Nakatittig ako sa tiyeke na iniwanan ng babae, inaalala ang mga huling salita na binitawan niya.
"I-I'm sorry?" I had to blink twice to make sure I wasn't hearing the wrong things.
But Mrs. Suarez slipped the cheque closer to me. "I don't want my grandson to grow up without a father," she said. "I don't want Yuri to remain a stranger to him. I want you to be happy. I want my son to be happy. I took so much happiness from you that the only way I can attain happiness in this lifetime is by seeing you regain yours."
She caressed my hand. "Maurice, I want you back in my son's life. And this might sound demanding, but if love is still there, please love him more today."
"He loves you and that's why I've always been afraid about you coming back. Because the first chance Yuri gets, he won't let you go again. Please do so, don't let him let you go again."
That was something I never saw coming. Lahat ata ng pagliko ng banghay ng mga kuwento ay nahulaan ko, maliban sa kuwentong kabilang ako.
Because what just happened? Mrs. Suarez offered me a hundred million to get back into Yuri's life. How possible is that? I raked my hair with both hands on the side, stretching my temples. "What's happening?" I murmured.
They have already left and I'm still here, convincing myself that everything is real. I'm blanked to the point that I forgot about Hiko staying inside the room until he called.
"Mommy?" His head is peeking out the door. He looked around the unit. "They already left?"
I nodded. "You can come over here."
He almost tripped rushing to near me. Agad niya akong hinawakan sa mga braso. He surveyed every part of my body. "Did they hurt you, Mommy?"
"No."
"Did she yell at you again? Did she raise her voice? Did she speak ill about you? What did she do to you, Mommy?" Wala namang kakompitensiya ang anak ko sa pagtatanong pero sunod-sunod iyon at sa sobrang bilis ay nahirapan akong intindihin ang ilang salita.
I bent my body to caress his cheek. "No one hurt, Mommy. The nonna was true to her words. We just talked."
"About what?"
I bite my lips, thinking if I should say it to him now. Isa-isa lang muna siguro. "About what happened last time. She apologized—"
Nawala sa akin ang paningin at atensiyon niya nang bumukas ang pintuan. Hindi iyon nakasara kaya madaling nakapasok si Yuri sa loob. Hinihingal siya at may mga butil ng pawis sa noo.
"Mr. Suarez!" Hiko exclaimed. He immediately left my front to near the tense man. "Why did you come so late? And why are you sweating? Someone came here. It was the Nonna who hurt Mommy last time. You could've been here to push her away. I have a feeling that she wanted to hurt Mommy again."
Sa dami ng sinabi ni Hiko, tumingin lang sa akin si Yuri, tila humihingi ng kumpirmasyon. Nakatalikod si Hiko sa akin nang ilingan ko ang ama niya.
"She has the same surname as yours. It's Suarez. I don't care if she's rich or big here. I'm going to protect Mommy. Mr. Suarez, you should help me." He held his father's hand. "Can you fight for Mommy too?" Tumingala ang bata.
Yuri looked at him and swallowed. He pushed Hiko's hair back and caressed his cheek. "Of course."
Hiko smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Suarez."
"But about what happened . . ." Yuri glanced at me. "Hiko, can you leave me and Mommy?"
"Why?"
"We'll just talk."
BINABASA MO ANG
The Heaven's Wildcard
Romance[SLOW EDIT] For most people, hell is just a concept or a place where the evils fall into after death. But for the registered nurse, Maurice Severina de Morga, it is her reality, her life. Her first cry was on her mother's death, died on a hospital b...
