CHAPTER NINETEEN
I woke up feeling suffocated.
Pakiramdam kong mayroong nakatuon sa aking daluyan ng paghinga. It's a sensation of phenomenon that something otherworldly and wicked demon is around, immobilizing me as though it's sitting on my chest.
Nang nagmulat ako ng mata, bumungad sa akin ang mukha ng munti. His expression was focused on my face. Mayroon siyang dalang krayola at art materials, nakaupo siya sa bandang leeg ko dahilan ng hirap ko sa paghinga.
It was obvious that he was writing and drawing on my face when I slept. Hindi niya napansin ang aking paggising.
I could feel the pain tracing my face with the ballpen he used. Pinagmasdan ko ang mukha ng bata habang hindi niya alam na nakatingin ako sa kanya. He's the carbon copy of his father.
Walang sobra. Walang kulang. He's the mini Gotham.
How old is he? Three? Turning four? Halos ganoon din ako katagal na nasa loob.
"Are you done?" tanong ko sa bata.
His eyes widened.
Mabilis siyang bumaba sa pagkakaupo sa aking leeg. His lips turned upward, smiling at me, seeing his creation on my face. I'm sure, it was a horrible sight.
"I... I like it!" saad pa niya. "Are you my new yaya?" tanong pa nito sa akin.
"Hindi. Mukha ba akong yaya mo?" Tumaas ang aking kilay.
Tumayo ako at tumungo sa banyo. Kalalabas ko lang ng kulungan, tauhan agad ni Gotham ang nakaharap ko. I was brought in their penthouse.
Wala na akong balak pang magpakita sa lalaki. It wasn't what I wanted. Gusto kong dalawin ang aking kapatid. Gusto kong makita si Russle. Ilang taon ko siyang hindi nakita at nadalaw.
I was still wondering if my husband ever found out about that. But I didn't want to know.
"It seems like you are j-jobless! So, you should be my yaya! I have m-money!" Sinundan ako ng bata hanggang sa banyo.
He's almost as big as my brother before. Payatin naman ang kapatid ko, maliit siya sa kanyang edad dahil sa sakit. Nitong huli lang siya nagkalaman ng husto.
When I looked at myself in the mirror, I saw a black circle on my eyes with line connecting them. My whole face was in color yellow. Sinabon ko naman ang aking mukha.
He grimaced while watching me remove his masterpiece on my face. Halatang hindi siya natutuwa sa ginawa ko. Ilang ulit ko na ang pagsasabon, pero hindi noon natanggal lahat.
There was still stain on my face. Mahapdi na ang aking mukha. Pinahid ko na lang iyon ng malinis na tuwalya.
"What's your d-decision? Do you want to be my yaya?" naiinip na tanong ni Voight.
Is this the Voight Garrison my husband raised? Siya na ba iyong batang mahal na mahal ng kapatid ko? Siya na ba iyong batang inisip ko ang kapakanan kaya pinalaya ko ang aking asawa? He's extremely spoiled.
"Where's your mother?" I asked him.
Kumunot naman ang kanyang noo. "I don't have that. I don't have a m-mother. My father said, you're supposed to be my mom. But you don't look nice enough to be my mother. That's why I'm a-asking you to be my yaya."
"Why don't you have a mother?"
Mas lalo siyang sumimangot. Nagsalubong ang kanyang dalawang kilay.
"She doesn't like me." He wasn't fazed by his answer.
BINABASA MO ANG
Guarded ✔ (Alpha Sigma Omicron #5)
General FictionTwenty men hide in a knightly façade. Devilishly gorgeous gods trapped in human bodies. They are ruthless. They fear no one. But just like the other cliché stories, will love be their weakness? • Alpha Sigma Omicron • ---- Filantropi Agnes Masimsim...
