MRS. AZUCENA

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

That smile.

Lumabas na ako sa principal office matapos kong ireport ang bullying na ginawa nila sa anak ko. Tahimik lang sa likod ko ang bodyguard ko bitbit ang bag ko. Naglakad na ako patungo sa room ng anak ko.

Napakunot ang noo ko ng nasa harapan na ako ng room ni Naveah ay wala ng tao. Wala ng bakas ni anino ng mga estudyante.

Where is she?

May nakita akong pamilyar na mukha na papadaan sa hallway. Isa sa kaklase ni Naveah. Hinila ko ito. "Hey, nakita mo ba ang anak ko?" tanong ko.

He innocently looked at me and pouted. "Baka po nasa playground," sagot nito.

I nodded. "Salamat." Tinalikuran ko na ito at tinungo ang playground.

"Naveah, why are you with him?" I calmly asked my daughter when I saw her talking with Rowen at the school's playground.

Napatingin sa direksyon ko si Naveah at nanlaki ang mga mata. Nilingon nito si Rowen na ngayo'y umiiyak.

My brows furrowed. "What happened, anak?" I asked my daughter while my gaze was focused on Rowen, who was crying with his head down.

"I don't know po, nakita ko lang siya rito." Naveah answered while pouting.

I looked at my daughter. "Come on, let's go home. It's already too late," I told my daughter.

"How about him, Mommy?" Naveah asked me softly.

Sandali kong sinulyapan si Rowen.
I rolled my eyes. "I don't care about him, now, let's go. Let's leave him here. I'm sure his parents would be here and fitch him."

Naveah nodded her head in hesitation.

I shook my head while looking at my daughter. I held her right hand and we started to walk, but I stopped when I heard Rowen sobbing loudly.
I let out a heavy sigh. I looked at my wrist watch. It's too late for a child to be left in the school's playground.

Where's his parents?

I turned to Rowen. Naawa ako ng makita kong nanginginig ito.

"Naveah, tell your brother to come with us. Don't force him if he doesn't want to," I coldy said.

"Okay po..." Nakita kong palihim na napangiti si Naveah.

Naveah walked towards his brother. "K-Kuya? Do you want to come with us?" My daughter gently asked his brother.

I silently watched them.
Rowen raised his head to look at his sister. His cheeks were full of tears.

He looked at me, and I raised my eyebrows at him. "What?" mataray na asik ko sa kanya.

He shook his head and smiled at me. He stood up and held his sister's hand.
"I'll go with you po," he said while wiping his tears.

I rolled my eyes. Nilingon ko ang bodyguard kong siyang may bitbit ng bag ko. "Give me may bag," utos ko.

Tahimik na binigay ng bodyguard ko ang bag ko. I opened my bag to get my white handkerchief and give it to Rowen. "Here. Wipe your tears. Ayaw ko ng batang iyakin." Mataray na sambit ko.

"Thank you po," he thanked.
I didn't reply him. Binigay ko na sa bodyguard ko ulit ang bag ko.

Hinawakan ko na si Naveah at Rowen sa kamay at naglakad na kami patungo sa parking lot kung nasaan naka park ang sasakyan ko.

"Let's go."

Nang makapasok na kami sa sasakyan ay pinaandar ko na ito pauwi sa bahay. Tahimik lang sa likod ang dalawa habang nasa biyahe hanggang sa nakarating kami sa bahay. Nakasunod lang sa likod namin ang sasakyan ng bodyguard ko.