A Child's Best Interest (Completed)

7

The following day, Anton offered Bea na ihatid sya sa trabaho.

"Babayaran kita ng attorney's fees, kaso I can't pay it in full but in installments."

Anton laughed.

"Alam ko ung installment na bahay at sasakyan, attorney's fee parang ngayon ko lang narinig. Okay lang, you don't have to pay me. Hindi ko naman naipanalo."

"You already helped me so much, Anton, basta I will pay you. Thanks sa paghatid."

Di pa nakakalayo si Anton, hinabol na naman sya ni Bea after she got a call from Thirdy saying na nawawala si Aston.

"Please, samahan mo ako kanila Thirdy, nawawala daw si Aston." Bea asked Anton.

Pagdating nila kanila Thirdy, Bea was in a hurry na makapasok kahit ayaw nung mga sumalubong sa kanya.

Mozzy appeared when she heard the commotion.

"Ano nangyayari dito?" She asked. 

She was surprised to see Anton.

"Pwede na kayo umalis, wala kayong kinalaman dito!" Mozzy ordered Bea and Anton.

"Hindi ako aalis! I'm still Aston's mother. More than anyone here, mas may karapatan ako mag alaga sa kanya!

"Talaga ba? But the court thinks otherwise!"

"Kahit po hindi nanalo si Bea sa kaso, sya pa rin ang nanay ng bata, and she's qualified to look after his own son." Sabat ni Anton.

"Anak ni Thirdy si Aston! Bilang apo, papalakihin at tuturuan ko sya. Marami na akong babaeng nakitang katulad mo. Pwede na kayo umalis!"

"Hindi ako aalis hanggang hindi ko nakikita ang anak ko."

Mozzy pushed her to leave but bilang dumating si Thirdy who was able to catch her. Nagkatinginan sila ni Anton. 

"Ano ginagawa mo dito?" Thirdy asked Anton.

"Asan na si Aston Thirdy, andito na ba sya?" Bea asked almost in a panic.

"Paalisin mo na na sila, Thirdy! At wag mo na pabalikin yan dito!" Sigaw ni Mozzy.

"We need her to find Aston, Ma!"

"Hindi mo ba naisip, baka tinago nya ang bata on purpose to set up a trap?" Tanong ni Mozzy sa kanya.

"Walang katotohanan yan, kasama ko si Bea." Anton said in defense.

Nagpintig ang tenga ni Thirdy upon hearing.

"Kelan nawala si Aston?" Bea asked him.

"Nayong umaga lang. Tinawagan ako ng teacher nya saying na hindi pumasok si Aston." Thirdy explained.

"Saan naman un makakarating, he's still a little boy. Hindi nya alam paano umuwi mag isa." Bea cried, worried about the safety of her child.

"Pwedeng hinanap ka nya or..."

"Or what?" Bea asked.

"Hanapin na muna natin." He said as he pulled Bea by the arm leaving Anton.

While in the car, tinanong ulit ni Bea kung ano pa ang isang possibility ng pagkawala ni Aston.

"Pwede syang uhh, makidnap."

Bea was stunned at what she heard.

"Bakit sya makikidnap?"

"Madami na ang nakakakilala kay Aston as my son, he has appeared in some newspapers and magazines. Pwede nila gamitin si Aston para makakuha ng pera sa akin."

"Tahimik ang buhay namin before you appeared. Bakit ba kasi pilit mong kinukuha ang anak ko sa akin!"

"Possibility lang un at hindi ko sinabi na un na nga ang reason para sya mawala. pwede din naman sya umalis para hanapin ka."

"Malayo ang school nya sa tinitirhan namin, hindi nga nya alam paano sumakay mag isa! Please tulungan mo mahanap si Aston, kawawa naman sya." Sa sobrang pag makaawa nya, humawak na si Bea sa kamay nya which suprised Thirdy.

He looked at her hand in his at ipinatong ang isa nyang kamay to comfort her.

"Meron na ako pinadala para maghanap din kay Aston.  Mas madami tayong naghahanap, mas madali natin makikita ang bata. I just need you to think kung ano pang mga lugar ang pwede nya puntahan."

They looked for him everywhere, sa bahay nila Bea, sa park, grocery but didn't find him.

"Nakidnap na kaya talaga un anak ko?" Bea asked Thirdy.

"Kung nakidnap sya siguradong tumawag na mga un pero hindi pa din tayo pwede makampante."

"If totoo, ibibigay mo naman ung ransom na hihingin nila diba? Para sa anak natin?"

Thirdy just stared at her. At this point, he was already entertaining thoughts that this might be Bea's trick, then his phone rang.

M: Ano na ang balita dyan, nahanap nyo na ba?

T: Wala pa, Ma. I'll tell you pag may update na kami.

M: I'm telling you Thirdy, pag may kinalaman yang babae na yan, I won't let her get away with it!

Pabalik sa tinitirhan ni Bea, they saw Anton obviously waiting for Bea.

"Bakit ka andito?" Bea asked him.

"May balita na ba?" Anton asked.

"Problema ng pamilya ito and you're not included. You're an outsider!" Thirdy made it clear.

"Bea is my client, her business is also mine."

"Please tama na yan, gusto ko na magpahinga." Bea said as she went straight to her unit.

Tiningnan ni Thirdy si Anton and sumunod na din kay Bea.

They searched some more at inabot na sila ng gabi. Bea was getting helpless.

"Isipin mo kung saan nagpupunta si Aston pag malungkot."

"Nagtatago lang sya dito sa bahay." Bea replied.

She remembered something at started her way sa taas ng building, Thirdy followed.

It was already dark, they had to turn on their phone's flashlight.

They searched for him everywhere, wala sila nakita. Halos mapaluhod na si Bea sa pagod.  Thirdy attempted to help her but saw a familiar figure in between big pipes.

Nilapitan nya para siguraduhin if it was Aston. Nang lapitan ni Thirdy, andun nga ang bata. Nakatulog na sa matinding pagod. Bea was quick to pick him up and the little boy started crying.