Puppet Town (Cold Case Series 3)

Chapter 11: Come Home, Lovelace

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My Mother gently raised the long sleeves that covered my skin. Pain became evident on her face when she saw the bruises that covered me like a tattoo. Napalitan iyon ng pagkataranta nang makita niya ang mga linya na malapit sa palapulsuhan ko.

"Anong ginagawa mo, anak? Gusto mo na ba akong iwan, ha?!" Nanlalaki ang kaniyang mga mata na nagpalipat-lipat sa 'king balat at sa 'king mukha.

I feel like I'm naked in front of her. Gusto kong ibalik ang pagkakatakip ng sleeves ng hoodie ko, ngunit mahigpit ang kaniyang pagkakahawak sa 'kin. Nang makita ko ang takot niya, namuno sa 'kin ang pagkakonsensya.

"I-I'm sorry, Mama..." Nasabi ko.

Niyakap niya ako nang mahigpit. "Pagpasensyahan mo na lang ang Papa mo, anak. Nagawa niya lang 'yon dahil pagod siya sa trabaho. You know he loves you."

Tumango-tango ako. I catched a glimpse of a burn mark on my mother's nape which seems to come from a cigarette. We're both suffering. A warm feeling was building in my chest and I know that if I let it be, it'll be a fireball that would control what my mouth speaks. I breathed deeply to ignore the feeling.

"I love you, Lovelace," she said in her sweetest voice and covered my arms.

"I love you too, Mama."

When she was gone, I quickly went outside and collapsed on my knees. I started crying because of the guilt. Ibinaon ko ang mukha sa tuhod.

If only my father is gone, then this would not have happened. Mas masaya sana ang buhay namin ni Mama ngayon. But then, my Mother loved him so much that she'd suffer from him. She always defends him by saying that at the end of the day, he is her husband, and he is my father.

I am the only one that keeps her sane. Although I'm aware of that, minsan kasi sobrang bigat na talaga. But still, paano ko nagawa 'yon sa Mama ko? Napakamakasarili ko.

"Psstt! Psstt!"

I lifted my head to follow the sound. Just outside our gate, a girl about my age was peeking. Nakasuot siya ng floral dress at naka-clip ang kulot niyang buhok. Agad kong pinunasan ang basa kong mukha nang gumuhit ang pag-aalala sa mukha niya.

"Do you want to play with me?" She asked.

Akala ko ay tatanungin niya kung ayos lang ba ako. She smiled brightly and waved her mannequin doll, who was a quarter of her height. The doll was dressed like her. Come to think of it, it also looks like her.

Hindi ako sumagot. Panic was starting to fill my system. I can't be talking with strangers. Pag nakita ako ni Mama, magwawala iyon.

"Sige na, please. Wala akong playmate 'e." She pouted. Ang cute niya.

"I-I'm sorry... bawal—" Nahinto ako sa pagsasalita nang walang pasabi niyang binuksan ang gate naming gawa sa kahoy.

She giggled. Inilapit niya ang manika niya sa 'kin at pinagalaw ang braso nito.

"Hello!" Sabi niya gamit ang manika.

"Please get out. Mapapagalitan ka ni Mama pag nakita ka niya!"

Hindi na siya ang unang bata na lumapit sa 'kin. When my Mother saw them, she became hysterical and thought that they are trying to get me away. Pushing them away has always been effective, but this girl won't listen.