“Mama, sino yung lalaki kanina?” tanong sa akin ni Sael habang nakahiga sya sa hospital bed.
“sino baby?” kunwari ay tanong ko, my son is brainy, and I know he notice the similarities between him and Samuel.
“the man who’ll give scholar” sabi nya “he looked like me mama, is he my father?noong nakita ko kase sya I feel contented”
Ngumiti ako sa anak ko. Hindi ko alam kung anong dapat kong maramdaman, matatakot ba ako o magiging masaya.
“yes anak, he’s your father” pag amin ko ng totoo theirs no point of lying when he saw it with his two eyes, and beside I don’t wanna lie to my son because he deserve to know the truth.
Kung gusto nyang makilala ang tatay nya, I will gladly do it for him, for his sake.
“Diba gwapo din tatay ko parang ako” nakangiting sabi nya
“gusto mo ba sya makilala in person anak?” Tanong ko
“if he will find me, yes, if not then no mama” sabi nya
“Hindi ka nya kilala anak, he didn’t know I got pregnant with you. He have another family” pag-amin ko
“Another family? So there’s a big chance that he won’t find me right mama? He didn’t even know that I exist” malungkot na sabi ng anak ko
My heart sanked because of what he said and also because of the pain I saw flickering in his eyes. I hugged my son.
“Nandito naman si mama anak e, mahal na mahal kita.” Sabi ko
“Mahal na mahal din kita mama ko”
My son understand everything as I explained to him. He’s matured enough for his age.
Our conversation was interupted minutes later by a knock on the door.
“Come in” I said.
Parang bumagal lahat ng nasa paligid when the man we were talking come inside the room with his bestfriend, liam.
I saw him looked at me intently and to Sael. Hindi ako umimik, ganun din ang anak ko, silence envelope us but Liam interupted it.
“Good day Miss Valdez, to you too Mr. Valdez, how’s your ankle?”tanong ni Liam bago lumapit, sumunod sakanya ang tahimik na si Samuel ngunit ang tingin ay hindi inaalis sa amin.
We greeted them too. “ the doctor said it will be fine after a week of resting, pwede na sya madischarge mamaya, kinuha lang ng nurse ang reseta ng gamot nya” sabi ko
“How are you Natasha? Its been a long time?” a baritone voice echoed to the whole room when Samuel speak.
“I-im fine Mr. Lopez” utal na sabi ko.
I bite my lips because of stuttering. Damn! Bakit kase ang lakas pa din ng dating nya at epekto nya sa akin even though its been a years.
“I guess, we have something to talk right?” he said seriously and look at my son, Sael.
“a-ahmm”
“Is it something serious Sir?” Sael interrupted.
“yes boy, it is” Samuel
“baby ko, mag-uusap lang kami sa labas okay? Wait for me here” sabi ko
“Yes mama. Sir, don’t you ever hurt my mama. I hate it when someone’s hurting my mother” Sael said seriously while looking at his father.
They stared at each other.
“mag-ama nga” rinig kong sabi ni Liam kaya napatingin ako sakanya. Ngumisi lang ito sa akin at nagkibit balikat.
“I wont kid, never again” he said before going out first kaya naman sumunod din ako, pero binilin ko muna kay Liam ang anak ko.
Naabutan ko si Samuel sa na nakasandal sa pader sa labas ng hospital room ni Sael. Nang makita ako ay umayos ito ng tayo.
“anong pag uusapan natin? Is it about my son?” diretsong tanong ko.
Wala naman kaming ibang pag-uusapan kundi ang anak ko lang.
“Your son?he’s my son too Nat. Bakit hindi mo manlang sinabi sa akin?!” pigil ang galit na sabi nya.
“Why would I? I can raise him very well besides ayaw kong makasira ng pamilya. Did you forget that you got another girl pregant while we’re in a relationship Samuel?”
Hindi ko mabasa ang emosyong halo-halo sa mata nya.
“I told you not to leave me. I plead Natasha” ramdam ko ang sakit sa boses nya ,kitang-kita ko ang luha na gustong kumawala sa mata nya ngunit patulou nyang pinipigilan.
“Its already over, my son knows that you’re his father. We shouldn’t talk about the past, its done already. Kung gusto mo makilala ang anak mo, I will let you” sabi ko
“I want his custody” sabi nito
“You already have that, hindi kalang nagkachance dahil ayaw ko manira ng pamilya. But I named him with your last name” sabi ko
Shocked is written on his eyes. Not expecting that I did that.
“Wala kong ibang pamilya Natasha” he said “Hindi ko sya nabuntis. Pinaako nya sa akin ang batang hindi sa akin”
Hindi ko alam kung paniniwalaan ko ba sya. He did told me before that they woked up in the same bed naked.
“She’s obsessed with me, desperate enough to ruin us. I’ve plan to have a dnd test when her tummy was 6 months, I did. Its negative. She delivered the child in the hospital, she died giving birth, she name his daughter with my last name. Walang gustong kumupkop sa bata, kaya kinupkop ko. I’ve been finding you for years now Natasha”
Wala akong masabi nuong mga oras na iyon. Hindi maproseso ng utak ko ang sinabi nya. Pumasok sya sa loob ng kwarto ni Sael at nagpaiwan ako sa labas, pilit pinoproseso ang sinabi nya.
Nakaupo ako sa bleachers ng lumabas si Liam sa kwarto. Umupo ito sa tabi ko.
“Im sorry Natasha” biglang ani nya kaya napatingin ako dito.
“For what?” tanong ko
“I feel like its my fault kung bakit kayo nasira at naghiwalay ni Samuel. Kung hindi ko sya pinilit magparty ay hindi sya magseset-up ni Iya. Dekada na din pero yung guilt nandito pa, dekada pa din pero yung tropa ko mahal na mahal ka pa din” sabi nya
