Why Not Me (why can't it be me?) [Vini & Dalilah]

Kabanata 25

“There she is! There is your Mommy, baby girl,” Ellis softly and sweetly said to Dahlia as he set her feet on the floor, a far cry from the man he really was. First and foremost, he never used that endearment to my daughter, and he was never affectionate towards her.

“Mommy!” Dahlia called out as she ran towards me with open arms. While I stood frozen in my place, my mind spinning, desperately wishing this was not real.

Sa nanginginig na mga tuhod ay umalis ako sa tabi ni Vini na hindi ko kayang tingnan sa mga mata at saka wala sa sariling sinalubong ko si Dahlia.

“Daddy Ellis is here, Mommy! Yey! I am so happy!” aniya na walang kamuwang-muwang sa tensyon dito sa loob ng opisina.

As I bent to my waist to hug my daughter and lifted her in my arms, kahit ano pang iwas ko ay hindi ko sinasadyang mapatingin kay Vini na hindi ko mawari ‘yong ekspresyon sa mukha niya, pero ano pa man iyon ay hindi ko nagugustuhan.

Ellis cleared his throat, pulling my attention away from Vini. His mocking, annoying grin caught my eyes as he approached me and Dahlia, grabbed my arm, and used it to pull me into a kiss on the lips.

Napaatras ako at napakurap-kurap sa kaniya, lalo na roon sa ginawa niya. The urge to look back at Vini was overwhelming, wanting desperately to explain everything to him, to clear up this huge misunderstanding, but I knew that speaking now would only complicate things further. Lalong hindi sa ganitong paraan ko gustong malaman ni Dahlia ang katotohanan.

“Are you alright? I must have surprised you. You seem speechless that I am here,” Ellis said with a forced chuckle as he held me by the waist, his eyes locking into mine, sending a hidden threat beneath his smile. Naalis lang ‘yong tinginan naming dalawa nang biglang nagpupumiglas sa hawak ko si Dahlia at saka nagpababa.

“It’s you again!” masayang sabi niya habang itinuturo si Vini. Kumunot naman ang noo ako, hindi maintindihan ‘yong tinutukoy niya.

“Dahlia—”

She tugged at my hand and led me to Vini, whose expression remained a mystery to me. I saw a blend of betrayal, confusion, anger, but also a touch of softness in his eyes as he looked at Dahlia.

“Mommy, he was the nice guy I was telling you that called me pretty girl and the one that gave me a candy!” my daughter told me.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa nalaman at tila ba kinapos ako ng hininga. Because all along, while I was trying to keep them apart, they had already met each other?  Was that why there was a brown stain on his suit jacket the first time we met again? Because he was the man Dahlia was talking about that she poured her chocolate drink on?

Suddenly, it felt like there was a rope that was tying around my heart, squeezing it tightly when Vini stared deeply at Dahlia. She waved her small hand at him and cheerfully said, “Hello there, Mister! It’s nice to see you again!”