"Mom, mama, let me explain it first please." Nag aalala kong sabi dahil parang hihimatayin si mama Tam.
"You better be! every bit Ellen George!" Nangigigil pang pahabol nito. Todo alalay lang si mommy Al at nag aalala din ang mukha. Gosh bakit ba kase hindi manlang namin na malayan na hindi naka lock ang pinto.
Getting caught so fresh from a mind blowing sex— by your parents is most embarrassing thing in this planet.
"Why don't we go to my office and let's talk calmly." Kalmadong usal ni Serenity.
"Oh lady! We've got lots of negotiations to talk about." Mataray na sabi ni mama Tam at sumunod na rin sa amin.
I'm so damn scared right now.
"Would you like to have some tea, coffee anything?" Magalang pa rin na sabi ni Serenity. Sanay talaga sa mga ganitong eksena habang ako ay hindi na mapakali sa kinauupuan.
"Attorney Serrano I'll appreciate more if you start talking." Mababang boses lang na sabi ni mommy Al but her eyes are burning in rage.
"Mommy I'm sorry— I was about to call—"
"To call? When would it be? Another year or we'll just wait for Andree to tell us that you're in a freaking danger AGAIN!"
"Mrs. Fuergero," Pag papakalma ni Serenity. Nakikitaan ko rin ang mukha nito ng pagka sindak.
"We've talked about this Serenity, I told you to stop ruining my daughter's life!" Namumula ang mga mata ni mama Tam. I never seen her like this before.
"Al! It's my baby! HOW COULD THIS WOMAN—HOW DARE YOU!" Hinampas nito ang mesa at tuluyan nang umiyak.
"Ma I'm so—sorry, please stop crying." I'm just sitting opposite to them dahil katabi ko si Sere. Naka hawak lang ako sa kamay ng mga magulang ko para aluin sila.
"No Elle, you don't get to feel sorry for this! Come on let's go home." Umiiyak pa rin nitong paki usap.
"AND YOU! I'M GOING TO SUE YOUR ASS AND I'LL MAKE SURE YOU'LL ROT IN PRISON!" Nangangalaiti nito at dinuro si Sere.
Naka yuko lang si Serenity. Nang tingnan nito sina mommy ay bahagyang naging isang yelo lamang ang mga mata nito. Walang kaemo-emosyon.
"If you haven't come between us before, your daughter will not suffer for years, we will not endure the pain of being apart from each other." She heaved a long sigh before continuing. "We could have been happily married by now, raising healthy kids, Elle could have been pursuing a teaching career that you both invalidated. She wouldn't have to risk her life bargaining for God knows what reasons just to let us be." Mahaba at dere-deretso nitong sambit. Pinipilit nitong hindi manginig at pumatak ang luha. Kita naman sa mga magulang ko ang pagkabigla kahit na ako ay napaiyak sa tinuran nito.
"What's this ma?" Naguguluhan kong tanong.
"We've talked to you about this matter before Ellie." Alam ko na ang tinutukoy nito.
"That this woman is no good! Her vengeful plans and evil doings." Eksaheradang sambit ni mama.
"I admit that I wronged your daughter. I shouldn't have done that horrible thing that's almost similar to what had happened to you Mrs. Fuergero." She paused and looked at me. "But I love her, I love your daughter so much that it was the only thing that I could think of... that will make her.... go back." Pumatak ang mga luha nito kasabay ng pag kuha niya sa aking kamay.
"No Sere you're wrong, even if there's no Alessia, I will still find my way to you." Umiiyak na sambit ko habang hawak hawak ko ang pisnge nitong namumula kagaya ng kanyang mga mata.
"It took you four damn years to resurface, Attorney Serrano." Si mommy na ang nag salita sa kanila ni mama. Umiiyak lang si mama Tam na para bang sinisisi nito ang sarili.
"I had to make sure Alessia will survive. We've been through hell but not a chance that I will give her up." Matigas na sabi ni Serenity.
"Why don't you ask your wife, I'm sure she'll give you a concrete answer why Ellen's plan to find me has always been a failure." Parehas kaming napatingin ni mommy kay mama Tam na parang na sindak sa tinuran ng abogado.
"I was just protecting you Elle!" Depensa nito. " She has done you evil! You don't deserve that baby,"
"Ma you knew about Alessia?!" Napasabunot nalang ako ng buhok.
"I—
"Of course love, she's the one who's anonymously giving our daughter gifts in every occasions." Serenity smirks like she won the case.
"Ma Alessia is sick, how can you hide this from us. From me?!" I sobbed.
"Tammy, you knew this will hurt her. She has been looking for this woman the moment she woke up from that coma." Tila naasar na sabi ni mommy Al sa asawa.
"I'm sorry anak, I thought I was finally being a mother to you." Humagulhol nitong sambit. Napatakip nalang din ako ng bibig dahil sa sakit na dulot niyon.
Tumahimik kaming lahat nang pumasok si Alessia. Nagulat ang mukha nito nang makitang may iba kaming kasama.
"Mommy I thought you left again—" Malungkot nitong sambit habang naka nguso.
"It's up to mommy anak, we can't force her." Putol ni Serenity.
"Come here little one," Utos ko rito dahil parang paiyak na rin ito. Pinunasan ko munang maigi ang mga mata ko bago ito harapin.
"I will never leave you again, I promised you that already... right?" Tumango ito habang niyakap ako. Ikinandong ko lang ito saken.
"I don't want mama to cry again because she misses you so much." Natigilan ako sabi nito at nilingon si Sere, ginagap lang nito ang kamay ko sa ilalim ng mesa.
"Baby, I want you to meet your abuelas." Ngiti ko at inayos ang buhok nito.
"Grammies?" Namilog ang mata ni Alessia at napa takip sa bibig.
"Hi Alessia can you give us a hug pretty?" Magiliw na sabi ni mommy.
Para itong nag transform bigla nang makita ang mga ngiti ng anak ko.
Dali-dali namang bumaba sa kandugan ko si Alessia at patakbong lumapit sa parents ko. They welcomed my daughter with kisses and embrace.
My heart melts with what I witnessed. Ang kaninang iyak ng pagkasuklam nina mama ay napalitan ng kasiyahan.
Iniwan muna namin sila saglit para mag handa kami sa mesa. Tinulugan ko na si Serenity kahit pa man may mga tumutulong din sa kusina.
I hugged her small frame from behind. Nilingon naman nito ang mukha at hinadkan ako.
"I hope your parents will like these," Pakita nito sa salad na ginagawa.
"Of course baby, they are into greens these days."
"Than you Sere." Senserong sabi ko habang nakatitig nang maigi sa mga mata niya.
"No, I should be the one thanking you, after everything that I've done." I hushed her by a kiss.
"We're making things right this time okay?" ginawaran ako nito ng matamis na ngiti. We're about to kiss again when mama cleared her throat interrupting us. Ngumiti lang si Sere assuring me that it's fine before she leave us alone.
"Ma I'm happy. Please accept us." Nakikiusap kong sambit.
"Sorry anak, It's my fault. I've always been a bad mom to you." Niyakap ko na ito dahil iyak na naman ito nang iyak.
"No mama, don't say that please." Umiiyak ko na ring sambit.
"Be the best mom to Alessia... That I never been to you."
"You love me so much mama, and I could never been more grateful to you." Ako na mismo ang nag pahid sa mga luhang kumakawala sa mga mata nito.
"Thank you anak, Thank you."
Seeing my mother this way breaks me. Nasanay akong stern ito palagi. I'm not used to see her begging, admitting her faults, nonetheless I'm happy that we have finally come to stitch our open wounds and the love that we share is the one to heal us, finally... finally... Our stories end beautifully.
