Romancing the Devil

CHAPTER 41

Early in the morning I feel like I’m having the entire world in my shoulder as I look at my daughter having a tantrums. Napapikit ako habang pinagmamasdan siyang umiiyak at hinahanap ang Daddy niya na hindi pa rin nakakarating dito. It’s just as early as 6:30 a.m. when she suddenly look for her dad, and when she noticed he’s not here, she started to cry and look for her father. It’s been a week since she met Callum, and every time she wakes up, she looks for him. At kapag hindi niya ito nakita, magsisimula na agad siyang umiyak.

Callum did his promises now. He never fail to go here and make time for his daughter, and it includes me. Kahit ayaw ko sa mga ginagawa niya sa akin, wala naman akong magawa dahil madalas nakatingin sa amin ang anak namin.

“Baby, come here.” tawag ko sa kaniya habang nakalahad ang kamay sa kaniya.

She’s sobbing hardly as she look at my hand. Then she shook her head.

“No! Daddy! D-Daddy! I want Daddy! He said he will be hewe! Mommy, I want Daddy!” then she started crying so loud again.

I closed my eyes and started to think of a way to stop her from crying.

“Alright, I will call him. Okay? I’ll call him, so stop crying, baby. It’s 7:30 a.m. for Pete’s sake.” I whispered the last sentence as I dial Callum’s number on my phone.

Nagri-ring ito pero hindi niya sinasagot. Kumunot ang noo ko at medyo lumayo sa nagwawalang si Hestia habang itinatapat ko ulit ang cellphone sa aking tainga. It’s just ringing but he’s not answering his phone. I dialed again and it’s still the same.

After a minute of contacting him, I saw a car stopped in front of a gate. It’s an Uber. Seconds later someone went out of the car, and even in a distance, I saw Callum talking to the guard and the guard let him in like the usual. They know him already as Hestia’s father and a friend of mine. Tss.

He jog his way to the mansion’s door. I put my phone down and look at him intently. Why he isn’t using his car? At dahil nasa pintuan na ako ay ako agad ang bumungad sa kaniya pagkaakyat niya ng hagdan.

When he saw me, he smiled at me while panting.

“Hey, I’m sorry if I’m late. Na-flat-an ako ng gulong habang papunta rito. Nahirapan akong humanap ng taxi kaya natagalan.” he explained as he towered over me.

I won’t deny, I got . . . worried because he’s not answering my calls. At ngayon nalaman ko pa na nasiraan ang sasakyan niya habang papunta rito. And I felt relieved that he’s here now, safe.

“Why didn’t you answering my calls? I was calling you because Hestia is looking for you.” I don’t know why but I sound so worried!

He licked his lip, “I’m sorry, it’s in silent. My secretary’s calling me earlier that’s why I—”

“Stop explaining. I understand now.”

“Daddy!” Napapikit ako nang marinig ang boses ni Hestia sa loob.

“There. Asikasuhin mo anak mo!” singhal ko bago siya inirapan at tinalikuran. Pero bago ako tuluyang makatalikod sa kaniya at nakita ko ang paglamlam ng mga mata niya.

This is the first time I acknowledge him as my daughter’s father. For a week that he’s been continuously pursuing us here, I finally gave up, and accepted everything. That he’s the father of my daughter. Kahit bali-baliktarin ko man ang mundo, siya talaga ang ama ng anak ko. He knows I can’t do it with another man kahit pa ipamukha ko sa kaniya ‘yon noon. At nakakapagod na rin na magsinungaling kahit pa alam naman na niya ang totoo ngayon.

“Daddy!” I heard my daughter again at the living room.

I look at Callum whose looking at me intently.