Clio
“ Papa, wake up kana?” I felt a continuous poke in my right cheek.
“ Papa? Huwag ka dead ah,” naramdaman kung bumigat ang aking dibdib. When I opened my eyes, I saw Calliope sitting in my chest and looking straight into my face.
“Nag sleep lang si papa,” I explained to her. Natulog ako ulit after I got home, pagod talaga ako non eh kaya kailangan ko ng pahinga. Pinatulog ko rin si Calliope sa tabi ko.
“ Parang dead ka while sleeping ,” nakatitig ito sa aking mata habang binigkas ang mga salitang 'yun. I doubt she knows what 'death' really means or what is a dead person.
“ Sleep lang, hindi dead. ” Pag tama ko sa kaniya. Calliope scoot down a bit until nasa abdomen to ko na siya and she bent, her ears is against my chest now. My sweet girl is listening to my heart beat.
“ See? Papa is not dead. Papa's heart is beating.” I replied. Nag nod si Calliope at bumaba mula sa akin.
“ I had a nightmare kasi, dead kana daw sa nightmare ko.” She fiddle with her fingers as her expression change into complete sadness.
“ Nightmare lang 'yun baby, it's not true.” I assured her as my finger brush through her hair, my daughter looks cute in her bed hair. Look at her. Adorable.
“ Papa, lunch na tayo. Hungry na ako. ” She rub her stomach.
“ Anong oras na ba? Ang aga pa siguro, ” I stated trying to find a reason to sleep again. Gusto ko pang matulog, pagod pa ang katawan ko.
“ Papa, alas 12 na.” Napa upo ako sa sinagot ni Calliope. I immediately search of our wall clock and there it was, it's 12:30 in the afternoon na.
“ I'm sorry nak, teka papa will cook lunch na.” I got up the bed and head to the kitchen, iniwan ko si Calliope sa kuwarto. Kaya siguro gutom na ang bata kasi alas dose na at wala parin itong kain.
I opened the rice cooker to cook some rice pero may lutong kanin na ito, bagong luto actually. “ Nag cook ako papa kasi I thought dead kana, ” rinig kung sambit ni Calliope sa 'di kalayuan.
“ Nag luto kana pala, why didn't you eat nak? ” Lumingon ako sa kaniya.
“ Ayaw ko, gusto ko eat tayong dalawa.” Sagot niya sa akin.
“ I thought you said papa is dead? Dead people can't eat,”
“ Hindi ako mag eat if hindi mag eat si papa, ”
Naglakad ako papunta sa kaniya at niyakap siya. My precious daughter, what did I do deserve her? She's my treasure. The reason why I live.
“ Let's eat na, alam kung gutom kana.” Kinarga ko siya sa bisig ko at pina upo sa upuan niya dito sa mesa namin, kumuha ako ng dalawa plato at nilagyon 'yun ng kanin.
“ Papa, help ako.” Sabi ni Calliope sa akin, napaka bait talaga nitong anak ko. Manang mana sa tatay.
Nilapag ko sa mesa ang plato naming may kanin at pina upo lang si Calliope, sinabihan ko siyang ako na ang maghahanda dahil alam kung gutom na ito.
“ Daddy, may fried chicken diyan! ” Turo niya sa basket kung saan nilalagay namin ang leftovers na ulam, I opened the basket and saw the fried chickens I bought earlier.
“ Hindi ka kumain kanina?” I ask nong makapang limang piraso parin ito. Nag breakfast ba ang batang 'to?
“ Inubos ko 'yung bread na dala mo papa, kaya full ang tummy ko.” Ngumiti ito sa akin. Para naman talaga sa kaniya ang lahat ng 'yun, it's okay if she finished them all.
“ Bilhan pa kita ng ganong bread? Gusto mo? Pero, bago 'yan. Lunch muna tayo.” I put the fried chicken in a plate for us to share, umupo narin ako sa upuan ko.
“ Pray ka muna bago tayo mag eat Calliope,” Sabi ko sa kaniya. Ngumiti si Calliope at nag nod, she then intertwined her fingers together which I also did and close her eyes.
“ Papa God, thank you for the food na binigay mo sa amin. Thank you dahil safe si papa nong umuwi siya dito. Thank you dahil may food kami sa table, thank you kasi love mo kami. In Jesus name, I pray..... Amen.” We both said 'amen' to end the prayer.
“ Wash muna tayo ng hands Calliope,”
We both washed our hands in the sink before finally munching on our food. Pinag dadasal pala ako ng anak ko everytime, she always include me in her prayers every day. That's why I feel safe. Because I know how my baby prays for me.
While happily eating, my phone rang. Hindi ko sana sasagutin kasi gusto ko ng quality time with Calliope pero pabalik balik ng tawag. I rolled my eyes— “ Papa! Bad mag roll ng eyes kapag nasa food.” Saway ni Calliope with a fried chicken thigh in her hand. May rice grain pa malapit sa kaniyang bibig. She's really cute.
“ I'm sorry anak, hindi na uulit si papa.” Paghingi ko ng tawad. I stood up and wash my hand before answering the phone just in the table sa living room namin.
It's my manager calling. Bakit naman 'yun tatawag sa akin?
“ Hello?” Tanong ko sa kabilang linya.
“ Pu—pumuntakaditoplease , ” halos hindi ko na marinig ang sinabi ni manager sa sobrang low ng boses niya.
“ Hindi po kita maintindihan,” ano ba ang sinasabi nito sa kabila? Masyadong mababa boses niya. It sounds like a whisper.
“ Clio Stormhell, puntahan mo ako sa bar. Please. ” It was more clear. Bakit niya naman ako ipapatawag in this broad daylight? May problema ba?
" May problema ba manager?" Tanong ko, ayaw kong iwan si Calliope.
“Pumunta kalang dito, dalian mo!” The call immediately ended right there.
Ano bang nangyari at ganon nalang ka urgent ang pagpapatawag sa akin? May gulo nanaman ba? Hindi naman siguro, gabi lang active ang bar namin eh.
Habang nasa kalagitnaan ako ng pag huhula biglaang nag vibrate ang phone sa kamay ko, when I look at it I saw a text from the same person. My manager.
’ Please, hurry up! ’ with a photo attachment of Zilas sitting on a leather couch holding a gun.
BINABASA MO ANG
Clio Stormhell ( Completed ) ( BL )
RomanceClio Stormhell works as a prostitute, but upon spending a night with the blonde beauty Zilas Romaclov, his life has never been the same. A steamy love story between Clio Stormhell, the man who believes Zilas was just confused about his feelings, an...
