Kissing the fire

Kabanata 37

Rainbow

I didn't know silence could be this loud. I feel so dumb turning on the television even though I want to be in a quiet place. I switched into different channels but I can't seem to be contented until I turned off the TV because I was getting annoyed.

"Hindi ka pa ba mag-e-enroll para sa 2nd sem? I can accompany you," Kuya asked and I gazed at him.

I sighed.

"I will try to enroll tomorrow, kuya," I said. He sat beside me and crossed his arms.

"He'll pay for this, sierra. No one in this family gets hurt by someone because ako ang makakalaban nila," He then kissed my forehead, "I'm sorry, I came late,"

"Kuya, you always say sorry. I am always thankful for you and ate,"

"Should we tell her?"

After the incident, Rafael was badly injured by my brother. They called our family and only mom attended the settlement but kuya won't approve for any settlement. So I filed a case against Rafael and so his family filed a case against my brother for physical assault. We
will go home today at Janiuay so we can discuss this matter with our dad and until now, ate doesn't know anything about this.

We don't wanna cause any stress for her because it's bad for her health. We just wanna let her focus on her healing.

"Drop the case, sierra," I widened my eyes at what my dad said.

"Dad, Rafael tried to rape her!" Kuya yelled.

"And you assaulted him!" Dad shouted. He looked at me, "Drop the case and marry him, sierra!"

"Dad!" Kuya yelled and I just sobbed. I can't believe what dad said. He's being unreasonable!

"Dad, I am your daughter! Why can't you just protect me like what other fathers usually do?!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I won't marry my abuser, that's suicide!

"I am protecting you, sierra! I am protecting this family!" Dad stood and threw the vase beside him, "I just lost my position and if we continue to fight for your case, we'll go bankrupt! Your sister will die and we'll lose the company!"

"Samson, don't let sierra suffer because of your actions!" Mommy estrella interrupted, "I told you to pay your debts to the Bedonia's instead of spending your last fortune to your useless campaign!" Mom screamed and her eyes were already puffy.

"Dad did what, mom?" Kuya asked.

"I promised the Bedonia's I'd pay them once I won the elections..." Dad said.

"But you didn't!" Mom said, "And now, you really sold your shares to the Monteclaro's causing them to be the major shareholders of our company! You sold 30% of my shares without my consent, how could you do that, Samson? Are you out of your mind?"

"That's why, Sierra is the answer, Estrella!"

I bit my lips because of frustration. I don't know what to do anymore.

"Dad, I am not letting sierra marry that rapist! She'll go to her family at Germany and she'll study there!" Kuya said.

"You're not in charge of this family, Reno!"

"You're not being the father of this family!" I stepped back when Dad punched kuya.

"Rex Novem!" Mommy yelled when kuya also punched dad.

I tried to stop them when the telephone rang...

"Si ate!"

All of us immediately went to the hospital to see my sister. She's in the ICU right now. Isinantabi muna namin ang aming mga sama ng loob para kamustahin si ate.