"Emilio! Rodelito!"
A woman around late twenties rushed towards the children pagkapasok na pagkapasok pa lamang nila sa opisina ng Chief ng Law Enforcement at sinundan pa siya ng isang lalaki, most probably her husband.
The two boys were surprised for a moment but when they realized who it was, they also hugged back their mother and started to cry.
"Mama!"
It was a heart warming, at the same time, wrenching reunion.
Sino ba naman ang hindi mapipighati kung makuha ng mga masasamang tao ang dalawa mong anak? As a mother, that was a worst nightmare.
She carried them in her body for nine months. Took care of them like little treasures for five years. And then suddenly they would be stolen. The possibility of them suffering hunger, abused and the likes was very huge.
Emilia almost blinded her eyes for crying day and night.
Her husband, Rodel, couldn't take seeing her like this everyday. Plus, as Alkalde Mayor of W Province which is three towns to the north away from Z Province, alam niya kahit papaano ang nangyayari sa mga batang nakukuha ng mga human traffickers. He had received several missing children reports and had read the Law Enforcers' investigation reports. These cases were making him angry and giving him headaches. Unexpectedly, his family would be a victim of this too.
In his mind, mas matindi pa ang mga human traffickers kesa sa mga kidnappers. The first one would target their children and then ask for ransom money. If the negotiation was done right, they would definitely save their kids. But human traffickers randomly took children and then either sell them somewhere far from where they originally came from or sell their body parts and internal organs to the Red Market. Only miracle would give them a chance to meet their children again.
And wasn't he right to think so?
He heard from Chief Dimayuga kung paano napigilan ng isang babae ang mga human traffickers at nasalba nila ang mga batang idadaong na sana sa barko upang dalhin sa malayong lugar.
He and her wife were really grateful.
Unexpectedly, the woman he was looking at right now was very young. He couldn't tell if she was really their sons' saviour.
Mabuti na lamang at nagkusang loob na ang Chief Officer para ipakilala sila sa isa't isa.
"This is Binibining Veira Tan. Siya ang nagligtas sa mga anak ninyo mula sa kamay ng mga human traffickers."
Well, everyone in that Law Enforcement Office actually knew and liked Veira's family. The Chief wasn't able to attend the welcome-to-the-family feast na hinanda nila Veira para sa mga foster kids niya. Pero suki na naman siya ng food cart ng pamilya nila bago pa man magbukas ang restaurant nila sa pier.
"And these are her family. Nanay Onang, Lili and Lulu. All these kids, along with your twins, are currently staying with their family.
"Veira and family, these are the two boys' parents, Mayor Rodel and Ginang Emilia."
The two families shook the hands of each other while their minds had different thoughts about today's matter.
With that kind introduction, Emilia and Mayor Rodel couldn't help but be at awe with the Tan's family's kindness.
After saving the kids, they even fostered seven of them na hindi agad natagpuan ang mga pamilya. Kahit dalawang buwan pa lamang ang nakakalipas, just by looking at the kids' complexion, it was evident that they had been taken care well.
Even their sons looked livelier than before.
What more noble about this family is, they didn't accept that monthly allowance provided by the Law Enforcement for the children. Instead, they wanted the money to be used for looking their family as soon as possible.
By using that money, the officers finally got connected to them and even heard na may isa pang pamilya ng mga bata ang natagpuan nila kanina lang umaga.
Meanwhile, Veira and the others also had their share of surprise during this introduction. Unexpectedly, mayor pala ang mga magulang nila Emilio at Rodelito.
Veira easily recovered from her surprise dahil na rin sanay naman siyang makadaupang palad ang mga opisyal na may matataas na posisyon then and now. But Nanay Onang, Lili and Lulu were obviously nervous and anxious at the same time.
Seemed like they were really going to lose Rodelito and Emilio this time.
This thought covered them with sadness instantly.
***
After ng halos walang katapusan na pasasalamat at masiayos nila Veira at ng mga magulang ng kambal ang mga papeles na kailangan nilang isulat at pirmahan, they finally could get out from the Chief's office and formally meet the other foster children of the Tan's family.
"Mama, Papa! Look! They are our brothers and sisters, Ate Luna, Kuya Andres, Clara and Angel." Excited na pinakilala nila Emilio at Rodelito sa limang kapwa bata nila.
Masigla din nilang ikinuwento ang mga ginawa nila kasama ang mga ito and they kept calling them their sisters and brother.
Originally, Mayor Rodelito and Emilia feared na baka may trauma pa ang mga bata dahil sa pagkakakuha sa kanila ng mga human traffickers. Although Chief Dimayuga assured them that Veira had been bringing the children to the doctors, they were still having concerns. But seeing them now and hearing their stories about their fun times with Veira's family, it was like a huge thorn was taken out from their hearts.
"The doctor said they need at least four more months before she can tell if the children still need intervention about the children's mental health. Emilio and Rodelito do not have much time spent with the human traffickers. But we still need to make sure na maoovercome nila ang trauma na hatid ng mga nangyari sa kanila.
"Please brace yourself, especially at night. Sometimes, they have nightmares about what happened to them. That's also why the doctor encouraged them to get busy all day so they will be tired at night and have a sleepless night."
Then Veira handed them a piece of paper. "Here's the information of the doctor na pagkokonsultahan ko sa mga bata. If you want, you can continue work with her. But given the distance between W and Z Province, you might need to travel two hours utmost."
Hearing this, hindi na napigilan ni Emilia na hawakan ang dalawang kamay ni Veira.
"Veira, maraming salamat talaga sayo at sa pamilya mo. I know, from the efforts na inilaan mo para sa mga bata, na hindi lamang pag-aalaga at oras ang inilaan mo sa kanila. I know as a mother, you have opened your heart for them whole-heartedly and it won't be easy for you to let go of them."
"Ginang Emilia..."
"You can just call me Emilia. Given our current situation, I believe that our two families are fated to be closely acquainted. The children are still calling you Mama Veira. We can be sworn sister so that they can continue calling you the same."
It would be a lie to say na hindi natouch si Veira sa tinuran ni Emilia sa kanya.
Truth be told, it was really uncomfortable in her heart the fact na mawawalay sa kanila sila Rodelito at Emilio. Each of these children had their own places in her heart. And letting them go was indeed not easy.
But still, she had to do what she needed to do.
"Emilia, you don't have to worry about me. I am happy so long as the children are happy. And I am relieved knowing na hindi ninyo kagustuhan na mapunta ang kambal sa kamay ng mga human traffickers. Because let's face it, some of these children are not as fortunate as them."
That silenced the adults who heard Veira's words.
Indeed, some of these children were not as fortunate as Rodelito and Emilio. They were hoping for the best scenario but more or less, there would be one or two of them na mismong mga magulang pa nila ang naghatid sa kanila sa kamay ng mga human traffickers.
"Veira, whatever we can do for you, just let us know. Especially kung tungkol sa mga bata." Mayor Rodelito genuinely offered.
"Indeed, Veira. Just come to our home or send someone to us and we will do our best to help you."
Veira agreed at once. She was hoping not, but if she will really need help in the future, she would take them up for their promise today.
***
