Run Away, Vienos

<VIII>

8

"The nerve of you to tell them that!" I looked out of the window when I heard Auntie Marion's voice. She walked inside our house with her fists curled. "Talaga bang sinabi mong hindi tunay na Vieno si Leigh An?"

"Why? Is she?" I couldn't help but to answer her that way. I even raised my eyebrows. Her mouth gaped open as she stared at me intently. She probably didn't know that I can do that. That I can be rude to her. That I can turn into a monster they didn't expect me to turn into.

"Ang kapal ng mukha mo!"

"They are stepping on our family name, they are throwing our family away from yours. Tell me how I can not react to that?"

"'Yan ang magiging paraan ng pagganti mo? Ang pagsasabi sa kaniya ng totoo?"

"If that will open her eyes, I will do it!"

"Bakit? Ikaw ba? Totoo ka bang Vieno?" That stopped me. Literal akong natigilan. I blinked my eyes how many times as I stared at her face without emotions.

What the hell is she saying?!

"I am," I answered. "How about you?"

"I am not, but I have the family name next to own name because I am legally married to Jason," sagot niya. "Ang kapal ng mukha mong sabihin kay Leigh An na hindi siya tunay na Vieno, huh? At sa 'yo pa talaga nagmula 'yon?"

"Do you think I will believe in you?" matapang kong tanong.

"Roxanne, open your eyes!" sigaw niya at pilit akong iniharap sa kaniya. "Hindi ka ba nagtataka kung bakit wala kang kamukha rito? Hindi ka ba nagtataka kung bakit naiiba ka sa lahat ng mga pinsan mo?"

"Are you admitting that my level is above y'all?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "Stop intoxicating my mind, Auntie. I won't forgive you even if I die for stabbing our backs after we trusted in you! I even treated you as a mother!" My tears streamed down after saying that. I tried my best not to put what she said in my mind but it just can't go.

"We also treated you as a family---"

"Damn, stop it!" I shouted. I wiped off my tears. "Talaga bang gan'yan ka? Is that how you love money?! You're willing to throw everything for the sake of money?!"

"Yes, this is how I love money, Roxanne." I stared at her unbelievingly. I know that she won't easily admit it because of her undying pride, but here she is. "Pera? Pera ang kailangan ko, Roxanne. Pera! Kaya 'wag mong pagtatakhan kung bakit ganito ang ginagawa ko kasi kung hindi lamang naawa sa 'yo si Vicente, nasa akin ang pera ninyong lahat!"

"You are so greedy," I whispered with emphasis.

"Oo, greedy na kung greedy! Pero pagod... pagod na pagod na akong maging mahirap! Fuck! Pagod na pagod na akong maging kontento sa buhay na meron kami! Pagod na akong walang matinong ipakain sa mga anak ko! Pagod na akong panoorin kayong nananagana habang kami, walang-wala!" she shouted. "Kung hindi ka lamang kinuha ni Vicente at Amora mula sa... tanginang babaeng 'yon... sa akin ipinamana ni Tatay ang pera niya, hindi sa 'yo!"

I looked above to stop my tears, but instead, I saw my mother standing on the second floor, watching us while crying.

Why isn't she stopping her? Why isn't she telling Auntie Marion that it's not true?

But when Mom saw me staring at her, she immediately turned her back.

"Get out of our house, traitor," I said as I glared at my aunt. I turned my back to her and walked towards Mom and Dad's room.