F.L.A.W Series Book 3: RUBY

Chapter Twenty-Five

Pagdilat ng mga mata ni Ruby ay napangiti siya sa namulatan niya. Nasa gitna siya ng kama at nakayakap ang mga anak niya sa magkabilang gilid niya. Ayaw siyang pakawalan ng dalawa kagabi at talagang nagmakaawa pa para lang tumabi sa kanyang matulog.

Pagtingin niya sa gawi ng asawa ay nagulat siya nang makitang gising ito habang nakatingin sa kanilang mag-iina.

"Kanina ka pa ba gising?" Tanong niya.

Ngumiti ito sakanya.

"Hindi ako makatulog nang direcho. I was always checking on you coz I was scared that this is all just a dream. What if I wake up in the morning and I'll find out that you're gone? I think I'll go crazy. Kaya pinagmasdan ko na lang kayong mag-iina ko hanggang sa mag-umaga."

Naaawa siya sa asawa. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang gagawin para hindi na ito mangamba pa. She wants to assure him that she will never leave them ever again but she doesn't know if she can stay true to her words since she's like a ticking bomb that could go off at any time.

"I'm still here." Aniya na nakangiti. "I told you that I'm not going anywhere, I'm staying." Iyon ang gusto rin niyang paniwalaan sa sarili.

"The kids won't let you go. Mukhang hindi mo na sila magagawang takasan. They are glued to you the whole night." Na hinaplos pa ang ulo ni Poseidon sa pagitan nila. "I wanted to sleep beside you too, but I have two opponents. One versus two, I'm pretty sure I'm never gonna win against them."

Sabay silang nagkatawanang dalawa kaya naman nagising si Persephone.

"Hey, Princess, did you have a good night's sleep?" Tanong ni Vix sa anak.

"Yes po, I had a good night's sleep because you're beside me. I didn't have any bad dreams anymore." Sagot nito habang kinukusot ang mga mata.

"You were having bad dreams?" Kuryosong tanong niya. "What is it all about?"

"You left because you hated me. You don't love us anymore and you don't want to come back to us. You're having a new family somewhere else." Malungkot nitong kweento.

"Oh, Seph." Na niyakap nang mahigpit ang anak. "You know that wasn't real, right? It was far from the truth coz it will never happen. I love you and I will never leave you." At hinalikan sa tuktok ng ulo. "You're the only family I will have."

Napangiti naman ang anak dahil sa sinabi niya at niyakap siya nang mahigpit.

"I love you, Mommy." Malambing na wika ni Sephy.

"Awww, I love you too, honey." At pinupog ng halik ang bata. "What do you want to do for the day? Do you want us to go out? Go to the mall? Play outside-"

"We can't, Mommy." Pigil sa kanya.

"Why not?" Takang tanong niya.

Nakakunot ang noo ng bata sakanya na sumulyap pa saglit sa ama.

"I'm going to school, didn't you know that? Daddy didn't tell you?"

Siya naman ngayon ang tumingin sa asawa ng may pagtataka.

"Sorry." At nag-peace sign pa si Perseus sa kanya. "I forgot to tell you about that. Nawala na sa isip ko kahapon dahil sa sobrang saya ko na naiuwi na kita."

"Sephy has started schooling?" Halos hindi pa rin makapaniwala.

"Yup, this is her fifth week in school."

Nanlumo si Ruby nang bahagya dahil roon. Nakalimutan nga pala niya na napag-usapan na nilang mag-asawa noon na ipapasok nga nila ng summer trial ang anak upang makapagprepare na din sa darating na pasukan.