Part
Pagdating sa mansiyon ay pansin ko agad ang mga naka park na sasakyan. Ibig sabihin ay hindi lamang kami ang nagpasyang pumunta kundi pati na rin ang iba.
I sighed when the driver opened the door for us. Mommy glanced at me with a sudden dramatic expression.
"Makikipagplastikan na naman ako sa biyenan ko," saka siya lumabas at biglang nagbago na ang eskpresyon.
Parang dumagdag iyon sa buntonghininga ko.
Lumabas din ako at sumunod kay Mommy na nagawa pang panguyan ng katulong na sumalubong. Kinakausap niya ang aso habang papasok na kami sa bahay.
Ang unang mga matang nakita ay walang iba kundi kay Ayeselle. Her red swollen eyes, red cheek, and red nose welcomed my sight.
Yakap siya ni Abrielle at kapwa nakaupo ang dalawa sa sofa. Nauna silang dumating rito lalo na't kung titingnan sa pag-uusap ng mga matatanda na masyadong seryoso, parang kanina pa iyon.
"Oh Abrielle..." my mother's dramatic voice echoed all over the room.
Kahit wala namang luhang lumalabas ay nagpeke pa rin ng iyak ang aking inang naglakad na patungo sa sofa ng kinaroroonan nila. Lola's eyes looked at her with pure judgements.
"Pinag-alala mo kaming lahat! Akala namin abo kana!" my mother's high-pitched voice made it more emotional.
Kita ko ang pagsinghap ni Tita Pristine, ang ina ni Abrielle, sa narinig na sinabi ni Mommy. Napalayo ng kaonti si Ayeselle dahil sa kagustuhan ni Mommy na yumakap.
"Nasaan na ang k-um-idnap sa'yo?! Naipakulong na ba?! How dare him!" si Mommy na nihawakan ang magkabilang pisngi nito.
Mas umiyak si Abrielle. I looked at Ayeselle who's silent while looking at her in awe. I realized that my judgements from the past is somehow wrong. Well yes, she's probably the reason behind the fire that almost cost Abrielle's life...
Our parents talked about what happened to her. Seryoso lamang akong nakikinig at nangangalap ng impormasyon kung ano nang nangyari sa kumidnap kay Abrielle.
"He must be sentence to death! Together with that... bastard!" Tita Pristine shouted in anger.
Mariing pumikit si Abrielle at mas lalong bumuhos ang luha. Ayeselle caressed her back to console her.
"Hindi natin alam kung ano ang ginawa noong hayop na 'yon sa anak ko roon! She must be very traumatized that she's even defending her own abductor!" rinig ang tinig niya rito sa sala habang nasa kabilang sofa sila.
"I told you he didn't touch me!" Abrielle lamented and looked at them with swollen eyes.
Tita Pristine's eyes narrowed at her. "Don't ever lie to us, Abrielle! You are just seventeen when he abducted you!"
It's months. At sa... mismong birthday niya... nandito siya. Did Sanders decided to let her go or... Paano ba nahuli?
"I told you! Hindi niya ako sinaktan! Hindi niya ako ginalaw! Kusa akong sumama sa kanya!" she cried.
Mommy's dramatic expression is just too much. She's so shock while holding her chest. Si Tita Pristine ay madilim ang ekspresyon at mukhang ayaw tanggapin lahat ng kanyang rason.
"Abrielle. You are the victim. We understand it's hard to cope up with what happened to you and you're still scared. You're not just physically traumatized but also mentally. But you don't have to get scared now because you're here with us. Poprotektahan ka namin," Tita Pristine said eagerly.
Marahas na umiling si Abrielle. "You are all just trying to find someone to blame for all of these! Gusto niyo lang may masisi at mapagbintangan sa kahihiyang ito! But you are all pointing at the wrong man! He's... he's innocent!" desidido si Abrielle na ipagtanggol siya.
