As days/weeks passed by, the Aranetas have been so busy with their works and responsibilities. Irene attending her music and arts organization, Greggy attending a ton of meetings in their company everyday. Celestine having a gem-packed schedule because of her new position in school.
The last family dinner they had was on the thanksgiving party of Celestine. Hindi nila naaabutan ang isa't isa, sa pagpasok sa kanilang trabaho at sa eskwelahan pati narin sa pag-uwi. Hindi na nila nakakamusta ang isa't isa.
Irene and Greggy's mind have been so occupied with their works that they didn't even have a time for their daughter, or just to simply check on her.
Celestine doesn't mind anyway, since she had been used to this and because she's doing the same thing as well.
Celestine would sometimes miss the time when her mom and dad used to check on her, asking her how is she and how's her day went but she would always ignore it when she feels that way because it can make her sad and unfocused, she can't concentrate whenever she think about that.
"Are you okay, Ms. Pres?" the SSG secretary asked.
"A-ah yes, Jonah. I'm okay." Celestine replied as she smiled lightly, Jonah just nodded and returned a smile.
Celestine is currently in her office, since its break time but when the bell rang she hurriedly went back to their classroom, when it was already time to go home, Celestine was invited by her friends to hang-out. Celestine agreed since she knows that her parents will be home late, again.
They went to a coffee shop first, sipping their coffee while talking, after, they decided to go into a restaurant to get a proper meal for dinner. They're still on their uniforms.
Meanwhile, Irene and Greggy came home late again. They were expecting that Celestine is already home.
"Manang Dolores, si Celestine?" Irene asked as soon as she entered the house and saw their maid.
"A-ah hindi pa po umuuwi ma'am." The maid replied which made Irene and Greggy worried.
"Yung driver niya?" Greggy said as he caress his wife's back.
"Wala pa din po, kanina ko pa nga po tinatawagan pero hindi sumasagot.." Dolores replied, worriedly.
"Maybe, she's doing something important, hon. Don't worry she'll be safe." Greggy consoled his wife who's already having panic attacks.
"Greggy, for heaven's sake it's already 9pm quarter to 10, I'm sure wala na siyang ginagawa!" Irene told her husband.
"I'll try calling her, calm down." Greggy calmly said as he dialed her daughter's phone number but sadly, Celestine isn't answering, so they just decided to wait for her, Irene tried to call one of the guards in Ateneo and the guard said na wala ng studyante na nasa loob.
~•~
"Bye, next time ulit!" Celestine friends bid goodbye, after they exchange their goodbye hugs, Celestine called her driver to pick her up already, when the car arrived, she immediately go out. She saw a lot of missed calls from her parents, she just laugh bitterly.
She's now expecting that her parents would scold her. It was already 10:56 pm when they arrived at forbes,nCelestine lazily get out of the car and head directly to the entrance of their house. She carefully opened the door and saw her mom sitting on the couch, worried. While her dad was talking to someone on his phone.
"Anak!" Irene exclaimed as soon as she saw Celestine entered their house, Irene hugged her daughter tightly, her tears are already cascading through her cheeks.
Irene sobbed, "Where have you been? We've been so worried about you." She uttered.
Greggy quickly bid goodbye and ended the call when he heard Irene called their daughter's name, Celestine was just quiet, looking at her mom without any expression.
"Samantha Celestine, your mother is asking you!" Greggy said loudly, Celestine looked at her dad as she shook her head and leave her parents without any response.
"Don't be so rude, we're talking to you, come back here!" Greggy shouted, Celestine froze as she stopped walking. Irene was sobbing quietly, she knows that they have hurt their daughter.
"Hindi mo manlang ba naisip na nag-aalala kami sayo ng mommy mo? We're trying to reach you, calling you but you didn't even bother to answer any of it and don't you dare try to deny that your phone died because it rang!" Greggy said angrily, Celestine looked back to her parents with poker face but tears are starting to form in her eyes.
"Worried about me, huh?" Celestine murmured as she laugh bitterly.
"Of course we are!" Greggy replied, Celestine looked at her mom, it literally breaks her heart whenever she see's her mom crying because of her.
"Pasensya na ha, hindi ko kasi alam at hindi ko din kasi ramdam na nag-aalala pa pala kayo sakin, I don't even know if you still care for me. Pasenya na po kung hindi ako nagpaalam, akala ko kasi mamaya pa kayo uuwi at baka busy pa kayo sa trabaho niyo at maka-istorbo pa po ako, like your daily routine is, but its okay I'm used to it." Celestine bitterly uttered, her tears are already flowing.
"Anak.." Irene whispered as she tries to hold her daughter's hand but Celestine refuse to.
Greggy sighed, "I hope you understand why we needed to be home late, we're doing this for you, for your future, for our family and so that we could provide all you need and all you want." He said, calmly.
"For me? Really? Sana alam niyo rin na hindi ko kailangan ng material na bagay, hindi ko hiniling na magkaroon ng maraming bagay, all I want is to feel your love and your presence! I don't want material things dad!" Celestine added, her tears are uncontrollably flowing.
"But it's okay, nasanay na din naman akong mag-isa, imagine no parents guiding me for almost 11 years, I thought ngayon na nahanap ko na kayo I won't feel alone again, but it turns out to be the same for those past 10 years. I thought, you will be always there for me, I thought you two will be the one to wipe my tears but I was wrong. You weren't there in the times that I needed you the most, you weren't there in the times that all I need was your love and your hug because you two were always been my strength and my weakness. Wala kayo sa panahon na kailangang kailangan ko kayo, kasi nung mga panahon nayun pati ako muntik naring sumuko sa sarili ko. I was finding you but I cannot, work is more important to the both of you and I can't blame the both of you kasi nasanay kayo pero sana naisip niyo may anak parin kayong naghihintay araw-araw sainyo. You promised that you'll always give time for me even if you two are busy pero hindi niyo ginawa yun. Sana hindi nalang kayo nangako." Celestine said sobbing.
"Anak, I don't know what to say, I'm out of words. I-I'm sorry, hindi ko alam-
Irene didn't able to finish her words when her daughter cuts her.
"Of course you didn't know, tsk. How will you know? Hindi niyo nga magawang kamustahin ako eh, so I'm sorry kung isang araw palagi nalang akong nasa labas, hanging out with people who truly cares for me. I'm sorry if one day, sa labas na yung magpapasaya sakin. And even you admit it or not, wala na kayong oras sakin, I sometimes missed the times when your making me feel love and important and I sometimes wish na sana nanatili nalang akong si Isabelle." Celestine continue as bowed her head.
"Now if you'll excuse me, pupunta na po ako sa kwato ko." she whispered, she looked to her parents then hurriedly run towards her room. Greggy and Irene was left downstairs, the words that came from their daughter's mouth are not sinking in to their minds.
To be continue.
Sorry for the wrong grammars and misspelled words.
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Long Lost Daughter
FanfictionThere lived a mother named Irene whose heart bore a deep and unending ache as many years ago, a devastating storm had swept through their lives as she lost her one and only daughter. This is a story of a mother who's longing for her daughter's love...
