Break Fresh Ground

58: NAVIGATING THE STORM

The gravel crunched beneath my sandaled feet as I hopped out of the car. My hand dove into my bag in search of my phone, the telltale ringtone signaling an incoming call. Retrieving the device, I glanced at the screen, confirming that it was my dad on the line.

"Hello, Dad?" I greeted him, my voice tinged with a mixture of anticipation and resignation.

A sigh echoed through the phone, mirroring the one that escaped my lips. I knew what he was about to say. "Your name is all over the news," he said.

I let out a dry chuckle, my steps carrying me toward the elevator. I pressed the button for my office floor, all the while continuing our conversation. "Walang bago, Dad," I said casually. "I know na hindi dahil doon kung bakit ka tumawag, Dad."

He sighed again. "I miss you, Scarlett. Kailan mo kami balak puntahan ng mama mo?"

"Ako ba talaga o si August?" I quipped, my tone light but laced with humor.

"Well, both of you, actually. When are you free? Let's have a family dinner."

I sighed, reminiscing about the days when I was a teenager, constantly asking my dad when he was free so we could spend time together. Now, the tables had turned, and he was the one seeking my free time.

Without consulting my schedule, I replied, "Tonight, Dad. We can have dinner tonight. I'll let August know that we're having a sleepover too."

"Okay! Is Grilled Steak okay?" His excitement was palpable.

"Anything is fine, Dad."

"I'll ready my grill on the backyard, then. Then, we will have a family dinner by the pool." His voice brimmed with enthusiasm.

"Yes, Dad."

"I can't wait to see my granddaughter," he said.

I let out another sigh. "See? Si August lang talaga ang pakay niyo," pabirong sabi ko.

"Don't worry, sweetie, ikaw pa rin ang first baby ko."

"Yeah, yeah," kunwaring bored na sabi ko. "I'll end the call, Dad. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie," he replied before I hung up.

The door to my office swung open, revealing France comfortably sprawled on the sofa. Her lips arched up on one side, curving into a sly smirk. Hindi ko siya pinansin at dumiretso sa mesa ko, pero sumunod ito na may ngisi pa rin sa labi.

"What do you want?" tanong ko habang binubuksan ang computer ko. She extended her iPad toward me, and I accepted it. It's about what I said in the conference last night. "What do you want me to do with this?"

"Look at the comments. Go to your social media accounts. For sure, everyone is bombarding you with more questions," she said.

I hand her back her device. "Kaya nga hindi ako nag-oopen ng social medias ko."

Ever since the news of Yves and me being engaged made headlines in France, doon ko binawasan ang paggamit ng social media. Kung saan-saan kong article, sites, at post nakikita ang pangalan ko, and I don't like it. My aversion to social media deepened when August entered my life. The thought of her face being plastered online terrified me. I'd go to great lengths to take down any pictures or information about my daughter if it ever surfaced.

But my silence in social media halted when I saw Artemis again. I got curious about her life because I decided not to know anything after the break up, and stalked her socials. Scrolling through her feed, especially kapag nakikita ko ay ang mga special event niya sa buhay niya ang naka-post ay natutuwa ako, but at the same time, I was sad because I wasn't there. One thing I discovered while stalking her socials is that she stopped posting her arts. Though it was evident from some of her posts that she was still painting, she never showcased her actual work. Instead, she featured brushes, color palettes, or the creative chaos surrounding her art-making process. I wondered why, and eventually, I pieced it together.