If Only (Rainbow Series #1)

Chapter 36

Four chapters left before the epilogue. :)

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Chapter 36

"Mommy Bea!"

Gulat na napatingin sa'kin si Haley nang marinig ang itinawag sa'kin ng anak niya.

I chewed on my lower lip.

"You call her mommy?" Linaw niya.

Lily nodded enthusiastically.

"Ate Geline said I shouldn't call Mommy Bea "Ate Bea" anymore kaya po I'll call her mommy!" Lily explained happily.

Suminghap si Haley at nanliliit ang mga matang nilingon si Geline na may hilaw na ngisi.

"It's okay, Haley, if you don't want her calling me that. Ate Bea is okay to me," singit ko dahil baka masermunan pa si Geline, gusto ko din naman yung idea niya.

Sinilip ako ni Haley at umiling. "It's fine," nagbaba siya ng tingin kay Lily. "You can call her mommy from now on, Lil."

Lily jumped in joy. "Yehey! I have two mommies na. Yippee!"

Sumilay ang malaking ngiti sa labi ko nang sabihin niya 'yon. Ngunit salungat nang sa'kin ang reaksiyon ni Haley kaya't sinundan ko siya nang pumunta siyang kusina.

"I'm sorry."

She glanced at me and smiled a little. "There's nothing to be sorry about. I'm just..." She stopped. "I don't know what to say."

Nakakaintindi akong tumango. I think I'm asking too much this time. Kakaayos lang namin at hindi dapat ako maghangad agad.

"Sorry. Really. I don't want you to think that I'm pressuring you by involving Lily."

"No. That's not it. In fact 'Mommy' is more pleasing in the ears than 'Ate'."

Agad ang pag-silay ng ngiti sa labi ko. "Mommy Bea then."

"Hey. You okay?" Tanong ko nang mapansin ang panggigilid ng luha niya makalipas ang ilang sandali.

Haley bit her lip and nodded. "I just remember that day... when I was asking you to stay by my side."

Umawang ang labi ko nang banggitin niya ang araw na iyon. Humakbang ako palapit sa kaniya.

Bumuga ako ng malalim na hininga. "Sorry for that day. I was... hurt. So hurt," umiwas ako ng tingin. "I'm sorry I only thought of my pain."

Pilit hinuli ni Haley ang tingin ko. "I already forgave you..." Aniya. Nagbaba siya ng tingin. "In fact I should be the one asking you that," humina ang boses niya tila pinipigilan ito na manginig. "I'm sorry, Bea, for what you've been through because of me."

"I forgive you," sagot ko at nanggilid na din ang luha sa mata. Hindi ko naisip na magkakapatawaran kami ni Haley nang katulad nito. Kasi ang nasa isip ko ay habang buhay niya akong kakamuhian, at ganoon din ako nung malaman ko yung totoo na buhay si Lily.

She nodded and looked up at me.

Like an initial response, I lifted my arms in the air. I bit my lower lip when I realized what I'm about to do. "Can I?" I asked.

Tumango siya kaya't ibinalot ko siya agad sa isang mahigpit na yakap. I sighed in relief when she hugged me back. I closed my eyes and savor the moment. The warmth that I've been longing for the past years enveloped me once again... I'm finally home.

"Hey. Why are you crying?" I asked when I heard her sobbing.

I felt her shook her head. "I'm just happy that Lily now have two mothers to take care of her."