No Greater Love

Kabanata 18

Kabanata 18

Hindi na nakapagsalita pa ang Mama ni Sancho at nakita niya sigurong hindi na rin ako tatahimik lang at hahayaan siyang insultihin ako at paratangan pa. Lalo na at madadamay na ang anak ko sa masamang tingin sa akin.

But I couldn't help myself but still cry in front of her. My tears silently fell in front of her. Because after all she's Sancho's mother. At ang magiging lola ng anak ko. Kaya masakit din sa akin na ganito lang ang tingin niya sa akin at pinagdududahan pa niya ang apo niya.

I can't help it but to get hurt. Especially for my child.

"What's happening here?"

At iyon pa na umiiyak ako ang naabutan ng Mama ko na bumisita rin sa akin nang araw na 'yon. Mabilis akong bumaling kay Mama at nagpahid ng mga luha ko.

"Rosette... what happened..." Agad akong nilapitan ng Mama at hinarap niya ang Mama ni Sancho.

"What happened here, Carolina? Rosette, why are you crying?" muli niyang baling sa akin galing sa Mama ni Sancho.

Nag-iwas lang naman ng tingin ang Mama ni Sancho. Pero hindi ko naman napigilan ang Mama ko na kinompronta na ito.

"Tungkol ba ito sa mga kumalat na bali-balita noon, Carolina? Naniniwala ka ba talaga roon?"

"You can't blame me, Rosalia. Iyang anak mo ang pinakasal n'yo pa sa anak ko kahit pagkatapos na nitong makipagtanan sa ibang lalaki!"

Umawang ang labi ni Mama at bahagya siyang natigilan. Pero nakabawi rin siya agad at sinagot ang Mama ni Sancho. "So, ano ito? Don't tell me that after knowing about my daughter's pregnancy, pinaparatangan mo pa siya ng kung ano?"

"Kung ano? You can't blame me if I doubt your daughter's fidelity towards my son—"

"Why, Carolina?" Mama cut her off. "May pruweba ka ba? At kung ano-ano ang pinaparatang mo sa anak ko." Pagkatapos ay bumaling sa akin si Mama. "Hija, what was she telling you? Inaakusan ka ba niya kagaya ng ibang mga tao d'yan—"

"Rosalia—"

Pero mabilis na muli itong binalingan ng Mama. "Kung ang ibang tao ay wala na akong mas'yadong pakialam, Carolina. Pero ikaw? Ikaw pa na pinagkatiwala ko ang anak ko sa pamilya ninyo—"

"You trust our family's money, Rosalia—"

"You mean your husband's? It is your husband's money, Carolina. Sa mga Llamanzares. Kung makapagsalita ka parang kung kaninong may kayang pamilya ka galing. Baka nakakalimutan mo na kung saan ka galing bago ka lang naman nakilala ni Sandro at kung hindi ka niya pinakasalan will you be here now enjoying the Llamanzares' wealth?"

Hindi agad nakapagsalita ang Mana ni Sancho.

"It's true that I want a well-off family to marry my daughter to. And it's normal for people like us who's been in this business and families for a long time. Huwag mong pinapalabas na parang kailangan namin ang pera ng mga Llamanzares. Kung tutuusin ay magkasing-yaman lang ang mga Llamanzares at Regalado. And I too came from a well-off family. Kaya hindi namin kailangan ang sinasabi mong pera ninyo. What I need is to marry my daughter to a family who can equal us. Do you get it now, Carolina?"

"Or even after being married to Sandro Llamanzares ay wala ka pa ring alam sa negosyo ng mga pamilya namin."

I don't agree that my Mama was talking and acting like this to someone she also considered as her friend. And she's loosing her cool. I realized that she could really be desperate when it comes to me...

"Mama," I tried to stop her already.

"Kaya ano pa ang mga pinagbabato mong salita ngayon sa anak ko, that my daughter had to cry? I agreed to marry my daughter into your family. But I will never agree to you maltreating her!"

"Mama—"

"Mama..."

Nagsabay pa kami ni Sancho na kakarating lang.

Bumaling ako sa kaniya at umiling. "I'm sorry, Sancho."

"Don't apologize, Rosette." Bumaling si Mama kay Sancho. "Sancho, talk to your mother. Kapag hindi n'yo naayos ito hindi ko ibabalik dito ang anak ko para lang makatanggap na naman ng masasakit na salita sa Mama mo. I'm bringing my daughter to our home."

"Mama," pipigilan ko pa sana siya.

Sancho also tried to stop her. But she was so strong and brought me with her back home...

Hindi pa agad nakasunod sa akin si Sancho and he probably talked to his mother, too.

"Mama, it's just a misunderstanding..." I said.

"Huwag mong takpan ang taong iyon, Rosette. Hindi ka nagsasabi sa amin ng Papa mo but we know. May pakpak ang mga balita, hija. And I can't allow Carolina to do this to you. Sino ba siya sa inaakala niya."

"Mama, you can't do this..." I said weakly.

"Why can't I? I'm just doing this as your mother. I've been protecting you for so many years of your life, Rosette. Ngayon pa ba kita hindi mapoprotektahan sa biyenan mo?"

"Mama..." I let out a defeated sigh...

And then we heard from our maids that Sancho had arrived in our mansion. Kakarating lang din ng Papa ko at halos magkasabay lang sila ni Sancho na dumating.

"What happened, Rosalia?" Papa asked but Sancho answered him with an apology.

"I'm sorry, Papa. I already talked to my parents." Sancho said bowing his head.

Naawa naman ako sa kaniya kasi hindi niya naman kasalanan...

"And what did they tell you, hijo?"

Bumaling si Sancho sa Mama ko para sagutin ito. "They already know their mistake. And they wouldn't do it again to Rosette... Especially my Mama. I'm sorry, po..."

"Sancho... Mama, please. Stop this already." I said.

"They should apologize to my daughter." Ayaw pa rin magpaawat ng Mama ko.

"I'll make sure they would..."

"You should."

"Mama, tama na please. Papa," Bumaling din ako kay Papa para tulungan niya ako sa pagpigil kay Mama.

"Rosalia, that's enough. You're stressing your daughter out..." Papa already went to her to calm her down.

Umirap naman si Mama.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang magiging reaksyon ko... Pero nagbuntong-hininga na lang ako.

I heard stories that my Mama wasn't liked by many people back in their days especially when she was younger. Natatawag pa nga raw siya noong bastos o walang modo... Dahil lumalaban at sumasagot siya kahit sa mga mas nakakatanda. My Mama's attitude wasn't very likable. Hindi rin siya sumusunod sa tinuturo sa kanila kung paano ba raw dapat ang isang babae kumilos at magsalita... Parang palagi siyang may pinaglalaban. She doesn't always agree to the norms...

But I remember knowing that my deceased grandparents from my father's side, especially my grandmother just came to like my Mama as she was. No matter if she was stronger than what was expected of her. Because they say that she matched my shy Papa back in the days. Na kung paanong walang boses ang Papa ko ay iyon naman ang nasobrahan pa yata ang Mama ko naman. Kaya nga siguro palaging nananalo sa eleksyon ang Papa dahil na rin kay Mama...

And I know that Mama married Papa because his family was rich. Mama was practical... She wanted to stay where she was, she wanted to stay in power... And she doesn't much believe in things like loving someone what she calls to be stupidly... which she taught me that were only for the weak...

And I remember her telling me, lalo na noong magpapakasal na ako kay Sancho... that love can be learned... Dahil siguro ay ganoon din siya kay Papa. Ang mahalaga raw ay hindi ka maghirap sa buhay... Dahil ang totoo raw ay mas mahirap pa ang buhay sa inaakala natin...

Maybe I'll just try to know and to understand my mother more. I know that she has come this far...

Pagkatapos ay nakauwi na rin kami ni Sancho sa bahay namin. I even want to go to their house and talk to his family and his Mama. But Sancho said that it's getting late at hindi na raw papayag ang Mama ko if we do it the same day now. So it's better to do it the next day instead.