[Phraea's POV]
"You knew all along that he's alive?"
"Ba't hindi ka nagsabi?"
"Where have you been all these years?"
Halos hindi maubos ang mga tanong ng mag-asawa nung makapasok kami ng café. Si Garen naman ay malugod namang sumasagot at ganoon din ako.
"I'm really sorry... I-i just don't want to burden you." Ani Garen kay Verdant.
"You were never a burden. You are my brother and you don't how much it kills me each night wondering what I should've done just to keep you alive."
Guilt flashed in Garen's eyes after hearing what his brother said. Umawang ang mga labi nito at halos hindi na nakapagsalita.
"Iyun ba ang rason? Sa ganoong rason lang ay tinago mong buhay ka pa, ganun ba?"
"I-i also did that for Paige. I-i... I am a broken man, Verdant. I want to change and fix myself."
"What about your daughter's feelings? Have you ever consider it? She needs you." Si Rowena.
"She needs her Mother more than me." Sagot ni Garen sabay tingin sa may bintana.
"That's not true," kontra ko. "You don't have any idea how much she needs you. That's the reason na inaabala at pinapagod niya ang sarili sa school. Kapag palagi 'yan sa bahay at nakakapanood ng mga balita sa tv, ikaw ang inaalala." Napayuko siya at pinaglaruan ang mga daliri habang patuloy na nakikinig. "I would always find her staring at the wall, and then she would start crying calling for her Dad."
Huminga ako nang malalim at kita ko ang awa sa mga mata ni Verdant at Rowena. Paige are close with the two, tuwing summer ay doon siya nakatambay dahil may pool at skating bowl ang bahay ng mga 'to.
Hindi ko maiwasang mapalingon sa pinto nung marinig ang pagbukas. Mabilis akong napatayo na ikinaalarma ng mga kasama ko.
"My? Nandito ka? Oh hi, Tita Rowena, Tito Verdant, and- D-dad?"
Naging mabagal ang paghinga ko at ramdam ko ang paninigas ni Garen sa kanyang kinauupuan.
Paige is wearing her uniform and she has her classmates behind her who are confused. Paige looked so shock with her eyes rounded in surprisement while staring at her Father.
Palipat-lipat ang tingin nito sa amin pati na kina Verdant at Rowena. Unti-unti ay kumunot ang kanyang noo bago ako hinarap. "Since when pa kayo nagkikita ni Dad?" Napalunok ako at hindi ko alam kung paano sumagot.
Unti-unting nanubig ang mga mata ko at nung hindi ako nakasagot ay nilampasan niya ako at dumiretso sa Ama. Garen was speechless as she stare at her daughter, he flinched when Paige suddenly hugged him. Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Paige dahil sa naging reaksyon ng ama.
Maluha-luha kong nilapitan si Paige at bahagya siyang hinila papalayo kay Garen. "Paige, your Dad doesn't feel well-"
"Or maybe he's not happy at all to see me." Agad na umamo ang mukha ni Garen nung marinig ang sinabi ng anak. "No, Paige. I-i just did not expect to see you here. I mean, not now... I-i was caught off-guard when you entered."
"So, wala ka ngang plano na ipaalam na buhay ka pa? I have longed for us to be together for so long, Daddy! But seeing your reaction, why... why do I feel like i'm unwanted?"
"Baby, no. Your Dad has a lot of things going on and is still noy yet ready to face you."
"When will he be ready? Answer me, Dad, kailan ka magiging handa na harapin mo ako? Answer me, anong petsa?" May diing tanong ni Paige sa Ama.
"Paige, that's enough." Mahinahon na bulong ko sa kanya habang nakahawak pa rin sa magkabilang balikat niya.
"Answer me, Dad." My heart broke when my daughter finally crashed into tears. The pain in her voice caused a prick inside my chest.
Tumingin ako kay Garen at wala sa sarili itong nakatulala. Nakaawang ang mga bibig at ang mga luha ay nag-uunahan sa pagtulo. "I... I-i... don't know."
Mabilis na lumabas si Paige ng café at akmang susundan ito ni Verdant pero pinigilan ko. "Paige is a smart girl, let's just gave her some time. I am sure that she'll be staying in my brother's place to cool off."
Lumipat ang tingin ko kay Garen na nanghihinang napaupo. Napakagat ako ng labi nung humagulgol ito at tinakpan ang mukha habang nakatukod ang mga siko sa kanyang paa.
"What the fuck did I just do?"
"You were just shock. No one expected Paige to be here."
"S-she just called herself as an unwanted daughter, Phraea, and that's not true. No, hindi 'yan totoo." Umiiyak akong tumango at maingat na niyakap siya.
"We all know that and Paige doesn't mean what she said. You need to pull yourself together, you need to face Paige as soon as possible."
.
Nung gumabi ay hinayaan ko si Paige na kina Kuya Preston matulog. Iyun nga lang, hindi ako tinantanan nina Mom at Dad sa kakatanong.
"Ano naman ba ang pinag-awayan ninyong mag-ina?" Hindi ko na mabilang kung pang-ilang ulit na nilang tinanong sa akin iyun.
"Nagkasagutan lang, iyun lang." I answered the same thing a while ago.
Hindi nga lang ako nakatakas nung tumawag sa akin si Kuya Preston.
"I know something serious happened. What is it, Chels?"
Umiling ako habang natatarantang pabalik-balik ang lakad sa loob ng kwarto.
"I-it's nothing serious, Kuya. Nagtampo lang 'yan sa akin. Hayaan mo at kukunin ko siya diyan bukas ng umaga."
"Don't lie to me, Chels. I know my niece and if you two fought over a small thing, she would rant and talk things with me but now... she's just dead silent while sitting in a corner."
Hindi ako nakasagot dahil sa teoryang nabubuo sa isipan ni Kuya. Kinagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi ko habang nag-iisip sa kung anong pwedeng isagot.
"Is it about what happened seven years ago? Kasi sa totoo lang, ang kasong 'yan ay void na sa pamahalaan at sa mga pulis. Kahit sina Mom at Dad ay mukhang nakalimutan na ang nangyari sayo pero ako... hindi ako nakakalimot, Chels. Alam ko rin na gumagawa lang kayo ng kwento. Kaya sabihin mo, ano ba talaga ang nangyari sa isla?"
BINABASA MO ANG
Island of Insanity
Mystery / Thriller[COMPLETED] Phraea Chelsey Bautista has always been the top in her class and every professors' favorite. She has both beauty and brains, and everything a girl would dream to possess but her life is not entirely perfect. No one deeply cares for her...
