Cold hearts

03

Chapter 03: Her weakness
***

"Irene? Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Irene was startled when someone asked her. She stopped walking and hissing silently, mentally cursing herself.

Irene took a deep breath, sighing deeply before turning around to face her supposed to be sister-in-law, Elvira.

"H-hi, Elvira, it's been awhile, how are you?" Irene asked her, calmly, trying to hide the fact that she's nervous. "I asked you a question, Irene, don't make me repeat it again." Elvira ignored her question.

"Vir-" Elvira glared at Irene. "Answer my question, ano ang ginagawa mo dito sa hospital? Inutusan ka ba ng magaling mong anak na pumunta dito kasi alam niya na bawal na siya dumalaw kay Greggy?" Elvira asked her.

Irene was taken aback on what Elvira just said, "excuse me? Saoirse is forbidden to go here? Why? Greggy is her father, bakit simpleng pag punta niya dito pinagbabawalan n'yo?" Irene asked her, frustration filled her voice.

"Wala ka ng pakielam doon, Irene, please, kung may natitira ka pang respeto sa pamilya namin, kindly leave the hospital." Elvira said, no emotions written on her face, as if Irene didn't became part of her life.

"Please, Elvira, I want to visit Greggy." Irene said confidently. "Irene, I can't, wala na kayo ni Greggy, why can't you just move on?" Elvira said.

"Please, I'm begging you, mabilis lang ako, I want to see him, kahit sumama ka sa loob ng room, sige na Elvira." Irene pleaded, almost kneeling down.

"I'm sorry, Irene, pero bawal talaga, gusto ko, pero sabi ni ate Arlene wag daw eh." Elvira said.

"Elvira, sige na, mabilis lang ako, I promise, ito na yung una at huli, please Elvira." Irene said.

"Si Saoirse nga na lumuhod sa harapan ko hindi ko na pagbigyan na makita si Greggy, ikaw pa kayang ex na niya." Elvira said.

Irene was shocked when she heard what Saoirse did just to see Greggy. Never in her life she imagine that the coldest and meanest person she met just knelt to see Greggy.

"She knelt down?" Irene asked her, still in disbelief. "Hindi ka panipaniwala no? Your daughter, also known as the coldest and arrogant person that I've met, knelt down and begged in front of me just for her to see her dad." Elvira said.

"You did not?!" Irene confronted her, Elvira just chuckled, softly. "I just did, you should've seen your daughter beg, siguro matutuwa ka rin." Elvira smirked at her.

"Ano pa ang ginawa n'yo sa kanya?" Irene asked her, anger rushing through her veins.

"I made her leave, buti nalang masunurin, muntikan ko pa sana ipakaladkad sa guwardiya." Elvira answered. "You're cruel, you and Arlene are cruel!" Irene shouted at her.

"Am I? Shouldn't you be saying that to yourself? Tell me Irene, are you not as cruel as we are?" Elvira asked her.

"Alam mo yung rason Elvira! You saw everything that happened 16 years ago, you heard everything! You know everything that happened to our family! You know why my sons and I left!" Irene shouted at her, tears began to flow on her cheeks.

Elvira remained silent at that moment, still finding the right words she should say. She tried her best not to cry to be honest. She wanted to help them, but she always feels like someone is watching her every move.

"Alam mo lahat ng nangyari, p-pero wala kang ginawa!" Irene shouted at her.

"Leave, you're just wasting your time here," Elvira said, Irene just walked out and left her in the empty corridor.

Meanwhile, Saoirse can be seen painting at the garden with Imelda. "Where have you been? Sabi ng mga maids umalis ka daw ng maaga." Imelda asked her. Saoirse stopped stroking her paintbrush for a few moments.

"I went to nina-" Imelda held her hand, "You can't lie to me, apo, I called Dawn, wala ka daw sa condo niya." Imelda said.

Saoirse sighed deeply, ignoring her grandmother's words. "I just prefer to be alone, to be honest." She said, compiling all her art supplies. She was about to leave when someone shouted.

"Saoirse! Who told you to go to the hospital!" Irene shouted. "Ano bang pake mo kung pumunta ako sa hospita o hindi?" Saoirse asked her, trying not to shout at her mother.

"And who even told you that I went to the hospital? Sinusundan ba ako ng mga alaga mo?" Saoirse asked, "Who told me doesn't matter, the bottom line is you disobey me!" Irene shouted, glaring at Saoirse.

"Irene, calm down!" Imelda tried to stopped her. "Bakit, who even are you to stop me from visiting my father?" Saoirse asked her.

"I am your mom, Saoirse!" Irene shouted at her, "Why did you knelt in front of Elvira? Ganyan ka na ba talaga kahina na kailangan mong lumuhod sa harap ng mga tiyahin mo?" Irene asked her.

"Wala akong anak na lumuluhod at kaawaawa!" Irene shouted, but stopped talking when she saw Saoirse tearing up.

"I'm willing to kneel down kahit kanino makita ko lang si daddy. I'm willing to be weak and obedient just for me to see my dad again. Handa ako mag makaawa para lang kay daddy." Saoirse sobbed, her tears fall endlessly.

"My heart maybe cold as ice, but I'm willing to do even the impossible just to be with my dad again." Saoirse added.

"Kahit na abusuhin ng mga tiyahin mo yang kahinaan mo? Saoirse naman! Nakita mo na ganyan yung trato nila sayo para kang aso na sunudsunuran nila!" Irene shouted, her voice filled with concerened and resentment.

"W-wala kang pake! H-hindi mo alam yung feeling na nilalayo sayo yung daddy mo!" Saoirse cried, everyone inside head out to see what's happening. Imelda was now rubbing Saoirse's back, calming her down.

"Hindi ka na pupunta sa hospital kahit kailan!" Irene said, holding back her tears.

"W-what? Pati ba naman ikaw? Bakit lahat nalang kayo ayaw niyo ako payagan makita yung daddy ko? H-hindi naman siya bad!" Saoirse asked her.

"Hindi ka pupunta, end of discussion! Wag mo akong susuwayin, tandaan mo, nasa puder kita, my house, my rules. If you break one, you'll face your consequences. And that includes forbidding you from seeing Dawn!" Irene told her.

"I hate you! You're not different from daddy's family! Ang sama-sama mo!" Saoirse run back inside the house.

She locked her door and threw everything she touches. "I hate you! I hate all of you!" She cried. Saoirse grabbed her phone to call Dawn. But when she was about to dial her number, she received a message from Dawn.

From: Ninang Dawny

: Don't text me or even call me, but remember, I raised and loved you as my own, sa situation mo, I expect you to handle it, ok? I love you Sese ko, pero I have to leave, don't go at my Condo dahil lumipat na kami ni Goma at Clyde ng bahay.

Saoirse threw her phone when she saw the text. "Bakit lahat nalang kayo iniiwan ako! Why? Sa lahat ng tao, bakit ikaw ninang! Ikaw nalang yung kakampi ko!" She shouted, she can hear them knocking on her door.

"B-bakit ako pa? Marami namang masama jan, bakit parang ako yung na paparusahan?" She asked herself as she sat on the floor, hugging her knees.

The world seems to hate her, para bang lahat ng parusa ng makasalanan sa kanya binabato. She's just a girl, a girl that wanted happiness and peacefulness in her life. But the world seems to forbid her from being happy, not even once.

"I just want to be happy." She cried, until she lost all of her consciousness due to exhaustion.

...TBC...