Faith, Hope and Love

Chapter 24

Ilang araw nang hindi pumapasok si Katie at nagkukulong na lamang sa kwarto. Carlos gave her space because he knew that his wife is hurt. Tama nga ang sinasabi ng karamihan. Truth hurts. Masakit malaman ang katotohanan lalo na kung hindi tayo handang tanggapin ang lahat ng ito. Truth hurts and it can kill someone's life. If it will mishandled.

Worried, Analyn went inside her parents bedroom with a tray of foods for her mother. She doesn't have to ask her mom about what happened why she's acting like this – fragile and vulnerable because Carlos already told her. And as a child – her daughter, her heart pains for her mom. She cannot imagine herself on that situation. Baka kung sa kanya nangyari ang lahat nang 'yon, baka habang buhay na nyang kasusuklaman ang mga magulang. But she's blessed because Katie and Carlos keep her and guided her as she grow up, supports her in every steps of her life.

"Meh, I bought you breakfast. Kain ka po muna." Analyn said, Katie was just lying on their bed, covered by their comforter. Analyn put the tray atop of the nightstand table and sits on the edge of the bed, carefully lift the comforter. She knows that Katie is awake. Dahil nakita nyang gumalaw at inayos pa ng ina ang posisyon nito pagpasok nya sa loob.
"Meh, bangon ka na muna please. You need to eat." She uttered again. Katie sighed.
"Bakit nandito ka pa? May duty ka ngayon hindi ba?" Katie asked in return. Analyn swallows. She also knew that Katie will not be happy kung hindi sya papasok sa ospital at uunahin sya.
"Papasok naman ako, Meh eh. I just wanna make sure na kakain ka ngayon bago ako umalis. Baka kasi hindi ka na naman kumain. Makakasama na talaga sayo." She replied. Katie wet her lips and shut her eyes.
"Meh, alam ko naman na may pinagdadaanan ka ngayon. Pero hindi naman po pwede na pabayaan mo nalang ang sarili mo eh. Hindi naman pwedeng pabayaan ka nalang namin ni Daddy. Kaya sige na po, kumain ka na po muna tapos kung gusto mong mapag-isa, iiwan po kita dito. Papasok po ako pero dapat kumain ka po muna. Please po." Analyn said. Katie gulped, she then open her eyes and faced her daughter. Analyn smiled and helped her to sit up.
"Thank you, Analyn. Thank you." Katie muttered. Analyn smiles as she nodded her head at her and gave her the tray of foods to Katie.
"Kain ka na, Meh. Sige na." She told her mom. Katie swallows and gazed the foods in front of her.
"Ako po magluto nyan. Sabi kasi ni Daddy, hindi ka raw kumain kagabi. Kaya ayan! Breakfast in bed for my Nanay." Analyn proudly says as Katie smiled at her. She then started to eat.

"Meh, hindi ko man po alam kung ano ang totoong nararamdaman mo ngayon pero Meh, tandaan mo po na nandito lang kami ni Daddy. Hindi ka po namin iiwan sa kahit na anong laban pa 'yan. Kaya kung ang gusto mo lang po ngayon ay ang magpahinga, okay lang po. Pahinga ka lang po pero hindi ka po titigil, okay ba 'yon Meh? Wala pong susuko sa pamilyang 'to." Analyn said that made Katie smiled.
"I love you, Meh! Mahal na mahal ka namin ni Daddy." She added. Katie took a deep sigh and motioned Analyn for a hug which Analyn gladly threw herself inside Katie's arms.
"I love you too, Analyn. Hindi magbabago 'yon kahit na ano pang mangyari sa pamilya natin." Katie honestly said. Analyn smiled and nods.
Nanatili sila sa ganoong posisyon bago nagpaalam si Analyn sa ina.

"Tell me about your Mom. Paano sya nawala, paano sya 'nong nandito pa sya. Enlighten me please." Katie told Faith. Pag alis na pag alis ni Analyn, pinag-isipan nya muna kung makikipag kita ba sya kay Faith o hindi. She called her secretary para alamin ang contact number ni Faith. And she had it. She called Faith and decided to meet her.
"I am so sorry, Mrs. Benitez kung naging magulo ang isip mo dahil sa sinabi namin sa inyo the last time we meet. Naguluhan rin ho ako 'non." Faith said apologetically. Katie swallowed.
"Aaminin ko po na 'nong una, inakala ko talagang ikaw si Mama. Pero nakita ko rin ang pagkakaiba nyong dalawa. Pero may pagkakatulad rin kayong dalawa. Just like you, Mama was tough and strong willed person. Bago sya nawala, she made sure na magiging maayos kaming tatlo ng mga kapatid ko. She raised us the way she wanted us to be right now. She raised us kahit na palaging wala ang Daddy namin dahil nasa politika si Dad. 'Nong umuwi kami rito, Mama found out about Dad's infidelity. Nagkaroon ng anak si Dad sa iba kaya nagulo ang pamilya namin. She had to kicked out my father in our house dahil don. Ang sabi ni Dad, binalak nilang ayusin ang pamilya namin pero naaksidente si Mama. Kaya sya nawala." Faith said. Katie gulped again.
"How about her relationship with her parents?" She then asked. Faith looked at her in the eyes.
"Umalis si Mama sa bahay nila when she was in her teenage year. Dahil ayaw nyang pakialaman sya ng Lola at Lolo ko. Dahil hindi nya sinunod ang gusto nila Lola para sa kanya. She worked hard, married my father and live her life away from my grandparents. She doesn't want to be controlled by someone. Pero 'nong dumating kaming mga anak nya, naging maayos rin ang relasyon nila. I remember bago pa man naging maayos ulit ang relasyon nila ni Lola, kaming tatlo lang ng mga kapatid ko ang nakakapunta sa bahay nila Lola dahil ayaw makita ni Lola si Mama. Mama was the disgrace to their family's name daw kasi dahil ibang buhay ang ginusto ni Mama. Pero Tito Jeff and Tita Angel, sila ang hindi nawalan ng connection kay Mama. They would always find a way to see Mama, to visited her, talked to her even asked her if she's okay or not. Kaya 'nong naging okay ulit sila ni Lola, hindi naging mahirap para sa kanila na pagbatiin sila." Faith told. Katie nodded her head.
"May mga kapatid rin pala ako –" Katie stopped, realizing what she said. She cleared her throat and looked at Faith.
"May mga kapatid pa pala ang Mama mo. But how about your Lolo?." She then asked.
"Lolo died when I was 17. We were in the States 'non pero umuwi si Mama para makita ulit si Lolo. Nakakausap lang namin si Lolo 'non because of Tita Angel and Tito Jeff. Sa States kasi kami lumaki, dinala kami don ni Mama dahil nasa politika pa si Dad and ayaw nyang ma-involve kami sa politika nor magamit o lumabas ang mga pangalan namin sa politika. Ang alam ko lang, Lola forbids Lolo na hanapin si Mama noon, o kahit tulungan si Mama dahil umalis sya. Pero Lolo does the opposite." Faith replied.
"And your siblings? Your father?" Katie nonchalantly asked. Faith heaved a sigh.
"Growing up, si Mama ang lagi naming kasama ng mga kapatid ko. Dad was busy with his position before kaya hindi namin sya nakaka-sama ng matagal. But my father loved my mom, that's what I know. Nagagawa naman ni Dad ang mga bagay na gusto naming gawin kasama sya kahit na laging limitado ang oras at araw na kasama namin sya. 'Nong nasa posisyon pa si Dad, hindi dapat makita ng mga tao na magkasama kami o malaman ng mga tao na anak nya kami for our safety and privacy. Bilang lang din ang may alam ng totoong pagkatao namin noon, lalo na kay Mama. But our family fell apart the moment Mama met the woman who ruined our family. Nalaman nya na buntis ang babae kaya nagalit si Mama kay Dad. At hindi na naayos ang pamilya namin lalo na 'nong nawala si Mama." Faith gulped hard, she then took a sip on her coffee. Katie nods.
"We believed na hindi aksidente ang nangyari kay Mama, I used to believe. Pero si Hope, ang kapatid ko she believes na sinadya ang aksidente nya. And she's blaming Dad and Louise because of Mama's death." Katie raised an eyebrow.
"Louise? Who is she?" She asked. Faith swallowed.
"Sya ang nabuntis ni Dad." She replied with bitterness on her tone. Katie was out of words, she just wondered how did it happened.
"She and her son lived in our house – sa bahay ni Mama ilang buwan matapos ilibing si Mama. Ang kapal ng mukha diba po?! She's an ambitious brat and trying hard to be Dad's wife." Faith added. Katie sighed. She drink her ice tea and eyed Faith. She can't explain why, pero naaawa sya kay Faith. Is it because her blood runs into Faith's as well? Or it was just because she is a mother? Maybe yes, maybe no.
"Gusto kong makita ang Lola mo. Gusto ko syang makilala." She uttered that made Faith met her gazes.
"Matutulungan mo ba ako?" She then asked. Faith nodded her head as a response. Katie sly a smile.
"Alam ko na mahirap para sayo 'tong hinihingi kong pabor dahil magkamukha kami ng Mama mo. Pero mas mahirap kung hindi natin malalaman ang totoo. I don't know why, but I can feel it deep in my heart, na gusto mong malaman kung ano ba talaga ang nangyari sa Mama mo. Kay Julia. Help me, and I will help you find the truth behind her accident that caused her life. May kaibigan kaming investigator ni Carlos, pwede kong ipaalam sa kanya kung ano ba talaga ang nangyari sa Mama mo. All I need is all the details. Pwede ko ring paimbistigahan ang babaeng 'yon, even your father. Kung papayag ka." Katie seriously said, Faith gulped hard. And without further ado, she agreed to Katie.
Wala namang mawawala kung susubukan, hindi ba? At wala rin naman silang napapala kung hindi nila gagawin. It's a win win situation for the both of them. Katie, meeting her biological mother and Faith, finding out about her mom's death.