Willing to You

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

[LAEL SHAWN]

Phone's ringing somewhere so I tried to look for it and it led me to Vallesteros' bag.

Nagpalinga-linga ako para hanapin siya ngunit hindi pa ata ito nakababalik galing sa CR.

Why did she leave her things here?

I tried to ignore her phone but I think, it's the third time that whoever called her call.

Natutulig na ako sa tunog nito kaya naman I opened her bag and grabbed her phone.

Baby calling...

"Tch. Really? Can't calm his dick inside his pants, eh?"

I pushed the answer button and contemplated for like 2 seconds if I should continue but I did anyway.

"Mommy? Hello?"

I was expecting for something like, a more manly voice but what I heard was...

Was that a child's voice?

"Mommy? Are you there? Hello?" Usap pa ng bata sa kabilang linya.

I was about to answer nang may biglang nanghila palayo ng phone sa aking kamay.

Gulat akong napalingon at tumambad sa akin ang galit na ekspresyon ni Vallesteros.

"Bakit ka ba nakikialam sa gamit ko?" Singhal nito.

"S-Someone called..." Agad itong napatingin sa hawak niyang phone at ganoon na lamang ang pagtataka ko nang tila may takot na ekspresyon ang dumaan sa mukha nito.

She immediately grabbed her things and stormed out the room.

"Hey! Vallesteros! Wait!" At sumunod sa kaniya.

Lakad-takbo ang ginagawa nito na tila ba sobrang natatarantang makalayo sa akin.

What's happening to her?

Nang maabutan ko ito ay hinila ko ang kaliwang braso nito upang patigilin ito.

"What was that?" I asked her rather panting.

"Le-Let me go, Lael." She said shakily habang pinipilit kumawala sa aking hawak.

"What? We're not done here yet tapos bigla-bigla ka na lang aalis? How professional." I mocked her and lightly push her shoulder.

"N-no..." She said teary-eyed.

Naguluhan naman ako sa sinabi nito.

"What do you mean no?"

But instead of answering me she just shook her head at pinilit na kumawala sa aking hawak which I let her go.

Agad-agad itong tumungo sa kanyang sasakyan, at humaharurot na umalis.

Naiwan lamang akong nakatayo before I decided na sundan ito.

I immediately ran to my car; fished for my keys and followed her.

Liko rito. Liko roon. Kaliwa. Kumanan.

Wait, this route is familiar...

Then she entered a subdivision na agaran rin akong nakapasok dahil apparently, rito rin nakatira ang pamilya ng kapatid kong si Luigi.

I slowed my car upang hindi ito makahalatang sinusundan ko siya. When she parked infront of some two-storey house ay sinundan ko lamang ito nang tingin and parked two blocks away from her.

She knocked infront of the blue gate habang lumilinga-linga ito. Hindi naman ako ganoong nabahala na makita nito dahil natatabunan nang dalawang kotse na nakaparada sa aking harap ang possible view niya from me.

Someone opened a gate.

I was expecting for a man or I don't know but whoever man ang sumalubong sa kaniya ay hindi ko ito inaasahan.

"Iael?" I muttered.

Yes, it was the same lonely kid from the Prep School.

Vallesteros took the hand of the smiling child and they entered inside kaya naman nawala na sila sa aking paningin. But whatever was running inside my mind ay hindi nawala.

Was Iael the one who called her ealier?

The one who called her mommy?

Wait, how old was Iael again? Nearing five?

Something happened five years ago.

My blood was starting to boil  up in my head when I finally connected the dots.

Lumabas ako sa aking sasakyan; I slammed the door rather forcefully and marched in front of their gate.

I knocked so loud. At wala akong balak tumigil hanggang walang magbubukas nito.

"Wait!" I heard Vallesteros yelling inside.

When she opened the gate, fear suddenly stricken her face.

She was about to close it again nang iharang ko ang aking kamay kaya naman naipit ito.

I screamed when pain suddenly hit me.

Natataranta naman muli nitong buksan ang pinto kaya naman I grabbed that opportunity to enter the house.

"La-Lael Shawn! Wait, n-no, you can't be here." She said while trying to push me.

"You hurt me. And now you're pushing me away?" I said while squinting my eyes at her.

She eyed my swollen hand ngunit umiling-iling ito.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Her expression slightly faltered but that did not stop her from still pushing me.

"Mommy, wha-what's happening here po?" A little voice spoke.

"No, not something. Someone." I said, more angrily this time habang nakalingon sa kanilang pintuan.

Tarantang lumingon si Vallesteros sa pinanggalingan ng boses at agad-agad akong binitawan nito papuntang tumakbo sa bata.

She hugged him protectively. Like I'm some kind of monster na kukuha sa anak niya. O namin?

"Kuya Lael, what are you doing here po? You know my mommy?" The child asked.