Afflicted (TLS #3 - COMPLETED)

E P I L O G UE

MOVING on had always been an excruciatingly painful process. Relapses occur from time to time, making you live through the pain over and over again. The tragic ending of the past turns out to be just the beginning for us who were afflicted by the evil minds of those people involve in the crime.

"How about when you hold Serenity? Do you still feel bad whenever doing it? May nararamdaman ka bang pandidiri, muhi, or does she remind you of Raymond Quintos?"

I watched my wife flinched a bit hearing that devil's name but she soon smiled and shook her head before her eyes moved to look at our precious angel busy playing with her yaya on the corner of the room.

"No . . . if any . . . I feel at peace having her in my arms," tugon niya na siyang nagpangiti kay Febe.

Febe specializes in psychology trauma of children, but since we still can't trust anyone yet and every stranger means danger, she took on the role of being Lauren's therapist. They were doing well, I must say.

We started this year with a surprise. Lauren carried Serenity in her arms for the first time and now they were already inseparable. Minsan nga ay nakakaselos na.

Serenity used to call for me everytime but now it was all about her mom.

As if reading my mind, a loud shriek of delight filled the room as Serenity struggled to reach her mother while walking, her yaya carefully assisting her.

"There you go, baby! Come'n! Come to Mommy!" Lauren shrieked back, her face so bright with her smile na hindi rin nito napigilan ang paglabas ng sarili kong ngiti.

"Yey!" Lauren cooed as she kiss Serenity's chubby cheeks.

"Ako ba walang kiss?" ungot ko sa tabi niya na tinawanan niya bago tumingkayad para halikan ako sa pisngi.

"Give Papa a kiss, Se," ani niya sa bata but Serenity wanted more she reached out her tiny arms towards me, asking me to carry her which I immediately did.

"Serenity is just the perfect therapy for you both." Sabay kaming napabaling kay Febe na naabutan naming pinapanood kami ng nakangiti. "Just like her name, she gives you a serene feeling, freedom from the pain and trauma from the past. You're both doing well, guys."

And I took Febe's words to heart. I showered my wife and Serenity with all the love I have. I swore with my life that I would protect and love them. I swore to never let them feel and see the dark side of the world once again.

But seeing Lauren weeping and breaking down again, even though years had past through us quickly like the wind, reminded me that we would always, always be afflicted with the past.

"I'm sorry, Lauren. I gave it my best . . . I really did but . . ." Russianna's voice broke as she choke on her own sobs.

Mahigpit na nakakuyom ang mga kamao ko habang nakatayo sa likuran ni Lauren na wala pa ring tigil sa paghagulgol.

Raymond Quintos has once again escaped the law. Sa kabila ng napakaraming krimen na ginawa niya ay nagawa pa rin ng sistema ng bansang ito na palayain ang demonyong iyon.

"He'll come for me . . . Jasper, babalikan niya ako!" tarantang sigaw ni Lauren bago siya yumakap sa may binti ko.

It broke my heart to see her crumbling like this all over again. It took us six years to build her up, to pick up her broken pieces and glue them all back together at dahil lang sa balitang ito . . . the six years of struggling to keep alive ended up being meaningless to her.

Muli na naman siyang binabalot ng takot at sakit na dala ng nakaraan niya, ng mga pambababoy na ginawa ng demonyong iyon sa kanya.

"Mommy!" sabay-sabay kaming napalingon nang marinig namin ang matinis na boses ni Serenity na biglaang pumasok sa opisina ko kung saan kami kasalukuyang nag-uusap.

Serenity was carrying an artwork of hers on her hand at nakangiting pumasok pero agad ring nabura ang ngiti niya at naibaba niya ang papel na hawak nang makita ang mommy niya sa sitwasyon nito ngayon.

"Mommy!" Mabilis na tumakbo ang bata sa kanya at agad na pinalibot ang maiikli nitong mga braso sa leeg ni Lauren. "Bakit ikaw cry? Ayaw ka Tita Russia?" naiiyak rin nitong tanong.

Bumitaw si Lauren mula sa pagkakayakap sa akin para harapin ang anak. "H-hindi baby . . . o-okay lang si Mommy . . . a-ano . . . punta ka muna kay Granny sa baba ha? M-may adult talk lang kami nina Papa at Tita Russia d-dito . . ."

"No! You cry eh! Ayaw kong na-cry ka, Mommy!" ngawa ni Serenity.

Kitang-kita ko na hindi na alam ni Lauren ang gagawin o sasabihin sa bata. Maging si Russia ay mas piniling iiwas ang tingin sa kapatid.

"Hey, baby . . ." tawag ko sa pansin ni Serenity na mahaba na ang nguso nang balingan ako. There were tears forming under her small eyes that broke my already broken heart all over again.

How can a single mention of that devil's name break my girls like this?

"Come here . . ." Kahit na nangunyapit sa akin nang buhatin ko ay nakabaling pa rin ang tingin ni Serenity sa kanyang ina.

It was always like this. Serenity hated seeing her mother cry, be it happy or sad tears, she just hates it.

"We'll be okay, baby. Mommy just needs time. We just need to talk about adult stuff here. Ano ngang sabi namin about sa adult stuff?" Marahan kong hinawi ang bangs niya para makita ko ang mga mata niyang naluluha pa rin.

"Bawal sa kids . . ."

"That's right. So can you go down to see Granny muna? Tell her na we're talking adult stuff here, okay? We'll have dinner out later after this, do you want that?"

"Mommy . . ." baling niya sa kanyang ina.

Nakayuko pa rin at nakatitig sa sahig si Lauren pero nagawa nitong tumango sa anak.

So when Serenity nodded, I beamed at her, kissed her cheeks and let her down the ground again. Sandali siyang lumapit sa Mommy niya at niyakap ito ng mahigpit bago siya tumakbo palabas ng study room.

"That monster's coming after my daughter, Jasper . . ." basag ang boses at punong-puno ng takot ang boses ni Serenity nang sabihin iyon.

This time I kneeled in front of her to see her face. Inipit ko ang ilang hibla ng nagkalat niyang buhok sa likuran ng kanyang tainga at mariin siyang hinalikan sa noo. "I won't let him hurt you or Serenity, Lauren. No one can harm our family."

And just right at this moment, we heard my mother calling out to us in a hurry. Sabay-sabay kaming nagkatinginan na tatlo bago nagmamadaling tumakbo palabas ng kwarto.

Naabutan namin sa sala si Mama, karga-karga niya si Serenity habang gulat na nakatitig sa TV. Nang makita kami sa may hagdan ay ilang beses na nagbukas-sara ang bibig niya bago umiling na para bang hindi siya makapaniwala sa kung ano.

"Raymond Quintos has been ambushed . . ." mahina at halos pabulong ang pagkakasabi niya niyon pero sapat na upang marinig naming tatlo.

Lauren ran over beside her to watch the news with her habang nanatili kaming nakatulos ni Russia sa kinatatayuan namin. Ilang sandaling nanatili sa screen ng TV ang mga mata niya bago iyon lumipad pabalik sa akin.

"Jasper . . . he . . . he is dead."

THE END.