Panay ang sulyap ni Sam kay Sarah na walang kibo mula ng sinundo niya maliban sa pagbati sa kanya ng mahinang hello. Nanatili ng tahimik ang dalaga magmula ng sabihin niya ang address ng school ni Kevin.
"What is his full name? Is it just Kevin Geronimo?" Sam asked Sarah to break the awkward silence.
"Kevin Llyod Geronimo. " Wala sa loob na sagot ni Sarah.
Biglang natapakan ni Sam ang brake . "His second name is Llyod?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Sam,
Tumango lang si Sarah. She remembered when it came time to name the infant, her parents had selected Kevin , Rachelle was indifferent. Sarah had remembered Sam's full name and had given the newborn at least that much of his father's identity.
"Thats's my second name too. Is it just a coincidence or ....?
"I remembered your full name. Naisip ko yun man lang may bahagi ka sa anak mo."
Nagulat na naman si Sam. "Sana lang naisip mo din nuon pa na may karapatan din akong malaman nuon pa na may anak ako."
"Palagay mo hindi ko gustong malaman mo that time? Ako ba tunay na nanay? Hindi ko naman desisyon yan."
"Ok let's say nuong buhay pa si Rachelle, what about nuong namatay na siya? Di ba dapat bago ka nag apply to have his legal custody, dapat ipinaalam mo na sa akin? Kung tutuo ang sinasabi mo na ikaw lang nakakaalam."
Hindi kumibo si Sarah. Ilang beses nga ba niyang pinag isipang ipaalam kay Sam that time. Ng mga panahong yun , nag uumpisang lalo pang gumanda ang career ng binata. Sunod sunod ang mga magagandang projects nito at balitang balita ang relasyon nila ng dating kasintahang ng sikat na sikat ding actress na si Ann Curtis. Naalala din niya ang kapakanan ni Kevin. Ayaw niyang maging sentro ng anumang kontrobersya ang buhay nito. Gusto niyang gawin ang tama pero pakiramdam niya hindi yun ang tamang panahon.
Isa pang dahilan ay ang katotohanang malaki ang posibilidad na mawala sa kanya si Kevin. How can she cope if Sam decided to acknowledge Kevin? Can she live without Kevin? Episodes in his life flashed through her mind as clearly as the photographs in the picture albums. In seconds, her memory chronicled their life together, the times they had laughed and the times they'd been sad, the times they'd acted silly , the times they'd hugged and the very few times she has got mad at him. Napangiti si Sarah. Kevin became her life.
Naramdaman niyang sinulyapan uli siya ni Sam.
"Hindi mo na sinagot ang tanong ko."
"Bakit? Ano ang pakiramdam mo nuong una mong natanggap ang sinasabi mong mga sulat? Ano ang naisip mo? Isipin mo kung natanggap mo ang mga sulat na yun 4 years ago? Nag uumpisang gumanda ang career mo , may napakaganda at sikat kang girlfriend. Kabi kabila ang projects mo."
"I see you've been keeping up with me"
She fell silent. It wouldn't do for him to know that the first thing she looked for in every morning's newspaper was a mention of him in any context.
"Don't tell me, ako ang inaalala mo ng mga panahong yun? Are you saying I owe you big time for not informing me I lost 7 years with my son because you are thinking how my career will be affected?"
"I don't know, frustrated ng sagot ni Sarah." Halos pasigaw na sagot nito. Hindi na niya alam kung paano ipapaliwanag kay Sam.
"I want you to know, I am planning to talk to my lawyer. I want joint custody of Kevin. I think I owe it to him, and to myself, too, to spend some time together."
"What are you trying to say? What you mean time?"
"I mean that we should see each other on a regular basis, as frequently as possible. Get to know each other. Spend quality time together. Maybe he could even stay at my place occasionally."
Gustong takpan ni Sarah ang mga tenga niya. Ayaw niyang marinig ang mga susunod pang sasabihin ni Sam. Ito na nga ba ang kinatatakutan niya. Ito na ba yun? Ito na ba yung time na unti unti ng siyang mawawalan ng karapatan kay Kevin?"
"We are here."
Nuon lang uli nagbukas ng mata si Sarah. Bumuntong hininga ito. Tumingin sa labas ng bintana ng sasakyan. Heto na ang umpisa. Unti unti na siyang mawawalan ng solong karapatan kay Kevin.
Baba na sana si Sarah ng sasakyan ng biglang hawakan ni Sam ang kamay niya. Tiningnan ni Sarah ang kamay ni Sam then naglakas loob siyang tumingin sa mukha ng binata.
"I am not going to take him away from you. I just want to be a part of his life. Whatever relationship develops between me and Kevin, I don't want your relationship with him affected. "
"Part of me understand where you coming from ,believe me. I think you are right , I am scared that I will lose him to you and so many other things that's worrying me like the fact that now that the public will know he is your son, will he ever has a normal life again?"
"I promise , I will try my very best to make his life normal. I will only be interviewed one time to admit, yes I have a son and his name is Kevin. After that, will not allow any interview about him or will ask to leave him be. "
"I hope it can happen. Most of the time promises are made to be broken and lots of things are easier said than done . Right now all I have is your promise. I did all I can to give Kevin the best that a parent can, I hope you realized that. He has been my life. My life revolves around him from the day he came home from the hospital." Nanginginig ang boses na sabi ni Sarah sa nakatitig pa ring binata.
"I do Sarah, I do understand but please don't treat me like an enemy. If there is something I really want is that you treat me as a friend too."
Napalunok si Sarah, hindi na naman niya matagalan ang tumingin ng diretso kay Sam.
"Truce?" Inilahad ni Sam ang kamay nito.
Nag a alinlangan man ay kinuha ni Sarah ang nakalabas na kamay ng binata.
"I have no choice but to try, right? Truce for Kevin's sake.
