba may ibibigay ka sa mommy mo? Give it to her now." kusang nawala ang lungkot kay Eyra at nagliwanag ang mukha.

"Mommy, I have something to give you nga pala. But I am thirsty, can I have some juice first?" napangiti ako nang malawak siyang ngumiti at nagpuppy eyes pa sa akin. "And I'm sure dad is thirsty too. We both like apple juice!"

I gazed at him. He's smiling while staring at Eyra. In his eyes, I don't know if I saw the eyes of a dad on him or its just my hallucination.

Bumalik ang tingin ko kay Eyra.

"Sure, baby. Wait,"

Nauna ako sa kusina. The water in the sink is still not fixed pero inuna ko ang pagtimpla ng juice.

"Mommy, what happened to our sink?" hila-hila niya ang lalaki sa kamay.

"Not a big problem, mommy is fixing it now. Here, have your juice." kumuha na siya ng sa kaniya.

Aabutan ko na sana ng baso ang lalaking katabi niya nang dumiretso ito sa lababo.

"Hey, m-mababasa ka diyan. I'm going to fix it later, have your juice." hindi niya ako pinansin at nag-umpisa nang ayusin iyon.

"Why such a woman doing this kind of job? You don't have someone to help?" mabilis niyang naayos iyon na para bang pumirma lang siya ng papel.

"I don't need someone to help me. I am capable of everything. But thank you. Here's your drink." kaswal kong offer. He gladly accepted it.

"Thank you."

"I am sorry that you have to take Eyra home. I can bake a cake for you."

"No need. I am not into sweets. And it's okay, madadaanan ko ang bahay niyo pauwi kaya inihatid ko na siya." tumango na lang ako at hindi na tumingin sa kaniya.

"Mommy, look! For you." Eyra gave me a letter and giggled.

It's an appreciation letter. Nakita ko pa lang ang sulat sa labas ng papel ay gugustuhin ko nang umiyak. Pinigilan ko nga lang pero pagbuklat ko, hindi ko maiwasang maiyak.

"To my lovely mommy, from baby Eyraia.

I love you mommy, and of course mommy too! Thank you for loving me and for everything. I love you so much!"

A simple letter yet it teared me up. Agad kong iniwas ang mukha dahil naiyak ako.

"W-What a lovely message, baby. Thank you, mommy loves you more." I kissed her cheeks.

"Where's my kiss?" nabaling kay Ryle ang paningin ko at tinaasan siya ng kilay. "Joking. Haha, it's just you're both cute." I felt my cheeks heated but I just glared at him.

Hinatid ko siya sa labas pagkatapos ng usapan nila ni Eyra, nagpaalam pa kasi sila sa isa't isa.

"Thank you again for sending Eyra home and thank you for helping me fix the sink." tumango lang siya.

"Not a problem. Anyway, Eyra's doing good at school. You surely has taught her well. That's a good job as a mother. Oo nga pala, na ikwento sa akin ni Eyra ang unting part ng buhay niya. I am sorry for that but promise, I won't judge you." I want to smile but I prefer nodding instead.

"Ingat. Goodbye." I shortly said and he said the same thing but as he open his car door, I called his name. Napayuko ako nang kaunti. I don't know why I feel shy and stuttering. "T-Thank you because you made Eyra feel the feeling of having a dad."

He gently smiled.

"Many children don't feel that thing and many adults right now didn't felt the same thing too. Kaya kahit hindi magkadugo, minsan kailangan nating bigyan ng ganung kalinga ang iba. At kung nararamdaman mong nagkulang ka kay Eyra dahil wala siyang ama, no you didn't. You're doing your best to be a great mom to her. So keep the good job, Celestine."

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Astrid Manunulat