Costiño Series 16: One Hot Night (HANDSOMELY COMPLETED)

Kabanata 10

Kabanata 10

Answer

"Joseph Adrel Constantine! Kumain ka muna dito! Mamaya na maglaro dyan!"

Hindi nakinig sa akin si Adrel at nagpatuloy lang sa kanyang paglalaro. I sighed heavily. Kanina pa siya naglalaro sa mga laruan niya. Gustuhin ko mang itago lahat ng 'yon alam kong iiyak lang itong anak ko.

"Josefa Calliope! Ayaw mo rin kumain?" sa babae kong anak.

Umiling lang ito at ngumuso. She's watching a video on my phone. Napahinga ako at umiling-iling sa kambal. Gosh! Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang dapat gawin sa dalawang ito. Sobrang kulit! Kapag may ginagawa hindi talaga pwedeng istorbohin! Hindi ko alam kung kanino ba namana ang ugali.

The features and face, walang duda, they were the child version of their father. Ang mata ni Adrel kapag galit o umiiyak. Ang ngiti ni Ope at ang kanilang facial expressions, kuhang-kuha lahat kay Clive. Kung meron man silang nakuha sa akin, it must be their hair only!

Oh God, pati ugali nakuha rin nila! Wala bang binigay sa akin? Kahit manlang yung anak kong babae sana nagmana sa akin.

"Mommy, I'm not hungry." tanging sagot ni Ope.

I shook my head and let them do what they wanted. They are five years old. After giving birth to them, two years past and Mama Mirna died. I mourned for the loss of the woman who took care of me. Hindi ko man inaasahan pero binigay ni Mama Mirna lahat ng meron siya sa akin. Galit man ang kanyang pamilya pero pinagpatuloy ko ang negosyo ni Mama.

From one small restaurant, I expanded it to another city. Mahirap pero kinaya naman kasi may dalawang bata akong kailangan suportahan. After years of building my family, nakapagpatayo ako ng sampung branch ng Lola Mirna's Eatery. Iyong main branch, I renovate it using her funds. Ngayon, hinayaan kong mamahala ang kanyang apo sa ibang branch.

I'm not a graduate of any course, but I was able to build Mama Mirna's business. Hindi man malaki pero kumikita. And now, I was planning to expand it more. Kaya lang hindi ko maigalaw ang sarili dahil kailangan ko pang alagaan ang kambal. Adrel is clingy and Mama's boy. Ayaw niyang iba ang nag-aalaga sa kanila. Kapag kumukuha ako ng nagbabantay, palagi silang nagpapasaway. Kaya sa huli, ako nalang ang nag-aalaga.

Ope, on the other hand is a very loveable daughter. Maarte man at kikay pero malambing naman pagdating sa akin at sa kambal niya. I never thought that having this twin made my heart flooded with happiness and love.

How I wish...they meet their father.

I heard news about him. He's healed now. Nakakalakad na. Siya ang humahawak sa negosyo nila. And he even expanded the resources of their business around the world. Imagine, the Clive in his wheelchair is different from the Clive I'm staring from the magazine today.

Mabagsik ang kanyang mga mata. Walang emosyon. Puno ng dilim ang presensya. Indeed, he's a monster in their business. Hindi alam ng kambal na ang kanilang ama ay sobrang yaman at naghahari sa mundo ngayon.

Forbes announced that Costiño remained top 1 as the richest family in the Philippines. Sa pangunguna ni Clive, mas lalo silang yumaman ngayon. With his grip on their business, hindi maipagkakailang humihiga na siya sa salapi.

"Ma, Danilo said that his father is coming home today. Kailan kaya uuwi si Papa sa atin?" Adrel said while eating.

Napahinto ako at tumitig sa anak ko. I never imagined he was going to ask me that question. Malaki na sila at hindi na ako magtataka na sa edad nilang ito, naghahanap na sila ng Ama.

Am I selfish for keeping the truth to my twin? Am I selfish for taking their rights to know their father? Am I selfish as a mother who's afraid to face their father? I think, yes. I'm selfish. I'm a coward.

After all the years have passed, I'm still the same person. Mama Mirna said, I'm not just scared, I'm also selfish and cowards.

Walang ginawang mali si Clive and yet, I'm scared of being inside of his life. I'm scared of being the woman his in love with. I'm scared and yet, he found his rule, and it's me. But sorry, I'm afraid, I might not be a good woman for him.

"Adrel, you know the reason for this, right?" I started to explain.

Ngumuso siya.

"Father left us. Father never liked us. Father doesn't want us--"

"Who told you that?" I cut him.

"Danilo, Mama." he said simply.

Napailing ako sa kanyang sinabi. I never teach my twin about that! Kahit naman takot ako sa kanilang Ama, hindi ko gagawing sirain ang imahe nito sa kanila! And yet, someone saying that hurtful words to them!

"It's not true, honey. Papa loves you! Papa--"

"Then where is he? Where is Papa? Why he's not here? See, Mama? It means to say that Papa doesn't want us. Papa disown us." he cut me off.

Agad akong umiling at lumapit sa anak kong lalaki. He is serious. I hug him tightly.

"Joseph Adrel Constantine, Mama loves you and Ope. You don't need to think about that, hon. I'm here." I smiled while trying to mend my son.

He smiled and then drank his milk. This is the result of my selfishness. This is the result of my cowardice. Kung hindi lang sana ako takot, baka kapiling nila si Clive.

"Mommy, I saw this man before!" biglang lapit ni Ope sa amin.

Tinignan ko ang pinapakita niya sa cellphone ko. My eyes widened when I saw who it was.

"W-where did you see him?" I asked my daughter.

Kumunot ang noo niya habang nag-iisip sa tanong ko. Maging si Adrel ay tumango rin sa akin.

"Yes, I saw him too! We saw him at school, Ope! He fetch Cairous and Canesha, our classmates!" si Adrel na ang sumagot.

My heart started to scramble. I didn't know that my twins were connected to that family. I was assured that they were safe at school!

"He looks like Constantine, Mommy." my daughter said.

"He looks like you too, Calliope!" sagot ng isa.

Napanganga na ako sa kanila. As usual, they got their brain from their father. Attitude and intelligence. They got it from Clive.

"Mama, who's this man?" my son asked me.

I sighed and then think another excuse for their question. This will never end until they get an answer from me.

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