MY DAUGHTER WANTS TO HAVE A DADDY.

Chapter 22.

"Magsaya nga muna tayo ngayon. H'wag niyo munang isipin ang hayop na Sandrong 'yon. I came here to celebrate with you not expecting that fatass to come. Saka na natin problemahin iyon bukas, as long as I am here, they won't take Eyra." nanggigigil na panimula ni Stella pagkababa ng hagdan.

"Si Eyra?"

"Hinayaan ko muna siyang manood sa tablet niya, she'll fall asleep later. So, inom na tayo? May extra pang alak sa kotse ko, don't be afraid to go for shots." para siyang timang na nakangisi. Inabot niya kay Ryle ang bote para mabuksan. "When was the last time you drink again, couz?"

"Probably when Farrah's funeral. I messed up that time." she looked down on me. Nagmamayabang.

"Oh, I remember. Isang bote pa lang ang naiinom mo noon, bagsak ka na. Low tolerance pfft. Ang tagal na, ah. Hindi ka talaga alcoholic, hindi ko alam kung dapat ba akong maging proud."

I tsked and roll my eyes on her. "I won't drink too much tonight, Stella. H'wag kang mang-expect na malalasing ako." umismid siya, pinapakitang hindi naniniwala sa sinasabi ko.

"Ikaw Ryle? High tolerance ka ba?" baling niya sa isa.

"Oo. Pero hindi ako masyadong umiinom."

"Wow, good boy. You're rare, huh. Alam niyo bang ang couple na hindi palainom ay good match?" humagikhik siya na parang bata. Muntik ko na siyang mahampas kung hindi lang siya lumayo.

Kanya-kanya kaming kumuha ng baso. Stella started another topic of course.

"Christmas na next week, any plans? Wala akong maisip na plano, busy sila mom kaya hindi kami complete sa Christmas. I guess I'll be with you and Eyra."

Hindi ko nga alam kung makakasama ko pa ng malaya ang anak ko next week. Pull yourself Celestine! They won't take Eyra.

"M-Magpaplano pa lang ako pero sure, siguro sa Baguio kami ni Eyra."

"Ikaw, Ryle? CEO ka, may off ka ba sa company niyo?"

"I have to see the schedules first but I can make time to celebrate." nilagok niya ang nasa baso niya at naglagay ulit samantalang hindi ko pa nababawasan ang akin.

"Speaking of business, kamusta na ang naka assign na trabaho mo, Stella? You've been gone for a week." ang cheerful nitong mukha ay biglang nainis.

"Work is so stressful, urgh! Nasisigawan ko ang mga trabahador dahil sa stress kaya problema iyon. Two days na lang at dapat tapos na ang imbensyon ko. Ahhh! I've been lacking sleep because of it. Apart from inventing another product, I have to attend meetings and gatherings for our business's image. Naiimagine niyo ba 'yon? I'm also human." she wiped her invisible tears. "The pressure of expectations are really making me suffer. This night was the only night I have for now to relax."

"You should calm yourself to lessen your worries. Magsimula ka muna sa madaling gawain, make steps and plans to do it faster. Siguro makakatulong sa iyo 'yon, tinuro lang sa akin ng tita ko." Ryle helped.

"Talaga?" tumango siya kay Stella. "Omg, may gwapong pinapagaan ang loob ko." ang kaninang nagpapanggap na umiiyak, nagsasasayaw na sa kilig. Stella mode, kalandotan, on.

"Breath in, breath out." I sarcastically said but she did it otherwise. Napakalma siya agad.

"Okay, starting tomorrow, I will work calm na. Effective 'to, isang gwapo ba naman ang mag-cheer sa akin." she made a weird expression that made Ryle laughed. Ako ang napailing sa kalokohan niya.

Unti na lang ay mababatukan ko na siya sa daldal niya. She kept on saying stuffs about her work when her phone rang.

Bumalik ang naiiyak niyang mukha nang makita ang screen ng cellphone niya. "Speaking of work. Hoo! Guess I have to leave na couz. Thank you for the advice, Ryle. Mwua!" nagflying kiss pa siya bago umalis.

Akala ko ba ngayong gabi ang relax time niya? Bakit siya aalis? Haist, that's why I don't want to be a part of some big companies, so busy.

"Hay, ako na ang nahihiya sa kadaldalan niya." I sighed.

Tumatawang nagbaba ng baso si Ryle. "I got used to it already."

Nakakaramdam na ako ng ilang sa pagitan naming dalawa. Sana pala hindi na umalis si Stella.

Nilagok ko ang laman ng baso kahit sobrang pait sa lalamunan para sakaling makahanap ako ng lakas ng loob na makahanap ng topic kaso wala akong naiisip kung hindi ang takot kong mawala sa akin si Eyra.

"I can't think of other things but Sandro, Ryle." I looked down. "Siya nga pala, nabanggit mong nang iinvest sila sa company niyo, hindi ba? Aren't you worried that they might take their investment back because of what happened earlier?"

"It's not a big deal."

Lumagok ulit ako bago mapayuko. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"I know you tried your best to make me forget the problem even just for tonight but I can't do it. I'm sorry, Ryle."

"Celestine," he called. Mabilis kong pinunasan ang luhang agarang tumulo sa pisngi ko. "It's okay."

"This incident was already running in my mind since the day I claimed Eyra. H-Hindi ko inaasahang mangyayari na. I am so afraid that I don't know what to do. Kanina pa ako nag-iisip. I can't think of anything but Eyraia being taken away from me." I drank another shot again. Feeling ko mas mailalabas ko ang naiisip ko kung magpapakalasing ako.

"That's right. Burst out, Celestine. Burst out now and be okay tomorrow."

"Will I gonna be okay? Sandro is the father and I'm just a best friend. Palagi kong sinasabi sa sarili ko na malalabanan ko siya pero hindi ko na mapaniwalaan ang ideyang iyon ngayon. Tell me, Ryle. Am I really going to be okay?" I really burst out.

"Yes, Celestine. I'll be with you." he said, hugging me tightly.

"E-Eyra. Simula pa lang, gusto na ni Eyra ng ama. K-Kapag nalaman niyang may tatay siya, s-siguradong sasama siya kay Sandro. I don't want that to happen pero mas mahalaga pa rin sa akin ang gusto niya. Farrah also made her last wish, that is to give Eyra where she belongs. K-Kung ibibigay ko siya, hindi ko naman kakayanin. What am I suppose to do?"

Wala siyang sinabi pero nanatili siyang akap-akap ako.

"I can't be selfish. I'll be a bad person if magiging selfish ako, right? Eyra will hate me, right?"

"Shh, she won't. Take your time, Celestine. You'll get through this."

Hindi na ako nagsalita pa. I cried on his chest, I didn't mind my head hurting. Mas matimbang ang sakit sa dibdib ko.

(*/*)

"Hey, Celestine."

"Hm? What's the problem, Farrah?"

"Wala, may iniisip lang ako. Alam kong against ka rito pero kapag nailabas ko na si Eyra, gusto kong makita siya ni Sandro."

Napalingon agad ako sa kaniya. I raised a brow to her.

"Farrah,"

"Deserve niyang makilala ang anak niya. Gago siya pero gusto kong makita niya ang anak niya. Kung hindi niya tatanggapin si Eyra, e'di tuluyan ko na siyang kakalimutan, pero kung mamahalin niya ang anak namin, mas maganda pa rin kung ganu'n hindi ba?"

"Haist, okay fine. If that's what you want then I'll go with it. But if he won't like her, I'll definitely rip his face off. You make good decisions so I'll be with you."

"You're the best, Celestine."

***
"I-I'm not, Farrah."

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Astrid Manunulat